How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend What does it mean when a fictional hero takes a journey?. Shares a meal? Gets drenched in a sudden rain shower? Often, there is much more going on in a novel or poem than is readily visible on the surface -- a symbol, maybe, that remains elusive, or an unexpected twist on a character -- and there's that sneaking suspicion that the deeper meaning of a literary text keeps escaping you.In this practical and amusing guide to literature, Thomas C. Foster shows how easy… Product details and pricing info |
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64 Customer Reviews Posted
- So-So
- Who in their right mind wants to read a book like a professor? It is said that a bumblebee only flies because he doesn't know that he can't (aerodynamically speaking). Likewise, professors are notorious for destroying good reads in what I would call a paralysis by analysis. That said, this book plays a role in educating those who choose to analyze literature, but spare me the superlatives. The book is not "engaging" or overtly "humorous," as the publishers would have you believe.
I must admit however, that the book did open my eyes to some fairly obvious elements of literature that I knew intuitively, but had never consciously applied or analyzed. For example, literature is full of symbolism, motifs, archetypes, heroism, etc. Most avid readers are aware of this, but reading about it and learning how to recognize it in some of its more subtle forms was enlightening. Foster also postulates that a writer is impacted by everything he/she reads or learns, as it is "impossible to write in a vacuum." I thought that was fairly obvious, but I suppose it was good to hear.
On the more negative side of things, I disliked Foster's attempts to be conversational. For some reason it just didn't come off. This book is about learning how to analyze and interpret literature, not trying to become my friend, or convince me that the author is a nice guy. I was also bothered by some of the repetition of examples. In a world replete with outstanding literature, Foster seems to be fixated on Toni Morrison. Call it personal, but I can't stand her writing. Also, if one more jokester tells me to practice to get to Carnegie Hall, I think I'll puke. - 2004-11-19, 20 of 29 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Helpful and Interesting
- I am not a professor nor an English Lit. major; just an avid reader. I seldom take the time to look for all the symbolism and significance in the books I read. According to Professor Foster, that makes me a "literal reader". This book pointed out some basic tenets of symbolism, irony and significance in an interesting and amusing manner that even a literal reader could see and appreciate. Mr. Foster foists no guilt on the literal reader - the foremost reason to read according to him is for enjoyment.
Mr. Foster has chapters entitled such things as "It's All Shakespeare..." and "Unless its the Bible" that track major themes and ideas in literature. He fills each chapter and substantiates each point with a myriad of examples.
He also brings to the table a refreshing view that it's okay to not see every symbol and theme in a book - again, the main thing is to enjoy reading. But reading this book has already made me try to be more aware of what an author is doing beyond the straight plot line.
One thing that truly made me feel as if I were back in college was the annoying politic correctness. There could have been a broader scope of fiction used (unless you believe that Toni Morrison's writings encompass virtually every literary theme). Also, every time Mr. Foster raised the spectre of a hypothetical author it was "she" who was doing this in "her" work.
This is an enjoyable book that is a good aid to any reader. It would also be a great help to high school and college readers. - 2004-11-09, 8 of 10 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- I certainly benefited from it.
- "How to read literature like a professor" is an easy-to-comprehend book, lucidly written with a dash of humour, that is meant for amateurs of literature. Using a conversational tone throughout the book, Thomas Foster chose to emphasize on symbolism and patterns used in literature. Incorporating examples from a wide selection of books (mainly classics or renowned novels), he explains the way symbols are inherent in novels and imparts techniques to the readers on how better to fathom the deeper significance of the contents. According to Thomas, meals, diseases, blindness, weather and seasons, roads present in novels are all written for a purpose. For example, meals signify communions whereas roads represent quests.
There is much to be learned from this book, but I doubt it will be of much use to serious students of literature. I would have preferred if the author also touched on other aspects of literature, such as themes and characterization. Using an entire book to explain symbolism seemed a tad too long-winded. - 2004-10-27, 7 of 7 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- An enjoyable read.
- I really appreciated this book and the simple way the concepts were explained. I am a teacher and trying to express the concepts Foster clarified so eloquently described in the book is tricky. I enjoyed reading the book myself, and intend to rely on it as reference for my lessons. I highly recommend it for those who wish to get more out of their reading experience.
- 2004-08-14, 8 of 9 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- so so
- book was a little bit interesting but after a while it became very repetitive and too opiniated. lost some of his points most of the time-maybe because they were the same points over and over again
- 2004-08-13, 2 of 24 people found this review helpful, Rated:
