Learning How to Read Again

Back when I was starting this blog, I wrote a short book review of How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren. In that post, I mentioned that my first attempt to read the book was in 2009, but I wasn’t ready for it. Then, in 2013, I gave it another try and was able to read the whole book. I learned a lot about the four different levels of reading: Elementary, Inspectional, Analytical, and Syntopical.

Fast-forward to this year. In late August, I wrote a piece titled “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Books,” which was selected as “Freshly Pressed” by the WordPress Staff. At the end of that post, I mentioned that I was thinking about enrolling in the University of Chicago Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults. After attending their information session, I decided to enroll, starting with their Introduction to the Basic Program: How to Read Classic Texts. It’s a four-week course that meets online on Tuesdays for three hours, and the first session starts tonight.

From the course description, I knew that the main text was How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading, and I was already excited because, aside from already having the book, the course would give me another chance to really dig into it. But what really surprised me were the other texts that the group would be discussing.

The reading assignment for today was the first five chapters of How to Read a Book, an essay by French philosopher Michel de Montaigne titled On the Cannibals, and Keela, the Outcast Indian Maiden, a short story written by American short-story writer and novelist Eudora Welty.

Over the following three weeks, the group will continue reading How to Read a Book, but we will also discuss Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle, Meditations by Descartes, The Death of God by Nietzsche, On Suicide by Durkheim, The Scholar by Weber, Ode to a Grecian Urn by Keats, Ode to a Pair of Socks by Neruda, Brief by Chekhov, and Idiots First by Malamud.

After reading the list, I was horrified at first. I thought, “That’s a lot of reading.” But after completing today’s reading assignment, I’m at ease.

First, rereading the first five chapters of How to Read a Book and writing notes was awesome. Because the program uses the Socratic Method, I want to be prepared for the discussion.

The first five chapters are really an introduction. They lay out the foundation for engaging in serious reading by walking readers through the different reading levels, from Elementary, where children learn the ABCs, through ages 13–15, when students should have the skills and maturity to do high school work, to the last level, Syntopical reading. This is the highest level, where a reader should be able to do comparative reading using many books in order to develop an analysis of a particular subject. Most importantly, the authors emphasize that reading is a lifelong journey and that we continue to improve over time.

Here are three quotes that made my day:

“We must be more than a nation of functional literates. We must become a nation of truly competent readers, recognizing all that the word competent implies. Nothing less will satisfy the needs of the world that is coming.” (p. 30)

“Full ownership of a book only comes when you have made it a part of yourself, and the best way to make yourself a part of it…is by writing in it.” (p. 49)

“Reading a book should be a conversation between you and the author… marking a book is literally an expression of your differences or your agreements with the author. It is the highest respect you can pay him.” (p. 49)

Then came the essay by Montaigne, On the Cannibals, written in 1580. He is basically arguing that what we call “barbarians” and “savages” is based on our worldview rather than reason.

“Every man calls barbarous anything he is not accustomed to; it is indeed the case that we have not other criterion of truth or right-reason than the example and form of the opinions and customs of our own country. There we always find the perfect religion, the perfect polity, the most developed and perfect way of doing anything! Those ‘savages’ are only wild in the sense that we call fruits wild when they are produced by Nature in her ordinary course: whereas it is fruit which we have artificially perverted and misled from the common order which we ought to call savage.”1

After reading this, what happened to Native Americans after the arrival of foreigners came to mind.

Lastly, I read Keela, the Outcast Indian Maiden, written by Eudora Welty in 1940, which examines racism in the United States. The story is about a disabled African American man named Lee Roy who was forced to play the role of a Native American woman in a circus. The people in charge painted Lee Roy red and dressed him as a woman, forcing the character to behave as a savage and eat live chickens on the circus stage.

The story includes two white men. One of them, Steve, was part of the circus and witnessed the abuse of Lee Roy but did nothing. Feeling remorse, he asked an older white man, Max, to help him find the African American man so they could compensate him and apologize. They found Lee Roy, and Steve began to describe the abuse and how badly he felt to Max, oblivious to the fact that the man he was talking about was standing right in front of him.

At the end, Steve didn’t have any money to give Lee Roy, so Max gave him what he had in his pocket, and they left Roy’s house. To me, it was essentially a story about the self-serving guilt of white participants who try to ease their own consciences without offering justice or empathy to the victim. The story not only shows racism toward African Americans but also toward Native Americans, whom the white men portrayed as savages.

Such incredible reads—ones that I probably would never have encountered if it weren’t for this University of Chicago Basic Program. I’m really looking forward to tonight’s discussion, the next three weeks, and, hopefully, the next four years if I have a chance to enroll in the rest of the program in the winter.

