How to Read Slowly

When I'm reading, I often come to the end of a page and realize I have no idea what I just read. I was reading the words but was not processing anything. This book by James W. Sire teaches how to read in a way that will not only ensure understanding of the material, but will allow readers to perceive the worldview and reasoning behind the writing. The book is written by a Christian, and though specific guidelines for Bible-reading are not set down, the author states that learning to read other books well will naturally lead to a better understanding of the Bible. There's a conversational tone to the book, with anecdotes and examples of reading interspersed. As the author points out that worldviews and meanings are hidden in everything from advertisements to poetry to non-fiction books, he clearly explains how you can read and analyze to uncover these hidden aspects. Different genres of writing are split into different chapters and then the book shows how to analyze each type of writing to discover the worldview of the writer and the underlying message. There are chapters covering nonfiction, poetry, and fiction, and one that discusses how biographical, literary, historical, and intellectual writing affect the meaning of passages. Each chapter includes excerpts of actual passages in the specific genre so students can practice the reading techniques while they learn about them. A chapter of the book is also dedicated to giving tips on what and where to read. A reading list is provided that categorizes books and other works into different genres and worldviews. Reading these books will show students how the worldviews of the authors are depicted in the writing. This is a great book for showing students how to slow down and really absorb the information they are reading as well as analyze writing and identify themes or worldviews hidden within. 192 pgs, pb. ~ Rachel