Elaine Castillo Shares
‘How to Read’
at Santa Barbara
Public Library
Best-selling Author Shares Tips
for Reading Critically
By Hannah Weaver | July 13, 2023
Beyond simply ingesting words from a page, it’s time to think more deeply about why and how you read, which is the premise of Elaine Castillo’s new book, How to Read. In support of the idea that reading should be a mindful practice, rather than merely a mindless escape, last month, Santa Barbara Public Library hosted Castillo in a special summer reading kickoff event.
Here are her top tips for reading deeply.
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Interrogate your motives.
Castillo points out that, many white readers tend to read works by authors of color to become more empathetic. “The way that kind of ‘read diverse books’ is sort of employed in our literary discourse is ultimately this kind of prescription medicine, or your protein shake — ‘build your empathy muscles’ — because you’ll read about Filipinos and then you’ll realize they’re human,” she said. Instead she advises readers to:
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