How to Read (and Understand) Hard Books

[@_jared]

A few notes: 1. Hitchens isn't the hardest author to read, but his book served as a decent example for the purposes of this video (and I had the book ready at hand). 2. Throughout, I mentioned synoptical reading - but Adler wrote about syntopical reading. A helpful commenter corrected me (and apparently many others have made that mistake).

[@boogerie]

"decent"? I beg to differ

[@timbushell8640]

@@boogerie Ha Ha Dig into Hitch - 22 will do nicely. : )))))

[@DanJetro]

First I want to express to you a big thank you for your videos and what you are shearing. I’m am a scholar on marxism and I want to thank you by giving you some name to search and read about classical or critical marxism, Rose Luxemburg may be the first and so Gyorgy Lucakz and Hebert Marcuse, these tree take Marx’s theory of use value and make that the center of the critical marxism facing against readings such as the social-democrat and the imperialist ones and also against the historical and the quantitative reading of The Capital. These tree place at the center of the discussion the live of the human kind and the theory of systemic crisis for the capitalism, as a trend that started with the law of capitalist accumulation something that shows perfectly Bolivar Echeverria. Those four are the best to catch a whole view of what is at stake, history as a process happening to everyone and no future is a certain destiny.

[@romelimmense]

Hitchen and his faulty arguments

[@G_Demolished]

⁠@@romelimmenseHe insulted your imaginary friend, did he?

[@leonalmeida858]

I discovered Mortimer Adler’s How To Read a Book in high school. It totally changed my life. It was like finding the key to a better world.

[@browngirlshire]

Superficial reading Analytical reading -classify the book -x-ray the book(skimming+pre reading) -come to terms with the author -determine the message - criticize the book fairly - determine your own conclusion

[@corgikun2579]

use one space after each dash. please

[@Gigusx]

@@corgikun2579 hey- what's a dash?

[@sillumats2]

​​@@corgikun2579 He did. In the last points 😂

[@Spark_Square]

​@@corgikun2579it is very sad

[@shaneisaac1184]

Lost it at mid analytical....and I was at 1.5x speed😅

[@Onkruid]

Brb grabbing my copy of green eggs and ham real quick

[@_jared]

Be sure to take notes!

[@ryanthegreat805]

😂

[@lpeek56]

Thanks for the laugh! You made my day!

[@Onkruid]

You are very welcome! Have a nice day :)@@lpeek56

[@KeytarArgonian]

For real though ‘oh the places you’ll go’ by Seuss almost had me weeping in my daughters lap at bed time I swear 😂

[@nunyabidness6820]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 *📚 Understanding hard books is a common challenge even for advanced readers.* 00:29 *📖 There are four types of reading: Elementary, Inspectional, Analytical, and Syntopical.* 01:53 *🧐 Before diving into a book, conduct an inspection to understand its content, table of contents, and introduction.* 04:00 *✍️ During the superficial read, quickly skim the text without stopping to ponder or look up unknown terms.* 05:37 *📖 Analytical reading involves deep engagement with the text, making thorough annotations, and taking detailed notes.* 08:41 *🔍 Define key terms used by the author to fully understand the text's message.* 09:37 *📝 Identify the author's message by analyzing specific arguments and evidence presented.* 10:31 *🤔 Critically assess the book by considering its arguments, exploring counterarguments, and forming your own conclusions.* 12:07 *📚 Syntopical reading involves comparing multiple books on the same subject to understand different perspectives and arguments.*

[@jonryan9577]

i believe this aligns with plato’s and socrates encouragement of critical thinking when it came to education…they often criticized the focus on just memorization rather than drawing your own conclusions and asking deeper questions.

[@HondoTrailside]

Memorizing is underrated. Both my parents and a sister were profs. In particular my mother could recite books of information, particularly poetry, event though it wasn't her specialty. Back when they went to Uni in the UK, 3.5% of the pop went. And the better schollars were the elite of an elite. Today we have people studying at university who are at the 40 percentile of IQ. But in subjects like this one, about how we could be better, it is well to remember how accomplished real scholars are, these people did no worry about whether they should choose memorization, or deeper questions. Or learn 7 languages, be accomplished in music and math. My dad worked long days, every day of his life almost into his 90s. They are just a different species. I am not contradicting, we probably agree on the balance, but the amplitude has a lot to do with it also. And most people don't have a hope, University was designed for an elite, and even then, only a small number do ground breaking work. The rest are kidding themselves.

