The Need for an Active Soul: For Emerson, reading is fruitful only when the soul is active. The scholar must think while reading, not just remember words. He must question, judge, and create. The active soul “sees truth, speaks truth, and creates truth.” Emerson believes that the value of books lies in the spirit with which they are read.

Freedom from Book-Worship: Emerson warns that many readers become slaves to books. He says that a reader should not be “the parrot of other men’s thinking.” The scholar must not follow the old blindly. He should take what fits his own age and reject what is dead or narrow. True creative reading means independence. It refers to reading to find one’s own voice, not to repeat another’s.

Reading for the Present Age: Each generation must discover its own truths. Emerson writes, 

“Each age… must write its own books.”

In short, Emerson teaches that reading should awaken creativity. The scholar must read with an active soul, freedom, and purpose. Books should inspire, not enslave.