Reading Habits

[gcgirl]

I don't know that it's a peculiarity, but I'm one of those who has books in every room of the house, plus the car. And when I was working, in the office. And they are all in various stages of completion. I might have thirteen or so books going at once.

I'm not the most focused individual, obviously.

[theenormityofitall]

Same here, real paper books only! I work in IT so I spend all my time in front of a computer screen, don't need another electronic device to spend my precious reading time with.

I seem to have developed the bad habit of starting a new book, reading the first 100 or so pages and then grabbing the next new book that catches my interest. I'll eventually get around to finishing some of them off, but now I've got a shelf full of books that I've started and then got sidetracked from. Appears my reading habits have developed ADD!

I do that all the time...read books up to the mid-way point or even to virtually the end, and then when a new book arrives I'm really interested in, I start that one. I actually am reading 3 non-fiction books at the present time lol.
As for novels, I quit them all the time even when I read a couple hundred pages. I can't explain it, but I will always finish the non-fiction but rarely the novels, except for The Stand and perhaps a couple others.

Still trying to get through Triage as well, so I actually I'm reading 4 books at the same time

[EricTheRed]

Same here, real paper books only! I work in IT so I spend all my time in front of a computer screen, don't need another electronic device to spend my precious reading time with.

I seem to have developed the bad habit of starting a new book, reading the first 100 or so pages and then grabbing the next new book that catches my interest. I'll eventually get around to finishing some of them off, but now I've got a shelf full of books that I've started and then got sidetracked from. Appears my reading habits have developed ADD!

[theenormityofitall]

I wholeheartedly concur, Divemaster. Give me a real book with a hardcover, no paperbacks for me. Pages, pages, its all about the turning of the pages.

You're like me...turning the actual pages instead of swiping your finger across an e-reader. I just enjoy doing that. And just holding it in you hand, is so Sweeeet. There are a lot of people, my remaining family members as an example, who could care less about books so I'm not sure why I've always loved them. But my big problem is not being able to throw away books even non -fiction, that I haven't read in 20 years. Can't expain it really. Maybe I have OCD lol. But everyone does to a certain extent. And maybe I''m also a "hoarder". Even my bedroom is full of hundreds of books on the bookshelf and some just in two stacks by my bed, those are the ones I haven't read yet.

[Dave1442397]

My main quirk I guess is that I only like to read a book. Not off a computer screen; not an audiotape; not a "device." But a real honest-to-goodness turn the paper page BOOK.

What I love about the Kindle, iPad, etc is that I can now bring a couple of weeks worth of books on vacation without paying extra fees for luggage. I also like that I can get books just seconds after placing the order.

I'll still get all my specialty press limited editions in dead tree format, but ebooks definitely work for me too.

[Randy D. Rubin]

I wholeheartedly concur, Divemaster. Give me a real book with a hardcover, no paperbacks for me. Pages, pages, its all about the turning of the pages.

[divemaster]

My main quirk I guess is that I only like to read a book. Not off a computer screen; not an audiotape; not a "device." But a real honest-to-goodness turn the paper page BOOK.

[the_last_gunslinger]

I forgot to mention...does anyone "dogear" the pages of a book they're reading? That should be a crime!! I always use a bookmark, even on an old looking book with yellow pages.

Folding the pages of books is akin to sacrilege, in my opinion. I am very particular with how my books are kept. I aim to keep my library in the most pristine condition possible. In fact, there are certain individuals that are forbidden to touch some of my most prized literary tomes. Honestly, I have a sister that somehow managed to bend the cover of a hardcover book in half. I don't even know how you can do that unless you're trying.

[theenormityofitall]

I forgot to mention...does anyone "dogear" the pages of a book they're reading? That should be a crime!! I always use a bookmark, even on an old looking book with yellow pages.

[theenormityofitall]

Reading in the tub is the best! Just one of the ways that e-readers are inferior! If I drop a hardcover in the tub, I am out 30 bucks-my nook? I would be out 300!

LOL reading in the tub? Can't say I ever did that. But like other people here, I can only read and concentrate (especially when it concerns novels) when it's totaly silent except for my clock radio playing at a low volume. There's probably only been a a couple weeks in my life when I didn't feel like reading...mainly I do it every night, even as a little kid. Once again, it's mainy non-fiction, but I've been trying over the past few years, to really focus on novels. I've read all the "classics", ie, Dickens, James, some Hawthorne, Poe, etc, but that was many years ago, but still find it difficult to concentrate on modern day stuff, especially horror novels. I'll read 140 pages of a 200 page book, then quit because I get bored. I never do that with non-fiction. I even read about 80% of King's The Stand, then quit. It was too damn long. But I did eventually finish it. Since people here have recommended both Lisey's Story and Bag of Bones, I'm going to start those. I tried the other night then found myself going back to non-fiction. I'm pretty sure I already read Lisey's Story but don't remember it so I'll give it another try. I just wish King would write shorter stories.....but if anyone here hasn't read The Damnation Game by Clive Barker, I'd reccomend that along with Swan Song by McCammon...just a couple of horror type novels I didn't lose interest in, and if even I didn't lose interest, I don't think anyone would And another novel: Tobacco Road. Great book.
One more thing...I have a Nook too but never even messed with it. For 2 years it's been in its box; there's something about holding a REAL book that I love. I'm not sure what that "something" is, but it's there lol.

[C.W. LaSart]

Same here!

I also always take the dust jacket off of a hardcover while reading. And I love to read outside, especially on a nice sunny day and in the tub as well.

Reading in the tub is the best! Just one of the ways that e-readers are inferior! If I drop a hardcover in the tub, I am out 30 bucks-my nook? I would be out 300!

[peteOcha]

No music, no television, no talking - nothing.
Just the book.
Heaven!

sk

Same here!

I also always take the dust jacket off of a hardcover while reading. And I love to read outside, especially on a nice sunny day and in the tub as well.

[Dave1442397]

I'm a really slow reader. People typically speak at 150 words per minute, and read at 250 words per minute. I'm the reverse. I intentionally read at the speed of speech so as to better absorb every nuance of language. As a writer, reading is a constant learning experience for me. Even when I'm reading something I don't like (or especially then). It teaches you what NOT to do.

I'm the opposite - I read at approx 2,000 words per minute, or two pages a minute for most books. I thinks it's because there are so many books to read, and so little time!

[RJK1981]

Oh, and I read while anything is going on sometimes, whether it's tv, music, or conversation. Sometimes I will even talk while reading, though I usually find a short stopping place and then talk

[RJK1981]

I sometimes try to slow down with some of my reading as well, I try to really feel what I am reading, and when I actually do read slowly that seems to work quite a bit. I often do not succeed at reading that way though.

I have done the reading multiple books thing at times, though lately have been reading just one book at a time (along with reading school books and such) and will soon be to 40 books read since December of '10, though many have been shorter books.

I guess technically I am reading 3 books at a time lately since I have my entertainment reading, my one school book for college summer course (I get paid to go to school right now, so not going to take summer off from school), and another book for my pre-marriage classes.

I also will likely start reading 2 books at a time while the weather is nice and can justify going outside and relaxing while reading. That would likely have to be a PB book though as I don't want to take the chance of it raining on my nice hardcover books (especially the collectible ones) while I'm outside