By: Jake Dean-Hill on October 11, 2017
Pierre Bayard’s How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read was an interesting read, and contrary to the title, I did, in fact, read his book and found a few of the tips rather helpful. I also have to say, I loved the chapter where he talked about the movie Groundhog Day in detail.[1] Not…
By: Jennifer Dean-Hill on October 11, 2017
The origin of humans has been a highly debated topic. But since none of us were there when humans were formed, no one can confidently describe how we came to be. Were we created? Did we evolve? Did we evolve after creation? As a creationist, I find it comforting to consider myself created in the…
By: Mary Walker on October 11, 2017
Just as people were never created, neither, according to the science of biology, is there a ‘Creator’ who ‘endows’ them with anything. There is only a blind evolutionary process, devoid of any purpose, leading to the birth of individuals.”[1] It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in…
By: Jay Forseth on October 11, 2017
Seven short years ago, I threw my family of four into our Dodge mini-van and drove from Montana to Maine, and back again. Two teen-agers, our bird dog, a portable DVD player, and us crazy parents for 7752 miles! 26 United States later, people would ask my kids what their favorite part of the trip…
By: Jim Sabella on October 11, 2017
Some who argue from a Christian perspective in opposition to A Brief History of Humankind, focus on chapter 12 because it deals with religion and how in Harari’s analysis man created religion to “legitimise widespread social and political orders…” [210] Though I do not agree with Harari’s evolutionary position nor his analysis concerning religion, he…
By: Mike on October 11, 2017
Pierre Bayard’s, How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read is a shocking, non-traditional, and awe-inspiring reading approach that challenges readers not only on how to read, but specifically on how to not read books. Bayard says that “non-reading is not just the absence of reading, but a genuine activity” that keeps us from “drowning” in a…
By: Shawn Hart on October 10, 2017
So I must say that in Pierre Bayard’s book “How to Talk about Books You Haven’t Read,” I kept finding myself conflicted over the pure irony of the message. On one hand, I wanted to not read the pages simply to prove his point, and yet on the other hand, I kept feeling as though…
By: Kyle Chalko on October 6, 2017
Really? How To Read a Book? You’d think by the time someone was in the process of acquiring their terminal degree they would have already figured out how to read. Of course, this book title will only be surpassed in irony by our future reading requirement, How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read. I…
By: Christal Jenkins Tanks on October 6, 2017
I can recall reading the history textbooks in both primary and secondary school. In every historical account it seemed to praise or revere the Eurocentric formation of western civilization. I was told of this by my mother who was my first teacher. I was home schooled until I was in the 3rd grade. It was…
By: Trisha Welstad on October 5, 2017
If I had to describe Mortimer Adler’s How to Read a Book in one word, I would say it is ‘thorough’. As helpful as Adler attempts to be in sharing the methods and insights on reading productively and for various purposes, much of the content is so thorough with illustrations and redundancy, I found myself…
By: Shawn Hart on October 5, 2017
“There is clearly no difficulty of an intellectual sort about gaining new information in a course of reading if the new facts are of the same sort as those you already know.”[1] I must admit that these words were my biggest fear with this book; in other words, what is the challenge of reading a…
By: Kristin Hamilton on October 5, 2017
I thought my 6th grade history teacher was way off base until this week. I have a very clear memory of Mr. Spence telling us that, even though we would learn that Greece and Rome were the center of civilization, Persia should really have that title. In all of my years studying and teaching history,…
By: Chip Stapleton on October 5, 2017
When I went on Amazon.com six or so weeks ago to buy my books for this semester, I did so mostly laser focused on the task at hand (finding the exact correct title for the lowest possible price). Because of this focus, I didn’t notice much else on that visit to the world’s largest book…
By: Jean Ollis on October 5, 2017
Welcome back to reality! It didn’t take long to have to readjust back to reading (or not), writing blogs, gathering research resources, and developing annotated bibliographies. My blissful two weeks of experiential learning is surely over – or at least that was my attitude as I began reading the book “How to Read a Book,…
By: Lynda Gittens on October 5, 2017
This book was similar to a potluck meal or even gumbo. Why do I say that? The author covers so many aspects of history that one could stumble over themselves trying to grasp each one. He covers cultures, trades, economics, technology, religion and more. Each chapter has a specific purpose presenting his view…
By: Jay Forseth on October 5, 2017
Of the 137 authors listed in the recommended reading list in Appendix A of “How To Read A Book” by Adler and Van Doren [1], I am embarrassed to say I have truly only read seven (7), and two of those were the Old Testament and New Testament! How could a educated guy who attended a private…
By: Stu Cocanougher on October 5, 2017
Growing up in the United States, my Tennessee public school education taught history like it began in the 1700s. Sure, there was Columbus, the Pilgrims, and some scuffle with the French; but the bulk of my education was focused on 1776 and beyond. I grew up during the Cold War. As I reflect on my…
By: Shawn Hart on October 5, 2017
First an apology for my long delay…the book finally arrived the day after I returned from South Africa. I must say however, that though I could have faked this report, after our visit south, I very much wanted to read it; I am not disappointed…well, not entirely at least. Early in the Welsh’s writings, he…
By: Mark Petersen on October 5, 2017
Mortimer Adler’s classic How to Read a Book arrived on my doorstep, and as it emerged from the bubble-wrapped envelope, I chuckled. This used edition had the look of a 1970s era hardback with the traditional font selection, oversized white space, and garish coloured dust jacket. Likewise, the stilted language of another generation transported me…
By: Jason Turbeville on October 5, 2017
I have read some pretty dry books in all my years of college, seminary and beyond. I remember one from an Old Testament survey class where the first chapter was entitled “An Introduction To Introductions”. It took me a week to read one chapter because of the dryness, and moribund nature of the book. I…
