Getting the Most Out of Reading

[Halcyon]

Greetings,

As a new ‘serious’ reader, I’m trying to approach my reading in the most efficient way possible. I’m becoming a serious reader not necessarily because I enjoy it, but more because I want the skills associated with critical reading (standardized test anyone?) There are three aspects regarding reading that I would like suggestions about.

Firstly, does anyone here journal? In The well-educated Mind, by Susan W. Bauer, the author really emphases journaling as a way of understanding literature. The methods she talks about seem very through but perhaps a bit too difficult for a reader of my level. What type of journaling would you, the experienced reader, suggest for a weaker reader?

Secondly, I really want to use reading as a method of augmenting my vocabulary. I just read Fahrenheit 451 and when I hit a word I didn’t know I highlighted it and made a list when I finished the book. Does anyone do anything like this or offer any suggestions on how to do it better?

Third, to get the most out of my reading I’m committed to keeping track of what books I read and how much time I spend each day reading them. Hmm! Is this journaling? Does anyone here keep track or record their books in order to get more out of reading?

Lastly, are there any cool methods that you, the experienced reader, do that I have not mentioned in these 3 broad categories?

 

[dele]

I don't make a vocabulary list, unless I'm reading something in a different language. But in English if I can't make sense of the word or if it gets used a lot, I'll look it up in the dictionary and then try to remember it.

I don't keep a journal per se, but I do have a list where I write down every book I read, how long it took me to read. I also give it a rating between 1 and 10. I only do that for fun though, since most of the books I read fall between 7 and 8. There are a few 9s, maybe one or two 10s and even a 3 (a Nora Roberts book - she got a points for grammar, correct use of the English language, and being barely readable)!

Keeping a journal is a good idea, and if I had more time I would do that too.

If you want to succeed in being a serious reader, make sure you enjoy what you read, at least some of the time, or you'll wear yourself out.

 

[Ell]

Stephen,
From your other posts, its apparent that you're taking reading seriously. My fear is that you're taking it too seriously - to the extent that you'll lose all enjoyment from it. Perhaps I'm wrong and you just like to be organized and in control of what you do. Hopefully, it's the latter.

To address your questions:

1) Yes, I keep a journal. I use mine to write down ideas, random thoughts, feelings about different things - including books - as well as clippings, song lyrics and lines (sometimes entire paragraphs) of books or articles that I like. When it comes to a book, I give it a general rating, think about my first impressions, what - if anything - moved me about it, was it believable, enjoyable, did I learn anything, feel anything, etc.

I looked up Susan Bauer's book and found a description of her methods, part of which follows:

The system involves reading each book three times: once for the facts, once for analysis, and once for an informed evaluation of the author's ideas. Readers are encouraged during this process to mark up their books with comments and questions in the margins (or use Post-Its), and to keep a journal of quotes, summaries, questions, and ruminations.

If I used this system as a novice reader, I would have quit reading then and there! It seems like way too much work to keep up. To start, I'd suggest just making a few notes that are meaningful to you. e.g. You said in another post that you didn't understand all of Fahrenheit 451. Therefore, that's what you should include in your journal entry. Comment on what you didn't understand and things you liked about it. Mull it over in your head for awhile. Perhaps discuss it with someone else or read some reviews on it. Re-read it ONLY if you want to, not because you have to.

2) Re: unfamiliar vocabulary; I first try to get the meaning of words from the context. This works for me 95% of the time. If I'm still not sure, I look them up as soon as possible to confirm whether I was right. I don't write them down, but that's not a bad idea.

3) Yes, I keep track of the books I read, but don't bother with how much time I spend reading them. It varies too much depending on interest, schedule, intervening books. I usually have more than one book started at any given time. If you also keep track of the genre or type of books you read - e.g. historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, classic literature, non-fiction travel, etc. - after awhile, you'll see a pattern emerge of the sorts of books you prefer.

4) Balance harder more difficult reads with lighter more entertaining fare. I agree with dele; you've got to get some kind of enjoyment from your reading or it will become a chore and you won't want to do it.

Wishing you well, on the road to good reading!

ell

 

[Mouse]

I keep a "little black book" with all the books I read and the date of when I've finished them. I've kept this since 1987, so it's been useful to me in remembering what I have read, as I've long forgotten the plots etc of some of the less memorable books.

I also alternate between a recently published book and a classic, so I can keep up with what's new and improve my knowledge of classics. If I find I don't like an author or the book I won't carry on with it tho. There are too many books out there to struggle on with something you don't like!

 

[Cathy C]

First, I kept a journal in my teens and didn't find that it was as helpful for me as other people seemed to find them. I'm introspective by nature, and I guess I don't need to see the written word to find meaning in my thoughts. I know that some people find it cathartic, however.

