Reading a book: Piecemeal or Total? Erh.. am I missing the point?

Sometime back, Robert shared with me this observation:
It is not advisable to read a book page by page and act on the words as you read each chapter of the book.
What happens if the author writes a book with Chapters 1, 2 and 3 saying about a certain theory.
If one hastily applies each of the concepts in chapter 1, 2 and 3 (assumming he is the type who reads from chapter 1, 2, 3 in an orderly fashion).
What he did not realise is that the author in his final chapter says " Chapter 1, 2 and 3 are available concepts but inauspicious to apply. Oops!! However, he finds them not suitable and in his last chapter gives the reason and the method he feels that is correct.
Erh... isn't it too late.
Warmest Regards,
Cecil
P.S. Although, the above to some is `far fetched' look at it this way it can happen.
Many a times we read one concept from an author and if another author uses the same words but have a different meaning or idea, does this look similiar?
For example, a South House can have different meaning to each author.
The morale of the story is: To read the concepts provided by an author totally.. :)