Like a Romance

 The preface to Descartes's Principles of Philosophy includes

I would suggest reading it all the way through, like a romance, without greatly straining one's attention, or being held up by any difficulties one encounters, so as simply to get a general idea of the subjects discussed. Afterwards, if one decides that these are worthy of them, it can be read a second time, so as to follow the sequence of my arguments; but, again, one should not let oneself be put off, if one loses the thread now and again, or if one does not understand all the arguments; simply mark with a pen the places one has found difficult, and read on to the end without a break. Then if one goes back to the book a third time, I venture to say that one will find the solution to most of the difficulties one has noticed the previous time; and if any still remain, a final re-reading should put paid to them.

(This is the preface to the French translation, taken from Michael Moriarty's translation, in The Passions of the Soul and Other Late Philosophical Writings.)

When I arrived at college, somebody gave or sold me a how-to book of some sort, which included the advice to read any given text three times. The first was certainly for an overview, corresponding to Descartes's "like a romance". It seems to me that once was for the author's style; and that I can't remember the other one's purpose suggests where some of my academic difficulties came from.