[@ChrisGBaker]

Thank you. I’ve read Adler and Van Doran’s “How to Read a Book” many times. Your video here helped me understand its contents even more.

[@JackT13]

I found ‘Why Orwell Matters’ a joy to read. If you also imagine Hitchens’ voice is narrating in your head, you’ll love it

[@Tymbus]

I read a lot of hard academic books. I find returning to them even years later really help me, perhaps because I know more or perhaps because I have different questions to ask of the books. I think 'Why am I reading this book?' is as important question as 'What is this book about?'

[@_jared]

That's a very good point. Having a reason for reading the book helps you get the most out of it, especially if you're motivated to answer a particular question.

[@wayneqwele8847]

Hey drop a reading list?

[@bookofthedeadinternet]

i found this book recently on a self-study philosophy reading list and i thought it would be dreadfully boring but i'm enjoying it so far! i'm working on the 'how to read philosophy' section right now. i'm glad that you posted this and i found your channel! looking forward to watching your other content

[@InadequacyinaBucket]

Jared, I wanted to let you know how tickled I was over a realization I had just now: In the process of taking notes on this video, I discovered that my most effective notes have been me instinctively doing 90% of the steps you talked about without realizing it (if in a slightly more nonsensical order). Thanks for helping me realize the common denominators in my most effective notes and helping me wrangle the order into a sequence that makes more sense! I leave you with the note I made in the margin: "Reading fiction is like watching a play - an unspoken agreement between the orator and the audience to experience the work from start to finish in a specific order and without interruptions, lest you break the 'spell'. Reading nonfiction is like a homicide investigation - dissecting the body (of work) to measure its parts and find what isn't expected, looking at blood splatters and maps, and suspect lists from different angles and building a case in order to present in court (part of which /should/ be trying to prove the suspect innocent).

[@EricMcLuen]

For me language is often the atumbling block. Philosophers and theologians like naming things and don't often care if someone else used the same name in a slightly different context. Pobably the most difficult book I have, attemptedz to read was feom colege - Meaning of Christ, a Mahayana Buddhist Point of View. You basically had to learn a new language if you weren't well versed in Buddhist thought. I might give Goedel, Escher and Bach another shot at some point. But like all reading, knowing what you are getting into before you start can be a big plus.

[@true_Pixel]

From what you said it looks like I’ve been doing analytical + synoptical. I go through a book underling, highlighting and annotated bits that I feel are important and then I go over them multiple times after I finish the book. I also make sure to read books surrounding the same topic to drive it home.

[@SabineTheHutt]

This is what I do too. I can't bread a book if I don't own it because I HAVE to take a pen and highlighter to it the first time. I started doing it initially because i don't take meds for ADHD anymore and had trouble focusing on reading pretty much anything and doing that helps keep my mind from wandering. But I've since realized that it helps me understand and retain information better as well even compared to when I was taking meds

[@RemarkableFilm]

This video is starting to make me think that it wasn't my enrollment in the philosophy summer class in 2020 that took me out of my depression, it was the philosophy books I read for the course that re-taught me how to read and therefore gave me the power to continue learning and feeling engaged in the world around me (enlightenment!)

[@nathananderson8720]

This is one of the channels that gave me the courage to start my KZbin channel 8 months ago about self development. Now I have 1,056 subs and > 800 hours of watch time. I know it’s not comparable with others but I’m still proud I started because I’ve been learning so many lessons that I could haven’t learned without getting started in the 1st place.

[@ram42]

Well done bro, I subbed

[@nathananderson8720]

@@ram42 Whoever you are, I don't know you personally but I can say that you're one of the non-judgmental and open-minded people who is not fixated on tangible or external factors in order to learn from someone like me. Just because someone doesn't have a piece of paper as a credential, doesn't mean that person is not entitled to share personal experiences with the hope & intention to inspire others. Keep up with whatever it is that you're doing to improve mankind or improving your life even to a slight degree each day. This is just one part of a bigger puzzle for creating my KZbin channel about holistic health. I literally could have died back when I was 14 years old due to major depression but here I am right now replying to you, a KZbinr, who's full of fulfillment and dedication to help others to be a better version of themselves. I ain't better than anyone else but my old self. That's all that really makes this KZbin thing more meaningful and enjoyable. Thanks so much for your support! I am hoping that you can join me with this endless personal development journey! :)

[@ram42]

make some fuckin awesome vids man, im cheering for you@@nathananderson8720

[@SpectrumOfChange]

Congrats my man, that first part of creating something and getting it off the ground is the hardest part.

