| List of Abbreviations | ||
| Preface | ||
| Ways of Not Reading | p. 1 | |
| Books You Don't Know | p. 3 | |
| Books You Have Skimmed | p. 14 | |
| Books You Have Heard Of | p. 32 | |
| Books You Have Forgotten | p. 47 | |
| Literary Confrontations | p. 59 | |
| Encounters in Society | p. 61 | |
| Encounters with Professors | p. 75 | |
| Encounters with the Writer | p. 88 | |
| Encounters with Someone You Love | p. 101 | |
| Ways of Behaving | p. 111 | |
| Not Being Ashamed | p. 113 | |
| Imposing Your Ideas | p. 131 | |
| Inventing Books | p. 150 | |
| Speaking About Yourself | p. 166 | |
| Epilogue | p. 181 |