I highly recommend this book to fellow homeschoolers. I believe it is necessary for us as parents and educators to encourage the youth to read and interact with the classics.

A well-rounded work about everything that is important about reading. Ryken and Faye Mathes present in this book an appeal to return to the lost art of reading in all its glory, a guide on how to read (and what to expect from) different genres, how to make the most of reading and a christian approach to literature. They also show us how reading can bring us real rest, educate us and enrichen our lives.
What I loved especially was their approach to how we can meet and understand more about God even in secular writing, because where there is true beauty, there is an essence and a glimpse of God.
Naturally this is a more theoretical approach to the subject and in the middle it got a bit dry for me personally, but it is worthwhile to push through these passages to come to a deeper understanding of the matter.
I listened to this by audiobook, but definitely want to read it again in paperback to dwell better on its wisdom.

I thank Netgalley and Crossway for an ARC to read and review.

I picked this one up because I was intrigued by the title, and it sounded like it would be similar to another book I really enjoyed called Lit! by Tony Reinke. While there were some similarities between the two, at least in the first part of the book, I found myself getting frustrated with some of what was stated in the book concerning reading in that there are books better than others and that only reading those kinds of books can be considered practicing the art of reading. Personally, and I say this as a former English major, I find statements like these to be arrogant. Are there books that could be considered trashy? Perhaps, but there are also a lot of good books out there and the definition of a good book does tend to be subjective. Did I misread some of what they were trying to convey? Maybe. But I'm also tired of people writing about how certain books are more superior than others. I think if a person enjoys reading graphic novels, it's still reading, manga is still reading and there are some fantastic books in these categories. It is my duty to practice discernment in what I read, but other than that I do have the liberty to read what I want. The same goes for others. Sure, a cozy mystery might not have the same literary merit as a Jane Austen novel, but it is still literature and I think a lot can be learned from them. Sigh, I wanted to love this book, but I spent a good portion of it wishing I was reading a physical copy of it so I could reenact the scene from Dead Poets' Society where Mr. Keating has his class tear out the introduction from their textbook. There is some merit to this book, and it could be beneficial to others, however I think that I am no longer the target audience for books like these. I would like to thank Crossway and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This read was a little more literary than I was expecting. Certainly insightful, informative, and (the highlight for me!) chock-full of C.S. Lewis quotes, as well as some Tolkien references!

I did feel somewhat like I'd landed back in a college-level English class and remembering anew why I decided not to pursue an English degree. :D I enjoy reading for reading's sake--sometimes to escape, other times to grow/challenge myself/learn--and the "how" (themes, metaphors, etc.) hasn't always been a big deal for me. Of course, that can vary with the book; give me Lord of the Rings and I'll talk all day about it!

This one just felt a little dry for my taste, at this stage of life. I may revisit down the line, and certainly appreciated the read--especially as it discussed the impact the Internet has had on our attention spans, ability to concentrate for longer periods, and so on. That was a very beneficial reminder, as was the encouragement to read older books--not just the contemporary/present-day ones I've been reading lately.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

When was the last time anyone of us has read a book? From cover to cover? Not many. Does this mean that we have lost the art of reading? Possibly. As far as reading is concerned, most of us, if not all would agree that we all read. The difference is mainly about how we read. In this captivating book about how reading has been lost in a new culture, authors Leland Ryken and Glenda Faye Mathes argue that the kind of reading that we have been doing in the past is now basically lost. People no longer read books. They skim articles. The browse social media. They glance at headlines. They peruse selectively. The art of reading is lost. What they are saying is that we no longer read with delight but as a duty. With the rise of electronic media, traditional books have been digitized. So do our reading habits. A simple test would be this: "What books have you read recently?" Surveys have shown that many wanted to read more but are actually not doing it. Not a single age group who say they read, do so for more than an hour daily. Yet, people spend nearly six hours per day on digital media, mostly cursory reading! A more challenging test would be to read Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace" in its entirety. The problems are many. Hyperlinks tempt one to click to go to other sites. Pop-up windows distract. Attentiveness is divided. Digital media are changing our brains. From brain researchers to literary artists, experts are seeing the demise of reading. Plus, our minds get so infatuated with the present that we lose touch with the past. We lose touch with essential human experience. We also lose touch with the beauty of literary art. On and on, the authors give us a compelling case of a growing non-reading phenomenon. They believe that this would lead to a loss of our "mental sharpness, verbal skills, and ability to think and imagine," and many more.