[@nathananderson8720]

@@SpectrumOfChange Thank you for taking the time to show your support! I wasted years of my life pursuing what I thought could fulfill me. I was lost as hell. I was searching for a feeling of purpose, being appreciated, being loved in many different wrong places such as career achievements, clubs, others’ opinions, etc. I worked hard for many years to graduate and have a stable high paying job and acquired most of the materialistic pursuits I’ve ever wanted but that spike of happiness didn’t last until I had enough and started to ask myself many existential questions that truly make this life matters and that’s when I got out of severe depression and actually experience how it is to be fully alive rather that being like a puppet and just let my life pass me by. So many sacrifices are needed to actually attain the authentic life I was scared of facing for so many years so that I can stay in my comfort zone but be miserable. I will be uploading videos that I hope can inspire others as well. It takes time but I will never stop.

[@jessicaweldon199]

your channel is amazing!!! I loved this video as an english student who loves classics but struggles outside of class

[@ethanlafont5073]

I’ve been presenting on Adler’s book to the Upper School students of the school I teach at. Love the video.

[@MuzeTitaN]

this is very helpful . growing up I had a very strong desier to read but had no direction on what to read based on my interests . my parents weren't readers . I only read a few books in school and felt very frustrated that I couldn't find anything I like based off of what I new existed which was nothing really.. I eventually was pointed in a direction of a co-worker on Arthur c clark . since then I have read and listened on audible 13 books and currently reading 3 on sci-fi ,history ,bio, fiction and classics .that was a big difference then only 3 books in all of school . I'm devouring books on the history of Mesopotamia at the moment and loving it . I wish I had someone to guide me when I was younger because on how little time I have now ...... oh how I relate to the twilight zone episode even more now

[@authenticmanstan797]

Just got done with a midterm for a course on Kant and The Critique of Pure Reason here at UCLA - these books are no joke… Thanks for ur practical tips fellow philosopher 🙌🙏🤘

[@_jared]

That's a brutal midterm. Hope it went well!

[@shalimarlittle8374]

I naively enrolled in “The Life and Work of James Joyce” at UCLA. I still think about that class. It’s been twenty-three years. 🙃

[@johnmanole4779]

​@@_jaredcould you please do some chapters for this video? 😢😅

[@authenticmanstan797]

@@_jared it was a brutal class - coming back to this after my final exam... came up quick yet I believe I learned alot as my professor was Tyler Burge who has his own interpretations

[@dysprosium162]

Thanks Jared. Adler's book is definitely a great all time book that all serious readers should take the time to read. I go back to it quite often along with his reading list of suggested readings at the end worthwhile for anyone wanting a good foundational background in works of western history, philosophy and literature. I always have to have a good chuckle though- reading a book about how to read a book! Yourself and Benjamin McEvoy are my two fave KZbinrs. I appreciate your thoughtful insights and discussions. Another book, along with Adler, that I do recommend is "The Well-Educated Mind" by Susan Wise Bauer (and she does refer to Adler often in this book). For those who enjoy self-directed education it is a real gem.

[@duckbizniz663]

Very nice presentation on how to read books. I appreciate your short and concise presentation. I have problems with long, drawn out, and detail explanations. Which is why I have problems with reading and understanding long writings.

[@mohandalansari534]

Steps are unclear. I am now a philosopher

[@josephr2941]

My philosophy teacher last year tortured my class. He had us read a bunch of Hegel and Feaubach. I wish those reads on my worst enemy.

[@GoodMorning-b2w]

wouldn't*

[@elendor3428]

This is great. Im a physics student and the deeper element of understanding physics, is generally mathematics. I have struggled with finding a way of really understanding pure philosophy so this should be very helpful.

