How to get a Harvard student to read a book

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>I watched this show yesterday, where an illustrious Russian author, who used to teach at Harvard, described how she got one of its students to read. </p>

<p>"A student came up to me and asked me to make him a list of basic books that would help him become a well-read, educated individual. Russian literature being my niche, I suggested "War and Peace." "Give me three reasons," he said, "why I should read that book." Of course I was lost for words, since the work being interesting was good enough of a reason for me to read it, but then I got an idea. "You see this thick book," I replied, "that costs about $25? Well the amount of emotions, information, and pleasure you'll derive from the reading will be worth at least $75." His eyes flared up, and I explained how this single novel contains one book about war, one about history, one about love, etc." [my translation]</p>

<p>Are all Harvard students this practical? :p</p>

2

<p>When I was at Harvard, I took a course in Tolstoy that required us to read 1,000 pages of Tolstoy a week. Why did I take that course? Because I thought that Tolstoy was a great writer. </p>

<p>P.S. I probably paid 75 cents for my copy of "War and Peace."</p>

<p>Did I answer your question?</p>

3

<p>I hope you realized the question wasn't serious.</p>

4

<p>Actually, that prof had a great point. War and Peace is really three narratives in one. One is about love: Peter, Andre and Natasha (it's also a wonderful portrait of a young woman coming of age); one is about war; and one is a meditation on history. Depending on my mood, I can revisit one or the other.
PS: I first read War and Peace in high school. I stayed up very late to read it.</p>

5

<p>It's all the reading that that Harvard students did as kids and teenagers that enabled many of them to get into Harvard!</p>