University of Kwazulu-Natal

How To Read And Understand Hard Books Medium

Bonisiwe Shabane
-
how to read and understand hard books medium

One of the first books I read after high school was The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, published in 1998. It wasn't easy, but it was one of the best books ever. The book offers insights into the nature of power, influence, and human behavior. The book served as a passport to learn about the history of some great leaders and immersed me in a journey that transcended the confines of time and space. In the book, Greene tells powerful stories from historical figures, political strategists, and exceptional individuals to illustrate these laws. If you read the book slowly, you will learn a lot.

If you read it fast, you will waste your time, which leads me to different ways to read books. This reminds me of How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler, a well-known philosopher and lecturer who outlined various reading levels. Adler classified reading into four levels, each representing a progressively deeper approach to understanding any book you read. Greene used these four levels to gather information about his book. You will use these reading levels to understand The 48 Laws of Power. Let me share these four reading levels with you.

Katie Azevedo July 31, 2023good habits, reading comprehension, study skills If you’re a student of any age, you’re going to read hard books for school. This is a fact of life. But whether you consider yourself a good reader or not, reading hard books will always take more effort and sometimes different approaches than reading other types of books. In this post, I teach you how to read hard books with 7 strategies. The strategies below will help you get through difficult novels, including non-fiction, fiction, and biographies.

Priming is a strategy that involves getting a brief overview of the topic you’ll be reading about before you read it, so that what you read has a place to “stick” in your mind. Why is this important? Because the more you know about a subject, the better you’ll be able to process and understand new information about that subject. Think of it this way: If you’ve eaten an orange before, you’ll have an easier time describing the flavor of a grapefruit the first time you eat a grapefruit. Understanding the orange’s flavor (sweet, tart, citrus-y) helps you categorize and experience the flavor of a grapefruit. Leah Rachel von Essen reviews genre-bending fiction for Booklist, and writes regularly as a senior contributor at Book Riot.

Her blog While Reading and Walking has over 10,000 dedicated followers over several social media outlets, including Instagram. She writes passionately about books in translation, chronic illness and bias in healthcare, queer books, twisty SFF, and magical realism and folklore. She was one of a select few bookstagrammers named to NewCity’s Chicago Lit50 in 2022. She is an avid traveler, a passionate fan of women’s basketball and soccer, and a lifelong learner. Twitter: @reading_while We all have those novels that sit there on our shelves, staring us down, too intimidating to pick up and yet they’ve been on our list for years.

Reportedly, they’re rewarding, exciting reads, but every time you think about opening one, dread sinks into your stomach. So how do you get started? That’s what I’m here to help with. Because I’ve thrown myself into a lot of books that were too hard for me, and come out the other side. In my senior year of high school, I decided to read Ulysses by James Joyce solely because my favorite English teacher loved Joyce. With no preparation, no knowledge of references, nothing, I just kind of dove in.

I didn’t understand it all, but I finished it, and enjoyed it. I truly believe that it’s our gatekeeping of the classics, our pressure to take them so intensely seriously, that makes hard books feel so inaccessible, when truthfully, most of us have the capacity to... So, as an expert in the long, twisty, and ambiguous, I’ve brought all my tips, tricks, and mastery to this article to help you jump into that intimidating book on your shelf, or that... Let’s get started! If you can get a copy that you can own and write on, fantastic. If not, invest in a hefty number of post-its, because you’re going to want to write on this book.

A lot. You want to be able to see your notes on the page, to be able to flip through the book and see all your notes as you go. To see, easily, exactly the passage you’re referring to. Reading dense, complex books can feel overwhelming, but having the right strategy can make the process easier, more engaging, and even enjoyable. Instead of avoiding challenging reads, you can break them down, use helpful tools, and stay engaged throughout the process. The key to success isn’t just pushing through difficult passages—it’s approaching them with a plan.

In this article, I’ll share my step-by-step approach to tackling hard books, from balancing your reading list to using ChatGPT as a reading assistant. Are you wondering how to read hard books? Schedule a Discovery Call to explore reading comprehension strategies for better retention. The first step in tackling difficult books is organizing your reading list to keep you engaged. If you only read dense material, you might burn out quickly. Instead, mix fiction and nonfiction so you can switch between heavy and lighter reads when needed.

Here’s how to structure your reading stack: “Good books are over your head; they would not be good for you if they were not. And books that are over your head weary you unless you can reach up to them and pull yourself up their level.” — Mortimer Adler I’ve just finished reading The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist. It took 10x longer than expected. What slowed me down was the numerous moments I sat back in awe at what I’d just read on the page (it’s profound—you should read it).

But also the fact that it’s not an easy read. It’s certainly not something you can leisurely scan through and gain an understanding of the concepts. Thanks for reading Sam Matla! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. And tt’s been a good reminder of the value of difficult books. There’s something you get from reading hard books that you don’t get from easy books.