[@RoyalBlueMoonRiviera]

This is exactly what I do when I’m reading a book and take time on it. I didn’t know that they were specific words for each group I’ve been hitting on. I just thought it was my style of reading that I came up with lol. And not to be arrogant about it. It’s interesting how I intuitively picked up such a style or a way that best fits people who read “heavy” books. And what’s extra funny is I prefer to read “heavy” styled books. Helps my mind to expand even more. Slow and steady wins the race with me. 🤟🏼😎

[@Phoppa]

I discovered your videos recently during my height of curiosity about stoicism. Watching your content, I can’t help to think that they will be a perfect fit for Nebula. Great job btw, Jared. Truly a rare creator in this landscape

[@_jared]

Nebula would be the dream one day.

[@theharshtruthoutthere]

@@_jared Whenever you seek something to read, remember: Basic Information Before Leaving Earth = B I B L E (KJV) and a search: BIBLE + FREEMASONRY.

[@notavailable-ih4zc]

1. Introduction - Discusses the challenge of understanding difficult books. - References Mortimer Adler's book How to Read a Book as a guide for deeper reading. - Introduces Adler's four types of reading: Elementary, Inspectional, Analytical, and Synoptical. 2. The Four Levels of Reading - Elementary Reading: Basic understanding of words and sentences, assumed to be a universal skill. - Inspectional Reading: A quick, surface-level reading to get a general idea of the book’s content. - Analytical Reading: In-depth reading involving detailed note-taking and analysis. - Synoptical Reading: Comparative reading of multiple books on the same subject for a broader perspective. 3. Inspectional Reading Techniques - Overview of inspectional reading steps, using Why Orwell Matters by Christopher Hitchens as an example. - Suggestions include checking the blurb, table of contents, index, and introduction. - The goal is to determine the main argument and scope of the book. 4. The Superficial Read - A part of inspectional reading where you read quickly without stopping to ponder details. - Encourages light annotations to prepare for deeper reading. 5. Analytical Reading Techniques - Six steps of analytical reading: 1. Classify the Book: Determine genre and scope. 2. X-Ray the Book: Identify structure, such as independent chapters or continuous narrative. 3. Define Key Terms: Clarify key terms used by the author. 4. Determine the Author’s Message: Focus on understanding specific arguments. 5. Criticize Fairly: Evaluate the author’s claims and arguments critically. 6. Formulate Your Own Conclusions: Develop a personal stance after thorough engagement with the book. 6. Synoptical Reading - Described as reading multiple books on a single topic to synthesize a broader understanding. - Involves comparing authors' perspectives, terminology, and arguments. - Presented as a challenging skill, often developed at the academic level.

[@emp294]

Gracias, very useful recommendations! Best regards from México!

[@LiterateTexan]

I really enjoyed this video. That Adlee book is great. I'd love to see you do a similar video focused on reading fiction, since this video was so focused on nonfiction.

[@Doctor.T.46]

I've just ordered the book...thanks for your very helpful advice 👍

[@JeffSeaIndustries]

A possible last step, reread the book. Some books definitely change with time.

[@Nick-qp7to]

already gave this feedback but i always found the music a tad loud i prefer if its lower thanks love ur videos

[@_jared]

Thanks for letting me know!

[@motorbikeray]

@@_jared Thank you for lowering the background music in your future videos.

[@fpvillegas9084]

If i want to learn about a new topic....i read it's Wikipedia article first.....and from there i explore some more about that topic.....youtube and even facebook is also quite informative and enlightening.

[@naeshelle]

I really appreciated this video! I’ve recently picked up a book by Fanon that I’ve been struggling with. I look forward from starting over using the approach you’ve outlined here. Cheers!

[@andreassvoboda595]

Dont read Fanon, read Marx. Fanon is what you get when someone doesnt read the primary theory and incorrectly expands on it.

[@catherinesacademiastudio4804]

I bought this book after seeing it in a few videos and I am really happy I did, it's a great book.

