How Should One Read a Book

Virginia Woolf dreamed of the Day of Judgment.
The "great conquerors and lawyers and statesmen" come to receive their rewards - crowns, laurels, names carved on marble.
But, when he sees people coming with books under their arms, God turns to Peter and says: "Look, those need no reward. We have nothing to give them here.
"They have loved reading."
And this is the essence of her essay - sheer love for the written word: a joy in exploring the thoughts and imaginings of the author.
If you sometimes get bogged down in a book, Woolf has produced the perfect self-help manual and motivational guide to reading.
If you enjoyed 'How Should One Read a Book?', try 'How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading', by Mortimer J Adler.
"To read a novel is a difficult and complex art," says Virginia Woolf.