How to Read Novels Like a Professor: A Jaunty Exploration of the World's Favorite Literary Form Kindle Edition

I read How to Read Literature Like a Professor last summer when it was assigned to my child for AP Literature, so when I saw How to Read Novels Like a Professor on Amazon, I just had to read it. I am glad that I did. I gave it five stars, because it was very readable, sometimes funny, and always entertaining. It was so much fun that I didn’t realize how much I was learning about how novels are written and why. He presents the reader with these laws of novels which are very helpful. I recommend this book to anyone who loves curling up with a good book, because Professor Foster discusses so many different authors and novels that it will take many hours just to read what is of interest to the reader. Read the book!

I enjoyed this book tremendously, and I learned many things with great examples.Also, Foster also made the book amusing to read, and I found myself laughing multiple times by ingenious choices of words that fit perfectly in the context, and without me losing focus - on the contrary, it encouraged me to keep reading and learning eagerly. As a biomedicine student, I find that much of the non-fiction I read, in the long run, bore me - but this book is terrific. Would highly recommend, and I also purchased "How to read poetry like a professor".

This nonfiction book is a companion to "How to Read Literature like a Professor" Both these books help us understand some of the basic workings of literature. They are very well written; they are funny; they are informative. I have referred to the ideas and information in both of them in teaching my Junior Honors English classes.I would highly recommend both of these to students who want to expand their understanding AND to the teachers who want a fresh approach to teaching literature.The author is really good. I would love to be a student in his class.

Foster's earlier book, How to Read Literature Like a Professor, was a favorite. I think I like this one even better. From his thoughts on what constitutes a novel to the discussion of the evolution of the novel, Foster is entertaining, thought-provoking, literate, engaging. More than anything else, I am inspired to re-examine some novels (100 Years of Solitude, A Plague of Doves, Flaubert's Parrot) that I found too daunting, but now seem slightly more accessible. I would love it if everyone in my book club read How to Read Novels....I think it would help our discussions move beyond "I liked it" or "I hated it".

I was skeptical of this book as it looked like it might be aimed more at humor than education, but it is a good user-friendly survey of literature and how to approach it.

I give this book a solid 3 stars. I would have gone for 4, but for the repitition. It's almost as if the chapters were lectures spread over several years and, of course, he had to cover the same ground again. The fact that they are so disjointed is a give away. Either that or he has Alzheimer's.The first 2/3 of the book are aimed at writers. I know this because the sticky notes don't appear in my copy until about page 200. And even then they make only a brief appearance. And, speaking of sticky notes, I could list the key points on a small one. But, if you're a writer, there's a lot to be gleaned from that first two thirds. As a writer myself, it's worth a re-read or two.The take away is that novels are products of their times and none exist in a vacuum. So when you read Toni Morrison, say, you're reading a novel based on her experience in her time, plus all the novels she's ever read, and all the novels those writers read, and so on. He makes several other, thought-provoking points, but I don't want to be a spoiler.Still, generally speaking, it's a good read by an entertaining writer. A bit too entertaining at times, even a bit, er, jaunty - but then he warned us.Bottom line is that if you're a writer read the whole thing a couple of times. You may even want to take a few notes. Otherwise, jump in at page 200.

This very readable, witty book helps novices and oldtimers like me tackle the most obscure novel. I may even try a little James Joyce again. I bought the book for my grandson who is majoring in English in college, but ended up reading and enjoying it myself. I had to buy a second copy for him. My book club will benefit from all the insight I have gained from reading this book. Also I have a new list of suggested reading.

Mr. Foster does know how to get a reader interested and at the same time he knows how to teach by means of words. I felt as if I had been attending one of his classes. He knows how to foster interest in contemporary literature as well as to lead you to classical works. I consider this book a "must" for anybody interested in literature as a career. Two thumbs up!!!

I teach High School English and this offers some wonderful insights on how to study a novel. Excellent for anyone going into a University English class.

“Great novels, certainly, and maybe all novels, change us, but not merely by giving us something special. They also change us because of what we give to them. That’s a winner all the way around.” (Zitat Seite 302)InhaltEine unbeschwerte Erkundung der weltweit meistgeliebten literarischen Form, so nennt Thomas C. Foster, Professor für englische Literatur und Schriftsteller, dieses Buch. Besser kann der Inhalt nicht beschrieben werden. Er führt uns durch die Welt der Romane, beginnend bei den ersten Werken des 18. Jahrhunderts, über die für das 19. Jahrhundert typischen Romane, bis zu den vielen unterschiedlichen modernen Formen des 20. und frühen 21. Jahrhunderts. Nach einer Einleitung werden in zweiundzwanzig Kapiteln zweiundzwanzig unterschiedlichen Themen, Aspekte und Fragestellungen der literarischen Gattung Roman vertiefend behandelt und mit Beispielen und Zitaten anschaulich erklärt. Das Buch schließt mit einem Fazit und einer Liste mit literaturkritischer Fachliteratur zum Thema Roman, beginnend mit Henry James, The Art of Fiction, aus dem Jahr 1884. Wie Thomas C. Foster selbst erklärt, verzichtet er bewusst auf eine zusätzliche Leseliste der Romane, da das gesamte Buch eine umfassende Lektüreliste ist.UmsetzungEin Thema ist zum Beispiel die Wichtigkeit der ersten Seite eines Romans, wo der Lesende im besten Fall achtzehn unterschiedliche Informationen finden kann, denn die erste Seite muss uns verführen, das Buch lesen zu wollen. Der Blick auf die erste Seite ist in den meisten Fällen die Kaufentscheidung. „Page one is where we have our first meeting of the minds. And where we find out if there will be a page two. (Zitat Seite 34). Gleichzeitig zeigt uns schon die erste Seite, wie der Roman gelesen werden möchte, denn hier finden wir die Erzählfigur, Position, Perspektive, Zeit, Motiv, Form der Sprache. Thomas C. Foster gibt uns eine umfassende Aufstellung der vielen unterschiedlichen Arten, eine Geschichte zu erzählen. Um einen Roman zu verstehen, erklärt er, müssen wir herausfinden, was die Figuren wirklich wollen, was sie antreibt. Natürlich sind auch die verschiedenen Möglichkeiten, eine Geschichte zu beenden, klar und geordnet, oder offen, es dem Lesenden überlassend, eine persönliche Variante zu finden, ein Thema. „Openings tell us where we’re going. Endings tell us where we went.“ (Zitat Seite 277)FazitAuch dieses Buch von Thomas C. Foster ist nur im englischen Original erhältlich, doch es ist keine komplizierte literaturwissenschaftliche Abhandlung. Informativ, interessant und sehr unterhaltsam wurde es bewusst für alle Lesenden geschrieben. Kann man beim Lesen eines Sachbuchs laut lachen? Ja!

An excellent introduction to the craft of novels that will improve your understanding and reading pleasure.

Thoroughly enjoyed. I was half afraid that the book might pedantic puts me to sleep. I got hooked when I was sampling a few chapters. Author has a fresh take on study of literature. Not so surprising that the book is used in various western universities and is highly recommended by professors.

excellent ! En effet, je le recommande chaleureusement à qui veut appréhender la lecture d'un roman DIFFEREMMENT, merci pr cet ouvrage !