Bring it to the attention of the patron who has educated himself through his own reading and now seeks to continue the learning process with scholarly guidance. How to read, for Bloom, means reading and re-reading Shakespeare. Bloom is unqualified in his praise for the great writer and unapologetic for this admiration. Throughout the book, Bloom will return to Shakespeare, comparing every poet, novelist, or playwright under his scrutiny to the Elizabethan master. Reading expands personal insight.
Reading helps individuals form their own opinions and strengthens their sense of self.
It widens our circle of acquaintances beyond the people who we know personally. He urges the reader to strive for self-improvement and warns against trying to change the world. He rejects contemporary attempts to view literature from the perspectives of political correctness, gender, multi-culturalism, historical determinism, or ethnocentrism. Bloom's declarations on what to read and his commentary make up the bulk of this concise volume. His critics might conclude that the selections merely reflect his prejudiced views of what constitutes great literature.