how to read a book - wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

8/10/2019 How to Read a Book - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

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1393/7/24, 8:ow to Read a Book - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Page ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Read_a_Book

How to Read a Book

How to Read a Bookwas first written in 1940 by Mortimer Adler. He co-authored a

heavily revised edition in 1972 with Charles Van Doren, which gives guidelines for critically

reading good and great books of any tradition. The 1972 revision, in addition to the first

edition, treats genres (poetry, history, science, fiction, et cetera), inspectional and syntopica

reading.

Overview of the last edition

How to Read a Bookis divided into four parts, each consisting of several chapters.

Part I: The Dimensions of Reading

Adler explains for whom the book is intended, defines different classes of reading, and tells

which classes will be addressed. He also makes a brief argument favoring the Great Books,

and explains his reasons for writingHow to Read a Book.

There are three types of knowledge: practical, informational, and comprehensive. He

discusses the methods of acquiring knowledge, concluding that practical knowledge, though

teachable, cannot be truly mastered without experience; that only informational knowledge

can be gained by one whose understanding equals the author's; that comprehension (insight

is best learned from who first achieved said understanding an "original communication".

The idea that communication directly from those who first discovered an idea is the best way

of gaining understanding is Adler's argument for reading the Great Books; that any book tha

does not represent original communication is inferior, as a source, to the original, and that

any teacher, save those who discovered the subject he or she teaches, is inferior to the Great

Books as a source of comprehension.

Adler spends a good deal of this first section explaining why he was compelled to write this

book. He asserts that very few people can read a book for understanding, but that he believe

that most are capable of it, given the right instruction and the will to do so. It is his intent to

provide that instruction. He takes time to tell the reader about how he believes that the
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educational system has failed to teach students the arts of reading well, up to and including

undergraduate university-level institutions. He concludes that, due to these shortcomings in

formal education, it falls upon the individuals to cultivate these abilities in themselves.

Throughout this section, he relates anecdotes and summaries of his experience in education

as support for these assertions.

Part II: The Third Level of Reading: Analytical Reading

Here, Adler sets forth his method for reading a non-fiction book in order to gain

understanding. He claims that three distinct approaches, or readings, must all be made in

order to get the most possible out of a book, but that performing these three levels of readin

does not necessarily mean reading the book three times, as the experienced reader will be

able to do all three in the course of reading the book just once. Adler names the readings,

"structural", "interpretative", and "critical", in that order.

The first stage of the third level of reading is concerned with understanding the structure an

purpose of the book. It begins with determining the basic topic and type of the book being

read, so as to better anticipate the contents and comprehend the book from the very

beginning. Adler says that the reader must distinguish between practical and theoretical

books, as well as determining the field of study that the book addresses. Further, Adler says

that the reader must note any divisions in the book, and that these are not restricted to the

divisions laid out in the table of contents. Lastly, the reader must find out what problems the

author is trying to solve.

The second stage of the third level of reading involves constructing the author's arguments.

This first requires the reader to note and understand any special phrases and terms that the

author uses. Once that is done, Adler says that the reader should find and work to understan

each proposition that the author advances, as well as the author's support for thosepropositions.

In the third stage of the third level of reading, Adler directs the reader to criticize the book.

He asserts that now that the reader understands the author's propositions and arguments, th

reader has been elevated to the level of understanding of the book's author, and is now able


