Speaking of Reading [Paperback]

Nadine Rosenthal (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Rosenthal (Ten Career Readers), chair of the learning assistance department, City College of San Francisco, has collected 77 short interviews, here shaped into essays, in which interviewees describe how reading-or not reading-has affected their lives. The interesting result includes accounts by writer Isabel Allende, basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and feminist Gloria Steinem as well as testimony from non-famous people from all walks of life. Rosenthal contrasts the experiences of those who have enjoyed reading since childhood with those of people who learned to read as adults. She has divided the pieces into eight chapters reflecting eight types of readers: readers of literature; frustrated readers; those influenced by childhood reading; voracious readers; habitual readers; those learning to read as adults; information readers; and those aware of their reading process. Since many experiences overlap, these categories seem arbitrary and forced. Concluding with a useful chapter on techniques good readers can use to assist other, developing readers, this book will be of greatest interest to those involved in reading education.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 213 pages
• Publisher: Heinemann (May 5, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0435081187
• ISBN-13: 978-0435081188
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,769,569 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for all readers and non-readers alike., August 3, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Speaking of Reading (Paperback)

Something for everyone best describes Nadine Rosenthal's latest offering, Speaking of Reading.
A collection of narrative essays from a wide range of people, this book shares the many facets of the reading experience in an intensely human manner.
Dividing the people she interviewed into basic categories of "readers" and "non-readers,"
Rosenthal then groups the narratives by types of readers, including literature, information, habitiual, obsessive, childhood and new adult readers among other categories.
Each person sharing a narrative is candid and honest regarding his or her love/hate, excitement/frustration or obsession/apathy for reading and various genres.

In addition to crawling inside other readers' heads and discovering myself among more than one of the types, Rosenthal's impassioned plea for more literary mentors was not lost on this reader.
Indeed, I belive her goal of increasing literay mentors for non-readers may find great success with the power of this book.

If you are a reader of any type, you will find small parts of yourself in many of the narratives. If you struggle with reading, you will be inspired by the honesty of many of those in the book who also struggled and are overcoming their fears of reading to explore a new horizon never before available to them. If you know someone whom you wish to share your love of reading with, this book may be the tool which helps both you and your friend.