The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-09-22
HOW TO READ A BOOK.
Useful Sua gestion~ Concerning Huusehol
Literature.

Useful Sug gestion~ Concerning Household
Literature.
''Ry whom is that book?" one friend
asked another, referring to a volume
which the first had laid down.
~ 40 not know mover Thought to
,ook,' wa, the reply.
The very first step in the proper pc
rusal of a book is to ascertain what this
negligent reader omitted to discover
the name of the author. Perusal. by
the-bye. is a term appropriate only to
certain kinds of reading. 1t carries in
it suggestion of haste. of rapid glanc-
ing at and skipping over pages which
exact no studious attention. a book
worth rea1ing is usually worth more
than this catch-and-go style of treat
ment
If you would get from book the best
it has to give. You must be properly
presented to it, or it to you. It's pub
lisher's name is important. There are
certain publishing houses, the names
Of which are guarantees of the purity,
the responsibility, the value, of book
Only the books of good society bear
their imp int
A book IS SO entirely personal pro-
duction. so much a part of the man or
the woman who wrote it. that it at
once ente!s into your confidence, and
asks admission to your friendship The
day when you made acquaintance with
certain books was an event in your his
tory. The buying of every good book
ny1rhf fn To in, 81,
You have brought into the household
with the book a well-deined influence
vital, creative, formative, lasting.
Therefore, be sure you learn the
authors name. To read book with
no thought of the author is akin to at
tending Il reception and taking no
notice of Jour hostess.
Ask yourself. again, ''Why do read
this boo.;?' If the answer be, for
pleasure, then may you take your
pleasure casefully, under the trees, on
the vcranla, with head on the pillow,
in the are of the swinging hammock.
If for infor nation, then you must adj
dress yourself, as with pick and spade,
to serious business, and here a note
book and pencil, or a commonplace
book for extracts, will aid you in Sc
curing the books contents in mind and
memory.
If the chosen volume be biographical,
it will be we'll to make note of the
period under review. Every strong hui
man life embraces in it's progress IA null
titude of other lives. so that the story
of Lord Lawrence, of Sidney Smith. of
Macaulcy, of Motley, or of any great
man, becomes crowded picture gal
lery, where many figures appear and
reappear. The fascination which the
memoir possesses for all thoughtful
minds inl.eres in this fact of its strong,
overwhelming human interest
BE respectful to the outside of the
book yoa read. Don't leave it face
downward on the grass, or open it so
carelessly that you rack the binding
and loosen the leaves. 1t is piece of
porta biz property, your own, or that of
your nuighbor, and to wantonly injure
or mar it, is to show yourself lacking in
care of possession intrusted to your
handling.
In days to come, if you have read
with careful thought and loving touches
and genuine attention, you will find
yourself remembering precisely how q
certain book looked at certain time.
1t will be the golden clasp of chain of
pleasant recollections.- Bazaar.