a history of knowledge by charles van doren pdf

The great books, however, must be read at a higher level. Its basic premise is that the education system teaches students to read only at a ninth-grade level. The original subtitle of “ How to Read a Book”, “The Art of Getting a Liberal Education”, says a lot about its objective. He became infamous due to his involvement in the 1950s quiz show scandals. Mortimer Jerome Adler (1902 – 2011) was a renowned American philosopher and educator.Ī long-time professor at Columbia University, he is best known for editing Encyclopedia Britannica’s 54-volume set “Great Books of the Western World”.Ĭharles Van Doren (1926) is an American academic and writer, editor of “Encyclopedia Britannica”, author of “ A History of Knowledge” (1991). It’s much like a video game cheat code: read it, learn how to read, and read everything else better.Īnyone who wants to achieve personal excellence is advised to read “How to Read a Book”. It is a 440-page long guidebook for personal growth.

“How to Read a Book” is a book about those who would like to learn how to read a book. The gist of the book (how to read) is the same, but, so many things are rewritten and added that you could easily treat the 1972 edition as a completely new book with the same title. This is the edition we’re summarizing here and the one we’re recommending. Adler used the help of Charles Van Doren to revise and update the original edition. To the amazement and delight of its then sole author, respected American philosopher Mortimer J. “ How to Read a Book” was first published in the beginning of 1940. Who Should Read “How to Read a Book”? And Why? Trust us – you only think you know how to read.īecause, as “How to Read a Book” so eloquently shows – there’s reading and reading. The first time to learn how to read it, and the second time to use the acquired technique. So, it may be best if you read this summary twice.

Interestingly enough, today we’ve digested for you a book whose topic is exactly that – reading. In other words, not a day goes by without you reading a page or two.

But, if you’re anything like us – and since you’re here, we suppose you are – reading is essential to you as eating. In the age of movies and VR, reading is in danger of becoming an outdated habit. MicroSummary: Have you read a whole book and then realized you didn’t understand anything? A lot of people have gone through this too! And most of the time, we blame the author, do not we? But the reality is that often, we do not know how to read correctly! The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading

A history of knowledge by charles van doren pdf