How to Read a Book: the classic guide to intelligent reading

by Mortimer J. Adler

The most readable book is an architectural achievement on the part of the author. The best books are those that have the most intelligible structure.

We have here sometimes stated the unity of a book quite differently from the author’s expression of it, and without apologies to him. You may differ similarly from us. After all, a book is something different to each reader.

Writing and reading are reciprocal, as are teaching and being taught.

although the rules are reciprocal, they are not followed in the same way. The reader tries to uncover the skeleton that the book conceals. The author starts with the skeleton and tries to cover it up. His aim is to conceal the skeleton artistically or, in other words, to put flesh on the bare bones.

In fact, whatever your own failings as a reader, the fault is usually in the book, for most books—the

Do the authors assume a book author should first construct an outline?

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