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4. Sophocles Tragedies

5. HerodotusHistories

6. Euripides Tragedies

7. ThucydidesHistory of the Peloponnesian War

8. Hippocrates Medical Writings

9. Aristophanes Comedies

10. Plato Dialogues

11. Aristotle Works

12. EpicurusLetter to Herodotus;Letter to Menoecus

13. EuclidElements

14. Archimedes Works

15. Apollonius of Perga Conic Sections

16. Cicero Works

17. Lucretius On the Nature of Things

18. Virgil Works

19. Horace Works

20. LivyHistory of Rome

21. Ovid Works

22. PlutarchParallel Lives;Moralia

23. TacitusHistories;Annals;Agricola Germania24. Nicomachus of GerasaIntroduction to Arithmetic

25. EpictetusDiscourses;Encheiridion

26. PtolemyAlmagest

27. Lucian Works

28. Marcus AureliusMeditations

29. Galen On the Natural Faculties

30. The New Testament

31. Plotinus The Enneads

32. St. Augustine On the Teacher; Confessions; City of God; On Christian Doctrine

33. The Song of Roland

34. The Nibelungenlied
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nibelungenliedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_of_Rolandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Christian_Doctrinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_God_(book)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessions_(St._Augustine)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enneadshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plotinushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Testamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Aureliushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almagesthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchiridion_of_Epictetushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discourses_of_Epictetushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epictetushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Arithmetichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicomachus_of_Gerasahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germania_(book)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annals_(Tacitus)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histories_(Tacitus)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacitushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moraliahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_Liveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutarchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ab_Urbe_conditahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Nature_of_Thingshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucretiushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicerohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollonius_of_Perga#Conicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollonius_of_Pergahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archimedeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euclid%27s_Elementshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euclidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicurushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristophaneshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocrateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Peloponnesian_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thucydideshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euripideshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histories_(Herodotus)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herodotushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophocles


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35. The Saga of Burnt Njl

36. St. Thomas AquinasSumma Theologica

37. Dante Alighieri The Divine Comedy;The New Life; On Monarchy

38. Geoffrey Chaucer Troilus and Criseyde; The Canterbury Tales

39. Leonardo da Vinci Notebooks

40. Niccol Machiavelli The Prince;Discourses on the First Ten Books of Livy

41. Desiderius Erasmus The Praise of Folly

42. Nicolaus Copernicus On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres

43. Thomas More Utopia

44. Martin Luther Table Talk; Three Treatises

45. Franois Rabelais Gargantua and Pantagruel

46. John CalvinInstitutes of the Christian Religion

47. Michel de MontaigneEssays

48. William Gilbert On the Loadstone and Magnetic Bodies

49. Miguel de CervantesDon Quixote

50. Edmund SpenserProthalamion; The Faerie Queene

51. Francis BaconEssays;Advancement of Learning;Novum Organum,New Atlantis

52. William ShakespearePoetry and Plays

53. Galileo GalileiStarry Messenger;Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences

54. Johannes KeplerEpitome of Copernican Astronomy; Concerning the Harmonies ofthe World

55. William Harvey On the Motion of the Heart and Blood in Animals; On the Circulatio

of the Blood; On the Generation of Animals

56. Thomas HobbesLeviathan

57. Ren DescartesRules for the Direction of the Mind;Discourse on the Method;

Geometry;Meditations on First Philosophy

58. John Milton Works

59. Molire Comedies

60. Blaise Pascal The Provincial Letters;Pensees; Scientific Treatises

61. Christiaan Huygens Treatise on Light

62. Benedict de SpinozaEthics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics_(book)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_de_Spinozahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiaan_Huygenshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penseeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provincial_Lettershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moli%C3%A8rehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Miltonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditations_on_First_Philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_G%C3%A9om%C3%A9triehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discourse_on_the_Methodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_for_the_Direction_of_the_Mindhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Descarteshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan_(book)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hobbeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Motion_of_the_Heart_and_Blood_in_Animalshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Harveyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonices_Mundihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epitome_of_Copernican_Astronomyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes_Keplerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_New_Scienceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidereus_Nunciushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Galileihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complete_Works_of_Shakespearehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespearehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Atlantishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novum_Organumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essays_(Francis_Bacon)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Baconhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Faerie_Queenehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prothalamionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Spenserhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Quixotehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_de_Cervanteshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Magnetehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gilbert_(astronomer)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essays_(Montaigne)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_de_Montaignehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institutes_of_the_Christian_Religionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Calvinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gargantua_and_Pantagruelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Rabelaishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Lutherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia_(book)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Morehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Revolutions_of_the_Heavenly_Sphereshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_Copernicushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Praise_of_Follyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desiderius_Erasmushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discourses_on_Livyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccol%C3%B2_Machiavellihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vincihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Canterbury_Taleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troilus_and_Criseydehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Monarchiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Vita_Nuovahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Divine_Comedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dante_Alighierihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summa_Theologicahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Thomas_Aquinashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nj%C3%A1l%27s_saga


