A plea to the worthy scholars that prepare important texts for the rest of us to read, make the introduction at least as interesting as the material you are framing. I’ve started dreading reading the introductions. If I put a list of the books made boring by their introduction you would be surprised as many times the text itself is a great pleasure to read. There are exceptions. Some scholars make it seem as though the book were written yesterday, and that it is a popular best-seller. I love those moments, but they are rare. I have to read the introductions because I want to understand my texts more deeply than a straight reading would offer, but lately I’ve wondered if it wouldn’t be better if I read the introduction after the text.
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