The Reading Joy & Delight Thread

[Renate]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

That's frankly inconceivable to me. No matter how bad it is, I have to get my reading dose in; I'm addicted to reading, and have been since early childhood.

I wouldn't say that I'm addicted to reading.
Just when there is nothing to read I grab a bottle of soap.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Catlady

It was inconceivable to me before it happened. Since I mainly listen to audiobooks, I was in the habit of clipping on my mp3 player and listening to it at any opportunity throughout the day while doing routine tasks, traveling, waiting, etc. But with all that was going on, I couldn't concentrate on what I was hearing, so listening became pointless. Gradually, I fell out of the habit. I expect I'll gradually get back in the habit, but for now, the quiet is nice too.

Ah. I've never been able to concentrate on audiobooks, podcasts and the like in the best of circumstances. I get bored almost immediately and my attention will wander. I can only enjoy a book if it's text.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I expect I'll gradually get back in the habit, but for now, the quiet is nice too.

The quiet is nice. The quiet is one of the major reasons I don't like watching television.

I go in waves with audiobooks. I'll have a stretch where I listen every time I go out for a walk or get in the car, but then I'll have a stretch where I don't bother. And I don't think it reflects the quality or the enjoyment level of whatever book(s) I'm listening to; I think it's mostly that I bring a new appreciation for the experience to whichever one I change to. The exceptions are listening in bed (almost every night) and while swimming (always, but summertime only).

That said, while I value the experience of listening to audiobooks and derive great pleasure from it, I prefer reading and won't listen if I could be reading instead. However, there are certainly books I prefer in audio and I won't read them.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

If you are talking about something like Star Trek or Firefly, you know you can always skip those comics. Nobody is going to twist your arm, forcing you to read them.

Not those. For Star Trek, the comics are not part of the novel series. A series like The Dresden Files where there are graphic novels is where I dislike the graphic novels (aka comic books).

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Ah. I've never been able to concentrate on audiobooks, podcasts and the like in the best of circumstances. I get bored almost immediately and my attention will wander. I can only enjoy a book if it's text.

I mostly listen to audiobooks and podcasts at night in bed before going to sleep.

[DNSB]

I've just finished reading/formatting a "steamy" romance. The things we do for money. At least, the author has eschewed the word 'moist' in her last few books.

As an entrement, I'm re-reading of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: with Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects. At times it's rather strange to realize how much and how little the balance between men and women has changed since 1792.

[John F]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

...
What new genres have you discovered later on in your reading life?

Pre eink readers, I was a Scify reader, with a couple of exceptions (Stephen King, John Grisham, John Irving, maybe a couple of others). Now I'll read something if it piques my interest, although I seldom read non-fiction. I've added Pulitzer fiction winners to my TBR lists this year (I'm on my third one.)

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I mostly listen to audiobooks and podcasts at night in bed before going to sleep.

I did it in my late teens. It was a guaranteed way to make sure I never remembered even a word of what I heard in the morning. Since then, I haven't bothered.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

A series like The Dresden Files where there are graphic novels is where I dislike the graphic novels...

Just skip 'em. (Easy for me to say. I've never really cared for book series.)

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Just skip 'em. (Easy for me to say. I've never really cared for book series.)

It's not that Jon can't skip them, it's just that he appears to think no one else should be allowed to read them.

[ZodWallop]

To bring back Joy & Delight, as a kid, I loved movie novelizations (and to a lesser extent, I still do). Star Wars and especially The Hobbit*, The Dark Crystal and Gremlins.

I realized reading those books let me spend more time in worlds/stories that I already loved and gave me a richer experience than just watching the film alone.

It's a shame the way they have faded. They were a good way to get a book into the hands of a reluctant reader.

*I'm well aware The Hobbit is not a novelization. But I did see the animated version before I read the book.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

It's not that Jon can't skip them, it's just that he appears to think no one else should be allowed to read them.

Nope I think they should not exist. Either it's a book series or a comic book series. But do not combine.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

To bring back Joy & Delight, as a kid, I loved movie novelizations (and to a lesser extent, I still do). Star Wars and especially The Hobbit*, The Dark Crystal and Gremlins.

I realized reading those books let me spend more time in worlds/stories that I already loved and gave me a richer experience than just watching the film alone.

It's a shame the way they have faded. They were a good way to get a book into the hands of a reluctant reader.

*I'm well aware The Hobbit is not a novelization. But I did see the animated version before I read the book.

I just wish they would leave the cover alone. A lot of the time the books have a good looking cover and then the movie comes out and the cover is ruined.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I just wish they would leave the cover alone. A lot of the time the books have a good looking cover and then the movie comes out and the cover is ruined.

On movie novelizations, the cover is usually (but not always) the movie poster.

And honestly, with ebooks, who cares. You can typically find a scan of a different cover. So nothing is ruined.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by issybird

The quiet is nice. The quiet is one of the major reasons I don't like watching television.

I consider mindless television white noise.

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

To bring back Joy & Delight, as a kid, I loved movie novelizations (and to a lesser extent, I still do). Star Wars and especially The Hobbit*, The Dark Crystal and Gremlins.

I realized reading those books let me spend more time in worlds/stories that I already loved and gave me a richer experience than just watching the film alone.

It's a shame the way they have faded. They were a good way to get a book into the hands of a reluctant reader.

*I'm well aware The Hobbit is not a novelization. But I did see the animated version before I read the book.

I used to buy and read novelizations when I was a kid, before videotapes. It was a way to hold on to and reexperience the movie--not very satisfactory, but at least it was something. I think I still have a few of those paperbacks.