Book excerpt: Now in a second edition, The Active Reader offers a practical, integrated treatment of academic reading and writing at the post-secondary level. Thirty-eight thought-provoking essays that highlight a variety of disciplines and rhetorical patterns are accompanied by comprehension and analysisexercises that encourage students to apply critical thinking skills to common assignments. Featuring an abundance of engaging new readings and learning aids throughout, along with an eye-catching redesign, this edition helps students become confident readers and writers.