  1. Montaigne, Michel. Essays: A Selection. Tr. Screech. P. 82, Penguin Classics. ↩︎

64 thoughts on “Learning How to Read Again”

  1. Hi, Edward. Huge congratulations on the Freshly Pressed honor. I think that’s wonderful. I’ve been blogging since 2012 and have never been selected. Thanks for the update on the reading program – I was wondering what you decided to do. Out of curiosity, is it a “for credit” (can be part of a degree) course? Anyhow, I enjoyed your enthusiasm here. I hope the first class lived up to expectations. Hugs to you and yours.

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    1. Thank you so much, Teagan. It was a nice surprise when I received the email from the WP staff.

      The program is noncredit, but students who complete the four-year program receive a certificate and University of Chicago alumni status. It also opens the door to more advanced courses and travel-study opportunities in places where classical works were written.

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  2. Edward! So excited for you! Thanks for all of this…love the synergy…how the texts align with exploration on-going for you. ❤️
    The quotes….especially this: …”full ownership of a book only comes when you have made it a part of yourself…”…absolutely splendid! Describing a feeling I’d never put into words, but oh-so true. ❤️

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  3. Amazing!

    It’s a wonderful sounding journey that you have embarked upon. I have often referred to reading as an art form – the art of reading.

    Keela, The Outcast Maiden is not a book I have read, but it reminds me of Nightmare Alley by Lindsay Gresham. Although, I think his book was more about immorality than racism.

    Thank you, Edward!

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  5. Dear Edward
    We are really happy to read about your reading. We have never heard about Eudora Welty before but we read Montaigne (many years ago). We like that he accepted imperfection (nobody is perfect) and he was a sceptic by questioning human knowledge. He struck me as quite modern.
    We are looking forward reading about your next reading adventures.
    The Fab Four of Cley
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

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    1. Thank you! This is my first time encountering both authors, but you are right about Montaigne. He also struck me as modern, even though that essay was written in 1580. I have to agree with our instructor last night when he said that good classics endure and are still relevant, so it’s important for us to read and understand them.

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  7. So nice to see your enthusiasm and how you still, after so much reading, have the will to share it here, Edward. It sounds like fish in the water! I found very interesting the aspect about Montaigne’s book. It seems to be human nature to label negatively everything that goes out of his or her standards of “normal.” In the end, it’s just that—a different perspective—but still the usual response is rejection, not inclusion. Thank you for helping us expand our horizons and beingness. Much enjoyed! Light and blessings your way, always, my friend! ✨🙏

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    1. Thank you, Susana. Yes, I feel like a fish in water, but surrounded by sharks. 😀 These classics are hard, but there is so much goodness once you start understanding what the author is really trying to say. It’s just fascinating.

      I think that’s our problem. We are quick to judge others in accordance with our worldview instead of taking the time to learn and understand them. Maybe they have a better way of living, and maybe we can incorporate some aspects of their way into ours. I really appreciate your presence here, my friend. 🙏🏼

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  8. A thoughtful and intellectually engaging reflection. The connection between Adler and Van Doren’s approach to reading, Montaigne’s challenge to cultural assumptions, and Welty’s exploration of racism gives the piece considerable depth. The irony of Steve failing to recognize Lee Roy, even while seeking to make amends for his suffering, is particularly striking. It demonstrates how genuine understanding requires not merely acknowledging injustice, but truly seeing the person behind it.🙌

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  10. What an exciting intellectual journey! 📚✨
    I love how your story has come full circle—from discovering How to Read a Book in 2009, being unable to fully engage with it then, returning to it in 2013, and now approaching it again through the University of Chicago’s Basic Program.

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  11. On the cannibals essay was my intro to cultural relativism… and of course, i was excited that in the 16th century, someone already held anticolonial views. He must have been a nuisance to the empire. The course sounds like it was made for anyone who appreciates literature and how to read critically and analytically. The four stages mentioned were really insightful. I think intuitively, many of us do these things without fully understanding how it applies. I look forward to mkre updates, Edward.

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    1. Cool! The essay led to a great discussion tonight. A lot of great observations, and I learned a lot. There was definitely an anticolonial theme in the essay. We also discussed the subject of living in accordance with nature and using reason to make decisions. Thank you, Nigel.

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  15. Compliments on enrolling, Edward.

    Montaigne now? I have his book on my shelves. Read about half of it. (It is 797 pages long. In French. And a classic of French literature and philosophy.) Precisely in that chapter he says:

    “J’ai peur que nous ayons les yeux plus grands que ventre, et plus de curiosité que capacité.”

    Something like “I’m afraid we are reaching out too much, and have more curiosity than capacity.”

    With that sentence Montaigne was actually questioning the irresistible European over-reach across the globe. A very early critique of colonialism even before colonialism was in full force…

    (I might finish the book one day…)😉

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    1. That essay by Montaigne was excellent. We spent an hour and a half discussing it. There is a lot packed into those few pages, so I can only imagine how difficult it would be to read the whole book. Yes, there is definitely an anticolonial perspective in his writing. At one point, he discusses “savages” returning to their land and families after a military victory, without any intention of expanding their domain. This contrasts with “civilized” people, who want to expand without regard for others.

