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From my experience, if you don't work through those proofs that are "left as exercise for reader" then you won't ever really come to understand the material. It's working on proofs that gives you the mastery.

It's like learning music theory without ever composing and performing. It's like being a eunuchs in a harem; knowing how it's done, seeing it done, but unable to actually do it.[0] You need to do it to gain any real understanding and/or ability.

It's like reading about programming, but never actually writing programs.

[0] http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/33229-critics-are-like-eunuc...



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