In 1972 Motimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren asked the question, “How do you read a book.” They answered the question in their classic book, How To Read a Book.
They described 4 levels of reading..
Level 1-Elementary
Level 2- Inspectional
Level 3-Analytical
Level 4- Synoptical
Then, Seth Godin asked how to read a business book.
1. Decide, before you start, that you’re going to change three things about what you do all day at work. Then, as you’re reading, find the three things and do it. The goal of the reading, then, isn’t to persuade you to change, it’s to help you choose what to change.
2. If you’re going to invest a valuable asset (like time), go ahead and make it productive. Use a postit or two, or some index cards or a highlighter. Not to write down stuff so you can forget it later, but to create marching orders. It’s simple: if three weeks go by and you haven’t taken action on what you’ve written down, you wasted your time.
3. It’s not about you, it’s about the next person. The single best use of a business book is to help someone else. Sharing what you read, handing the book to a person who needs it... pushing those around you to get in sync and to take action--that’s the main reason it’s a book, not a video or a seminar. A book is a souvenir and a container and a motivator and an easily leveraged tool. Hoarding books makes them worth less, not more.
These are great, but what about reading a book together with a group of your peers. And, how about reading a book with your peers are scattered all over the country. And how about being able to share you ideas, ask question, post comments, add picture, or post a video.
This is the new way to read a book, the 21st Century version of a book club.
I am part of just such a group. I joined Scott McLeod’s 2008 CASTLE book club. We are reading Influencer and using Lefora to host the forum. We also have a wiki that the club members can utilize as well. I love the collaboration and idea sharing that is possible. Thanks to Scott and CASTLE for showing us all, “How To Read a Book.”
Recommended Reading:
Influencer blog
We have recently made an exciting discovery--three years after writing the wonderfully expanded third edition of How to Read a Book, Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren made a series of thirteen 14-minute videos on the art of reading. The videos were produced by Encyclopaedia Britannica. For reasons unknown, sometime after their original publication, these videos were lost.
When we discovered them and how intrinsically edifying they are, we negotiated an agreement with Encyclopaedia Britannica to be the exclusive worldwide agent to make them available.
For those of you who teach, this is great for the classroom.
I cannot over exaggerate how instructive these programs are--we are so sure that you will agree, if you are not completely satisfied, we will refund your donation.
Please go here to see a clip and learn more:
http://www.thegreatideas.org/HowToReadABook.htm
Posted by: Max Weismann | November 23, 2008 at 07:00 PM