Second, I've never had much trouble with my vocabulary, but on the rare occasion that I don't know a word, then yes -- I'll look it up on the spot so that I don't mistakenly put a comment in the wrong context. I find that if I stop and look it up later, then I might have to re-read a paragraph to reinterpret what I believed it said earlier.

Third, to what end do you keep track of reading? I kept track of books I owned for awhile, when I was actively collecting and wanted to be able to spot missing volumes when I shopped. I suppose it can be useful to write down what books you've read of a particular author so that you don't purchase the same book twice (Agatha Christie's publisher, for example, was famous for changing the title and cover art of novels, so that I would end up buying the same book several times, thinking it was a new one.) But other than this, what purpose does it serve? I'm especially wondering why you would write down how long it takes to read it. It's not a competitive sport, so to me, trying to compare how long it takes to read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to War and Peace (both about the same length) is fruitless. Different genre, different concepts and different speeds required to extract the full meaning.

Still, I'm interested to know what you hope to gain by the practice. Perhaps it will have value to some readers.

 

[Mouse]

I don't actually buy any books - I just borrow them from the library. I never read a book more than once so what is the point in owning it. It's also more ecologically friendly.

But then I am biased being a librarian!

 

[ink-heart]

I agree to Ell that that the best way to become a true reader is having fun reading. And the best way for this is talking to other addicted readers about the books you have read. That's much better than long and tedious journals because you get a feedback and new viewpoints.

I make vocabulary lists now and then when I read in a foreign language (e. g. English ). But fun is always most important, so I look up only words that seem to be very important for the plot and note them down for further reference.

Since I have become a member at BookCrossing, I also make journal entries for the books I have read, not analytical but only saying what I feel about the book and why. This is something I especially like because there might be several journal entries from different people for the same book. Reading and comparing them is sometimes quite interesting.

Enjoy your books and have a light read now and then to keep you going.

 

[direstraits]

...Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to War and Peace (both about the same length)...

What? HP:TOOTP is about the same length as W&P? I have HOPE! Finishing W&P is *actually* achievable (because I finished TOOTP and harmed none of my vital organs). Truth be told, W&P is too daunting, I'd as soon read all of King's Dark Tower in the same time I'd take to finish W&P.

Matter at hand, dammit! Okay... Halcyon, I'm a compulsive reader, but not by any stretch a serious reader. Like Ell, I infer the meanings of words I don't know. Unlike Ell, I don't look up in the dictionary while I'm reading too often, even if it's a word I don't know. Because I'm lazy.

Exceptions: Unless I'm at my computer (where my WordWeb is within easy reach), or when I'm at my PDA (where my MDict is within easy reach). But one thing though, I've found that making a list of words I don't know at the end of my reading does nothing to improve my vocabulary, because I don't have *context*. When you have context, plus you practise using it, you remember better. I had a friend who keep saying 'Valediction' instead of 'Goodbye' as a silly joke but it was a good way for us to remember what it was. You don't want to know how we both practised using the phrase 'peter out.'

As for recording my reading. Nope. Not doing it.

If your concentration is on tests though, then instead of this militarized regiment of journaling (sorry if it isn't militarized, but to me it implies a good deal of discipline, not a word I want to associate with my beloved pastime), I'd recommend notes taking. In your notes it's your *own* notes, not formal, just pure notes, thoughts, questions, ideas. When I review, I don't go through the text again, I read my notes (in my case, it's unintelligible to all but me, so it's a form of cryptography too).

ds

 

[Cathy C]

What? HP:TOOTP is about the same length as W&P?
ds

Well, depending on the edition you get, I think W&P weighs in at about 1,010 pages. HP:TOOTP is about 980 in the edition I have, so pretty darned close.

 

[True@1stLight]

Well, depending on the edition you get, I think W&P weighs in at about 1,010 pages. HP:TOOTP is about 980 in the edition I have, so pretty darned close.

The font is different sizes, as well as the spacing.......

 

[cajunmama]

I don't feel the need to journal. I've found that if there is some profound concept, I'll remember it. I feel that simply reading a wide variety of materials will naturally expand your vocabulary. If I come across a word I don't know, I may or may not stop to look it up, depending on how critical it is to the story and other circumstances. I do keep track of what I've read, but that's about it. It satisfies my own curiosity about how many books I've read in a given year. I started in 1999. Mostly, I just read for my own pleasure. I read a broad selection, from autobiographies to classics. Enjoy reading and don't make it too much work or you'll find it not so enjoyable.

 

[Ell]

Re: Journaling
I agree with ds. Sauer's description of journaling (and reading books 3 times) is tedious and would sap the joy out of reading.

