Literary Taste: How to Form It With Detailed Instructions for Collecting a Complete Library of English Literature — Edition Insights

The Opening Gambit: Redefining Literary Taste

Bennett begins by confronting the misconception that literary taste is an elegant accomplishment. He uses the example of a young professor of mathematics who says, “I must take up literature,” as if it were another skill to polish. Bennett calls this attitude “simply ludicrous” and argues that it prevents true formation of taste. He distinguishes between literature as an accessory and as a fundamental part of self-respect. The opening chapter sets a direct, conversational tone, using rhetorical questions and vivid metaphors to challenge the reader’s assumptions. Bennett’s voice is authoritative yet approachable, aiming to persuade rather than lecture.

Confronting the Prejudice Against Poetry

In a later chapter, Bennett tackles the widespread aversion to verse. He claims that not one man in ten who reads actually reads poetry, and that many who buy poetry never read it. He notes the oddity that England, with its great poetical literature, has such a condition. Bennett argues that the average reader does not dislike poetry per se but dislikes it when it takes the form of verse. He suggests that poetry can be enjoyed when concealed in prose. To overcome this prejudice, he prescribes a “curative treatment”: forget all notions about verse, and read Hazlitt’s essay “On Poetry in General.” This methodical approach reflects Bennett’s belief that literary taste requires discipline.

Practical Advice for Building a Library

The latter part of the book provides detailed instructions for collecting a complete library of English literature, organized by periods. Bennett offers specific titles and authors, from Chaucer to the Victorians, with commentary on their value. He emphasizes that reading must be systematic, not haphazard. The chapters on “System in Reading” and “Mental Stocktaking” encourage readers to assess their progress. Bennett’s tone remains pragmatic: he advises starting with accessible classics and gradually moving to more challenging works. The library lists are not mere bibliographies but are integrated into his argument that taste is formed through deliberate, sustained engagement with the best writing.

The Role of the Reader’s Effort

Throughout the excerpts, Bennett stresses that forming literary taste is an active, demanding process. He warns against passive reading and urges readers to “wrestle” with authors. In the chapter “Wrestling with an Author,” he likely expands on this idea, though the excerpt does not include it. The overall structure—from aim to method to library—shows Bennett’s conviction that taste is not innate but cultivated. He addresses the reader directly, using “you” and “I” to create a sense of personal guidance. The book is as much about the reader’s mindset as about the books themselves, insisting that effort and openness are prerequisites for genuine appreciation.

Bennett’s guide is best approached as a manual to be read alongside the works he recommends. His advice is concrete: start with prose, then tackle poetry via Hazlitt; build a library methodically; and regularly take stock of your reading. The book’s value lies not in abstract theory but in its actionable steps. Readers willing to follow Bennett’s regimen may find their literary taste transformed, but the process requires patience and active engagement.

The rain kept me indoors with Literary Taste, its calm insistence that reading is a quiet discipline rather than a performance. Bennett’s practicality stayed with me, so when I later found a dog-eared Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, to the Inhabitants of the British Colonies — Reading Companion, it felt like the same unhurried voice, speaking of duty and place. One book simply led to the next, as it always does.