You Are What You Read: A Practical Guide to Reading Well

How you can enrich your life by becoming a more skillful and engaged reader of literature

We are what we read, according to Robert DiYanni. Reading may delight us or move us; we may read for instruction or inspiration. But more than this, in reading we discover ourselves. We gain access to the lives of others, explore the limitless possibilities of human existence, develop our understanding of the world around us, and find respite from the hectic demands of everyday life. In You Are What You Read, DiYanni provides a practical guide that shows how we can increase the benefits and pleasures of literature by becoming more skillful and engaged readers.

DiYanni suggests that we attend first to what authors say and the way in which they say it, rather than rushing to decide what they mean. He considers the various forms of literature, from the essay to the novel, the short story to the poem, demonstrating rewarding approaches to each in sample readings of classic works. Through a series of illuminating oppositions, he explores the paradoxical pleasures of reading: solitary versus social reading, submitting to or resisting the author, reading inwardly or outwardly, and more. DiYanni closes with nine recommended reading practices, thoughts on the different experiences of print and digital reading, and advice on what to read and why.

Written in a clear, inviting, and natural style, You Are What You Read is an essential guide for all who want to enrich their reading--and their life.

Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 04/20/2021
Pages: 240
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 8.60h x 5.70w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9780691206783


Review Citation(s):
Choice 01/01/2022

About the Author
Robert DiYanni is adjunct professor of humanities at New York University. His recent books include The Craft of College Teaching (Princeton) and Critical Reading Across the Curriculum. He lives in Bedford, New York.