HOW TO READ A BOOK

by Charles van Doren

With half a million copies in print, How to Read a Book is the best and most successful guide to reading comprehension for the general reader, completely rewritten and updated with new material.

300 pages, Hardcover

Published July 14, 2022

About the author

Charles Lincoln van Doren was an American intellectual, writer, and editor who was involved in a television quiz show scandal in the 1950s. In 1959 he confessed before the United States Congress that he had been given the correct answers by the producers of the show Twenty One.

Reviews

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't really enjoy this one, probably because it was mainnly about nonfiction reading. I did get some useful things out of it, though, and the overall idea I got was this: read a book to gain understanding, not just knowledge. I would probably get more out of this book if I read it again when I was older. But for now, after reading it in school for four years, I'm happy to be done!!

[Trey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for school and am grateful for reading it. This is not something I would normally choose to read, but it is full of insights and helpful tips to read better across any genre from novels to history to science to philosophy. I would recommend to anyone serious about reading or pursuing graduate school. It will be worth the read even if you simply skim through to find the major "rules" for reading.

[Elijah Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has changed not only the way I read, but also the way I handle conversations and disagreements. I highly recommend it for anyone who reads, but especially those who want to read more challenging books. Books that are worth your time.