How to Read a Book

“ There have always been literate ignoramuses who have read too widely and not well. ” e.style.display='none');if(typeof getContentsSections==='function')setTimeout(getContentsSections,50)" /> Most readers never graduate. In 1939, Professor Mursell wrote in the Atlantic Monthly that reading ability flattens after sixth grade — and Adler found this still true decades later. Schools pour enormous resources into teaching children to read but almost nothing into teaching adolescents or adults to read better. Speed reading courses don't fix this; they're essentially remedial, targeting the same ele

Lesson 1: Your reading skill probably plateaued in sixth grade

This principle from How to Read a Book is backed by Mortimer J. Adler's extensive research and real-world examples. Understanding it deeply can shift how you approach decisions, relationships, and long-term planning in meaningful ways.

Lesson 2: Reading has four cumulative levels — most people stay at one

This principle from How to Read a Book is backed by Mortimer J. Adler's extensive research and real-world examples. Understanding it deeply can shift how you approach decisions, relationships, and long-term planning in meaningful ways.

Lesson 3: Skim every book systematically before you commit to reading it

This principle from How to Read a Book is backed by Mortimer J. Adler's extensive research and real-world examples. Understanding it deeply can shift how you approach decisions, relationships, and long-term planning in meaningful ways.

How to Apply How to Read a Book's Lessons

The real value of How to Read a Book lies in its applicability. After reading, the most important step is identifying which of Mortimer J. Adler's principles speak most directly to your current situation.

Consider keeping a journal while reading — noting where the ideas challenge your current approach and where they confirm what you already suspected. The friction of your own resistance often points to the most important insights.

Key Quote

"Your reading skill probably plateaued in sixth grade" — Mortimer J. Adler, How to Read a Book

About the Author

Mortimer J. Adler is the author of How to Read a Book. The book reflects years of research, observation, and synthesis of evidence from multiple disciplines.