How to Read and Why
How to Read and Why
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2000
Book Brief
283
Book • Nonfiction
2000
2000
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
How to Read and Why by Harold Bloom is a literary criticism work exploring the value and pleasures of reading great Western literature. Analyzing authors like Marcel Proust, Henry James, and Thomas Pynchon, Bloom discusses short stories, poetry, novels, and drama, ultimately asserting reading as a therapeutic act that deepens understanding of reality and the self. Topics in the book include loneliness, despair, and spiritual and physical turmoil.
Informative
Contemplative
Inspirational
Emotional
Hopeful
Reviews & Readership
3,996 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Harold Bloom's How to Read and Why is both praised and critiqued. The book offers insightful literary analysis and passionate arguments for deep reading, making it a valuable resource for literature enthusiasts. However, some find Bloom's tone overly authoritative and dismissive of contemporary literature. Overall, the book's intellectual vigor outweighs its occasional rigidity.
Who Should Read How to Read and Why?
A reader who enjoys How to Read and Why by Harold Bloom is typically an avid literature enthusiast seeking to deepen their appreciation and understanding of classic and contemporary works. Similar to readers of E.D. Hirsch's Cultural Literacy and Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book, they value insightful literary analysis and guidance.
3,996 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
283
Book • Nonfiction
2000
2000
Adult
18+ years
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