One wonders how a simple act of reading or non-reading could result in such literary calamity. Ryken and Mathes explain this in two ways. First, they decry the declining rate of real attentive reading due to both external and internal factors. Externally, it is the rise of a constant stream of information that floods our minds. Such a stream subconsciously makes us exchange quantity for quality. These have also altered our reading habits from attentive reading to selective cursory scanning. Internally, we have become more impatient in a "Too-Long-Didn't-Read" (TLDR) culture. Part Two of the book in itself is a wonderful reference on how to read stories, poems, novels, fantasies, children's books, creative non-fiction, and the Bible. They alone are worth the price of the book.

My Thoughts
==============
The authors observe that reading nowadays has been changed in many ways, especially with the rising use of digital media. We read differently. We don't read as deeply as before. Before we start panicking about the state of literacy in our society, the problem described by Ryken and Mathes needs to be qualified. There are many who don't read in pre-millenial times. Even before the ubiquitous internet environment, how many people have even read "War and Peace," the so-called litmus test for literary appreciation? My point is, while the observations made by the authors are true, they are true mainly for those categories of people who appreciate literature. This includes literature professors, students, enthusiasts, poets, writers, reviewers, and authors at large. Of course, there are those who had the potential to become literature lovers but technology sort of diverted their interest away. Apart from these enthusiasts or would-be devoted readers, the rest of the population simply don't have time to read, let alone study literature. Perhaps, the group that would be most impacted would be kids. I concur with the observation by the psychologist, Richard Freed who warns about the way technology companies entice children away from traditional forms of reading through attention-grabbing strategies that substitute long-term attentive reading with short-term visual gratification. This might lead to a general decline in proper literature appreciation in the next generation. I suppose this is where the book's warning is most needed. For digital natives, this would be an introduction to a new way of attentive reading. The authors' section in Part Two would give this group ample fodder for learning how to read stories, poems, novels, fantasy, and other books with a keen reader's eye. This is to help them "recover" a part of meaningful reading that might be potentially lost to the digital distractions. For digital immigrants, this should be a wake-up call to pause and take stock of our reading habits before it gets any worse. It is never too late to change. This is where Parts Two and Three of the book should apply. Part Two helps recover the beauty of reading literary works while Part Three reminds us of the treasures that are waiting to be discovered. They are participants of the stories waiting to be told.

I must say that this is a beautiful book in itself. Despite the early warnings of a collapsing literature culture, the authors are convinced and convicted about the possibility of redemption. They champion the need for literature through thoughtful explanations and critical arguments. They remind us about the beauty of literary art, poems, fiction, and even children's books! For the Christian, reading literature enhances our ability to read the Bible. In our increasingly scientific and technological world, we are tempted to see things as problems to be solved. We read books so as to solve certain issues or to mine information. Books are more than that. They are meant also to be enjoyed. Likewise, the Bible is to be enjoyed through reading and study. Moreover, there are several different genres in the Bible, many of them require some skills that we can learn from this book. How do we recover the lost art of reading? If in doubt, pick up this book and read it. It's not only educational, but it is also enlightening. I believe that once enlightened, the reader would go beyond recovery to become contributors too.

Leland Ryken (PhD, University of Oregon) served as professor of English at Wheaton College for nearly fifty years. He has authored or edited over fifty books, including The Word of God in English and A Complete Handbook of Literary Forms in the Bible. He is a frequent speaker at the Evangelical Theological Society’s annual meetings and served as literary stylist for the English Standard Version Bible.

