Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Basic steps
• Part 2 of 3: Reading a book of treatises or poems
• Part 3 of 3: Reading a theory book
• Tips
• Warnings

Reading a good book can be one of the greatest things in life. Whether you're reading fiction, non-fiction, poems, or a large, heavy theory book, this guide will help you get the most out of your experience.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Basic steps

1. Choose a book. If you are reading for pleasure, you will likely choose a general book in the fiction or non-fiction category. There are literally millions of such books, so finding one that is right for you can be quite a challenge. It is best to start by thinking about what you like and also about what you don't like. Keep in mind how many different types of books there are. There are dystopian books like Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games. There are realistic novels such as Perfect by Natasha Friend. There are fantasy books such as Chris Colfer's Toverland. There are historical novels such as Laurence Yep's Dragonwings, among many others.
   • Knowing your personal taste can help you find a book that you can enjoy. Just because someone else says a book is good doesn't mean you will enjoy it too. Some people like fantasy books, others hate them. Think about what kind of experience you want when reading. Do you want an exciting adventure story? A brain explosion of ideas? An emotional journey through the lives of credible characters? How long can the book you want to read be? How challenging do you want it to be? Are there certain perspectives that you would like your book to embrace or avoid? Answering these questions will narrow the search area of ​​possible books.
   • For non-fiction books it is easier to narrow the search area than for fiction books. The most popular non-fiction books are histories or biographies of famous people. Is there a famous person you want to know more about? Would you like to know more about a country, a monument, a war or a historical event? Do you want to know more about oceans or dinosaurs or pirates or about magic? A non-fiction book has been written about just about everything you can think of.
     • Finding a non-fiction book about something that interests you doesn't necessarily mean you like the book. Some books are well written and interesting, others are poorly written and boring. If you find a non-fiction book about something you like, read the first few pages first to see if you like the writer's style. If you find the book difficult or boring on the first page, it probably won't get any better as you read on.
   • Go to the library. The local library is a good place to look for books, if you find one that interests you, you don't even have to pay to read it. Tell the librarian what you are interested in and ask him or her to show you one or two places in the library where you can find interesting books about your interests.
   • Don't judge the book by its cover. The title and cover illustrations may seem boring or not your taste, but the book can contain a whole world of fun and enjoyment that will fascinate you. However, this isn't always the case, so make sure to make wise choices! Also look at the thickness of the book. If you are looking for a short story, then a thick, heavy book is not suitable, and vice versa. Finally, if you are buying the book for someone other than yourself, consider his or her age and interests. If you're buying something for a child, books like Fifty Shades of Gray may not be the best choice.
   • Ask people around you. Close friends and family members may recommend books to you based on what they enjoyed and think you will appreciate too. But be careful, some people like to read long stories while others don't. For example, if you like science, look for science books.
   • Watch online. The internet is filled with book lovers who are happy to share their opinions on various titles. Find a community that discusses books and search for the topics you like, or just visit online bookstores and look through reviews of books that look good. Either way is a good way to get a quick idea of ​​the most popular and most appreciated titles in each category.
   • Make it a group event. Book clubs and lectures are both fun ways to discover new books.
     • Many clubs focus on a particular genre of book, such as science fiction or novels, but some are also more general.
     • Readings of fiction are regularly hosted at many independent bookstores.
     • Non-fiction writers sometimes give lectures or even free guest presentations at nearby universities. Go and listen to see if their book sounds like something you'd like to read, while also learning about a topic that interests you. Some books start with a brief explanation, so don't get bored after the first few pages; remember that every story has a lesson.
2. Get the book you want to read. There are a few different ways to achieve this:
   • Borrow the book from the library. The advantage of this approach is that it is free and easy. If you don't have a library card, walk into the library and ask for one.
     • Many libraries have a system that allows you to reserve a book you want and then notify you when the book is available so you can come and pick it up.
     • Be aware that if you want to read a very popular book, you could be on the waiting list for weeks or months for a copy.
   • Buy the book. Go to a bookstore or magazine store and buy your own copy to keep for as long as you like. The advantage of this method is that with a little work you can usually find even the most popular books and read them right away; the downside is that you have to pay more to buy the book.
     • Since you have to pay, make sure you can read a few pages in the store so you can see if you like the author's writing style when you get started at home.
   • Borrow the book. Friends and family members who recommend a book to you will often have their own copy and will be happy to lend it to you for as long as it takes until you finish it.
     • Make sure you take good care of books you have borrowed, and read them in a reasonable amount of time so that you don't forget and let them collect dust on a shelf for the next year.
   • Buy the book electronically. With the advent of e-readers and smartphones in recent years, electronically published editions of printed books are becoming more and more common. It also means you can take the book with you on your mobile / Kindle / tablet / iPod.
     • The cost of purchasing a virtual book is often slightly lower than the cost of purchasing a paper book, so if you already have a reader, you can save a little money. Don't buy big books that you know you won't be able to read. Good types of apps for this type are the Kindle apps or, if you have a new version of an iProduct, iBooks.
     • Like a paper and ink book, an electronic book is yours once you pay for it. The only downside to this is that unlike paper books, you cannot lend them because the book is installed on your device.
     • Keep in mind that electronic editions are more difficult to carry than paper books on long vacations or camping trips.
3. Read your book. Find a comfortable place to sit, make sure there is plenty of light, and open the book. Start at the beginning, which is usually the first chapter unless there is some pre-material, and read each page in order until the book is finished. If there is also end material, wait until you have read the rest of the book before reading it.
   • Decide whether or not to read the front material. Front material is the written text at the beginning of the book which is not the first chapter of the book. It comes in four basic flavors, and each strain serves a different purpose. You can decide for yourself whether or not you want to read each part of the pre-material. The four types of front material are:
     • Acknowledgments: A short section that lists the people who have helped the author in some way during the writing process. You can read thank you notes if you wish, but most people don't bother. Acknowledgments also often appear at the end of the book.
     • Foreword: The foreword is written by a different author than the person who wrote the book, so it is usually only found in later editions of a book that made some impression in the past, such as an award-winning novel or important scientific work . The preface tells a little bit about what to expect from the book and why it is worth reading.
     • Introduction: The introduction is written by the author of the book. It is usually (but not always) shorter than the preface, and is in fact a treatise explaining how and why the book was written. If you are interested in the author's personal life or creative process, the introduction can give you valuable insights.
     • Introduction: The introduction is where the author speaks directly to the reader and introduces the book, discussing its purpose and building tension in the reader about the opportunity to read it. Introductions are more often found in non-fiction books than in fiction books. If you prefer not to know a few things about the book in advance, it may be a good idea to read the introduction afterwards.
   • Decide whether or not you want to read the final material. Final material is other writing, usually by other authors, which follows after the book has ended.
     • Final material is usually composed of treatises or editorial commentary on the book itself, and is not found much outside of academic "study copies" of certain very famous books such as The Grapes of Wrath from John Steinbeck.
     • As with most front material, all end material is completely optional.
     • If you really enjoyed a book, the end material can give you a chance to relive parts of it; if you haven't understood the importance of a book, it can provide important historical and cultural context. Furthermore, most people ignore it.
4. Take your time. Reading a really good book is an engaging experience that makes time fly by. Keep a bookmark handy, and make sure you don't read too long in one sitting. (Set a timer on your mobile or watch if you have to). This will allow you to enjoy the book longer, and will ensure that you don't miss deadlines or forget other responsibilities due to being lost in your book.

