Book Review: How to Read Literature Like a Professor, by Thomas C. Foster

Quests, flowers, rain, meals, Christ figures, sex and vampires, going south and going blind, it all means something.

Harper Collins, 2003, 332 pages

What does it mean when a fictional hero takes a journey?. Shares a meal? Gets drenched in a sudden rain shower? Often, there is much more going on in a novel or poem than is readily visible on the surface -- a symbol, maybe, that remains elusive, or an unexpected twist on a character -- and there's that sneaking suspicion that the deeper meaning of a literary text keeps escaping you.

In this practical and amusing guide to literature, Thomas C. Foster shows how easy and gratifying it is to unlock those hidden truths, and to discover a world where a road leads to a quest; a shared meal may signify a communion; and rain, whether cleansing or destructive, is never just rain. Ranging from major themes to literary models, narrative devices, and form, How to Read Literature Like a Professor is the perfect companion for making your reading experience more enriching, satisfying, and fun.

( Sometimes a vampire is just a vampire. Except when it's not. )

Verdict: A light but engaging look at recurring symbols and subtext in literature, written for non-grad students. You can start playing "Hey, does this mean they're actually screwing?", "Spot the vampire," and "Isn't it ironic?" with the books you read, or just nod and recognize allusions to other books. I'm not sure How to Read Literature like a College Professor quite lives up to its billing as something that will make your reading experience "more enriching and satisfying," and it certainly only scratches the surface of how college professors read literature, but it's a good introduction to Western-centric metaphors and literary references.

Book Review: How to Read Literature Like a Professor, by Thomas C. Foster

Quests, flowers, rain, meals, Christ figures, sex and vampires, going south and going blind, it all means something.

Harper Collins, 2003, 332 pages

What does it mean when a fictional hero takes a journey?. Shares a meal? Gets drenched in a sudden rain shower? Often, there is much more going on in a novel or poem than is readily visible on the surface -- a symbol, maybe, that remains elusive, or an unexpected twist on a character -- and there's that sneaking suspicion that the deeper meaning of a literary text keeps escaping you.

In this practical and amusing guide to literature, Thomas C. Foster shows how easy and gratifying it is to unlock those hidden truths, and to discover a world where a road leads to a quest; a shared meal may signify a communion; and rain, whether cleansing or destructive, is never just rain. Ranging from major themes to literary models, narrative devices, and form, How to Read Literature Like a Professor is the perfect companion for making your reading experience more enriching, satisfying, and fun.

( Sometimes a vampire is just a vampire. Except when it's not. )

Verdict: A light but engaging look at recurring symbols and subtext in literature, written for non-grad students. You can start playing "Hey, does this mean they're actually screwing?", "Spot the vampire," and "Isn't it ironic?" with the books you read, or just nod and recognize allusions to other books. I'm not sure How to Read Literature like a College Professor quite lives up to its billing as something that will make your reading experience "more enriching and satisfying," and it certainly only scratches the surface of how college professors read literature, but it's a good introduction to Western-centric metaphors and literary references.