[@tricaurelie]

I'm so glad you picked Hitchens's book for this video. I love Hitch and Orwell, and really enjoyed this read, though I feel I should revisit it soon 🤔

[@FlyFederalist]

Here are the points summarizing the video: This video is about how to get the most out of reading difficult non-fiction books by applying Mortimer Adler's ideas. The video dives into four types of reading: elementary, inspectional, analytical, and synoptical reading. This video will mainly focus on analytical reading. Inspectional reading is a quick overview to get a sense of the book's content. Here are some tips for inspectional reading: Read the blurb on the back of the book. Look at the table of contents. If available, skim the index. Briefly read the introduction. Analytical reading is a deep dive into the text where you take notes and annotations. Here are the six steps of analytical reading according to Adler: Classify the book: Determine the genre of the book (e.g. non-fiction, literary criticism). X-ray the book: skim through the book to get an idea of the structure and organization of the book. Come to terms with the author: Define important terms the author uses throughout the book. Determine the author's message: Identify the main argument the author is making. Criticize the book fairly: Analyze the author's arguments and see if they hold up. Try to come up with counterarguments as well. Decide your own conclusion: Form your own opinion about the book and the ideas presented by the author. Synoptical reading is a more advanced technique where you compare multiple books on the same topic.

[@gailfromengland2553]

Very many thanks for this. I suspected it would be about non-fiction when Adler's book was mentioned - I waded my way through that wretched book, trying to find something useful about reading literature (novels, plays and poetry) and it was no help at all. Your comment has saved me from the disappointment of listening to this video hoping for some insight into reading fiction.

[@Mathematica702]

I remember a time back in the 70’s & 80’s when everyone read the “hard books”, discussed them deeply, re-read, were committed to ideas, etc. I don’t even see that at the university anymore. People know a lot of names & titles, but they’re mostly not into it. Years ago we would’ve never thought of Orwell as difficult. Hegel was difficult; maybe Kant; Joyce; we read things like Foucault and Derrida and Deluze like it was simple fun. Shakespeare was just automatic. The great poets were read. People years ago were just made of different stuff.

[@gilbertoflores7397]

I took a class on the evolution of children's literature, yes, language and understanding have greatly changed. Reading the old stuff was actually pretty challenging understanding the language and descriptions that could go on for half a page or more. I would think, is this actually for kids? Gave it to some friends, ask them to read a random page, and they'd be just as confused. I think with the advancement of technology, being able to paint a picture of a scene with words, elaborate descriptions lost favor due to being able to just make a TV show or cartoon to express a similar idea. Literature has greatly declined, because it's become a business, either super generic fantasy for men or a dumb romance/YA more generic gaslighting mystery/romance that women are into. Most stuff being written now is terrible because writers are too full of themselves and keep doing ridiculous deconstruction of the genres or re-imagining instead of attempting write something good. The fundamentals of story have been lost with overanalysis, the hero with a 1000 faces wasn't meant to be a "how to" but understanding the structure of the stories we've enjoyed. That's the main reason why reading sucks now, too much garbage gets put out, and it becomes difficult finding the actual gems worth reading.

[@Mathematica702]

@@gilbertoflores7397 Good observation. Digital media seem catastrophic to higher cognition in the short term. I had always said the internet & digital interface systems are not for us people of today, but for a generation way in advance of us.. a generation that will know how to use it to radically increase and optimize human skills and abilities, like no generation before. In the meantime I’m content to stay with the great books.

[@BH-2023]

Psychotherapist here. Coming partly from an analytic philosophy background, this was my biggest intellectual critique of my graduate program. Many of the topics we covered were superficial paraphrases of others' paraphrases of others' ideas. Bored (to be honest) I read many primary and secondary sources (e.g., Piaget's work, Lev Vygotsky's work, etc. + their respective secondary texts), which helped me much more than just regurgitating prepackaged summaries and paraphrases of topics.

[@youtubecensors5419]

You'll notice that even the same books have revised vocabulary with every edition, but it only goes one direction: easier. They literally engineered the educational sabotage we're witnessing today. Educators remove more sophisticated vocabulary from books over and over in order to stunt children's ability to conceptualize ideas. "The Boxcar Children" is a very obvious example you can easily see for yourself. Remember: our educational system is designed to produce obedient, poor thinking, depressed, and anxious children who are intellectually fatigued and socially neurotic.

[@floorshirts6402]

Another excellent guide for reading is Susan Wise Bauer's The Well-Educated Mind. She goes a little more in-depth on the various subjects than Adler does.

[@_jared]

I hadn't heard of this one. I'll check it out!

[@floorshirts6402]

Yeah, I definitely think it's worth reading it alongside Adler. She has three sections on Fiction, Drama, and Poetry that are really helpful.

[@dapperninji646]

Just got the adler book used for $5. thanks keep the content coming.

