Most everyone likes reading, but conscious reading is another matter, and this is what this book teaches. Archetypes, certain characters, and re-offered and similar plots in books through the ages are not secrets, but the key to understanding and spotting them can only be achieved in reading the classics and modern day stories with a keen eye, to gain literary skills.

Inside the book, those repeated themes, symbols, and similarities are analyzed chapter by chapter, with many examples brought to the reader. For example chapter six refers everyone to Shakespeare, with the title, When in doubt, It’s from Shakespeare. In Chapter 26, irony is explained on a variety of levels with examples, starting with the statement,“irony trumps everything.” Other sections dealing with geography, quests, weather, violence, politics, Christ figures, metaphors, symbols, and many other elements succeed to show the reader what to look for while he reads.

The book has a contents pages in the beginning, 27 chapters and a very rich reading list before the index at the end.

The writing is fluid, easy to understand, and highly entertaining. Examples inside draw from all literary arts, even cartoons and songs.

In short, this is the painstaking work of a dedicated professor addressing the general reader to teach and encourage his reading for better understanding. For that reason, I took my time with this book, giving each chapter at least a week and, sometimes, stopping to read a book or a story that I haven’t read earlier. And I am not done. I’ll re-read this book, because I am sure, there is a lot more in there I might have missed from which I can benefit more.

learning from.

Everything.

is Thomas C. Foster who is a professor of English at the University of Michigan at Flint, where he teaches classic and contemporary fiction, drama, and poetry. He has authored several books on the subjects he teaches.

It is well-written and it shows what it takes to read good literature.

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Created Oct 17, 2014 at 7:57pm • Submit your own review...