To work a book or not to work a book?

Sascha

Hi Zettlers,

I am undecided and I can't trust my English intuition. Either I keep "working a book" as a phrase or I switch to "working with a book".

I heard the first phrase from a client and it stuck with me.

My fear is that this is too unenglish.

What do you think?

harr

Neither?

I'd translate the first one back to German as "bedienen". For example: Sheldon doesn't know how to work a door. / Sheldon weiß nicht, wie man eine Tür bedient. https://www.reddit.com/r/EnglishLearning/comments/qz2sou/what_does_work_a_something_mean/?rdt=52538 Charlie works a machine. / Charlie bedient eine Maschine. https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-work-a-machine-and-work-on-a-machine

The second one is ambiguos. Is the book just a tool in your workflow? For example: As a cook I work with knives and pots.

What kind of work do you have in mind? Is it the work of writing zettels that are based on the content of a book? Is it the work of thoroughly reading and understanding a book?

Sascha

Are you a German speaker?

What kind of work do you have in mind? Is it the work of writing zettels that are based on the content of a book? Is it the work of thoroughly reading and understanding a book?

All of it. Especially in history, we were taught to use a book and not read it. Working a book sounds like exactly what I mean.