And that something is what I want to explore in this post. You are here: Home » Blog » Bookworm's Notebook » How to Read a Difficult Book Reading books like Ulysses (1922) by James Joyce or Infinite Jest (2006) by David Foster Wallace can seem daunting, but it’s a journey well worth taking. Learning how to read a difficult book requires not just patience but also specific strategies to comprehend its complex themes and intricate structures. To face the challenges of reading a difficult book, develop a disciplined reading schedule and commit to reading a certain number of pages or chapters each day. Annotating as you read can help keep track of complex plots or ideas and make it easier to revisit key passages later.

Another useful strategy is to join a book club or online forum that focuses on difficult texts. Engaging in discussions with others can provide new perspectives and keep motivation levels high. When facing the challenges, start by understanding the context and time period of the book; this can provide invaluable insights into its themes and style. If you encounter particularly tough sections, don’t hesitate to skim or even temporarily skip ahead. To stay motivated, view the challenging sections as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. The goal is to keep moving forward and enjoy the reading experience.

Difficult books often feature dense prose, intricate plots, and extensive use of symbolism. Works by Shakespeare or James Joyce typically contain language that may feel archaic or unfamiliar. I’m a self-proclaimed avid reader (and audiobook listener), which has been a core part of my life over the last few years. However, I find myself gravitating towards the same literary genres — or books that I would describe as falling within my comfort zone: self-development, business, fitness/nutrition, and my guilty pleasure, psychological thrillers. My love of reading started off as a hobby but has now turned into a big part of my workday. What started as one hour in the morning with my coffee quickly turned into two hours, and eventually became 3–4 hours per day.

Over the last six months or so, I really started expanding my horizons — diving into new genres, disciplines, and tackling more difficult reads. While this takes significantly more self-discipline, patience, and an active reading habit, the payoff of getting through these challenging books has made it all worth it. Last summer, I attempted to read Ulysses by James Joyce without any sort of primer — I just read the back of the book and the introduction (which included a short history of the... I thought I had prepared myself for this literary beast by… I’m a self-proclaimed avid reader (and audiobook listener), which has been a core part of my life over the last few years. However, I find myself gravitating towards the same literary genres, or books that I would describe as falling within my comfort zone: self-development, business, fitness/nutrition, and my guilty pleasure, psychological thrillers.

My love of reading started off as a hobby, but has now turned into a big part of my workday. What started as one hour in the morning with my coffee quickly turned into 2 hours, and eventually became 3-4 hours per day. Over the last 6 months or so, I really started expanding my horizons—diving into new genres, disciplines and tackling more difficult reads. While this takes significantly more self-discipline, patience, and an active reading habit, the payoff of getting through these challenging books has made it all worth it. Last summer, I attempted to read Ulysses by James Joyce without any sort of primer—I just read the back of the book and the introduction (which included a short history of the text). I thought I had prepared myself for this literary beast by reading some classic literature prior, including authors like Oscar Wilde, Slyvia Plath, Ernest Hemingway, and Fyodor Dostoevsky.

I was feeling confident, and obviously niave. After struggling hard through the first two chapters, I abandoned Ulysses entirely—feeling perplexed, discouraged, and slightly cross-eyed. While Farewell to Arms took me a bit to warm up to in terms of style, understanding the narrative, and getting to know the characters, with Joyce, I was completely lost and had no... If you’ve read—or attempted to read Ulysses, then you know what I’m talking about. I decided to try my luck again this year by picking it up again for the second time, but approached it in a completely different context. I just finished Ulysses last week; my hardest read to-date which provided the inspiration for this article.

People Also Search

One Of The First Books I Read After High School

One of the first books I read after high school was The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, published in 1998. It wasn't easy, but it was one of the best books ever. The book offers insights into the nature of power, influence, and human behavior. The book served as a passport to learn about the history of some great leaders and immersed me in a journey that transcended the confines of time and spa...

If You Read It Fast, You Will Waste Your Time,

If you read it fast, you will waste your time, which leads me to different ways to read books. This reminds me of How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler, a well-known philosopher and lecturer who outlined various reading levels. Adler classified reading into four levels, each representing a progressively deeper approach to understanding any book you read. Greene used these four levels to gather info...

Katie Azevedo July 31, 2023good Habits, Reading Comprehension, Study Skills

Katie Azevedo July 31, 2023good habits, reading comprehension, study skills If you’re a student of any age, you’re going to read hard books for school. This is a fact of life. But whether you consider yourself a good reader or not, reading hard books will always take more effort and sometimes different approaches than reading other types of books. In this post, I teach you how to read hard books w...

Priming Is A Strategy That Involves Getting A Brief Overview

Priming is a strategy that involves getting a brief overview of the topic you’ll be reading about before you read it, so that what you read has a place to “stick” in your mind. Why is this important? Because the more you know about a subject, the better you’ll be able to process and understand new information about that subject. Think of it this way: If you’ve eaten an orange before, you’ll have a...

Her Blog While Reading And Walking Has Over 10,000 Dedicated

Her blog While Reading and Walking has over 10,000 dedicated followers over several social media outlets, including Instagram. She writes passionately about books in translation, chronic illness and bias in healthcare, queer books, twisty SFF, and magical realism and folklore. She was one of a select few bookstagrammers named to NewCity’s Chicago Lit50 in 2022. She is an avid traveler, a passionat...