[@Geemeel1]

GREAT vid Jared, it actually to recheck the book I've written and answer the questions the other way around . THANKS 👏🏽

[@l.d.m.33]

Hey can you do a video on the writing process for argumentative papers in philosophy? What is your writing process? How do you organize and synthesize your ideas? Do you use the index card method?

[@Charley-Charley]

Thank you! I’m taking an anthropology class and an Astronomy course in college at the same time right now and I felt overwhelmed about getting started. This helps ❤

[@robertgerrity878]

This needs to be a 5 parter. The 1st two steps, the 3rd step in part 2, then the 4th step in part 3. VIDS 4 and 5, apply to Animal Farm keeping synoptical to part 5. Keep working, and i know how hard it is--daunting even, on the presentation with upping graphics. 2 thumbs up.

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

Before I dove into Montaigne's Essays I read the OUP "Short Introduction" to him and Sarah Bakewell's fantastic bio of him, "How To Live". I wanted to make sure I understood his point of view by understanding who he was.

[@KimmySang]

Man I've seen this book pop up in my recommendations to read. But I wasn't sure if I should give it a try. After this video I think I should.

[@DanielHarris171]

My process of how I retain what I read: 1. Have ADHD. 2. Buy a bunch of books in an area you’re really interested in. 3. Read a few chapters before you go to bed. 4. Hyper focus all night on what you just read getting no sleep. 5. Word vomit everything to your spouse, a friend, or random people on Reddit the next morning.

[@DanielHarris171]

Also, Hitchens isn’t the best atheist read. He has a very colonial epistemology.

[@naeshelle]

Oh, how this resonated with me. 😅 I’ve found the only way I can retain things with my ADHD is to take notes while reading. I annotate my books & take notes on my iPad/laptop. Otherwise I have no clue what I’ve read.

[@C.C.Mousse]

*5:37* analytical *5:56* the steps

[@Athul-x8y]

Its a delight finding your channel, I loved this video very much. Thank you :)

[@cgestraviz]

Thank you. I've read the book from Adler and was trying to distill it. You have done the work for me.

[@dayru_ru]

after I noticed the clicking sound after each zoom in and out, I can't not notice it anymore

[@RichardCarter]

I appreciate they're anagrams, but Adler wrote about syntopical reading, not synoptical reading. Syntopical = same topic.

[@_jared]

Oh my goodness - I read that word wrong every single time. I assumed he was calling it synoptical because it lets you get a general view of a subject. I appreciate the correction!

[@JonStallings]

​@@_jaredI have been doing the same thing 😅

[@RichardCarter]

To be honest, I only noticed because I made the same mistake when I posted a review on my website.

[@Geemeel1]

eh Wow. sharp!! thanks for this and thanks to Jared anyways, because , as a starter, the difference is now clear to me. Great work to both of you 🙌🏽

[@timbushell8640]

@@_jared ha ha ha ha. We all have crosses to bear. : ))))) At least consistent.

[@mickomoo]

This is pretty awesome! I know the video is designed to be a template, but it'd be cool if there were a PDF version of this.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

Now do how to read Hitchens and how to read How to Read a Book...so when do we actually read read? 1. What are "hard" books? 2. Can you do a redo on the synoptical vs syntopical?

[@702_rfl]

your voice is calming asl

[@mioszjaroszewicz9146]

I'm not native speaker of english language, so i think im able to give you an interesting facts bout reading english literature in original. As a big fan of George Orwell I used to dream bout reading his novels in the original language. Once, I bought a book with his stories and there was his famous piece ,,Animal farm". I remember that when I had read this novel before (in my native, polish language), I had not seen a lot of interesting things in this masterpiece. First of all I had headache because of strange and old vocabulary that he used, like specialized words from farms. Secondly I had not thought that it would be so difficult to read this (because in polish It semmed to be quite easy). So, what can I add? Greetings from Poland, you have great literature!😊

[@abooswalehmosafeer173]

I read a lot Understand very very little But nothing compares to the feeling of answering "yes" to the question of have read so and so.And at this juncture the "very very little understanding"" of the book gleams "I have understood quite a bit there". At this point one goes back to the book and tries harder and here only 2 things may occur either RIP or plethora of "eurekas". Book is to be read. Reading book is to be booked and be hooked.

