Theos-Talk Archives (August 1999 Message tt00069)

ramadoss@eden.com writes:
    << ... we need to have some good introductory publication. >>

This is true, not just on the internet, but in other fashions.

After one of the Theosophy meetings at the Theosophical Camp in Sulphur 
Springs, Arkansas, one of the active members loaned me three books from the 
camp library that she said would introduce me to Theosophy. They're still on 
my desk, waiting for me to motivate myself to pick them up. I dread the long 
sentences and all the names that are well-known to the people who really know 
what they're reading.

Note that I'm not below average in my reading level. I'm off the chart on 
word recognition tests like the JOST (Jordan Oral Screening Test) and the 
Slosson. I got about 620 on the verbal section of my GRE (and 800 
quantitative and 750 analytical). But reading books like that is WORK (with 
all capital letters, not shouting).

I'm guessing that most of the books that are tossed around as good 
introductions have some of the same faults as what I've seen in a few 
messages in the lists I receive. Long words or terms that are used without 
clarification. Long sentences that I sometimes have to read two or three 
times to understand.

I'd love to see a book that was written for the average reader or even below. 
I'm currently reading the NIRV (New International Readers' Version) of the 
Bible and loving it. It was written at about a third grade reading level (by 
one reading index). Even though I can read the King James Version and 
understand it, I'm finding that I prefer reading the NIRV. Could we hope to 
see some materials, internet and elsewhere, that are written to be easier to 
read?

I hope so, and look forward to seeing them. I know that I've deleted some 
messages from this list because I had to work to understand the first few 
sentences, or special terms were used that weren't explained. When I don't 
understand the first few sentences, I don't read the rest, in much the same 
way that most people read a newspaper. The first paragraph must GRAB the 
reader's interest or the article doesn't get read.

John <www.MAZES.com> Knoderer
Northwest Arkansas

P.S. if you enjoy interesting e-mail lists, here are some that are available 
for free, including bizarre news, human interest stuff, etc: (<A 
HREF="http://www.shagmail.com/al/affiliates.cgi?276";>shagmail</A>)
http://www.shagmail.com/al/affiliates.cgi?276

and here's <A HREF="http://www.planetall.com/main.asp?cid=6100887&s=193";>my 
address book</A>.

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