Jan 07 2009
Don’t Read Too Much Into This
Do you read much? I don’t! I used to. I used to read constantly, getting through two novels a week, but not in recent times. In 2008, I don’t think I read six books in total. What happened?
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I didn’t lose interest – how can you lose interest in books? I don’t think it’s laziness – I’ve been reading blogs and newspapers and magazines. So, what’s changed?
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Maybe, I used to read books as a form of escapism. In recent years, I’ve had nothing to escape from. Life is good. Maybe that’s it. ๐
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Do you read much?
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I read about 60 books in 2008, I find that reading helps me to get different perspectives on life and novels are a great way to learn about other cultures. I normally get up earlier in the morning so that I can read for 30 minutes before my kids wake up!
When I was a kid I was a serious book-worm, reading a book a day, or two days if it was a bit longer. As I grew older and had other things going, life and what-not I guess I just kinda stopped. Particularly when I went to college and had other required reading, I guess I didn’t have interest in taking up some other books. Now, well I’m trying to get through Don Quixote on DailyLit.com. It’s a neat site that sends me out sections of the book each day by rss.
yeah, i read all the time! i can’t spend a day without reading, i get all cranky… myself and the boy spend hours in bed every night reading, quietly, side by side. i love it!
I’d read maybe 6-10 books a year. Not a hell of a lot but enough for me.
Some of them would be graphic novels.
Read? Nope not at all. ๐
From the writerly perspective – you should read. You’ll think more about yer own writing when you read someone elses.
I stopped for a while once I discovered online but am back with a vengeance. I have no idea how many books I read in 2008 – at a guess I’d say around 50 or so but since Christmas Eve I’ve read 15. Yep, that’s right. 15. Mostly 1 and a half or so a day.
Get back into reading! Specifically the books I lent ya. My bookshelf is lonely ๐
Oddly enough, I’d been thinking about writing a post on this very topic. I probably read about as much as you in 2008, which is a fairly big decline for me. The worst habit I have is only reading half a book, even if i’m enjoying it. Yet whenever I look around bookshops I want to buy virtually everything in there.
I’ve told myself that I’m not allowed buy a new book until I finish one.
I do blame the internet for this, partly just for the fact that it’s there, and partly for what has come to be diagnosed as ‘Continuous Partial Attention’, where frequent net usage has got people into the habit of flicking back and forth over several different things, and only reading short articles.
I guess I read about 1 or 2 books a week. With over 700 books on me books shelves at home there is always something for me to pick up and read.
Anyone else read the same book more than once? A number of people I have said this to found it really weird. ‘How can you read the same book more than once? its the same story!’
But I found as I am a different person, so too are the books and stories I read. I remember reading the narnian Chronicles when I was 9 or 10 and then reading them again in my 20’s – totally different books to me. At even shorter intervals I would re-read Terry Pratchetts discworld novels at least once a year. The level of details and research that goes into them I get a different experience every time and find something new and worth thinking about.
Without a doubt reading is my ‘thing’ I can do without films, TV, the internet, etc etc but never be without a book.
I used to read a lot before going to bed but not anymore. And I used to get through a fair bit on public transport but haven’t used it much in the last year so haven’t got the chance to read that much lately.
Have been chugging through a long read for months now. But I’m forever flicking though design and art books and other stuff that can be read in snippets. I’ve a book in the loo and book in my bag a book by my bed and one or two hanging around sofas etc. I still think I spend more time reading my phone lately though.
Think I managed 20 or so… can’t focus on books for the life of me though.
I am a slow r e a d e r!
Where Elly would read a full book in a stretch, I would read a paragraph!
It means I get good value from a book ๐
I do TRY to read and when I finally have some free time to myself there’s nothing better than crashing out on the couch for a few hours with a book. The chance in 2008 came few and far between – I did manage to read one book on holidays in November and started one at Christmas but outside of that I dunno.
I’ve made a point of trying to read more this year. If I could get to one book a month I’d be happy.
Reading is like a drug…
No… it’s not one chapter and you’re hooked…
It’s one page and I’m asleep! ๐
Don’t forget to pack a book/s for your travels and say Hi! to the Big Apple from me!
I probably read about 10 books last year. I read mostly on the way to work or on lunch break if im not having lunch with someone. I have read some books several times. I must have read High Fidelity at least five times. I read alot of blogs now and webpages, id do be knackered!
im terrible for reading.. really..
i rarely ever read a book, hardly ever read the newspaper..
even if i were to start a book, i would probably get bored, and go on the internet.. is there such thing as an addiction to the internet? i think i may have it.. ๐
Pretty much the same as Andrew on this, the internet has me ruined for books. I only read about six to eight books last year.
I find that if a book really leaves me staggered I can’t open another one for a while. The Gathering did that to me.
