Umm Isa’s Reviews > How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading > Status Update
Umm Isa
is on page 260 of 426
This book seems like a neutral reading guide with the type of objective reading advice you get when you’re 10 years old and told to dissect a text in class. But it’s more like philosophical discourse on reading, lots of hidden subjective statements. I feel like we let our guard down when we read these seemingly objective books, but we shouldn’t
— Aug 18, 2025 04:13AM
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Delilah
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Aug 18, 2025 11:27AM
Ohh very interesting, could you share any examples of such statements?
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Delilah wrote: "Ohh very interesting, could you share any examples of such statements?" Of course sister! So a very obvious one is this: ‘’Finally, we suspect that life as we know it is unjust. Why do good people suffer, and bad ones prosper? We do not know, we cannot know, but the fact causes great anxiety in everyone. In stories, this chaotic and unpleasant situation is adjusted, and that is extremely satisfying to us.’’Then there’s also the subjective and exaggerated praise of certain books, like the one by Dante Alighieri which blasphemes the Prophet (ﷺ) and Ali. But according to the author one doesn’t have to be wary when reading it, and that the book is part of ‘’any serious reading program’’ 🙄
Umm Isa wrote: "Delilah wrote: "Ohh very interesting, could you share any examples of such statements?" Of course sister! So a very obvious one is this: ‘’Finally, we suspect that life as we know it is unjust. Why..."Oh wow🙄 Maybe since he's not Muslim, he faces "great anxiety" over the state of the world currently, but Muslims are at peace and grateful because we know about divine justice. I think it's always best to approach books written by non-Muslims (and sometimes even by Muslims) with a healthy dose of caution.
Delilah wrote: "Umm Isa wrote: "Delilah wrote: "Ohh very interesting, could you share any examples of such statements?" Of course sister! So a very obvious one is this: ‘’Finally, we suspect that life as we know i..."I agree! And it's interesting you mentioned Muslim authors as well, or authors with ''Muslim names.'' For example, I have never read The Kite Runner but with the author's name being ''Khaled Hosseini'' I wouldn't suspect anti-Islam or American imperialist propaganda, yet people pointed out that's what the book truly is. Apparantly the author is friends with the Bush family and the timing of publication/rise in popularity coincided with the invasion of Iraq...
