Book Review: How to Read Literature Like a Professor

Ever wonder how your English teachers and professors read literature? I don't mean how they actually read the words, but how they view and process what they read. Like when we read “ and a rainstorm appears” all we see is a rainstorm, but English teachers and professors view it as symbolism for depression, purity, or a cleansing ritual. In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster comically and entertainingly introduces readers to literary basics that show us how to make reading more enjoyable. He explains literary trends and jokes such as how every single novel has aspects of another novel, why snow and rain aren’t just snow and rain, and why “It’s all political.” I recommend this book to those reading at a higher level; I actually read this for my AP Literature class and it’s extraordinarily funny because it makes fun of the literary norms of English teachers. Reviewer Grade = 10