How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines 1st Edition

by Thomas C. Foster (Author)

795 customer reviews

ISBN-13: 978-0060009427

ISBN-10: 006000942X

Why is ISBN important?

Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Share <Embed>

Condition: Used - Good

In Stock. Sold by Jenson Books Inc, Fulfilled by Amazon

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

439 Used from $1.00

FREE Shipping on orders over $25.

Deliver to France

Turn on 1-Click ordering

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

Sold by SEFNAK TRADING and Fulfilled by Amazon.

Note: Available at a lower price from other sellers that may not offer free Prime shipping.

This item ships to France. Want it Tuesday, Sept. 18? Order within and choose AmazonGlobal Priority Shipping at checkout. Learn more

33 New from $16.95

Deliver to France

Turn on 1-Click ordering

More Buying Choices

33 New from $16.95 439 Used from $1.00 13 Collectible from $5.00

485 used & new from $1.00

See All Buying Options

Note: Available at a lower price from other sellers that may not offer free Prime shipping.

There is a newer edition of this item:

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines, Revised Edition
$10.87
(795)
In Stock.

Free%20Two-Day%20Shipping%20for%20College%20Students%20with%20Amazon%20Student

What does it mean when a fictional hero takes a journey?. Shares a meal? Gets drenched in a sudden rain shower? Often, there is much more going on in a novel or poem than is readily visible on the surface—a symbol, maybe, that remains elusive, or an unexpected twist on a character—and there's that sneaking suspicion that the deeper meaning of a literary text keeps escaping you.

In this practical and amusing guide to literature, Thomas C. Foster shows how easy and gratifying it is to unlock those hidden truths, and to discover a world where a road leads to a quest; a shared meal may signify a communion; and rain, whether cleansing or destructive, is never just rain. Ranging from major themes to literary models, narrative devices, and form, How to Read Literature Like a Professor is the perfect companion for making your reading experience more enriching, satisfying, and fun.

Frequently bought together

Total price: $31.43

These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers. Show details

Buy the selected items together

This item:How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the… by Thomas C. Foster Paperback $19.90
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by SEFNAK TRADING and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Paperback $11.53
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Thomas C Foster

54

Paperback
$5.90
Thomas C Foster

64

Paperback
$10.38
Barbara Kingsolver

2,643

Paperback
$15.32
Thomas C Foster

3

Library Binding
$27.80
Thomas C Foster

6

Paperback
$10.99
Mary Ellen Snodgrass

13

Paperback
$7.95

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Thomas C. Foster is a professor of English at the University of Michigan-Flint, where he teaches contemporary fiction, drama, and poetry as well as creative writing and composition. He is the author of Twenty-five Books That Shaped America and several books on twentieth-century British and Irish fiction and poetry. He lives in East Lansing, Michigan.

Series: NEWEST EDITION 2014 (RED COVER) - BRAND NEW
Paperback: 314 pages
Publisher: Harper Perennial; 1 edition (2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 006000942X
ISBN-13: 978-0060009427
Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.8 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 795 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #182,823 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #134 in Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > Reference
- #284 in Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > Books & Reading > General
- #1629 in Books > Textbooks > Reference

Would you like to tell us about a lower price?
If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?

Be the first video

Your name here

Important information

Ingredients

Example Ingredients

Directions

Example Directions

Try the Kindle edition and experience these great reading features:

See Kindle Edition

Customer reviews

Write a customer review

See all 795 customer reviews

Rated by customers interested in

Literature

4.2 out of 5 stars

Book Series

4.3 out of 5 stars

Is this feature helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

Top customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

c.m.b

beware self-published editions

August 8, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Nothing against the book, but Amazon was selling copies with some generic professor's picture on the cover for 7.99. The ISBN is listed as 9781514202999. Apparently it's some type of self-published or bootleg edition of the book. The problem is that that version of the book has a tiny font and no page numbers, so for students needing citation information the book's pretty much useless. Amazon pulled the link to that edition, and won't let me return it, but I wanted to post a heads-up on this to save you the trouble of having to buy two copies of the same book!

69 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Anon.

Don't buy the 2015 edition of this book!!!

June 25, 2015

The 2015 edition is a version published through a self-publishing Amazon subsidiary called "CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform". It is missing several sections (example: Preface & Index). The formatting does not match earlier editions (example: statements in Bold and/or Italics that the author used to emphasize in earlier editions are in the same font as the rest of the text in the 2015 edition). We returned the book for a refund.

153 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Fred ForbesTop Contributor: Photography

Popular reading foundation.

September 15, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Not really sure why it took me so long to finally get through this one. Had it my bedside nightstand and would dip in now and then. Not as boring and dry as some have reported, actually clever and witty in spots but provides a solid foundation for symbolism in literature. Goes into some authors and works that are far heavier than I tend to read (Joyce, Faulkner, Woolf for example) but also tends to hit some of the less dense work that I have enjoyed (Hemingway, Steinbeck). I wondered why it kept showing up on the best seller list until it finally dawned on me that it was being assigned for AP English courses and early college lit programs. For that, it does provide a solid base for analysis.

