How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines

I read this book as an assignment for AP English summer reading, and I am SO glad. It is written with such great humor and style that you can almost picture the author sitting in front of you, telling you about reading, instead of looking at his words on the page. Not only are the ideas insightful and easy to understand, but they are presented in such a way that it is enjoyable to read about them. Foster also makes his points memorable, so that the tips just stick in your head to be used while reading anything else, instead of needing to use the book as a reference.

This readable and sometimes even entertaining series of essays is a good help for the one who must give a program for her book club and explain the author's use of symbols. It is especially helpful for the avid reader who has not taken many college courses in contemporary or classical literature and needs help in showing the similarities between the great works of fiction. I'm not sure it would be useful for anyone who doesn't feel compelled to draw mythic significance for every book he reads and who can appreciate without the constant search for archetypes.
On the positive side, the explanation of literary terms in the context of the works cited is a handy guide.

At last, you can become a literary expert right in your home..without taking classes in cramped classroom chairs and having to listen to other students drone on about lost loves, death, violence and the internet. The central thesis of Professor Foster's book is that to succeed at the art of close reading one has to search for the symbolism, invariably underlying, in the literary text. The principal benefit of this book is that Foster provides an array of examples demonstrating that a richer appreciation of the art is available to readers who are willing to work for it. Foster has a light touch, a welcome contrast to the ponderous, inscrutable tomes of many of his colleagues. He keeps the pace moving and his attempts to inject humor in the process are successful more often than not. I have to admit that, although I have long admired her work, what Foster says about Iris Murdoch is true: her characters drown at every opportunity; given have a chance, she'd drown the Pacific fleet!

I loved this book! It gave me confidence to trust my own judgment about what things mean in a literary work. The guidelines that Foster provides have been very helpful in deepening my reading experience. I liked reading "The Garden Party" and comparing my insights with his and those of his students. Highly recommended for anyone who loves to read, especially those who belong to book discussion groups. In fact, our group is reading AHAB'S WIFE for our next meeting, and I'm finding Foster's book extremely useful in getting ready for our discussion.

I had to read this for AP English IV this summer. I like to read, so I don't judge books just because they're for school. However, if they are terrible, than they are terrible and it doesn't matter why I am reading them. I didn't like this book. Most of my class felt like he was very repetitive and didn't say much of anything that you shouldn't already know if you're in AP English. But that was just our take on it.