When you read a summary or synopsis of a book instead of the actual book itself, what is lost?
It depends on the summary. If it's the same length as the book and contains the same words, you lose nothing. But it it's a single short sentence... Try to tell which of the following books are great literature:Moby Dick: A sea captain hunts a giant whale, gets frustrated, and is killed by it.Metamorphosis: A man turns into a giant caterpillar.Godzilla: A giant lizard travels around Tokyo.Romeo and Juliet: A boy and a girl fall in love but kill themselves after their families disapprove.Porky's: Teen friends, looking for love, argue with the proprieter of a social gathering center, and burn it down.Oedipus Rex: A young man kills his father and marries his mother accidentally.Blue Lagoon: A young girl and boy are lost at sea, land on a deserted island, and grow to adulthood together.The Lion in Winter: A family argues a lot, then they make up.Death of a Salesman: A family argues a lot, then the father kills himself.A Streetcar Named Desire: A man argues with his wife and her sister.A summary loses something, doesn't it?
Is it enough to read the summary of the novel, rather than reading the whole book?
No, IT'S NOT ENOUGH.If you read the summary of a novel/book you are just reading an ounce of it but if you read a novel/book you are not only reading the book but also, you are living those scenarios taking place in that book. You get attached to the characters and also feel the things they are feeling.It’s like you've lived another life.LITERATURE IS NOT A JOKE . ITS A BEAUTY . LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT . DON’T BE A MIDDLEMAN.Cheers!!Image source : Google
Should I read a synopsis of a novel before reading the book to grasp a better understanding or will it spoil the read?
It actually depends on you.like Are you that kind of a person who would like to reach the destination as fast as possible? Or that person who enjoys the journey more that the thrill of reaching the destination?And it also depends on why are you reading it...to savour the words and quotes or you had nothing to do with a fluidy concept called time so decided to read. A good book is layered.and sometimes reading the synopsis doesnot matter because the characterization and the plot and the dialog of the book are so rich that they reward you with as much bliss as eating a dark chocolate even though you have cheated and already know the plot before hand... BUT if you are reading a mystery or a thriller it is advisable never to read the synopsis.it ruins the effect of the book the author has tried so hard to create.. and you go duh! I already knew it...As for better understanding of the book.focus on the intricate plot,the way the characters present themselves, how they react etc.you will understand it much better...
HELP i have to read this book by TOMORROW!?
Get off Y!A and start reading! Skim-read, so you get the plot, but not every single detail. I did this with books I hated at school, and as long as I picked out the most likely things the teacher would quiz us on, I was fine. Plot, moral story, conflicting blahblahblah. Then with essays I kinda just winged it and read the parts of the book I was working on... It probably would have been easier if I'd just put up with the crappy book in the first place, thinking back.
What kind of story would you like to read?
I'm doing a bit of a study, and I was wondering, what would you like to read? I don't mean a book that's already been written, but what sort of stories do you like? Comedy? Romance? Adventure? None of these? All of these? I would like to know two things along with your answers. So really I have three questions. 1. What kind of story would you like to read? 2. How old are you? 3. What would you classify your favorite book as? Thank you so much for the help.
If you were given a book with story of your life, would you read the end? Why?
NO...I wouldn't read the end but i will read till the present to just refresh my memory.The problem with the current generation is not being patient. We think about the future so much that we don't live the present. We do things today to enjoy tomorrow. If we know the end, that will only make it worse. We will work towards changing the end and won't live the present to the fullest.Also, it will instill negative feelings within us. Most of the victories are achieved because we believe we can win. If we know the end, we will stop believing ourselves which in my view is the end.So I wouldn't read the future of my life, but I will read the past to just see how I have carried out myself and refresh small , happy, cute memories. We all want to live our childhood again and this will give a real opportunity to do that.
Would you rather read a novel with impeccable prose & a mediocre plot, or mediocre prose & an impeccable plot?
When I read this question I immediately thought of Robin Cook. A decade or two ago, I enjoyed Coma and Outbreak but after reading several of his novels, I have determined he is the king of adverbs. He comes up with a good plot but I just cannot get into his writing style and I can't bring myself to care about his characters. I've forgotten the title of the last book by him I read -- shows how memorable it was even though it, too, was a best seller. I do remember being so irritated I had to force myself to finish it. That puts me in the prose camp BUT I must be able to involve myself with characters, too, or after a few chapters, there's nothing to keep me turning the page.
PLEASE READ MY STORY!?
Absolutely beautiful. Fantastic. Needs a little editing, but then again (being a writer myself), it always needs editing (even once published) - and others point that out better than you do. I think it's really moving, and much like my style of writing. You don't use words that are too complicated, and the context is perfect for those that require some thinking. I would publish this in a book of short stories! And do you know what else I love? You're using such a valuable resource (this site) to do something that isn't mindless drivel in texting-form about body image and whatnot. And you can actually write. Extremely well. I love this.
Would you read a story about incest?
I'm not planning on writing a story or anything like that-although my friend is. Its a good story but the incest section makes me wonder if many people will read it-I'm just curious if you would read a story about sibling-sibling incest or cousin-cousin incest? Please, no stupid answers.