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  16. Wow – what a syllabus! Sounds like a fantastic program and you have got to be the perfect student – prepared and thoughtful!

    I love your quote, ““Full ownership of a book only comes when you have made it a part of yourself, and the best way to make yourself a part of it…is by writing in it.” (p. 49)” I recently picked up a book that I loaned my dad and it has his markings all over it. He definitely left a part of himself in that book!

    Hope you have a great class, Edward!

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    1. I just finished the first session, and it was awesome. The deep dive into the assigned reading was insanely good.

      Thank you for sharing that part about your dad. The markings he left behind revealed his heart and probably what he was thinking. Precious!

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    1. Thank you, Rosaliene. It was a nice surprise to see the email from the WP staff, and the article is doing well. It’s been a month since I published it, and I’m still getting engagement from readers.

      I really enjoyed the first session and the lively dialogue among the other students.

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  18. What a fascinating course! I’m sure you will love it, and bring much to the discussions, Edward. Lucky classmates.
    Fostering curiosity goes hand in hand with building critical thinking skills in readers of all ages. Your reading list seems perfectly curated to do both. Enjoy!

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  19. Your post reminds me so much of my university days as an English major. What a delight! I remember realizing that I was able to read fiction for the story first, then for the theme and wider connections, then for craft. I think it was junior year that I was reading all three things simultaneously. Talk about excited!!

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    1. Exactly! The authors are highlighting that very point, that learning to read is a progressive process, and at some point, we reach a level where we can fully understand a particular text and truly see what the author is saying. It’s amazing when you think about reading through that lens.

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    1. Thank you, Brad. I’m trying to add more fiction to my life, but I guess I’m fascinated by what people have to say about life from a non-fiction point of view. That said, Welty’s short story is fiction with strong social commentary.

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  21. I’m thrilled that you chose to take this course Edward. Thank you so much for sharing what you’re reading. It gives the rest of us an opportunity to explore these topics. While we won’t have access to instructors, discussions, and homework, we can still learn something. I hope you have wonderful, lively discussions with your instructors and classmates. Please keep us updated.

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    1. Thank you, Rose. Absolutely! I think this course will allow me to explore some interesting classics, which I’ll definitely share with the WordPress community. I’m really looking forward to learning and sharing.

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  22. I so agree with all you say here. As a retired college professor, I once told a student that the product I was selling was critical thinking, when he asked why he had to do the work. Trying to get students to read for the pleasure of it, rather than whether it would be on an exam, was exhausting. I told them that nothing you read will go unused some time in your lives. I love reading for the pure joy it brings me, and I wish I could sell that in a bottle.

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    1. Thank you for your excellent comment. There is something wrong with the way reading is being taught in schools. The authors described a situation in the book in which teachers are obsessed with perfection. For example, they mentioned how teachers teach Shakespeare by taking students scene by scene and looking up strange words in the glossary instead of allowing students to read the whole thing first and discuss what they got from it. Then they could go back and read it more intentionally. I think that by making reading so tedious early on in our lives, we reach a point where we no longer want to engage in reading. As you said, reading is a pure joy, and hopefully, more people will find reading appealing.

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  23. I am glad you are fitting right into the Basic Program, Edward, as I expected you would. There are many more delights ahead of you. You might even make a few new friends along the way. Continued good luck.

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    1. Thank you for introducing me to the program, Dr. Stein. You’re right about making new friends; it seems like there are opportunities to make a few. As I look at the program and all the available options for meeting others and traveling, I think it’s fantastic.

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      1. Although it has been a while since I took a class, keep an eye out for Noah Chafetz, Clare Pearson, Eliot Krick, and Amy and Charles Elder. All were fine instructors.

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  25. So many pithy topics to dig into here, Edward. The four stages of reading which I had never heard of despite a degree in Spanish and Latin American Literature: Elementary, Inspectional, Analytical, and Syntopical. Topic 2: I love how in 1580 someone had the viewpoint that another culture is not barbaric simply because we don’t understand it is such an underrepresented point of view. Topic 3: The self serving resolution of white guilt in 1940 continues to this day, sadly.

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    1. I thought the same thing about topics 2 and 3. It’s incredible that these excellent writings are out there, yet there isn’t much public discussion about them. I’m sure scholars are discussing them in academic settings, but my goodness, how much we need them to come to light. I hope I can learn how to read these classical texts (Analytically, and Syntopically) and bring some of them to our WP community.

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        1. That’s true. At a minimum, they should have taken the time to learn from Native Americans, truly understand their way of life, and incorporate some of those lessons into their own. Not only would the environment be in much better shape, but we would probably also be living within our means instead of being driven by the excessive consumerism we see today.

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