After reading, Good Readers And Good Writers, by Vladimir Nabokov, I asked myself, " What makes a good reader?" For my answers I picked four out of the ten answers from the question, What should a reader be to be a good reader?" " The reader should have an imagination", " The reader should have memory", " The reader should prefer a story with action and dialogue to one with none", and " The reader should have a dictionary." ( Nabokov, p.614-615 ). I think it is wise to have a dictionary at hand when reading,so you can look a word up if need be. You definitely need a memory when reading, that's obvious. To have an imagination when reading makes it more fun and if the story has dialogue and action it won't bore you.
Vladimir writes that, " One should notice and fondle details." I definitely agree with this statement. He also says, " A good reader, a major reader, an active and creative reader is a re reader." He compares how we read, to looking at a painting and our eye movement when doing both. ( Nabokov, p.615 ). A re reader? I don't completely understand this. Vlladimir also thinks that a good reader needs to have an artistic and scientific temperament. He explains, " The artist alone is apt to be too subjective in his attitude towards a book, and so a scientific coolness of judgment will temper the intuitive heat. If, however, a would be reader is utterly devoid of passion and patience-of an artist's passion and a scientist's patience-he will hardly enjoy great literature." ( Nabokov, p.616 ). I totally agree that being passionate and having patience makes reading better. I consider myself to be a good reader most of the time. I can get bored easily, so the subject matter has to interest me or the first paragraph really needs to reel me into the story.
