How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide… (original: 2003; edição: 2003)

This is a great book because it shows very simply why all stories as vitally connected. Stories refer and allude to one another, always. I will never approach novels the same way again because I will remember to look for others who have told similar stories, and remember that others inspired the work. ( )

I picked this up on a whim in a book store, and I really enjoyed it, even though it took me a while to finish. The author goes through a lot of ways to look at and analyze stories. For example, similarities to Shakespeare, folk tales, the Bible, as well as how you can interpret seasons, weather, illness and more. There are lots of examples from both older and newer books, as well as examples from movies (like Raiders of the Lost Ark).
It is very well written, and both funny and insightful. At the end there is a short story, followed by three different analyses of it, and I really liked that. In the appendix, there is an extensive reading list of recommended books.

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I found this book while on a search for a good introduction to literary criticism. This seemed to hit the mark. In it, Foster pursues hard-core analysis of the literary project while spinning a down-to-earth persona (which was obviously well-honed while in a classroom). I was not let down.

One can see why Foster's work is popular among Advanced Placement English teachers in America. He presents himself as one of us (i.e., American and not British), only with a deep erudition of literature. He invites us to see literature symbolically with the emotional weight of the literary tradition on our backs. We begin to see everyday literature as an intertextual conversation amongst the ages, where writers borrow ideas from each other and analyze each other's tomes.

Foster tackles topics like the weather, sex, irony, journeys and quests, and more. As the subtitle tells us, he teaches us to read between the lines as professors do. I hope that reading between the lines will lead to a greater efficacy of writing so that others can read between the lines as well.

Underlying this book is Foster's theory that increasing literary appreciation will lead to greater enjoyment of books. I suspect that he is right on. ( )

Initially, I thought that this book was going to be rather hard going. But by a couple of chapters in he had me quite engrossed. His chapter 4: If it's square it's a sonnet"...was quite delightful. And I really liked the way that he focused on the parallels that we should look for in literature; to the greek myths; to Shakespeare; to the bible for quotes and storylines. Obviously, it helps a lot to be steeped in some of these ...and as he points out....past generations were steeped in the King James version of the bible. (Which, incidentally, was deliberately written (translated) to be read out loud). I like his chapter on symbols....yes it's a symbol;...but everyone's interpretation of symbols is coloured by the own experience. And, "A road is never just a road"....it's about a journey.
I think he does a really good job of showing just how professors of literature do approach their reading and how it's possible to use the same techniques in analysing prose or poetry ...and maybe thereby score a higher mark for our essays. Ot even just get a lot more out of the particular work.
Happy to give this five stars. Worth re-reading. ( )

I love this book. I AM an English teacher, and I now use the stuff in this book in my lectures. It is an extremely easy read, and really breaks down the symbolism and thematic elements in literature. ( )