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63. John LockeLetter Concerning Toleration; Of Civil Government;Essay Concerning

Human Understanding; Thoughts Concerning Education

64. Jean Baptiste Racine Tragedies

65. Isaac NewtonMathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy; Optics

66. Gottfried Wilhelm LeibnizDiscourse on Metaphysics;New Essays Concerning

Human Understanding;Monadology

67. Daniel DefoeRobinson Crusoe

68. Jonathan SwiftA Tale of a Tub;Journal to Stella;Gulliver's Travels;A Modest

Proposal

69. William Congreve The Way of the World

70. George BerkeleyPrinciples of Human Knowledge

71. Alexander PopeEssay on Criticism;Rape of the Lock;Essay on Man

72. Charles de Secondat, baron de MontesquieuPersian Letters;Spirit of Laws

73. VoltaireLetters on the English; Candide;Philosophical Dictionary

74. Henry FieldingJoseph Andrews; Tom Jones

75. Samuel Johnson The Vanity of Human Wishes;Dictionary;Rasselas; The Lives of th

Poets

76. David Hume Treatise on Human Nature;Essays Moral and Political;An Enquiry

Concerning Human Understanding

77. Jean-Jacques Rousseau On the Origin of Inequality; On the Political Economy;Emil or, On Education, The Social Contract

78. Laurence Sterne Tristram Shandy;A Sentimental Journey through France and Ital

79. Adam Smith The Theory of Moral Sentiments; The Wealth of Nations

80. Immanuel Kant Critique of Pure Reason;Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic

of Morals; Critique of Practical Reason; The Science of Right; Critique of Judgment;

Perpetual Peace

81. Edward Gibbon The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire;Autobiography82. James Boswell Journal; Life of Samuel Johnson, Ll.D.

83. Antoine Laurent Lavoisier Trait lmentaire de Chimie(Elements of Chemistry)

84. Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James MadisonFederalist Papers

85. Jeremy Bentham Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation; Theory of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Benthamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalist_Papershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Madisonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Hamiltonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trait%C3%A9_%C3%89l%C3%A9mentaire_de_Chimiehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Laurent_Lavoisierhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_of_Samuel_Johnsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Boswellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memoirs_of_My_Life_and_Writingshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decline_and_Fall_of_the_Roman_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Gibbonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_Peacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critique_of_Judgmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critique_of_Practical_Reasonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundwork_of_the_Metaphysic_of_Moralshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critique_of_Pure_Reasonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immanuel_Kanthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wealth_of_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Theory_of_Moral_Sentimentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Smithhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Sentimental_Journey_through_France_and_Italyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristram_Shandyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Sternehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Social_Contracthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discourse_on_Inequalityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Jacques_Rousseauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Enquiry_Concerning_Human_Understandinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Treatise_of_Human_Naturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Humehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lives_of_the_Poetshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rasselashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson%27s_Dictionaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vanity_of_Human_Wisheshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Johnsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_History_of_Tom_Jones,_a_Foundlinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Andrewshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Fieldinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophical_Dictionaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letters_on_the_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltairehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spirit_of_the_Lawshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Lettershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Secondat,_baron_de_Montesquieuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Essay_on_Manhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rape_of_the_Lockhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Essay_on_Criticismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Popehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Treatise_Concerning_the_Principles_of_Human_Knowledgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Berkeleyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_of_the_Worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Congrevehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Modest_Proposalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulliver%27s_Travelshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Journal_to_Stellahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Tale_of_a_Tubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Swifthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robinson_Crusoehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Defoehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monadologiehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Essays_on_Human_Understandinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discourse_on_Metaphysics_(book)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottfried_Wilhelm_Leibnizhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optickshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_Principles_of_Natural_Philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newtonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Baptiste_Racinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Some_Thoughts_Concerning_Educationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Essay_Concerning_Human_Understandinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Treatises_of_Governmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Letter_Concerning_Tolerationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Locke


