There are different levels of reading. The most basic level is to read something inactively. Often times your mind is wandering as you read and when you finish a book or an article you find that you weren’t really paying attention. The second level is reading to understand, seeking to make sense of the words and comprehend what the author is writing. The third level entails both reading to understand yet also bringing your own thoughts to the table. Your goal is not simply to understand what was written. Rather, you attempt to evaluate the conclusions the author puts forth, to understand their biases, and to use their work to inform your opinion on the world. The more I read, the more I find myself evaluating what is written. That is what I am attempting to do here. I want to evaluate different works, across different genres in an attempt to become more knowledgeable. Reading books written by smart people makes you smarter. Read.