Good Readers and Good Writers

     What does Nabokov think makes a good reader? Do you agree? What do you believe are the characteristics of a good reader? Do you consider yourself a good reader?

     In "Good Readers and Good Writers" Vladimir Nabokov expresses his view of a good reader.  He feels that a good reader should pay attention to details and begin a book without preconceived notions, maintaining an open mind at least for the duration of the book. Narbokov believes possessing certain qualities, such as memory, imagination, an artistic sense, and using a dictionary, are factors in being a good reader. In Narbokov's opinion, to be a good reader means to be a rereader. He contrasts reading a book with looking at a painting, explaining that the process of reading gets in the way of the reader savoring the work in an artistic sense; likewise, good readers must reread the piece to be able to grasp the details and fully appreciate it.

     While I do agree with Nabokov on most of the aspects of what makes a good reader, I think he focuses too much on the importance of rereading. He goes so far as to say "one cannot read a book: one can only reread it. A good reader, a major reader, an active and creative reader is a rereader." Although I do reread a fair amount of books, I do so out of a desire to experience it again because I so appreciated it before and wish that the world created existed, and for the story to continue, not out of a need to better understand the work. I do concede that for some people rereading is necessary to truly take in a story, in which case, it should be applauded; however, some people have a mind for reading and an eye for detail in which case I think rereading is not a necessary part of being a good reader. I do agree that a good reader, should keep an open mind, pay attention to details, and take the time to understand the words (e.g., using a dictionary). I also think part of being a good and active reader is to discuss what you read with others. I would consider myself a good reader seeing that I always try to start a book with a clean slate, delight in the details, have a good memory, and am willing to look up a word when I do not fully get the meaning or context. 

This is a BBC documentary on Vladimir Nabokov's Life and Works. It is a bit long but if you have the time (i.e., an hour) I would encourage you to watch it. I think when reading a piece of work, it is helpful in understanding where the author is coming from to have some background information on them. It was actually fairly interesting, and as a result when I read "Good Readers and Good Writers" I could hear it in his voice which was pretty cool. Enjoy. :)