Hey blog readers, I’m using this blog to solicit a bit of reading advice. Of course, I’m asking for a friend.
Today’s post is about challenging reads.
What are your personal strategies for reading a book that makes you feel a little stupid?
My friend clearly knows there are books out there that aren’t always the right fit for a particular reader. It makes perfect sense. We all have different sensibilities when it comes to literature and that’s cool.
But what happens if something is a classic, and award winner–a truly notable book and you WANT to read it–but it’s hard. And the more you try, the more you think there’s a whole level of intelligent readers out there that have been floating just out of your friend’s reach.
That friend knows that reading this book WILL be educational and enlightening in a variety of different ways, but that doesn’t make said book any easier to read. *sigh*
One way or another, this book will be read. My friend is stubborn about pursuing growth, but just wondering–asking for a friend–if you have any suggestions for making difficult reads easier and more accessible.
Share your tips and if you can’t help me, maybe you have a friend who can…
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Hello Kim,
Because I went to school in rural Canada, I ended up only needing 2 years of high school in the US. When I went to college to begin my English Lit degree, I hadn’t read any of the books/stories that everyone else seemed to already know (Frankenstein, Romeo and Juliet, 1984, Great Gatsby, Brave New World, Tale of Two Cities, Catcher in the Rye, etc., etc., etc.!) and had to catch up FAST!
An advisor suggested I go ahead and read synopses–or “Cliffs Notes”–to get an idea of the basic stories or themes. Or, if there was a movie or adaptation–even if it only showed part of the book–I watched that. It helped create mind “sketches” that served as a reference. Then, as I went on to read the entire actual book(s), the sketches filled in. My mind said “This is the part where she saves his life” or “This part is nothing like the movie” and stayed focused on looking for similarities and differences–helping me to get through mountains of text.
I know this is a long comment–just wanted to share! Hope it helps.
Ahhhhh!!!! What a fabulous idea!!!! I’m going to look into that asap!
I mix in something light and funny to read if I’m reading something dense. I also take it in small chunks at a time 🙂
I’m feeling the chunks!