This reader is built for active learning — not just scrolling through text, but engaging with it. Before you dive into Chapter 1, spend five minutes here. You’ll get more out of every chapter if you know what’s available to you.
After reading this guide, you’ll know how to:
- Navigate between chapters and jump to any section.
- Use Arden, your AI thinking partner, to go deeper on any topic.
- Highlight text, add personal notes, and export them when you print.
- Customize the reading experience to match your preferences.
- Use text-to-speech and focus mode for distraction-free reading.
The Three-Panel Layout
The reader is organized into three vertical panels that stay on screen as you scroll.
- Left panel — the full table of contents for the book. Click any chapter or section to jump to it.
- Center panel — the reading content. This is where chapters live.
- Right panel — your interactive tools: Arden (an AI assistant) and reading settings.
On smaller screens, the left and right panels collapse into drawers. Use the ≡ icon in the top bar to open the contents, and the ⋮ icon to open reading tools.
Left Panel: Contents
The left panel lists every chapter in the book along with any unlisted pages (like this one and the Glossary). Clicking a chapter title expands its section list — clicking a section scrolls directly to it.
Chapter navigation at the bottom of the left panel shows quick links to the previous and next chapter. You’ll also find these links at the bottom of every chapter’s content.
As you read, the active section in the left panel is highlighted automatically so you always know where you are.
Right Panel: Arden & Settings
The right panel has two tabs: Arden and Settings.
Arden
Arden is an AI thinking partner built into the reader. They know which chapter you’re reading and can help you:
- Understand a concept you found confusing
- Go deeper on a topic the chapter only touched on
- Talk through an idea or work out your own position
- Brainstorm responses to discussion prompts or assignments
Each chapter also includes starter prompts at the top of the Arden panel — pre-written questions matched to that chapter’s content. Click any of them to send it directly to Arden as a starting point.
Arden works best when you treat them like a conversational partner, not a search bar. The more context you give them — what you already know, what you’re trying to figure out — the more useful they become.
Settings
The Settings tab lets you customize how the text is displayed. All preferences are saved automatically and will be restored the next time you return.
Text size — three options: small, default, and large. If you’re reading on a phone or in a bright environment, larger text reduces eye strain.
Line spacing — default or relaxed. Relaxed spacing adds more vertical space between lines, which some readers find easier to track.
Font — switch between the default Outfit font and OpenDyslexic, a typeface designed to reduce letter-confusion for readers with dyslexia. The OpenDyslexic font is loaded on demand the first time you select it.
High contrast — increases contrast across the entire interface, including text, backgrounds, and accent colors. Useful in bright environments or for readers who need stronger visual separation.
Top Bar Tools
The top bar stays fixed at the top as you scroll. From left to right:
| Button | Tooltip label | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Arrow + title | — | Returns to the home page |
| Chapter label | — | Shows which chapter you’re reading and estimated reading time |
| Speaker waves | Read aloud | Starts text-to-speech for the current chapter |
| Moon / Sun | Toggle theme | Switches between dark and light mode |
| Four-corner arrows | Focus mode (F) | Hides the side panels for distraction-free reading |
| Printer | Print / Save PDF | Opens the browser print dialog; highlights and notes appear at the end |
| Three vertical dots | Reading tools | (Mobile only) Opens the right panel |
Hover over any icon button to see a tooltip with its label. Buttons with a letter in parentheses also have a keyboard shortcut.
Highlights & Notes
You can highlight any passage in the reading area. Select text with your mouse or trackpad — a small floating toolbar will appear above your selection.
Highlight — marks the selected text in amber. Highlights persist for your current browser session.
Note — applies a highlight and opens a text field where you can write a personal note attached to that passage.
Copy link — copies a direct URL to the nearest heading in the chapter, so you can share or bookmark a specific section.
When you print or save as PDF, any notes you’ve added will appear in a formatted section at the end of the document — useful for study guides or class submissions.
Text-to-Speech
Click the Read aloud button (speaker icon) in the top bar to have the chapter read to you using your browser’s built-in text-to-speech engine.
Once TTS is active, a control bar appears below the top bar with:
- Pause / Resume — pause reading at any point and pick it back up
- Speed selector — choose from 0.75×, 1×, 1.25×, 1.5×, or 2× speed
- Stop — ends the reading session entirely
TTS reads the full chapter content in order. For best results, use it alongside reading rather than as a replacement — listening while following along can help with comprehension and retention.
Keyboard Shortcuts
These shortcuts work anywhere in the reader as long as focus is not inside a text field or the Arden chat.
| Key | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| F | Toggle focus mode | Hides both side panels |
| Escape | Exit focus mode | Returns to the full three-panel layout |
That’s everything. The reader is designed to stay out of your way — you don’t need any of these features to read the chapters. But when you need them, they’re there.
Head to the Introduction when you’re ready to begin.