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How to gain more from your reading
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How to gain more from your reading

There’s more to words than meets the eye. Deepen your appreciation of literature through the art of slow, attentive reading

Robert DiYanni
Psyche, 2024
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If you thought Animal Farm was a quirky tale about anthropomorphic livestock or that Lolita was a love story, you might want to revise your approach to reading. In 2024, Nicholas Dames, a professor of literature at Columbia University, ignited a debate when he claimed that, due to flaws in the high school education system and a smartphone-fueled attention crisis, many Generation Z students have never read a book from cover to cover until reaching college, where, consequently, they struggle with the workload. Robert DiYanni, a professor of humanities at New York University, addresses the reading crisis by offering tips to help readers deepen their understanding and appreciation of literature.

Summary

An appreciation for literature is a learnable skill that enhances your understanding of yourself, other people, and the world.

Avid readers devour literary works, savoring the way a text can teach, amuse, provoke, and inspire them. They absorb books, essays, stories, and plays, relishing the opportunity to read between the lines and peel away the many layers of symbolism and meaning.

Prose and verse can take your imagination to places you would never otherwise visit and open your mind to ideas you wouldn’t otherwise consider. Alas, many people struggle to interpret literature, discern its nuances, and explore what lies beneath the words’ face value. Happily, you can learn to appreciate literature by adjusting your approach to reading.

As you read a text, focus on the words, make observations, and ask questions.

Pay close attention to the text’s details. Honing your focus from the very first line will prime you to reflect, engage with, and question the text in ways that provide depth...

About the Author

Robert DiYanni is a professor of humanities at New York University. He is a co-author of Critical Reading Across the Curriculum and the author of You Are What You Read: A Practical Guide to Reading Well.

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