Glenda Faye Mathes (BLS, University of Iowa) is a professional writer with a passion for literary excellence. She has authored over a thousand articles and several nonfiction books as well as the Matthew in the Middle fiction series. Glenda has been the featured speaker at women's conferences and at seminars for prison inmates.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Crossway Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Our reading habits are changing. While we may be reading more articles and social media posts, our reading of literature is in decline. In 2018 the Pew Charitable Foundation reported that nearly a quarter of Americans had not read a book in any form in the last year. Is that important? Ryken and Mathes argue it means we are loosing wisdom and our ability for deep thinking. Reading nonfiction or imaginative fiction requires thoughtful reading, unlike grazing Internet articles.

The authors hope to inspire people to read more, read well, and have more joy in doing it. They explore what literature is, what identifies good literature, and the benefits of reading literature. They help up understand the elements of a good story and why we need to read poetry. They argue that in reading artfully, we better understand ourselves and the human condition.

Understanding and reading literature is particularly important for Christians. The authors point out that a third of the Bible is written in poetic form and three quarters of the Bible is in literary form. Understanding literary principles is essential to understanding the Bible. “We would handle the Bible so much better if we would read and interpret it in light of what we already know about literature generally.” (1657/3278)

There is a great deal of useful information in the book. I appreciate the authors reminding us that every person has a calling to read and that reading literature is to be an active part of spiritual life. (2611, 2736/3278) Unfortunately, this book is somewhat academic in style. I am not sure the average reader and especially the nonreader will pick up this book and benefit from it. Perhaps teachers, pastors and small group leaders could read the book and share the information with others.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I feel like one of these books comes out every couple of years: "Recovering the love of reading..." "How to learn how to read again..." I welcome this edition as a thoughtful one, hoping not just to recover specific ways to read various genres, but recovering the love of reading in general.

Leland Ryken, Professor of English emeritus at Wheaton College, teams up with author and editor Glenda Faye Mathes in this guidebook designed to help readers (and those who are not) “discover more delight in the reading journey.” The book is organized into three parts. In Part One, the authors seek to establish that reading is, in fact, a lost art. Ryken and Mathes decry the decline of the reading of literature as increasing amounts of time are spent reading other forms of text (a term the authors contend is a contemporary catch-all encompassing much that is not actually “read.”) They also explain why reading can be considered an “art.” In Part 2, the authors define literature and show the varied ways literature enriches a person’s life. Then they present several genres, including poetry, novels, fantasy, children’s books, and creative nonfiction. The genre-focused chapters define the genre’s traits, show the benefits to the reader, and provide specific tips for how to read and interpret the genre. Part 2 concludes with a section on reading the Bible as literature. In Part 3 the authors share their vision for recovering the “lost art” of reading.

Whether or not a reader of this book agrees with the authors’ contention that reading texts other than literature lacks sufficient depth to be read “artfully,” there is much here of value. While many (perhaps most!) adults regard reading literature as a long-ago school task they do not care to revisit, the benefits described in this book may well entice even the reluctant reader to head to the local library in search of the pleasures of “deep” reading. Part 2, as informative as it is enticing, provides enough specific information to instill confidence that even a genre like poetry is accessible by the average reader.

Ryken and Mathes show that when we read the Bible deeply, being mindful of the literary aspect of God’s Word, we see that just as good literature paints a portrait of the human condition, the Bible’s varied literary qualities paint a divinely-inspired portrait of humanity. For the follower of Christ who engages—or wants to engage—in regular reading of the Bible, this book is a treasure that will further open up the truth and beauty of Scripture.

First sentence from the introduction: Perhaps you’re wondering about this book’s title. Does reading need to be recovered? What makes it an art? And is it really lost? After all, here you are—reading a book.

First sentence from chapter one, part one: “Read any good books lately?” This question once functioned as a common conversation-starter, but now we’re more likely to hear, “What are your plans for the weekend?” or “Did you catch the game last night?”

The premise of this one is simple: reading--well, reading artfully, thoughtfully, carefully, appreciatively--is a lost art form that needs to be recovered. The authors seem to be saying that there is a right way and a wrong way to read books, or, that not all reading is created equal. One could read hundreds--thousands--of books but if they aren't "quality" enough to suit the authors, well, it's discounted as lesser than--at best.

The authors describe their book as a "a guidebook by two seasoned and enthusiastic reading travelers, who show all readers—from those who rarely pick up a book to English majors and everyone between—how to discover more delight in the reading journey."

