Illarion.org

I must be a compleet donkeybrain but I can not figure out how to read a book. I tried holding the shift key but than the bookwindow closes. What am I doing wrong?

to read a book shift click, and to change the pages use the number bar you already have ((the thing you use to pick up things in bulk)) and then shift click again beware some books you might not be able to read

Right, when you shift click on the bookcase, DON'T shift click the book. Normal click it, then it will appear on the floor. Then, on the little counter at the bottom, adjust it to the page you want to read and shift click the book on the floor; your character will 'say' the contents of that page, which you can read and revise.

You can only get books from the library currently. You can't pick them up, but you can read all of them.

Wrong,

There are some books you can pick up and read, but they come later and with some patience.

I tried the whole book thing, I got the book on the ground, then when I shift clicked it, it said 'you see a book about magic' and did nothing further

It seems now to read different pages, you need to shift click yourself then the book. Change the pages with the counter at the bottom of course.