How to Read/Reading Deeply

[MonkeyCatcher]

I think one of the keys to reading deeply is context and education. Not necessarily formal education, although that doesn't hurt, but being well informed. The easiest example of this is Dickens and the Industrial Revolution. Having a decent knowledge of London during those times, politically, industrially and socially give Dickens that extra depth. Not that Dickens was ever lacking in depth. If you're oblivious to a subject that is in a book's subtext before you read a book you're not gonna see it in the book. The more you know about the world the more you can appreciate what someone else is saying about it.

The more you read and the broader range of books you read will help you read at a deeper level.

Very well said, I agree totally. I always do a bit of background research before I begin a historical novel, just so that I can understand some of the allusions they make to events and happenings in that era.

 

[direstraits]

I personally find annotations very helpful in trying to understand a piece of work. Of course, not every work has annotations to cross reference with, but those that do have tend to help a lot, by giving background information on scenes, objects, events and character analysis.

Not all annotations are helpful - I've encountered some that simply gives a background of every reference made on a work, and nothing else that links one object to another - no context. Informative, but not totally helpful in a careful study of the work.

Not that we want someone else to do all the work for us, but I find that understanding can be supplemented with annotations.

ds

 

[StillILearn]

I recently ordered the annotated version of Lolita, ds, and will be starting it just as soon as it gets here. Presently I'm about half way through a book whose author I will not name (I'm ashamed to say who it is) and have found myself reading "against the grain" in that I've found myself coaxing the writer along the entire time. ("You didn't need to say that -- and don't go there -- oh, argh, you did.") This isn't the first book I've read by her, but it will be the last.

I wish I could write half as well as I can critique.

 

[WoundedThorns]

I recently ordered the annotated version of Lolita, ds, and will be starting it just as soon as it gets here. Presently I'm about half way through a book whose author I will not name (I'm ashamed to say who it is) and have found myself reading "against the grain" in that I've found myself coaxing the writer along the entire time. ("You didn't need to say that -- and don't go there -- oh, argh, you did.") This isn't the first book I've read by her, but it will be the last.

I wish I could write half as well as I can critique.

why are you ashamed to name the author?

 

[direstraits]

I wish I could write half as well as I can critique.

LAUGH! Well, you can't be worse than me, so relax in the realization you're not at the bottom of the pond.

Maybe I can coax you to PM me the author?

ds

 

[StillILearn]

why are you ashamed to name the author?

Oh, I guess I may as well 'fess up. It's Anne Rivers Siddons. Her latest is called Sweetwater, and I just picked it and her to pieces the whole way through. I've read all her other books without doing this! You guys may be making a book snob out of me.

 

[StillILearn]

LAUGH! Well, you can't be worse than me, so relax in the realization you're not at the bottom of the pond. ds

I started Incredibly Loud... last night, but this morning I got a notification from amazon telling me that A Crack in the Edge of the World is on it's way, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to fling Foer down the minute that arrives.

Funes, you're in big trouble if you've turned me against Winchester!

(The annotated Lolita will have to wait at least until San Francisco burns down. I may just save her until I get snowed in.)

I'm rich! I'm rich!

What do people who don't read actually have to look forward to?