Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-11-11

Letters come to this desk asking ad-
vice as to how to read, as we'll as what
to read. To us the former question is
always the more interesting.
There are a hundred persons willing
and anxious to tell one what to read
to one who is willing to essay the really
difficult task of trying to inform one
how to read.
There is wide difference between
the theory and the practice of reading.
This is often forgotten in the formal
volumes attempting to deal with this
subject.
1t should never be forgotten that no
two human beings are exactly alike.
Therefore. their reading will not be
exactly alike.
The corollary is that every man is a
law unto himself in this matter. Until
that principle is firmly fixed in mind
as basic there can be no gain even i'll
discussing the question of how to read.
Reading Is not Just something every
one can do because every one knows
the alphabet, any more than counting
is something every one can do just be-
cause we all count at times.
He who has seen real mathema-
tician at work heSitateS to claim any
special kinShip with him. The differ
ence between the two efforts is wide
So reading by one man may be a
different process from reading by an
other.
This may be accepted as a general
statement without any necessity for
proof, ii being a fact recognized by al
most every one who has at any time
thought about it.
The child who glibly reals off the
words from a printed page does not
read as the mature reader, no matter
how we'll It manages TO give the I'M
preston that it is reading with true
understanding. In such an instance
even the least interested person would
be willing TO admit the difference.
There can De no advance in the AT
OF reading until one gets firmly in mind
the basic principle that each reader has
a right to his own likes and dislikes.
This is fundamental.
Perhaps the greatest reason why it is
basic is this-that it so often is denied
One may grow suspicious in any hu-
man activity over evident propaga nda
which aims rather to prove case than
to establish the truth.
Too often have readers. especially
young readers. been told that there are
certain requirements which they. too
must regard as sacred, whether the
honestly feel that way about various
books or not.
The truth here as elsewhere. is tina.
no body Of men possesses all knowledge
Or ali taste, or the right 10 say wha.
others must think
In bookdCm the ways are wide and
no man can say to another how he
shall come TO such understanding OF
good books as he will come to in time
given the desire and some aptitude
and good fortune.
Books are too many and too various
the minds which made them too diff
ferent and too elastic, to permit them
being crammed into academic mOlds
as if they were set" forever by tho
edict of the Almighty.
Happily, books are very human af-
fairs. There are good books and bac
books in an utterly Immoral sense
there are good books and bad books IL
a moral sense: there are trivial ano
momentous books, there are books Il
dream over and books TO throw away
No man can say 10 another of any
book. You must like this"
All that any one in simple justice
may say to another is. Here is 2 book
which / have liked. hope YOU will
like it"