The most common book cover of How to Read Literature Like a Professor

Every student’s nightmare: Summer Reading.

Last summer, every rising senior had to read How To Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster. The thoughts that went through everyone’s mind: This is going to be the most boring book ever! I don’t even want to start it! Why do we have to read this? I’m not going to learn anything. Are they serious?

Even I was a skeptic; that is, until I started the book. I was surprised to find that the book made you believe Foster was in the room talking to you. It was written in an understandable way that actually pointed out and took you through the process of looking “between the lines” and being able to analyze literature effectively.

The book takes you through all the topics an English teacher will go through:

-The underlining meaning of certain actions

-Poems

-Allusions to other works, such as the Bible, Shakespeare, and fairy tales.

-The symbolism of weather, violence, sex, religion, diseases, etc.

-Irony

The best part is, Foster tells you how you can find it yourself! He even gives you an opportunity to use your new found skills at the end of the book.

Teachers rave on the book. “I love the book, because I think it is a very clear cut, concise list of literary tools that anyone can approach and feel comfortable with using/identifying [information]. The author’s personal tone helps reassure readers that they are insightful and that there is not just one “right” answer. If students read the book, it will be helpful to them. Many of my previous AP students have told me that it was beneficial. I continually hear my students refer back to the book when analyzing literature throughout the class,” shared Mrs. Powell, an AP Lit teacher.

Some students, though, may still be skeptics, “I appreciated the author’s effort to make the complicated and broad topic an enjoyable subject to read, but there were pieces of the text that were a rough patch to read through.” Alexandra Wiegand commented, a senior.

“My honest opinion is that I hated this book. The author expected readers to have read books stated in the text.” said Tristan Samios, senior. 

One thing the students agreed on though, was that the book was indeed helpful. “It really helped me. It got me thinking about the different ways in which I could look at a scene,” said Monday Sanderson, senior.

In my personal opinion, every student should read this book before college; even if it’s just so you can find out that what your English teacher is talking about actually comes from somewhere and what is–what most students already believe–straight BS.