@Aidan Wow! Fair play. The only reason I would get up an extra half hour early is……actually no, there’s no reason I would ever do that.
@Victoria That’s a good way to encourage you to read. I likes it. I have about 10 books on the shelf that I should be reading now. And yet…
@Tatty That’s lovely. We used to do that years ago. Haven’t done that in ages though.
@Anto They DO NOT COUNT! ๐
@David I know, I know, I know. Don’t lecture me, Book Boy ๐
@Darragh What books? What? We gave them all back to you, no?
@Andrew I have the same problem. I love books stores, I love books. I can’t pass a store without going in and buying one. And bare in mind I work near Hodges Figgis and Waterstones.
@Peter I have a few books that I read a number of times. I’ve read Les Liaisons Dangereuses about 10 times at this stage and I’ve read Hannibal a few times. Returning to a favourite book is like snuggling up under your favourite warm blanket. It’s cosy, familiar and fun.
@John I hate seeing books in the bathroom. It freaks me out.
@B’dum And what about study books?
@Grannymar I think I read fairly slowly too. If I read over Lottie’s shoulder, she’s generally turning over the page long before I’m ready.
@Ken Right, I’ll join you. a book a month seems reasonable. Shall we start a bookclub? ๐
@Steph Actually, thanks for reminding me. I had forgotten to pack a couple of books.
@Paddy I think I need to cut down on the amount of blogs I read. I have no time for anything else.
@Dermot Internet addiction? Nope! It doesn’t exist. Never heard of it. Not at all. No chance. No way.
@Radge If it’s a particularly good book, I’m the same. I tend to have post-novel come down for a while.
I’ve always read a lot since I was a child. I tend to go through phases of reading book, after book, after book and then nothing for a while depending on my mood.
At the moment I have about 10-15 books to read, lately I seem to be attracted to just the cover of books or tips from other people.
I really better get reading ๐
like a lot of folks here, I used to read for pleasure a lot more than I used to. The escapism of novels has always been important, but now my life’s just too busy to cope with more than a chapter or 2 a night. At the moment it’s a Robert Goddard that had been sitting on the shelf for far too long. Reading blogs and other internet stuff is a nice distraction though……. ๐
I miss reading so much. Up until a year or two ago I was never without a book. I’d read on the bus. I’d read while eating dinner. I’d even read whist on an exercise bike though it did prove difficult. And of course, I’d read in bed before hitting the hay.
And then I stopped for some unknown reason, probably when I started being online a lot more. In the last year, I’d say I’ve read around 20 books which is absolutely piffling for me.
I really do want to get back into it though, not for escapism even, but just to broaden my mind a bit more!
As a wee one I was hooked, my parents used to buy me a few books at a time and I would always run out much quicker than they expected. Torch under the duvet and everything! They learnt quickly – I got a library card…
Through school, reading was all about escapism. Ah, teendom I miss you not.
In college I studied a language so lots of novels/plays/poetry to read, thus the non-college reading slowly trickled to a standstill.
Since work involves a lot of research and reading it came almost to a halt until one new year I decided to strengthen the big muscle in my skull again, and took up a favourite old passtime again.
Then I returned to part-time education during full-time employment so I am very sad to say that the same book has been sitting on my nightstand unfinished since August. The shame.
I agree with Peter though, I love reading a good book again and again, you notice different qualities every time. The second time you notice the most I think – you are not distracted by the plot, you know what is going to happen. Instead you note the style, the wit, the skill of the author, I love doing that.
My good book come-downs are when I have read SUCH a pageturner and cannot find a decent novel to get my teeth into for months afterwards. I hate that!
I am also guilty of the bookshop-pleasures. I feel all wrong if I walk out without a new book. There are so many at home that I have to read! The best of intentions with so little time…
Great post Darren, it makes us remember how much we like reading and excercising the grey matter in more ways than just the daily grind.
god how time change i rememeber when u wee younger alot younger now that u are old man lol sitting n the middle of the table reading a book. was that before drink i think so. but i love reading a good book.
When I’m not yet married, I used to read books all the time and I can finish 2 novels in a week, too! I love to read books as a pastime. But now, I can’t read that much anymore because I have a toddler at home and I don’t have spare time to just sit down and read a book.
Now, I’m reading books not for pastime anymore but for my studies. Aside from working, I’m also learning astrology. My library at home is so lonely anymore as I don’t spend much time in there.
I hope to get back to reading some novels when my child gets older and if I finished my studies.
yup I used to read allllll the time when I was younger but I find over the last 4 years since I started college iv just havent wonted to read, because any time I have to read its about college stuff! maybe i should think of it more as an escape and try to get back into it, the last book I read was the last harry potter…. oh the shame!
http://ian-walsh.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-do-you-like-to-read-how-long-and.html
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