[@caglabatur]

Thank you❤ I am struggling to focus on academic books again, after few years now.

[@christiancacibauda5512]

I really like your paraphrase 10:32, of Adler and Van Doren's more prolix rule.

[@jsrjsr]

Now I understand the appeal to post modern styles of writing a book.

[@ravangersplaty9126]

Oh, I was just reading a work from Hitchens and thought it was difficult to read, so I came to this video just to see another book of his; how convenient

[@shawnmclean7707]

Another good book, which I had to pause Adler’s book to read, is Norman Lewis’ book “how to read better and faster”. This one will teach you how to read anything, faster and better for real, with actionable and measurable exercises. So I’ll read that first and then Adler.

[@ubiktd4064]

"Gravity's Rainbow" by Thomas Pynchon broke my brain.

[@socraticproblem86]

I used to read a lot of books. As I got older I lost the habit. Looking back I used to have a rocking chair. There was a stack of books next to it. It was like a reading station. Considering bringing that back.

[@mrinalkrant2523]

00:01 Learn how to get the most out of what you read 01:35 To understand a book, first figure out what it is about. 03:07 Pre-reading a book helps you understand what it's about and feel more comfortable. 04:43 Analytical reading involves diving deep into a book and taking thorough notes. 06:22 Understanding the structure of a hard book is crucial for effective reading. 08:00 Understanding the author's main message and defining key terms is crucial for deeply reading non-fiction books. 09:39 Identifying specific ways Orwell has been misinterpreted and still matters in the 21st century. 11:23 Final pronouncement about a book should be complex and nuanced, even if you disagree with it. Crafted by Merlin AI.

[@SomeoneStillLearning]

Not gonna lie 👉🏻 I'm loving this channel! ❤

[@parthavikarn3475]

It's really helpful. Thank you for this! ❤

[@JonStallings]

Currently reading Adler's book. Only about 100 pages in but getting a lot out of it. However, the authors can be wordy 😳

[@MrTylerhenry8]

Love the subtle plug for Ali

[@markmorrison7785]

I was hoping this would be on fiction. I don’t often have that reticence when approaching non-fiction books. But when approaching certain fictional books, there can be an intimidation. IE The Brothers Karamazov, Ulysses, The Tunnel, and so on.

[@_jared]

I’m planning a fiction video soon, given the popularity of the request!

[@gilbertoflores7397]

A good approach for fiction or more difficult text like you've mentioned might be different to this. Reading slow would be key, stopping to reflect or maybe summarize what's happening is necessary. For Ulysses, it's actually beneficial to read out loud, Joyce designed the book to be read out loud like an an epic poem, same can be said about Shakespeare, reading out loud can be very beneficial for the more difficult stuff. As well as reading at a slow pace, thinking of it like you're trying to digest it piece by piece, it also okay to not completely understand the things that will go completely over you're head (Joyce intentionally did stuff like that).

[@markmorrison7785]

Thank you for your reply; all great advice! I have been practicing reading out loud. Even when out I do it under my breath but still audible to my ear and it’s surely helped. There is something gratifying about reading slow too. As if I am truly digesting the work instead of just rushing to add another number to the book count.

[@leeellis47]

So I started reading stoicism a while back and it turns out I was natural reading these books synoptically. I would read through one and find parts that talk about the same idea in other books and I often found myself comparing the two

[@anamberL]

Hi, no ill intentions and I appreciate your content. I understand profits from Ads is part of what KZbinrs living on HOWEVER 4-5 ads inserted within 10mins video is too much.

[@davidleonard8547]

Hitchens was such a profound intellect! Me ruminating: I wonder if Harold Bloom agrees with Mortimer Adler in his "How to Read and Why." Future topic?

[@melodybales2038]

that segue was smoooooooooooth

[@christopherlees1134]

Good video, nice explanation.

[@omaralshehhi2889]

I felt that the first three steps of Analytical reading is basically Pre-Reading. Otherwise, thank you for your video!

[@samboss2091]

Thanks from Ethiopia. Hitchens is awesome

[@Test-dr2dw]

Off topic, but your voice + mic settings are great. If you don't mind me asking, what editing software do you use to get your voice so clear?

[@The-prosperity-Hub]

Wow! Let me just say that besides the fact that you shared very valuable content, you articulate yourself in a very interesting way. Is there perhaps a method you use to ensure that you articulate yourself or your content in this specifically attention drawing manner?