They mention several reasons why it is vital for individuals to recover this lost art of reading. Most significantly they point out that if one can't read well, read artfully (etc.,) then one can't read the Bible well either. By letting go of reading deeply (artfully, thoughtfully, carefully, etc.) , one is sacrificing one's spiritual growth.

(They also argue that losing reading means the loss of meaningful leisure; losing reading means we lose out on opportunities to foster our sense of beauty; losing reading means we lose contact with 'essential human experience.' They write, "The literary enterprise shapes and forms us. The very nature of reading is contemplation of the human experience and the world in which it exists.")

This book has three parts: "Reading is a Lost Art," "Reading Literature," and "Recovering the Art of Reading." In the first part, they make their case for considering reading an art form and a LOST art form at that. They are supposing that most people don't read, and those that do read rarely read well. Therefore both need some stirring up or encouragement to read better.

In the second part, the focus shifts to LITERATURE. What is literature? How is it defined? How is it separate or different from other books? What are its distinguishing characteristics? What makes one book literature and another not? How should one read various types of literature? It's all about categories and groups. They talk about characters, narratives, settings, structure and forms.

In the third part, the authors give practical-ish tips on how to recover the art of reading.

All three parts are written with a Christian reader in mind, the focus being on how to benefit spiritually from reading literature.

The book is complex and substantive.

I have a B.A. and M.A. in English literature and an M.L.S. (My focus was children's literature.) I have strong opinions. I don't always agree, and, in fact sometimes strongly disagree with the authors of this book. That being said, I do support some of their argument.

There are two extremes when it comes to defining and/or describing literature. One extreme is that EVERYTHING (all text, every text) is literature. The other extreme is that (actual) literature is a rare unicorn.

This scene from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice comes to mind:
"It is amazing to me," said Bingley, "how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished, as they all are."
"All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?"
"Yes, all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover skreens and net purses. I scarcely know any one who cannot do all this, and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished."
"Your list of the common extent of accomplishments," said Darcy, "has too much truth. The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse, or covering a screen. But I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general. I cannot boast of knowing more than half a dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished."
"Nor I, I am sure," said Miss Bingley.
"Then," observed Elizabeth, "you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman."
"Yes; I do comprehend a great deal in it."
"Oh! certainly," cried his faithful assistant, "no one can be really esteemed accomplished, who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved."
"All this she must possess," added Darcy, "and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading."
"I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any."
"Are you so severe upon your own sex, as to doubt the possibility of all this?"
"I never saw such a woman. I never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe, united."

That extreme sets the standard of "what is literature" so impossibly high that it's difficult not to get a snobbish vibe from it.

So how do the authors define it? Literature is: experiential, concrete, universal, interpretive, and artistic. or It can be briefly defined as a concrete, interpretive presentation of human experience in an artistic form.

My favorite description of literature comes from Ray Bradbury:

"Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because they have quality. And what does the word quality mean? To me it means texture. This book has pores. It has features. This book can go under the microscope. You'd find life under the glass, streaming past in infinite profusion. The more pores, the more truthfully recorded details of life per square inch you can get on a sheet of paper, the more 'literary' you are. That's my definition, anyway. Telling detail. Fresh detail. The good writers touch life often. the mediocre ones run a quick hand over her. The bad ones rape her and leave her for the flies. So now do you see why books are hated and feared? They show the pores in the face of life."

If I've understood the authors correctly in what is quality--what is good, what is true, what is beautiful, what is literature--I am in between the two extremes. I don't view "literature" so narrowly and exclusively.

Leland Ryken has turned to this subject a variety of times (in books like his series on reading different books of the Bible as literature), and always finds a way to capture his points in the simplest language without seeming bland or unemotional. Here, he and Glenda Faye Mathes take that approach again, and the result is great. They show why reading is important, how to understand different kinds of genres. and throughout show how faith makes the reading of good stories into a soul-making, wisdom-producing process.

"Scripture does more than sanction literature; it shows us that literature is indispensable in knowing and communicating our most important truth."

This is one of my favourite quotes from the book. As an English Literature graduate, I've feel that a lot of the Bible reading in my local church and even popular Evangelical content available online is often too "scientific" or "systematic."

