4 ms·

I would go so far as to say all books should be read in an iterative manner, fiction or not. Good stories will reveal previously-missed tidbits again & again a

• dredmorbius 7y ago
  Deep reading should be saved for books worth the effort. There's far more written than you'll ever be able to read. The cost of discovery is a large impediment to that. Skimming / scanning (contents, index, bibliography, intro/conclusion chapters) is part of the informational assessment. If the book holds up to that, keep digging into it. If not, set it down, and feel no guilt. I'm reading a lot of material, though I'm not satisfied with my methods or progress. I've found Adler's book highly useful. The principle problem is that my interests have both breadth and depth sufficient that the volume of relevant material is enormous, and quality assessment is complicated. I'm doing the best I can.
  • Baeocystin 7y ago
    I should clarify- I fully agree with your assessment. Sturgeon's law holds true with books as much as anything, and there is plenty that can be tossed aside after only a cursory glance. My point was aimed along the lines that if a book is worth reading once, you will benefit from rereading it at a future date.
    • dredmorbius 7y ago
      On that point I agree entirely. What's impressed me is how much a book can change ... or was it me ... over time, as I've learned and been exposed to more things and experiences. Some improve, some are less impressive.