“We continue to believe, however, that conversation and critical reading can be well disciplined. We are therefore going to substitute for those three ideal conditions, a set of prescriptions that may be easier to follow. They indicate **the four ways in which a book can be adversely criticized**. Our hope is that if a reader confines himself to making these points, he will be less likely to indulge in expressions of emotion or prejudice. The four points can be briefly summarized by conceiving the reader as conversing with the author, as talking back. “After he has said, “I understand but I disagree,” he can make the following remarks to the author: (1) “You are uninformed”; (2) “You are misinformed”; (3) “You are illogical—your reasoning is not cogent”; (4) “Your analysis is incomplete.” ([Location 2281](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B004PYDAPE&location=2281)) --- **Tags** -- [[quotes]], [[analytical-reading]], [[reading-books]], [[disagree-and-commit]], [[crucial-conversations]] **Source** -- [[20250103084100 - B - How to Read a Book]]