[@mikkopiippo8137]

Even elementary reading can be extremely challenging when reading Latin or Greek classics…

[@gabiocampos]

Your voice is really soothing

[@davidwilson410]

I'm going with MA in Humanities based on the Great Books of the Western World from American Public University

[@ichibannotakaramono0]

:') i wish you well on your journey🎉

[@vincentcaudo-engelmann9057]

Yay no dumb AI voice or mass produced documentary junk. Thank you for your topic, excellent locution and badass editing.

[@SevenUnwokenDreams]

Thank you. I am reading The Myth of Sisyphus for the first time, and I am not sure what Camu means when he says "nostalgia." I'm going to reread it when I'm done with this first read. I would be interested in a video on syntopical reading.

[@buddahluvaz8]

Good luck! I’ve read it a handful of times. Camus ‘The Stranger’ is thought to have been a companion book to MOS but supposedly they couldn’t print both because of war rationing of paper. I’ve read both books multiple times and I feel that Meaursalt is the embodiment of the “absurd man”, a man that is so transfixed with everyday passion and routine that he rebels and decides to live on his own terms.

[@raswartz]

I'd love to hear you walk through the same steps for a work of fiction.

[@caruto4279]

Thank you😊 bro😅 I needed to know this

[@lovelyindeed4526]

Great video thank you 😊 do you read the book the first time without analyzing and only light annotation and then read the book again? Thank you!

[@s0urp0wer5]

David Foster Wallace pulled an Elvis and now runs a KZbin channel. Amazing. 😮

[@martinnogales2259]

Thanks for tremendous information .For whose love books !!

[@Rupesh1562]

It would be great if you could make a video on comprehension of philosophical texts

[@pratyakshajoshi]

kinda nice having harry potter explain to me how reading works

[@ToddBryantsr]

Great video except I wear headphones when I watch videos and the clicking is very loud. Can you adjust these in future videos? Thanks!

[@josephbrown3647]

Get the original 1930's edition. It's a lot better than the updated version. Also there is a 3 hour lecture by shaykh hamza yusuf how to read a book about this very book.

[@satishsinghal101]

Not every book lends itself to analysis, all the time. For example, sometimes poetry is to be read, just for the joy of its word smithy and word dance. Yet another time, it could be analyzed. What is missing in this “painting by numbers”, approach of reading books is, reader’s perspective. Where is reader, and where does he/she wishes to be during and after reading the book? And, some books may need multiple readings, sometimes over decades. So take formula given in this video with grain of salt. Above all, you cannot read a book, if it is not an enjoyable experience. Writing quality is not great enough, in general, that you cannot put a book down. Then if you must read a book (obviously to pass a class), then techniques given here can be mildly helpful.

[@jacobmiller5834]

I'm pushing through a tough read right now. It has really good reviews but I'm thinking, I hate this book. I don't know what to do about that. Only one chapter left so the end is in sight.

[@christine6059]

You’re certainly entitled to hate it.

[@Johanna_reads]

Excellent video! Would you say synoptical analysis is along the lines of writing a review of literature? That’s what came to mind.

[@_jared]

That’s certainly related. When I wrote my dissertation, I had to read every relevant article and book and write a proposal assessing the state of the debate, and in order to do that I had to be engaging in that kind of reading.

[@EricMcLuen]

​@_jared It isnironic that one can spend more time explaining what the issue of the debate actually is than providing a response.

[@SierraGax]

Synoptic reading is like a meta-analysis

[@raghad-cw9eq]

this is very helpful! thank you.

[@greyone40]

I have read Hitchens' book on Orwell, so this was a good example. I would say that it is not a difficult book, because most of the terms that he uses are familiar to me. He is also a good clear writer. The book on Marxist history looks like a difficult one. One of the things that makes something a difficult read for me is when a smarter person is trying to explain nonsense. This author being critical of Marxism is taking on a difficult task, for sure. Robert Bork gave an explanation of "substantive due process" in one of his books. He thought it was not a legitimate judicial/legal concept, but gave a pretty good explanation of the thinking of the people who came up with it. Thanks for posting this. Now I want to pick up Hitchens' book again.

[@aparnagiridharan2825]

Thank you, sir.