Katona has compiled a complete handbook for general students and readers of literature. Developed out of a thirty-one year career of teaching Introduction to Literature to community college freshmen, this book aims not just to teach how to read literature, but how to actually enjoy it. Beginning with the state of reading in America, Katona gives eleven good reasons to make reading a regular part of life, and supplies an annotated list of tried and true page-turners. Besides giving the standard bibliographical information (i.e. title, author, number of pages, and date), the annotated book list gives the book's genre, its level of challenge, a brief synopsis, quotations showing off the writer's style, reading hints, other works by the author, and finally the book's movie counterparts. From seasoned lovers of literature to newcomers to the reading addiction, Katona's accessible style makes this book appealing to a wide audience. Book Savvy will serve as an effective guide for the burgeoning book club community as well as a welcome tool for literature teachers struggling to spark the interest of their students.
