Chapter 1
How to Read a Book
(…and understand everything in it.)
When you see Sally she is usually carrying a book under her arm. I am not talking only about the times when you see Sally at school. She often has a book with her when she is at the shopping mall, riding in the car, going to see relatives, or doing just about anything where there might be an opportunity to read. Now, you might think Sally is a bookworm, but that would not be accurate because she enjoys spending a lot of time with her friends and doing a lot of different things. Very simply put, books are one of Sally's main hobbies.
People practice their hobbies in many different ways. Some people like to collect stamps or trading cards, others like to listen to music or go to the movies, and still others like to travel and visit new places. Sally likes to read books--all different kinds of books. She is happy to browse through the library looking at different titles in different sections. Even though she is not reading all of these books, she feels that it gives her a good idea of the various things people have written about. When her interest is strong enough, she takes a book out of the library to investigate more deeply. She also likes to go to a large bookstore near her home, where she can see the latest releases or perhaps pick up a bargain book for her own library.
Sally's love of books has made it a lot easier for her to do well in school because, after all, you do have to read a lot of books in your classes. When Sally gets an assignment and has to read a chapter, it almost seems like she is practicing her hobby. The books she uses in her classes are written very clearly and are really quite interesting. The only thing that is different is that sometimes she has to do a written exercise for the school assignment. To Sally that seems like a small price to pay for the opportunity to read another book about something new and interesting.
Reading assignments come more easily for Sally than for most other students. First of all, she has read so many books and learned so many new words that the whole experience feels very natural to her. Also, Sally usually only has to do an assigned reading one time because she understands just about everything the first time through. Sally has more fun reading than most students because she really knows how to read a book.
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The reason I have told you this story is to suggest that reading books can be fun, and that there are certain methods you can use to get the most out of them. When picking up a book, your first impulse might be to jump right in and start reading from the first page. Unfortunately, this is the wrong way to go about it because you are probably going to miss a lot of information, or have a hard time organizing it. There are several things you need to do first to get the most out of a book. You need to think about what you are doing, and then take a couple of important steps. Like Sally, you need to learn the proper way to read a book.
Before I give you advice on how to read a book, I want to say a few things about what books mean to me. As you might expect, since I am an author, books are very important to me. I like to collect all different types of books, in the same way that many people like to collect other things or follow hobbies. I think I have probably saved every book I have ever had from my earliest years. When I go to book shows, I meet a lot of other authors and they give me autographed copies of their books. I have several bookshelves built into walls in my house to help organize all of these books.
When I walk through my study and look at my books, they give me a special feeling. I can glance at the title of a book, and the main idea of what the book is about immediately comes to my mind. This makes me realize just how much I have learned from all of the books I have read over my lifetime, and how much enjoyment they have given to me. People who write books usually know a lot about a subject, and when they write their thoughts down they have to think very deeply and express themselves very clearly. You probably know from your own experiences that it takes a lot of effort to write something that is worth reading.
There is another point I want to make about books, and it is one that most of us take for granted: Books give us the opportunity to learn about the ideas of great thinkers, even those who have been dead many years. When we read their words, it is almost as if they are sitting in the room right next to us. Without books we could only learn about their ideas through the interpretations of others. If you think about it, you will realize that books are the means by which knowledge has been transmitted across the ages.
Even more important to you, the books you read in school will help you learn more about the subject you are studying and score higher on tests. Teachers will often ask you to do a reading assignment on a subject before they discuss it in the classroom. If you have done your reading ahead of time, you will understand more when the teacher presents it in class. So you see, reading and understanding books is essential if you want to do well in school. Given the importance of books, you want to make sure that you get the most out of them.
Getting Ready to Read
Now, let's suppose that you have just picked up a new textbook for one of your classes, and you are going to do your first reading assignment. You may be anxious to jump right in and start reading, but there are a couple of things you should do beforehand.
The first thing to do is find a spot where you will be able to read in comfort--remember, reading should be a leisurely activity. I like to wear very loose, comfortable clothing, and find a big easy chair where I can relax. You don't want to get too comfortable, however, or you might find yourself dozing off. Some people feel very relaxed reading at their desks, particularly if they are studying math and science and need to write something down. This is really a personal matter, and you will need to decide on the spot that works best for you.
Your reading spot should also be quiet enough so you will not be distracted by other noises in the house.
You will find it easier to read if your reading spot has plenty of light. If you read in a dark corner, you may get tired or even damage your eyes. I find that I stay more alert by reading under fluorescent light than a bright lamp. Try to sit where the light will shine overhead, or over your shoulder, rather than in your eyes.
Now that we have all of that out of the way, let's talk about how to read that new textbook.
Review Before Reading
When you get a new textbook, it is always a good idea to look the book over before actually starting to read it. The complete title on the first page, or title page, will give you a good idea of what the book is about. You should read the short statement about the author at the back of the book to learn something about the author's background and experiences. Next, read the preface or introduction at the beginning of the book to find out why the author wrote the book, and what he or she hopes to accomplish. Following this, look over the table of contents to see the specific subjects that are covered and how they are organized. This approach will give you a good overall idea of what the book is about.
You still need to do that reading assignment that the teacher handed out. Do you just go to the first page and start reading? Not yet--it's still too soon. You should get an overall idea of what the reading assignment is about before actually reading it.
Let's say that the reading assignment is the first chapter in the book. You should quickly flip through all of the pages in the first chapter to see what it contains and how it is organized. As you flip through, look at the major headings, minor headings, summary statements, and conclusions. Pay particular attention to anything in bold print, or any graphs, pictures, or equations in the chapter.
By skimming through the chapter in this manner, you have obtained a good idea of how it is organized and what it contains. You have just sent a lot of information to your mind, so you will understand and remember more when you start reading the chapter. This is because you will have an idea of what is coming next, how it fits in with what you have already read, and how everything fits together to tell the whole story. Always preview your reading assignments in this way before actually reading them.
Now you're ready to actually start reading the assignment. If you are wondering whether you just start at the beginning and read all of the way to the end, you need to know that there is a whole lot more to it than that. How you read the book will determine how much you get out of, it!
Ask Questions as You Read
The main thing to remember in reading a book is that you need to be an "active" reader, not a "passive" reader. Do you know the difference between the two, and which description applies to you?
A passive reader may read all of the words, but does not think or concentrate deeply about what they mean. This type of reader does not try to figure out what the author is trying to say, does not relate one sentence or thought to another, and does not compare the ideas to his or her own experiences. Passive readers do not ask any questions--they are just trying to get the assignment done so they can go on to something else they would rather be doing. As a result, their attention starts to drift, and they find themselves thinking about anything other than what they are reading--such as, what am I going to do after school with my friends? Who's going to win the ball game tonight? I wonder if that movie I am going to see is any good? Passive readers don't enjoy what they read, and they sure don't get much out of it, either.
The active reader will have a much better understanding of what a book is about, and will find t...
