.  The front matter of a book consists of the title, subtitle, table of contents, and preface. But the     1    of readers who pay no attention to the signals is larger than you might expect, unless you happen to be one of those who are     2    to admit it. I have this experience again and again     3    students. I have asked them     4    a book was about. I have asked them to tell me, in the most general     5    , what sort of book it was. This, I have     6    , is a good way, almost an indispensable     7    , to begin a discussion.
    Many students are     8    to answer this first and simplest question about the book. Sometimes they apologize     8    that they haven't finished reading it yet, and     10    do not know. That's no     11    , I point out. Did you look at the title? Did you study the     12    ? Did you read the preface     13    introduction? No, they did not. The front matter of a book     14    to be like the ticking of a clock,     15    you notice only when it is not there.
    One reason why titles and prefaces are     16    by so many readers is that they do not think     17    important to clarify the book they are reading. They do not follow this first     18    . If they tried to follow it, they     19    be grateful to the author     20    them.1.