On Reading Well Paperback – February 1, 2022

“On Reading Well” is a delight. While I expected it to be well-written and filled with things to learn, Prior’s approach pleasantly surprised me. She states in her introduction that some of what she writes comes from class lectures, so I expected the book to be more cerebral and less engaging. That is far from true. The entire book is enchanting. She uses classic and modern literature as examples to explain virtues like temperance, love, and patience from a literary and biblical perspective. The way she weaves Christianity through the virtues is expertly done—not heavy-handed or preachy. One does not have to be a Christian to read and understand this book. Her synopses of the books she uses as examples of each virtue are lovely and reveal her passion for literature. It is good work.Prior is a teacher to her core. She demonstrates this well throughout the book by defining words and ideas and bringing them to life—this is her superpower. Often, I’d have questions while reading, which would subsequently be answered in the next paragraph. This desire for her audience to understand the material allows the reader to settle in and enjoy the book while simultaneously learning. I walked away with a richer understanding of what I should pay attention to when I read. This is a gift to my thirsty mind.

I had excellent English teachers in school, and my English teachers have an heir. Her name is Karen Swallow Prior. She teaches at Liberty University in Virginia. She’s published several works, including “Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me” (2012) and “Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More, Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist” (2014). And she’s just published “On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books.”It’s a book about great books. It’s a book about virtues. It’s a book about reading great books, and why it is an important human activity. And, indirectly, it’s a warning against consuming nothing but self-help books with titles like “The Seven Principles of This” or “Ten Rules for That,” and believing that fiction has nothing to offer the spirit, and nothing to offer the soul.Prior organizes her book around the idea of virtues, which have been studied and written about as long as people have studied and written. She describes the cardinal virtues – prudence, temperance, justice, and courage. She explores the theological virtues – faith, hope, and love and the heavenly virtues – charity, chastity, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility. And she uses a great work of literature to frame her discussion of each virtue.With a caveat. No work of literature is a “how-to” book, with specific steps and a personal action plan for being kinder, learning humility, finding courage, demonstrating humility, or understanding and practicing any of the other virtues. “Great books offer perspectives more than lessons,” Prior writes. And she’s right. That may not be sufficient for citizens of in the internet age who want their lessons tweetable and liked on Facebook and Instagram.The books and authors she uses to frame her discussions are as well-known as “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens (the virtue of justice) and “Persuasion” by Jane Austen (patience) and as less-known as “The Death of Ivan Ilych” by Leo Tolstoy and the short story “Tenth of December” by George Saunders. Each work in its own way is a classic, worthy of reading, study, and contemplation.These related essays in “On Reading Well” are about great books and virtues, about character and the things that lead to a life well-lived. But like all books that describe a passion, and Prior is passionate about great books, it reminds us of something else. Great books are marker stones of time and places in our lives. They help us understand where we were, who we became, and how we got there.

This book is thoughtful and certainly well-written. It is not what I was expecting, though. I was hoping for a nice follow-up read to Alan Jacobs' THE PLEASURES OF READING IN AN AGE OF DISTRACTION, but Swallow Prior did not write that kind of book. I was disappointed at first, and nearly put it down but I decided to forge ahead and I am glad I did. It may not have been what I was expecting, but it was certainly worth reading.In this book, Swallow Prior takes great works of literature and uses them as a canvas on which she creates a picture of various virtues. The picture she creates not only explains virtues such as honor, courage, patience, love, and diligence, it also makes them beautiful and attractive. I use the word "attractive" to mean that the reader is drawn to these virtues and finds a desire to integrate them into one's life. In this way, Swallow Prior quite masterfully makes both these familiar virtues and works of literature come alive in fresh and interesting ways.The author is a lover of literature and it shows on every page. She is also a lover of God and this too is evident throughout the book. She has her finger on the pulse of the culture in which we live as well and has a keen insight into that culture that she weaves throughout the book.All of this and more makes this book unique and worth reading.

LOVED this book. "It is not enough to read widely. One must also read well." The concept of the book is an examination of twelve of the virtues, with a discussion of a great literary work along with each virtue. I LOVED the author's vision of helping the reader gain a greater understanding of each work and become not just better readers, but better people through our literary adventures. The "virtues" are not something I've studied much but Karen Swallow Prior really brought each one to life in a way that was both illuminating and insightful. I gained a much greater understanding of each virtue discussed and definitely am inspired to read more carefully (as well as more widely) in the future.Every single page brought more revelation. The chapters on Hope, Diligence, and Patience were especially relevant during these uncertain days and were deeply encouraging to me. I would definitely recommend this book. It's not an "easy read" exactly because there's just so much to think through and ponder on, but that's the beauty of it. It's had my mind turning these concepts over and over for a few weeks now and that has been so, so good for me. Plus I have several new books on my "to read" list, thanks to this one!

Five stars for an author who was able to put into words things I have only felt the edges of in my soul. Not only has this book given me the tools to read well, it's given me a vision for preaching that goes beyond 3 points and a joke. Thank you, Karen Swallow Prior.

Soaking in every single word so exquisitely crafted by Prior in this, her latest book, On Reading Well. "Reading literature, more than informing us, forms us." Such a captivating exploration of virtue formation through some of my own personal literary friends and favourites. This book will not disappoint! It may increase the number of follow up titles on your Amazon 'wish list', but you certainly won't be disappointed (or even mind!) Thank you, Prof. Prior!

I had the privilege of sitting through one of Dr. Prior's classes in college. After I finished the book I wished I had paid closer attention in class!

These were purchased for a Christmas present. The recipient seemed pleased with the product.