Recapturing the literariness of the Bible, and more broadly, appreciating the benefits of reading literature to our spiritual lives are two of the authors' goals in this book. Overall, I'd say Recovering the Lost Art of Reading achieves the latter objective while offering just a few thoughts on the former.

This book has three parts. In Part 1, the authors make a case that practical reading (primarily to gain information) and shallow "online reading" (Chapter 1: Is Reading Lost?) have largely displaced "artful reading" (Chapter 3: Why Consider Reading an Art?), which the authors describe as slow reading, where one is receptive to a book's message and beauty, being attentive to its content and form. They identify a few things individuals and the wider culture loses as a result of the decline of deeper modes of reading (Chapter 2: What Have We Lost?).

In Part 2, they offer a definition of "literature" (chapters 4-6) before outlining the unique elements of seven "types" of literature (chapters 7-13): stories, poems, novels, fantasy, children's books, creative nonfiction and the Bible as literature. Within each type, they offer suggestions on how to approach or enjoy one's reading.

Part 3 steps back from considering individual genre, suggesting ways Christians can identify the true (Chapter 15: Truth in Literature), the good (Chapter 16: Moral Vision in Literature), and the beautiful (Chapter 17: Beauty in Literature). A few chapters explore supporting themes, including a defence of reading as an appropriate leisure activity (Chapter 19: Freedom to Read) and the relationship between a writer's calling and creativity and how readers are involved in that process (Chapter 21: Calling and Creativity).

What I enjoyed
This book was a joy to read, especially the first six chapters. I wholeheartedly agree that there is a reading problem, that much reading now is about gathering information. Content proliferation has meant that it's probably much easier to stumble on something bad than on what's good. They make a strong case that everyone, especially Christians, "people of the book(!)," should recover artful reading.

It's also worth noting that there is no specific or tangible benefits to reading literature. I say this because I know that if I don't get some kind of "value" out of my reading, I do struggle with whether it's worth it. One of the zeitgeist of our age is pragmatism, and we try to meticulously measure the cost and benefits of our actions. Without being glib, the authors show that this pragmatism isn't without its problems, and that leisurely, deep reading can bring fun and order to our lives.

The book is easy reading with relatively short chapters. The authors are concise, punchy and humorous. They quote quite extensively in some chapters as examples or to strengthen the points they make, but don't allow footnotes or name-dropping to get in the way. As an introduction to the joys of reading, this is a thoughtfully written work.

There is a risk that writing about reading (or books) is like preaching to the choir, but the authors should be commended for making this book accessible. Practising what they preached about showing rather than telling, their tone is gentle and conversational, rather than feeling I was being talked at.

What could make this better?
Unfortunately, this accessibility is also the book's weakness. I found sections of Parts 2 and 3 too shallow. The authors aren't saying something completely original, they draw heavily from C. S. Lewis and "pre-modern" literary theories. This is not surprising, given they write from within a Christian framework, but I was looking forward to a more robust theory.

I was also hoping that they would give recommended reading in Part 2 when describing the unique features of each "type" of literature. If this book is largely written to convince a non-reading segment to take up a book to read, I think offering suggestions would be helpful. They did mention in Part 3 that it's difficult to recommend titles, however, if space doesn't permit, they could have a list of the authors' top picks on a website.

Who should read it?
I'd say two groups of people: 1) those who have tasted the sweetness of reading good literature but has been swept away (momentarily) by today's busyness and pragmatism; 2) those who perhaps haven't been an avid reader, but find they need a break from screens.

Artful, thoughtful, receptive reading of literature can expand our minds because we experience the joys and sufferings of others vicariously; it can deepen our spiritual lives as they show us the true, the good, and the beautiful; and it can give us a greater appreciation for the Bible as God's creative and wonderful story of salvific love.

I was graciously given an advance review copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a fascinating book on developing better reading skills through a Christian perspective. Recovering the Lost Art of Reading has three progressive parts that address first the concept of reading as a lost art, then distinctive features of various types of literature and tips for reading them, and finally ideas for ways to recover reading. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.