作者：Allen B. Downey

我的教科书理念简直是句废话：学生读的了它。

仅此而已，我想也没人会反驳。但现实并不近人意：大多数作者，出版商，教授和学生，他们都违背了这个理念。

现实是这样的：

作者：我想写一本“圣经”。而为了保证权威，他们拘于成例，鲜有独到见解。——一本枯燥的书。

出版商：我想要受众。他们怂恿作者塞进尽可能多的东西，以便卖给更多的人。——一本枯燥的厚书。

教授：我想要这本书包含全部课程。其实从我收到的电子邮件来看，他们是想要习题答案。可没人关心这本书的价格。——一本枯燥的又贵又厚的书。

学生：既然这本书没法读，索性不读。

这样，教授找了一本 1000 页的书，吩咐学生每周读 50 页。他们读不了也不会读，于是教授上课解释学生读不了的内容。不久，学生发现读书只是徒劳。它最终变成一块砖。

怎么办？

简单，把我刚才说的一切倒过来。作者要写一本学生读的了的书。也就是每周 10 页，一学期就是 140 页。再说透点，是为真正的学生，而不是为那些 50 年前“跃跃欲试”的理想学生。

出版商：不好意思，您现在只管出版。

教授：找学生读的了的书。要是找不到，自己写一本，没那么难。然后叫他们读，看看他们读懂了么。怎么看？无他，阅读测验。叫你的学生读一章，考他们相应问题。如果只有一两个学生不懂，是他们不行。否则，是书不好。

学生：学会抵制。要是你的教科书超过 50 美元，别买。要是它超过 500 页，别读。书差怪不了别人。

闲来无事，翻译了一篇小文。作者写了《Think Python》一书，知行合一。转译中删改颇多，不足之处请多指正。

附原文如下：

Textbook manifesto

Allen B. Downey

January 2010, updated February 2016

My textbook manifesto is so simple it sounds stupid. Here it is:

Students should read and understand textbooks.

That’s it. It’s hard to imagine that anyone would disagree, but here’s the part I find infuriating: the vast majority of textbook authors, publishers, professors, and students behave as if they do not expect students to read or understand textbooks.

Here’s how it works. Most textbook authors sit down with the goal of writing the bible of their field. Since it is meant to be authoritative, they usually stick to well-established ideas and avoid opinion and controversy. The result is a book with no personality.

For publishers, the primary virtue is coverage. They want books that can be used for many classes, so they encourage authors to include all the material for all possible classes. The result is a 1000-page book with no personality.

For most professors, the cardinal virtue is course materials; they want a course-in-a-box. And judging by the email I get, what they really want is solutions to the exercises. Unfortunately, price is usually not an issue. The result is an expensive 1000-page book with no personality.

For students, these virtues are irrelevant because textbooks are unreadable and, usually, unread.

Here’s what happens. The professor chooses a 1000-page book and assigns students to read 50 pages a week. They can’t and they don’t, so the professor spends class time explaining what the students couldn’t read. Before long, the students learn that they shouldn’t even try. The result is a 1000-page doorstop.

What’s the solution?

Easy, it’s the opposite of everything I just said. Authors need to write books students can read and understand. That means 10 pages a week, or 140 pages for a semester long class. And it means writing for actual students, not the imaginary ones from 50 years ago who were “well prepared.” Actual students.

Publishers: I don’t know what to tell you. Your role in developing and distributing textbooks is no longer required. You are now in the publicity business.

Professors: Choose books your students can read and understand. If you can’t find one, write one. It’s not that hard. Then require students to read, and check whether they understand.

How? Among other things, reading quizzes. Ask your students to read a chapter and then ask them questions about it. If a few students don’t understand, blame the students. If more than a few don’t understand, fix the book.

Students: You should go on strike. If your textbook costs more than $50, don’t buy it. If it has more than 500 pages, don’t read it. There’s just no excuse for bad books.