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Fictions

86. Johann Wolfgang von GoetheFaust;Poetry and Truth

87. Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier Analytical Theory of Heat

88. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich HegelPhenomenology of Spirit;Philosophy of Right;

Lectures on the Philosophy of History

89. William Wordsworth Poems

90. Samuel Taylor Coleridge Poems;Biographia Literaria

91. Jane AustenPride and Prejudice;Emma

92. Carl von Clausewitz On War

93. Stendhal The Red and the Black; The Charterhouse of Parma; On Love

94. Lord ByronDon Juan

95. Arthur Schopenhauer Studies in Pessimism

96. Michael Faraday Chemical History of a Candle; Experimental Researches in Electrici

97. Charles LyellPrinciples of Geology

98. Auguste Comte The Positive Philosophy

99. Honor de BalzacPre Goriot;Eugenie Grandet

100. Ralph Waldo Emerson Representative Men; Essays; Journal

101. Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter

102. Alexis de TocquevilleDemocracy in America

103. John Stuart MillA System of Logic; On Liberty; Representative Government;

Utilitarianism; The Subjection of Women; Autobiography

104. Charles Darwin The Origin of Species; The Descent of Man;Autobiography

105. Charles DickensPickwick Papers;David Copperfield;Hard Times

106. Claude BernardIntroduction to the Study of Experimental Medicine

107. Henry David Thoreau Civil Disobedience; Walden

108. Karl Marx Capital; Communist Manifesto

109. George EliotAdam Bede;Middlemarch110. Herman MelvilleMoby-Dick;Billy Budd

111. Fyodor Dostoevsky Crime and Punishment; The Idiot; The Brothers Karamazov

112. Gustave FlaubertMadame Bovary; Three Stories

113. Henrik Ibsen Plays
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrik_Ibsenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madame_Bovaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Flauberthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Brothers_Karamazovhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Idiot_(novel)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_and_Punishmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyodor_Dostoevskyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Buddhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moby-Dickhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Melvillehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middlemarchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Bedehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Eliothttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Manifestohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_Kapitalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Disobedience_(Thoreau)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_David_Thoreauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Bernardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Timeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Copperfield_(novel)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickwick_Papershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickenshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Autobiography_of_Charles_Darwinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Descent_of_Manhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Origin_of_Specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Subjection_of_Womenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism_(book)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Libertyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_System_of_Logichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stuart_Millhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_in_Americahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexis_de_Tocquevillehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scarlet_Letterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Hawthornehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Waldo_Emersonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenie_Grandethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A8re_Goriothttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor%C3%A9_de_Balzachttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_Comtehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principles_of_Geologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lyellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Faradayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Schopenhauerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Juanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gordon_Byron,_6th_Baron_Byronhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Charterhouse_of_Parmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_rouge_et_le_noirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stendhalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_von_Clausewitzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_(novel)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biographia_Literariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Taylor_Coleridgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wordsworthhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lectures_on_the_Philosophy_of_Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elements_of_the_Philosophy_of_Righthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phenomenology_of_Spirithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Wilhelm_Friedrich_Hegelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Baptiste_Joseph_Fourierhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dichtung_und_Wahrheithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goethe%27s_Fausthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Wolfgang_von_Goethe


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114. Leo Tolstoy War and Peace;Anna Karenina; What is Art?; Twenty-Three Tales

115. Mark Twain The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn; The Mysterious Stranger

116. William James The Principles of Psychology; The Varieties of Religious Experience;

Pragmatism;Essays in Radical Empiricism

117. Henry James The American; The Ambassadors

118. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche Thus Spoke Zarathustra;Beyond Good and Evil; The

