Why do some people find a book very profound, others empty, others abstruse? Why, when you reread a book, do you always discover something you hadn't noticed before? Why do some people understand all the shades of meaning, see what's hidden between the lines, hear the music of words, feel their taste, color and smell, while others remain deaf to them?
To tune in to the author's "wave" and understand more, you need to be able to read actively. This is exactly why Mortimer Adler, an American philosopher, editor and teacher, wrote his book. He dedicated his entire life to teaching people to love and understand books (he later headed the editorial board of the Encyclopedia Britannica).
