How Should One Read a Book

Virginia Woolf dreamed of the Day of Judgment.

The "great conquerors and lawyers and statesmen" come to receive their rewards - crowns, laurels, names carved on marble.

But, when he sees people coming with books under their arms, God turns to Peter and says: "Look, those need no reward. We have nothing to give them here.

"They have loved reading."

And this is the essence of her essay - sheer love for the written word: a joy in exploring the thoughts and imaginings of the author.

If you sometimes get bogged down in a book, Woolf has produced the perfect self-help manual and motivational guide to reading.

If you enjoyed 'How Should One Read a Book?', try 'How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading', by Mortimer J Adler.

"To read a novel is a difficult and complex art," says Virginia Woolf.