May 2024 – How to read a book

This is what Eliška Šestáková, an academic, passionate note-taker, and blogger, says about the book.

The book How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler (1940), updated by Charles Van Doren (1972), is a guide that teaches readers effective reading techniques aimed at maximizing comprehension and the practical use of the text.

The book is a rare gem, a living classic that presents different levels of reading and teaches how to master them. It includes various techniques suitable for reading a wide range of genres—from practical books, fiction, and poetry to scientific and educational texts. You’ll also find tests to measure your own progress in the art of reading, understanding, and speed.

Besides improving reading skills, the book also encourages a proactive and curious approach to reading. Readers learn how to actively seek out and connect information across different books and fields, leading to deeper understanding and better ability to apply the knowledge in practice. This makes How to Read a Book an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to become a more effective and successful reader.

Who is Eliška Šestáková?

Eliška Šestáková is an academic who is passionate about systems and organization and an inquisitive reader of knowledge-enhancing books. She describes herself as a passionate note-taker (especially a big fan of the zettelkasten method). She writes about her passion in a blog and newsletter, where you can learn how to effectively acquire new knowledge, organize it, develop it, and use it in your own creative work.