My friends and I had quite a time making this, encase you couldn't tell...

Good Reading

Vladimir Nabokov writes in "Good Readers and Writers" about the importance of good reading writing techniques. One thing that really stuck out for me was Nobakov stressing the importance of dashing preconceived notions, I think that is something that most people don't understand when consuming any art medium. Be it a painting, film, song, or play staying objective can be difficult you may think it is bad because of those notions, without putting it in the proper context you are losing the message the writer is trying to convey, and thus not engaging yourself in the whatever you are attempting to consume. Take Nabokov's own "Lolita" a very controversial piece in it's own time.

                   

You may hate what some of the content but that doesn't mean that there isn't a worthwhile piece of art in it. I think another great example that some might relate to is a film by the name of "Happiness" (Directed by Todd Solondz) centering around three sisters, one of which is married to a pedophile, at heart it is the best and blackest of black comedies, some may not find a movie with a child molester stalking his prey funny, but it would be because of their notions coming into the film.

I agree with his points and tips on accomplishing better reading techniques through the use of a dictionary, imagination, and contextual reading, because without those things when you do read or write you might as well be looking at an Ikea manual or write a how to on building dog houses.
“And the rest is rust and stardust.”  -Vladimir Nabokov
http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/5152.Vladimir_Nabokov
Image Sources: http://pacejmiller.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/lolita.jpg
                        http://www.sagindie.org/wp-content/uploads/Blog_Photos/happiness.jpg
                        http://college.holycross.edu/faculty/ssweeney/nabokov3.jpg