Some Books Are to Be Tasted, Others to Be Swallowed, and Some Few to Be Chewed and Digested

This quotation belongs to a famous English philosopher Francis Bacon (1561 – 1626). He himself expands on it further: “that is, some books are to be read only in Parts; others to be read but not Curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with Diligence and Attention.” One can’t but admire the exactness and universal wisdom of the idea. In fact it is a hundred percent true.

Actually long before the invention of printing people valued books as precious treasure troves of the human knowledge and experience. Hand-written manuscripts took months of writing and were collected and kept in monasteries with utmost care.

A rough calculation shows that nowadays there are more books on our planet than men alive. Most of them originated as written records of historical events. Then they began reflecting not only intellectual, but also moral experience of their creators. As science progressed books began to involve observations, conclusions and theoretical thinking. The books of today reflect such a large scope of information that it’s practically impossible to mention all types of them.

Approximately we can define different kinds of books as fiction and non-fiction, science-fiction; biographies, books about political, social and economic subjects; travel books; romances; thrillers, adventure and love stories, detective stories; fairy tales and fantasies; ghost stories and mysteries, animal stories and family stories.

But let’s go back to our quotation. To my mind all books are to be tasted. A modern, well-educated person should be able to use not textbooks only but reference books, dictionaries, encyclopedias, vocabularies and all sorts of informational publications. These books serve the purpose of learning, teaching and instructing. One really has to spend some time to learn how to find the necessary telephone number or the address in the telephone book. For this you have to study the instructions in the preface.

In fact you have to taste all other books as well as to know what suits your personal interests and inclinations. If a book has got a gripping plot and takes in religious fanatics, bear attacks, resurrected lovers and obsessions we can read it in a gulp. A well-written novel usually misses adventure and romance with great flair. Everybody likes books where fictional characters are loosely based on real Beverly Hills people. Some of my friends are hooked on tales where Cinderella meets a megastar, usually a womanizer, who falls for her. Sometimes a villain or a villainess comes into her happiness. Murder and mayhem follow. Such improbable tale is just the thing for a lazy holiday reading. Most of mysteries and horror books are called escapist books. They take you away from everyday problems into the land of witchcraft, spooks, ghosts and miracles. Some of them are highly enjoyable nail-biters with fast-paced plot and a hero that verges on a superhero. As a rule people seldom reread a detective story or a fast-moving thriller that’s full of intrigue. I admit that it may be highly entertaining, but hence the investigation is over and the criminal is found you sign with relief and forget it. These are the books to be swallowed.

However, there is another type of books that is to be chewed and digested. These are the works by brilliant minds of mankind. Most of them have great one-liners like “all families are happy in the same way” in Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” or “Bolivar can’t carry both” from O’Henry. One needs certain intelligence and experience and perseverance to digest them. Pretty often our comprehension of the plot and messages of these literary works changes as we grow up. One really must be in love to understand Tatiana from “Eugene Onegin”.

Sometimes a scholar has “to chew” (to study) some additional literature or autobiographical books to understand the author’s motivation or even consult the critics, who will help him understand the meaning of exquisite metaphors, epithets or tricky connotations. Very often it is not needed. We can’t but admire how brilliantly Walter Scott captures the splendor and the savagery of mediaeval times, making his novel a superb, exciting reading. A talented writer can plot tautly without losing descriptive quality, which adds to the entertainment. The reader then finds himself plunged into a new life and a strange land. S. Maugham used to say that a real masterpiece makes you share the feelings and emotions of the people who used to live hundreds of years ago, thousands miles away. In conclusion I’d like to prolong Francis Bacon’s quotation and advise the readers to eat as many books as possible, no matter whether you have to swallow, chew or digest them. The only thing he has to remember is that a happy eater never becomes a gourmet.

b) Read the text again and answer the questions:

1. How do you understand F. Bacon’s words? 2. What are the most popular kinds of books? 3. Why are all books to be tasted? 4. What kind of books do we usually read in a gulp? 5. What kind of books does everyone like? 6. What kind of books to be swallowed? 7. Why does one need to digest classical literature? 8. How can Bacon’ quotation be prolonged?

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