14 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Deedi Brown

A great start for a beginner!

August 5, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I didn't study English or literature in college, but I wish I had taken at least one or two classes. I love to read, and I'm sure there are deeper meanings I'm missing. I did some poking around online to figure out the best way to get started, and I found my way to this book. If you find yourself in a similar situation, I recommend that you do too.

How to Read Literature Like a Professor does not read like a textbook. It's a fun read that definitely taught me something (or multiple somethings!). It also inspired me to read more of the classics, as Foster references many works again and again throughout the book. When I finished, I purchased an anthology of American short stories to start practicing on!

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Hannah

Insightful Approach to Literary Analysis

February 2, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

How to Read Literature Like a Professor offers an extensive introduction to literary analysis for the purpose of finding deeper meaning in one's everyday reading.

Chapters are divided into relatively similar page counts and, while each chapter explores a topic and provides helpful examples from literary works, the length of each chapter allows for digestion of information in small bites.

Citing folklore, religious dogmas, and Greek mythology, the author delicately introduces varied or contrasting belief systems for interpretation of literature in an unoffensive and unbiased manner.

While this book provides a thorough examination of theme, symbols, and contexts, the author freely admits that it is by no means a complete compilation; one could hardly fit all elements of literary assessment, all interpretations of symbols, or all references to venerable lore into just one book. The writing is consistently comprehensive and entertaining, occasionally infused with Foster's personal quips and moments of charming self-deprecation. His points, whether serious or silly, are stated with eloquence.

The author's examination of various classic works are liable to tantalize readers to pick up new reads, and a long list of recommended reads at the back of the book further encourage the accumulation of TBR books.

Before the book reaches its end, the author tackles a difficult question: should we really give so much credit to writers by interpreting their works in such a special and meaningful way, especially when he/she hasn't been proven to be a good writer? His answer is illuminating and his conclusions ultimately encourage the examination of literature and the sharing of books and conversation such that we might all bring new perspectives to our shared experience.

How to Read Literature Like a Professor is a highly recommended resource for unearthing the hidden meaning interwoven in books (and film).

19 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Joy Cagil

Eye-Opener as a Reference Book

October 17, 2014

Verified Purchase

Most everyone likes reading, but conscious reading is another matter, and this is what this book teaches. Archetypes, certain characters, and re-offered and similar plots in books through the ages are not secrets, but the key to understanding and spotting them can only be achieved in reading the classics and modern day stories with a keen eye, to gain literary skills.

Inside the book, those repeated themes, symbols, and similarities are analyzed chapter by chapter, with many examples brought to the reader. For example chapter six refers everyone to Shakespeare, with the title, When in doubt, It’s from Shakespeare. In Chapter 26, irony is explained on a variety of levels with examples, starting with the statement, “irony trumps everything.” Other sections dealing with geography, quests, weather, violence, politics, Christ figures, metaphors, symbols, and many other elements succeed to show the reader what to look for while he reads.

The book has a contents pages in the beginning, 27 chapters and a very rich reading list before the index at the end.

The writing is fluid, easy to understand, and highly entertaining. Examples inside draw from all literary arts, even cartoons and songs.

In short, this is the painstaking work of a dedicated professor addressing the general reader to teach and encourage his reading for better understanding. For that reason, I took my time with this book, giving each chapter at least a week and, sometimes, stopping to read a book or a story that I haven’t read earlier. And I am not done. I’ll re-read this book, because I am sure, there is a lot more in there I might have missed from which I can benefit more.

11 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Plato

978

Paperback
$8.95
Frederick Douglass

1

Paperback
$16.66
Aldous Huxley

2,819

Paperback
$11.53
Thomas C Foster

54

Paperback
$5.90
Edith Wharton

491

Paperback
$5.85
Voltaire

946

Paperback
$6.89

Pages with related products. See and discover other items: best college english literature textbook

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines 1st Edition

Turn on 1-Click ordering

Turn on 1-Click ordering

There is a newer edition of this item:

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Product details

Related Video Shorts (0)

Be the first video

Important information

Ingredients

Directions

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Try the Kindle edition and experience these great reading features:

Customer reviews

Read reviews that mention

Top customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Customer images

Most recent customer reviews

Customers who bought this item also bought

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines 1st Edition

Sorry, there was a problem.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Buy used On clicking this link, a new layer will be open $5.99 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

Turn on 1-Click ordering

Buy new On clicking this link, a new layer will be open $19.90 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

Turn on 1-Click ordering

There is a newer edition of this item:

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Product details

Related Video Shorts (0)

Be the first video

Important information

Ingredients

Directions

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Try the Kindle edition and experience these great reading features:

Customer reviews

Read reviews that mention

Top customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Customer images

Most recent customer reviews

Customers who bought this item also bought

Buy used On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

$5.99 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

Buy new On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

$19.90 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open