I've recently stumbled acorss a web competition (which now, I can't find anymore) on who reads the most books within a year, or a half. Now, I do appreciate everything that makes people read more. I just thought that my personal reading style, not to speak about the time I have for reading, has changed so much that I would loose against my younger self from ten years ago. I read more slowly, but thorough. I don't remember much from my one time reads from five years ago or so, but I was a quick reader. Now, I go back, re-read a sentence that was interesting, research a word I didn't know (particularly when reading in a foreign language) as opposed to just skipping it, and I could, after reading a book, peobably write a small review about it. I also stopped finishing books that I found badly written, or not what I was looking for. (The last one I skipped was meant to be really entertaining, but read like an endless recap of an unaired soap opera to me. I actually look for food for the mind in books that a television can't really give you.) How do you read? Do you finish books that you've started, no matter how they torture your mind? Do you read fast, or in deed, or both, you genius?:wink:
I read fast though I tend to remember what I've read despite that. Almost all my reading is now done in English rather than Swedish (except newspaper, the newspaper I still read in Swedish) and before I used to read slower in English than Swedish but this is no longer the case. I do sometimes finish novels I don't like (that's particularly true the last year since I've had a couple of litterature courses at uni and 'I thought it was too boring to finish' isn't a good excuse) though I have developed a greater understanding that not all books will be written the way I want them and most books will have to be exceedingly bad for me to stop reading them. The litterary courses also showed me that novels can be good novels, even though they aren't the gengre I would usualy choose.
I don't read enough, since I don't have an hour-long bus trip and waiting around to do. It's actually sad... but hey, it'll probably change pretty soon. I do try to finish books I have started, and give them a chance, only on a few occasions, of a number that even Rinso could count to (i.e. less than 5) have I actually stopped and said "no, this is too bad, or not what I want to read". I even finished Catcher in the rye, although admittedly it's only tiny, I kept thinking that maybe SOMETHING would happen, but nothing ever did. But yes, I have grown up too in my way of reading, I think it's also to do with the amount of knowledge of the world you have and how that makes you see what's written down. It's like growing up watching Blackadder and thinking it's hilarious and then watching them all again once you're an adult and finally getting all the dirty jokes too. It's just as good, if not better, but it's different.
Hm, I wasn't even thinking of reading for studies... That often requires finishing books I wouldn't have picked up otherwise, or skipping books (you don't read all the 30 books that should be listed as your sources for a paper in their entirety, no one even expects that... they even teach you cursory reading at university). Actually, it always was a completely different kind of reading for me, combing through books for information, and often quickly so, research reading... its not comparable to what I do at home. (Boredeom was indeed no reknowed criteria for source books, either. Pity, actually.)
I read fairly slowly/casually, usually by the pool, to try and take it all in properly. If I find the my mind has wondered, and I've skimmed a paragraph or two, I force myself to go back and read them again. I remember what I've read this way, even stuff that was read years ago. I think I only ever didn't finish about two books in my life because I hated them so much.
I generally finish whatever I'm reading. It may take a year or two, but I do finish it. I really like Catcher in the Rye. I saw myself very strongly in the main character. I read rather quickly, depending on the book and genre. I often like reading in public places like diners and coffee shops because my mind doesn't wander as much. When there is a lot of background noise my mind shuts everything else out and completely focuses on the book. If I'm reading a non-fiction book or something that I have to think about, then I want a little peace and quiet. I also go back and reread things if I think I wasn't paying attention while reading or that I just didn't get what it was saying. John Stuart Mill's "Utilitarianism" is a classic example of reading something and going back and rereading it several times to try and figure out what the hell he just said. One of his sentences continued for a full page and a half.
there was a day when i'd finish everything i picked up. but either i've lost the trick of always picking the right books or i've become a lot more... discriminating. maybe i just have less time and less time means i'd rather be reading a book i want to be reading. i read relatively fast... given certain conditions i can read quite fat books in a day or so. as for remembering things... my memory is a bit random. some things stick out and i never forget them. other things get totally washed away.
As I've said before, I think that's the whole thing with that book. Either you relate to the character or you don't, if you do, you love it, if you don't it's as boring as hell.
As a child, I would read any text within my field of vision. Once I was seven, my mother allowed my to walk to the library on my own, where you could borrow four books at once. I used to go three or four times during the week. On Saturday, I'd go early and get four books for the day; then, at the end of the day, I'd return them and get another four books for Sunday. Needless to say, I don't read this voraciously now. These days, I rarely have time to read and I'm very fussy about what I'll read. I don't bother finishing books that I'm not enjoying. When I do pick up a book, though, I'll generally finish it in one sitting, even if it takes several hours. I prefer non-fiction, because most fiction is not as good as the stuff I have in my head. I also like humour, and things you can dip into. They normally go on the shelf in the toilet. Garner reads a lot more than I do, and has reread several fantasy series since we've been married, including Dune and Wheel of Fortune.
Only one way to find out! Meet me in Times Sq tomorrow with a thesuarous(sp). I'll bring in fancy pants. We're going to have us and ole fashion fance-off!
Oh, on topic though. I'm a bit of a rubbish reader. I tend to read on the train or in bed before sleeping, not the prefect conditions. Due to my brain spazness, i'm bad at gain information from texts. Sometimes I'm just reading stentances that made up of disconnected words. I do re-read most books so I tend to pick up stuff I missed.
