How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster

I barely remember taking English class in high school.  I have SOME memory of doing so in middle school, but needless to say it wasn't a favorite subject of mine.

But this brilliant little book served as a wonderful refresher, charmingly written by Foster.

I was reminded of symbolism, with several lively examples.  I was particularly taken by Foster's notion that all fiction derives from "one great story," that everything derives from something else, and that almost nothing is new.  It all ties back to the Bible, Shakespeare and ancient Greece, it would seem.  Or the myriad stories written since.

I would make a terrible professor of English, of course.  Although I am determined to look for more symbolism in my reading in the future, I guarantee that I won't pick up on the types of subtext that Foster uncovers.

But I have a strong hunch that this book will enrich my appreciation of literature moving forward nonetheless.