How Long to Read Elements of Surprise

How Long Does it Take to Read Elements of Surprise?

It takes the average reader 5 hours and 10 minutes to read Elements of Surprise by Vera Tobin

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

Why do some surprises delight—the endings of Agatha Christie novels, films like The Sixth Sense, the flash awareness that Pip’s benefactor is not (and never was!) Miss Havisham? Writing at the intersection of cognitive science and narrative pleasure, Vera Tobin explains how our brains conspire with stories to produce those revelatory plots that define a “well-made surprise.” By tracing the prevalence of surprise endings in both literary fiction and popular literature and showing how they exploit our mental limits, Tobin upends two common beliefs. The first is cognitive science’s tendency to consider biases a form of moral weakness and failure. The second is certain critics’ presumption that surprise endings are mere shallow gimmicks. The latter is simply not true, and the former tells at best half the story. Tobin shows that building a good plot twist is a complex art that reflects a sophisticated understanding of the human mind. Reading classic, popular, and obscure literature alongside the latest research in cognitive science, Tobin argues that a good surprise works by taking advantage of our mental limits. Elements of Surprise describes how cognitive biases, mental shortcuts, and quirks of memory conspire with stories to produce wondrous illusions, and also provides a sophisticated how-to guide for writers. In Tobin’s hands, the interactions of plot and cognition reveal the interdependencies of surprise, sympathy, and sense-making. The result is a new appreciation of the pleasures of being had.

How long is Elements of Surprise?

Elements of Surprise by Vera Tobin is 310 pages long, and a total of 77,500 words.

This makes it 105% the length of the average book. It also has 95% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read Elements of Surprise Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 7 hours and 3 minutes to read Elements of Surprise aloud.

What Reading Level is Elements of Surprise?

Elements of Surprise is suitable for students ages 12 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy Elements of Surprise?

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