As a life-longer learner and literature major, I have spent years laboring over difficult, verbose, dry and authoritative texts that define and discuss literary symbolism. Reading too much deconstruction theory and word-specific analysis feels like getting so close to the words with a magnifying glass that the meaning of the words and sometimes the words themselves can no longer be deciphered. These tomes take seriousness to an exaggerated level, speaking down to the reader from great heights, perhaps the same heights Thomas Foster uses as an example from The Garden Party in How To Read Literature Like a Professor. Suggestive of the second half of his title, A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines, Foster comes down from the heights of academia by speaking, not to his readers, but with them. And while this book is most suited to high school seniors or college freshmen as a friendly introductory text, it was delightfully refreshing to read. It felt good to put down the magnifying glass and see literature once again as basic and whole as it was meant to be. I felt as though I had pulled up a chair in Professor Foster's classroom and had been part of a conversation, albeit a directed conversation.Is Foster's tone a bit arrogant? Sure it is - he is a college English professor and what's a good English professor without a little arrogance? Isn't that what we expect, after all? Are the concepts basic and used? Yes they are - there is nothing here that is new or revolutionary - but what a comforting feeling it was to walk again on a worn path.Any non-student with the inclination to pick up this book on their own undoubtedly has a list of favorite authors and stories, and certainly will feel as though something is missing. But Foster repeatedly reminds his readers that a lot is missing from this book. As he explains, no book can encompass all of literary symbolism, or mention every story, novel, movie or poem worthy of mention. So although some readers might find his list of recommended readings somehow incomplete, it is nonetheless his list. As Foster points out very honestly, "I'm pretty sure I could have made this book, with not too much effort, twice as long. I'm also pretty sure neither of us wants that."Fosters concept of literature as play and his own word-play are as refreshing as the cleansing rains he outlines in his chapter on weather. Two of the best lines are from the end of his book, his "Envoi": "... don't wait for writers to be dead to be read; the living ones can use the money. Your reading should be fun. We only call them literary works. Really, though, it's all a form of play."As students of literature one tends to forget this, trudging through tedious and unpleasant pages because we are told that we must master certain classics; a list of some English professor's doing. Foster further explains that, "... in fact literature is chiefly play. If you read novels and plays and stories and poems and you're not having fun, somebody is doing something wrong. If a novel seems like an ordeal, quit; you're not getting paid to read it are you? And you surely won't get fired if you don't read it. So enjoy."Which is his whole point, if you don't like his style, his ideas or his words, don't read his book. Otherwise - enjoy.This is a lively, friendly, entertaining book that is great for students. It discusses how to read, to to really read literature. But as a practiced reader I found that it didn't teach me much, though it would be great for a freshman or sophmore.I wish that I'd read this book before I began college too many years ago. How to Read Literature Like a Professor summarizes in accessible style and tone many of the points that it took years to learn on my own. It would be a good gift for any junior or senior in high school who's headed for college. It will ease the transition from reading at the literal level, to learn what happens in the plot, to reading at deeper levels, to learn what the author is saying "between the lines." Inclusion of references to film, television, theatre, and music strengthens How to Read Literature Like a Professor by refering to genres with which students may be more familiar. (The current universal reference for high school students is the film trilogy of The Lord of the Rings.) The literary references form a wonderful reading list. The humor helps to demonstrate that approaching literature does not have to be a solemn occasion. Took a while to arrive, but was in good condition. However, did not find it useful for my use. I wish I had read this 45 years ago, when I was studying fiction in college.
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