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Reading Well
Summary
The article discusses the art of reading well, emphasizing the nameless quality beyond satisfying desires for information and pleasure. Reading is a solitary act of intimacy, allowing authors to model the world for you. Suggestions on how to read well are given, such as embracing the visceral quality in reading, reading mostly fiction, and starting many books and completing few. Audiobooks are also suggested, as well as reading culturally adjacent works to build context. The article also encourages readers to buy books on a whim, take notes in the margins of books, and re-read books they adore. Finally, the article emphasizes that the best recommendations are always personal and warns against over-systematizing and seeking superior knowledge of the world from non-fiction books.
Q&As
What is the feeling of good reading?
The feeling of good reading is a nameless quality beyond satisfying desires for information and pleasure, and is nearly solitary.
What is the goal of reading well?
The goal of reading well is to be influenced by the works that one reads, to understand and identify all the influences that act upon oneself in life, and to think and dream.
How can one read well?
To read well, one should embrace the visceral quality in reading, read mostly fiction, read slowly, start many books and complete few, re-read the books one adores, buy books on a whim, leave notes in the margins of books, read culturally adjacent works, and listen to audiobooks.
What are the benefits of reading many stories?
The benefits of reading many stories are that one's own world becomes colored by these stories, one is better positioned to think and dream, one is open to yet more stories, and one is better prepared for life.
What is the value of audiobooks?
The value of audiobooks is that they can be used to re-read works that one has already read, they can help to understand a work better, and they can be used to listen to stories that were originally meant for oral retellings.
AI Comments
👍 I love this article! It provides great insight into the joys of reading and how to make sure that you get the most out of it. It also shares some great tips on how to read well and how to find the best books to read.
👎 This article is too long and doesn't provide enough concrete advice or practical tips. It's more of a rambling opinion piece than a helpful guide.
AI Discussion
Me: It's called "Reading Well" and it's written by Simon Sarris. It's about how reading can be an intimate and powerful experience, and it offers some advice on how to read well.
Friend: That sounds interesting. What kind of advice does it offer?
Me: It suggests that you should embrace the visceral quality of reading, read mostly fiction, read slowly, start many books and complete few, have a goal to be influenced by the works you read, read around a work to better understand it, buy books on a whim, leave notes in the margins of books, listen to audiobooks, and re-read the books you adore.
Friend: That's some great advice. What do you think are the implications of this article?
Me: I think the article suggests that reading can be a powerful and intimate experience. It encourages people to read widely and thoughtfully, and to be open to the influence of the words they are reading. It also encourages people to think of books as a way to explore the world and to become open to new experiences and perspectives. Reading can be a great source of knowledge, but it can also be an opportunity to reflect on our own lives and to broaden our horizons.
Action items
- Read mostly fiction and read slowly.
- Start many books and complete few, and re-read the books you adore.
- Buy books on a whim, leave notes in the margins, and listen to audiobooks.
Technical terms
- Nameless quality
- A quality that is difficult to describe or name.
- Visceral feeling
- A feeling that is instinctive and emotional, rather than intellectual.
- Model the world
- To create a representation of the world.
- Intimacy
- A close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group.
- Marinating
- To soak in a liquid, usually a marinade, to add flavor and tenderize.
- Digest information
- To absorb and understand information.
- Layer over
- To add a layer of something on top of something else.
- Moss
- A type of small, soft plant that grows in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations.
- Adjacent
- Close to or next to something else.
- Context
- The circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed.
- Subtleties
- A subtle difference or distinction.
- Beholden
- Obligated to someone or something.
- Pruning
- The process of removing parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots, to maintain its shape or improve its growth.
- Marginal notes
- Notes written in the margins of a book or document.
- Era
- A period of time in history or a person's life, typically one marked by notable events or particular characteristics.
- Lector
- A person who reads aloud, especially in a church or school.
- Zoning out
- To become distracted or lose focus.
- Penalty
- A disadvantage or unpleasant consequence that is imposed for breaking a law or rule.
- Marinating
- To soak in a liquid, usually a marinade, to add flavor and tenderize.
- Digest information
- To absorb and understand information.
- Layer over
- To add a layer of something on top of something else.
- Moss
- A type of small, soft plant that grows in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations.
- Adjacent
- Close to or next to something else.
- Context
- The circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed.
- Subtleties
- A subtle difference or distinction.
- Beholden
- Obligated to someone or something.
- Pruning
- The process