Genealogy of Morals; The Will to Power

119. Jules Henri PoincarScience and Hypothesis;Science and Method

120. Sigmund Freud The Interpretation of Dreams; Introductory Lectures on

Psychoanalysis; Civilization and Its Discontents; New Introductory Lectures on

Psychoanalysis

121. George Bernard Shaw Plays and Prefaces

122. Max Planck Origin and Development of the Quantum Theory; Where Is Science

Going?; Scientific Autobiography

123. Henri Bergson Time and Free Will;Matter and Memory; Creative Evolution; The

Two Sources of Morality and Religion

124. John Dewey How We Think; Democracy and Education; Experience and Nature;

Logic; the Theory of Inquiry

125. Alfred North WhiteheadAn Introduction to Mathematics;Science and the Modern

World; The Aims of Education and Other Essays;Adventures of Ideas126. George Santayana The Life of Reason;Skepticism and Animal Faith; Persons and

Places

127. Vladimir Lenin The State and Revolution

128. Marcel ProustRemembrance of Things Past

129. Bertrand Russell The Problems of Philosophy; The Analysis of Mind; An Inquiry into

Meaning and Truth; Human Knowledge, Its Scope and Limits

130. Thomas Mann The Magic Mountain;Joseph and His Brothers131. Albert Einstein The Meaning of Relativity; On the Method of Theoretical Physics; Th

Evolution of Physics

132. James Joyce 'The Dead' inDubliners;A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man; Ulysse

133. Jacques MaritainArt and Scholasticism; The Degrees of Knowledge; The Rights of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Maritainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_(novel)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Portrait_of_the_Artist_as_a_Young_Manhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublinershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Joycehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Evolution_of_Physicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einsteinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_and_His_Brothershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_Mountainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Mannhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Problems_of_Philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertrand_Russellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_of_Things_Pasthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Prousthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_and_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Leninhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skepticism_and_Animal_Faithhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Life_of_Reasonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Santayanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_North_Whiteheadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Deweyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Evolution_(book)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matter_and_Memoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_and_Free_Willhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Bergsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Planckhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Bernard_Shawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization_and_Its_Discontentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Interpretation_of_Dreamshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freudhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_and_Hypothesishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Henri_Poincar%C3%A9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Will_to_Power_(manuscript)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Genealogy_of_Moralityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_Good_and_Evilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thus_Spoke_Zarathustrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Wilhelm_Nietzschehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ambassadorshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_(novel)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Jameshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essays_in_Radical_Empiricismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Varieties_of_Religious_Experiencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Principles_of_Psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Jameshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mysterious_Strangerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Huckleberry_Finnhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Twainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_is_Art%3Fhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Kareninahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_and_Peacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Tolstoy


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Man and Natural Law; True Humanism

134. Franz Kafka The Trial; The Castle

135. Arnold J. ToynbeeA Study of History; Civilization on Trial

136. Jean-Paul SartreNausea;No Exit;Being and Nothingness

137. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn The First Circle; The Cancer Ward

Publication data

Mortimer Adler,How to Read a Book: The Art of Getting a Liberal Education, (1940)

OCLC822771595

1967 edition published with subtitleA Guide to Reading the Great BooksISBN

978-0671212094OCLC500166716

1972 revised edition, coauthor Charles Van Doren, New York: Simon and Schuste

ISBN 1-56731-010-9OCLC788925161

See also

How to Read Literature Like a Professor

Reading (process)

External links

Center for the Study of The Great Ideas

Detailed Summary of the Revised Edition in German
http://paedubucher.ch/docs/adler-vandoren_how-to-read-a-book.htmlhttp://www.thegreatideas.org/HowToReadABook.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading_(process)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Read_Literature_Like_a_Professorhttp://www.worldcat.org/oclc/788925161http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OCLChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1567310109http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/500166716http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OCLChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780671212094http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/822771595http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OCLChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cancer_Wardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_Circlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksandr_Solzhenitsynhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Being_and_Nothingnesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Exithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nausea_(novel)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Paul_Sartrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Study_of_Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_J._Toynbeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Castle_(novel)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Kafka

how to read a book - wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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