Level 2: Inspectional - discover the essence

Level 2: Inspectional reading. Quickly exploring a book to understand its essence in minutes.

A man holding a book in one hand and a cup in the other.
Have you ever wondered if a book is really worth your time? Inspectional reading, Mortimer Adler's second level in How to Read Books, is the art of quickly exploring a book to understand its essence.

Inspectional Reading: What is it?

Inspectional reading is divided into two phases: pre-reading (or "skimming") and speed reading. The goal is to grasp the structure and main points of the book in a limited time, answering the question: "What is this book about?"

How it works:

Pre-reading: Skim the index, read the back cover, preface, and introductory passages to map out the theme and structure.Speed reading: Read selected excerpts without worrying about details, focusing on the main chapters or sections.Evaluate whether the book is relevant to your goals before committing to a full read.

Why is it important?

This step helps you quickly filter books, ensuring you only spend time on those that truly matter to your interests or studies.

How does Bookster help?

Bookster lets you create personalized wishlists, where you can add books after a quick review. With our partial read feature, you can access excerpts from millions of indexed books to pre-read directly in the app, deciding whether it's worth continuing.

Download Bookster, add books to your wishlist, and use partial read to preview books in minutes. Discover the best books for you without wasting time!