If you're really interested in journaling, my feeling is that you shouldn't limit yourself to journal about books only. If you're going to do it anyways, why not use it in a broader sense? I find it useful for all sorts of things - see my previous post. I don't write in it every day, nor do I list all my books there (I have a software program for that). Since I do some writing, it's very useful to jot down ideas as they occur - otherwise I'll forget them!

 

[hatter]

what is serious reading?

I'd like to weigh in on the side of reading for fun. I can't imagine reading a book three times unless it was one I really loved. Then I might read it more than three times, but not all at once!

I do sometimes look words up in the dictionary, but I've only started doing that recently and it's still a rare occurence (like direstraits I'm too lazy). Most of the time you can work out what the meaning of a word is by the context of the sentence anyway. I look words up if I like the sound of them, but I hardly ever remember them.

What I'd really like to ask is 'What is serious reading?' And why is it that you are interested in pursuing this type of reading? The concept is totally new to me.

I guess the closest I've come in the past is reading for study (at uni) or research (at work) and usually that's an entirely different kind of reading to the type I do in my spare time. The topics might overlap and the kind of books might be similar but I never make notes on my own time. I guess because at uni or work my reading has been about finding information that I need to use in some way, whereas on my own time I may be finding information, but I am doing it for pure enjoyment. It might come in useful, expand my knowledge and all of that, or it might just set me dreaming about other things.

I think all reading has something to offer. Even the tackiest novel can introduce you to new ideas or provoke strong emotions - disgust at the tackiness maybe, but strong emotions.

Good luck with your reading Halcyon. I hope it's all that you want it to be, and that you enjoy it.

 

[Drizzt Do'Urden]

To get the most out of reading, and to really understand it, I suggest you do try and enjoy it. You don't really get the feel out of reading unless you take a book by a good Author, sit down, and enjoy it! I think you'll notice little facts you never quite noticed before, because if you read "too" seriously, doesn't that mean your not really following the plot? Most suthors have their own personal touch to their writing, and unless you enjoy the book, is it really possible to appreciate their writing styles? It's like trying to find out what an Orange tastes like by looking at it, while your not getting the taste of it at all. I find if I read a book and really enjoyed it, I can point out what parts I enjoyed, and what my the parts I enjoyed enjoyable. It's not just the characters or the plot that shapes a book after all. If it did, anybody could grab a peice of paper of the shelf and have a book. Basically, to sum up my point, the only way to truly understand a book is by enjoying it, take your time, and find the parts you like. A book isn't just printed words after all.

 

[Halcyon]

'What is serious reading?' And why is it that you are interested in pursuing this type of reading?

I want the ability to analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it, to analyze relationships among component parts of sentences, to recognize relationships between words and concepts, and to reason with words in solving problems. Why? Because this represents a better level of understanding than just reading for fun. cough cough... and.. umm.. that's what the MCAT verbal section tests. You've all been so helpful. Thank you!

 

[Drizzt Do'Urden]

Why understand word relationships while you could just enjoy the novel? Want a in-depth understanding of words, pick up a Languge Arts study book or something like that!

 

[Halcyon]

Why understand word relationships while you could just enjoy the novel? Want a in-depth understanding of words, pick up a Languge Arts study book or something like that!

Ahh, so you argue that reading fiction doesn’t lead to the development of a reader in this area(word relationships)? You think a more direct approach is better. Like, studying a vocab book is better than reading book with a dictionary on the table next to you.

I've had this thought too, but I'm not sure. It seems like the people I know who are exceptionally good test-takers for verbal stuff are also very advid readers. What do you think?

 

[Drizzt Do'Urden]

What I'm saying is that you might as well read the dictionary then read a novel if what your looking for is word relationships etc. The ditionary's about a Aardvark that ended up in a zoo, but a novel has a much bigger plot! (lol) I really don't see why you'd read a novel to understand words if there are books for understanding words out there. a Novel has a storyline, developed characters, and some would argue, in a Metaphorical way, soul.

 

[Ell]

. . . You think a more direct approach is better. Like, studying a vocab book is better than reading book with a dictionary on the table next to you.

I don't think studying in this manner works well. My nephew took several SAT prep courses specifically to boost his verbal/reading scores. It involved learning and memorizing new vocab and doing practice tests. He is very bright, but does virtually no reading outside of what's required in school. Guess what? He scored horribly on his SATs. On the other hand, a cousin who reads widely and virtually all the time, is in the 96th percentile.

It seems like the people I know who are exceptionally good test-takers for verbal stuff are also very avid readers. What do you think?

A generalization, but on the whole, I agree.

 

[Drizzt Do'Urden]

Yah, reading does boost your ability to examine words and their relationships, but you need to read a wide variety over a pretty large period of time. I miean, if you don't read and just spend your time studying the way words work, what good is that in a test that, well, that is on reading?