Part 2 of 3: Reading a book of treatises or poems

1. Look through the table of contents and index. Most books that consist of much smaller parts have a clear table of contents to make it possible to quickly jump to a particular part. Some also have an index at the end, where a list of keywords and other important terms can be found, with page numbers where they appear.
   • An effective way to jump into a book of poems or treatises is to choose one that sounds interesting and go there right away, rather than starting at the beginning. You can read this article first and decide what you think, then adjust your search method to find more of what you like and save the boring or less impressive pieces for last.
2. Jump back and forth. In addition to book-length poems (such as Paterson from William Carlos Williams or Iliad of Homer), most collections of short writings can be read in any order you like. Scroll through the book and stop when something piques your interest.
   • Make it your experience. Approach it on your personal whim instead of trying to read it from start to finish. You will be surprised and satisfied after every page, instead of feeling like you have to crawl past things that don't interest you and wait to get to the good parts.
   • Keep your eyes open. As you become more in tune with the tone of the book, parts that previously seemed boring will start to become interesting, so you'll always have more to read.
3. Read interactively. Inhabit what is written in the book and make it a part of your own life by highlighting your favorite parts. You will enjoy it a lot more than trying to dryly dissect it or get through it in a linear fashion.
   • Keep track of what you have read. Write down page numbers or the names of authors of parts that you have particularly enjoyed so that you can easily find them in the future.
   • Use a pencil. If the book is yours, consider lightly marking it with a pencil where you see a phrase or word that grabs your attention.

Part 3 of 3: Reading a theory book

1. Make notes. It is possible to read a theory book for pleasure, but this is not very common. Most people read a theory book because they need information, and theory books are an excellent source of concentrated, clearly organized information on many topics. To get the most out of reading your theory book, you can put a notepad next to you while you read.
   • Keep a pattern. Read one paragraph at a time, then stop and make a note of what that paragraph said. Try to put it in one or two quick statements or sentences.
   • Review your results. At the end of your session you will have a personal copy of all the information you need. Read it again to make sure everything makes sense to you.
2. Read per chapter. In most cases it is not necessary to read a theory book from start to finish, but it is also not very useful to jump from chapter to chapter. Instead, if you haven't already, plan to read the entire chapter every time you need to read part of a chapter.
   • Understand more of what you are reading. Reading the entire chapter in sequence will put all the information you need into solid context, making it easier to understand and easier to remember.
   • Take a victory lap. You don't have to reread the entire chapter if you did it the first time. If needed later, you can look up the points from the chapter you need.
3. Push on. If you're reading a theory book, it's probably for a lesson you're trying to pass. Theory books are tough and difficult to read, so the best way to tackle them is to start early and try to make regular progress every time you open one.
   • Make it an agenda item. Reserve space in your diary regularly, at least a few days a week, for reading your theory book. It will be a lot easier than trying to take it all in right before the exams.

Tips

• While it is more a matter of being read than reading, audiobooks can be a good choice for certain situations. Audiobooks are professionally read books recorded for use with music players. It can be a decent alternative to reading a book if you want to enjoy a story during a long daily journey or while traveling.
• Keep your eyes peeled for concepts, principles, laws, and so on when reading a theory book.
• If you own a book that you're not sure you'll like but want to give it a shot at, remember that some books come up quickly. If you still don't find it after thirty pages or a few chapters, you can give up.
• If it is a book that you have enjoyed very much, such as mystery / detectives, or magic and mystery or fantasy or a trilogy or realistic fiction, relax, close your eyes and imagine yourself there.
• Try different genres. You may be surprised at what you like!
• When you read a book, you have to understand it, visualize it and put yourself in the book.

Warnings

• Read if you're in the right mood. If you're distracted, angry, or too worried to focus, you won't get much of what you read, and you probably won't even remember it the next day.
• Don't forget to keep track of the due dates for your books at the library. Return or renew your library books on time before the due date to avoid fines. (Discover your favorite author and always read his or her books first!)