Reading difficult books
Guide
How to Read Philosophy Without Giving Up
How to read philosophy without giving up: find the thesis, map the argument, read in three passes, and know what to do when a passage will not make sense.
10 min read
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Reading difficult books — page 2 of 2
Close reading of the classics, philosophy, poetry and dense textbooks.
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- Reading difficult booksGuide
How to Read Pride and Prejudice: Themes, Structure and Questions to Ask
A Pride and Prejudice study guide: how the three volumes are built, the main themes and characters, a volume-by-volume reading plan and questions to ask.
9 min read - Reading difficult booksGuide
How to Read Republic: Themes, Structure and Questions to Ask
Plato's Republic study guide: how its ten books build one argument about justice, the cave, the divided line and the soul explained, plus a plan and questions.
10 min read - Reading difficult booksGuide
How to Read Shakespeare: A Practical Guide
How to read Shakespeare: pick the right first play and edition, decode the language, hear the verse, and use a scene-by-scene method that makes a play clear.
9 min read - Reading difficult booksGuide
How to Read The Great Gatsby: Themes, Structure and Questions to Ask
The Great Gatsby study guide: how the nine chapters are built, the main themes and characters, a four-sitting reading plan and questions to bring to class.
10 min read - Reading difficult booksGuide
How to Read The Iliad: Themes, Structure and Questions to Ask
The Iliad study guide: what Homer's poem covers and what it leaves out, how the 24 books are built, its main themes and characters, and questions to ask.
10 min read - Reading difficult booksGuide
How to Read The Odyssey: Themes, Structure and Questions to Ask
The Odyssey study guide: how the poem's 24 books fit together, the themes of homecoming, hospitality and disguise, a reading plan and questions to ask.
10 min read - Reading difficult booksGuide
How to Read The Prince: Themes, Structure and Questions to Ask
The Prince study guide: Machiavelli's 26 chapters mapped, the main themes, the historical figures he argues from, a reading plan and questions to discuss.
9 min read - Reading difficult booksGuide
How to Read The Wealth of Nations: Themes, Structure and Questions to Ask
The Wealth of Nations study guide: what Adam Smith argues in each of the five books, the key terms, which chapters to read closely and questions to ask.
10 min read - Reading difficult booksGuide
How to Start Reading the Great Books
A great books reading list for beginners, plus how to start: which classics to read first, how to pair them, and how to keep a pace you can sustain.
10 min read
Reading difficult books
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