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The QuikScan Library

QuikScan editions of important texts

This is a new but growing library of the world's most readable versions of titles of enduring interest. Most are classics of world literature.

Ultra-modern library

CONTENTS OF THE LIBRARY

Sir Thomas More, Utopia

500 years ago appeared More's vision of a society that far surpassed England or any nation in Europe. The Utopians elect their leaders, reject war, have abolished private property, live very well but without luxury, and seek after wisdom. This is a PDF implementation of the Classic QuikScan design.

John Ruskin, Unto This Last

This series of four short essays is a passionate and often satirically humorous call for social reform by one of the most forceful voices of Victorian England. Unto This Last stongly influenced Gandhi and Martin Luther King, and it is still read today by political progressives, students of Victorian literature, and historians studying social thought and economics. Also available in PDF format.

John Skelton, Phillip Sparrow

In this delightful poem, written a few generations before Shakespeare, a young woman is in church thinking sadly about her pet sparrow, recently “slain” by her cat. As her mind wanders from one thing to the next, Skelton shows us her emerging sexuality. Philip, it might be said, was her first boyfriend. (The actual woman depicted in the poem was not pleased.)

Barack Obama, “Statement on Cuba”

In this historic 15-minute speech, delivered on December 17, 2014, President Obama announced sweeping changes in the relationship between the United States and Cuba. Also available in PDF format.

Hans Christian Andersen, “The Little Mermaid”

Traditional folk motifs are infused with nineteenth century German romanticism, wild flights of fancy, deeply affecting spirituality, and moments of tragic despair. The extraordinary narration is both poignant and sly. This ain’t Disney! For use in schools, the ActiveReading style of QuikScan is used here.

ABOUT THE LIBRARY AND QUIKSCAN

What is QuikScan?

QuikScan is unique in the assistance it gives the modern reader. For each section of the text there is a brief summary. (Explanatory footnotes and an introduction are also provided.) QuikScan, therefore, makes challenging texts much easier to comprehend. It also improves retention dramatically and enables a casual reader to read only the summaries when they encounter less interesting parts of the work.

You can make your own QuikScan texts

The code and features of the QuikScan Views web application in which these book titles were coded are entirely in the public domain. We encourage you to create your own QuikScanned texts. Visit QuikScan.org