Bookworms: How Do You Read So Many Books?

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I don't consider descriptions as an aid to visualizing--I don't visualize--but the words themselves are important to the mood the writer is creating. I would never skip descriptive passages; doing so would be like reading an abridged book.

In the example BookCat quoted I would agree. Too bad not all authors are as talented with their descriptive writing!

Originally Posted by Alohamora

Oh my yes. I tried to follow the chemistry explanations the first few times, with little success. My enjoyment of the book increased immensely once I start just glossing over the science details. I have no idea if the explanations were pausible or not and I never cared a bit.

I haven't read that book , but I once read a book called (I think) The Fractal Murders - i gave up on underanding how fractals worked, but the book was entertaining anyway.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Atunah

You know, sitting around all day surrounded by cats eating bon bons while reading romance.

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Except for the 'reading romance' part, that doesn't sound so bad to me.

I can't help but wonder how many people have cats who eat bon bons and read? Close cousins to the panda who eats, shoots, and leaves?

[anacreon]

I once in a while get jarred when reading, especially inside descriptions. For instance somebody lying in bed speaks about a window or a door, and I realize I'd been unconsciously thinking the bed in another position respective to them. Is this what you call visualizing? Or is it just immersive reading, like identifying with characters? It happened to me even as a child. That doesn't mean I mind descriptions, I love Proust's descriptions of his bedrooms for instance, but they are integral to the book, not padding. Also I love poetry which makes you see things differently. Not padding either.

[darryl]

I'm going to get back to the original topic. I can't say with precision how many books I actually read, but it's a lot. I can't say with any precision how quickly I read, but it is fairly fast. If I had to guess I would say my reading varies between 3 and 7 books a week, depending on the category or genre of the books and their particular characteristics. We all read differently and I offer no criticism of how others like to read. Personally I read purely for my own pleasure and education. By education I mean provoking thought and exploring ideas rather than simply imparting information. I have zero interest in setting targets or goals, or the speed at which I read or the number of books. To me reading is for enjoyment. If I'm not enjoying a book after giving it a fair chance I will abandon reading it. Life is short and books are cheap, at least in monetary terms. I'm also not interested in what the critics or gatekeepers think I should be reading. I have read virtually all of the classics, with some notable exceptions, but am not generally a fan of modern literary fiction which IMHO far too often seems to sacrifice plot in favour of exhaustive character development, excruciating descriptions of people and locations and moves at a glacial pace. There are, of course, exceptions.

I am not deluded enough to equate reading with breathing, but to me the two do have similarities. Reading to me is an almost essential part of my life and integrated into it. I always have my ereader close by and am always part way through a book. I finish one and start the next. Sometimes I will have two or more books "in progress". Lately I've even developed the habit of listening to Audiobooks whilst driving, attending to things around the house or even on a sleep timer on going to bed.

I could of course live without books. Reading is not like breathing in that way. But my life would be far less rich and satisfying.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by anacreon

I once in a while get jarred when reading, especially inside descriptions. For instance somebody lying in bed speaks about a window or a door, and I realize I'd been unconsciously thinking the bed in another position respective to them. Is this what you call visualizing?

For me, yes, that's how I visualize. I was once several books into a series when the author decided to get more specific with the description of the main character's kitchen as more action took place there in that book. It really messed me up because I'd already had the entire house locked in my head for ages with all the missing details filled in by my imagination, and suddenly the kitchen wasn't as I'd pictured it. In fact, it was nearly backwards. I ended up forcing myself to pretend it had been remodeled between books just so I would stop being pulled up short by the differences.

I'm rarely consciously perceiving the words on the page when I read, it's a movie in my head.

[BookCat]

I agree with the idea of a novel being like a movie in my head; that's how I read.
I'm not criticising other peoples reading methods in saying that I enjoy reading descriptions and find it hard to understand why people skip them, but from what has been written we're talking about entirely different types of books. I would never, unless forced, read a book with a sports setting, because I'd hate reading about the subject, so both the plot and the descriptions would bore me. Likewise, I would avoid other books whose descriptions would bore me. Yes, some authors do overdo the description, but others do this beautifully.

One of the best books I've read in terms of description of place is Lucy Irvine's Castaway. I have this as a paperback and it's somewhere in my house, too hard to find, so I can't quote it. There are passages, especially her "diary" in which you can almost feel the warm sand between your toes.

Now that I've finished Frenchman's Creek, I realise that I de-tox after finishing a book in order to continue living in that world and cogitating the author's intent. For example, I read this in Wikipedia about Daphne du Maurier:

"In correspondence that her family released to biographer Margaret Forster, du Maurier explained to a trusted few people her own unique slant on her sexuality: her personality comprised two distinct people – the loving wife and mother (the side she showed to the world); and the lover (a "decidedly male energy") hidden from virtually everyone and the power behind her artistic creativity. According to Forster's biography, du Maurier believed the "male energy" propelled her writing. Forster wrote that du Maurier's denial of her bisexuality unveiled a "homophobic" fear of her true nature."

and realise the novel is partly about his, even down to the dressing as a cabin-boy. It expresses the dilemma of the free-spirited Dona who wants to run off with a pirate, as opposed to the "mother" who wants to stay and take care of her children. It's actually a feminist novel in disguise.

I wouldn't have considered this if I'd immediately begun reading another novel. I'm in no way saying that those who do read several books at a time or who begin another book immediately are doing anything wrong.
Everyone is different and reads differently.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by BookCat

I'm not criticising other peoples reading methods in saying that I enjoy reading descriptions and find it hard to understand why people skip them,

And yet you continue to conflate skim with skip. So it's hard not to assume there's some criticism inherent in your misunderstanding.

[kyteflyer]

On the original question... I don't read so many books anymore. Before the advent of TV, I read probably 5-6 books a week. I thought that was a lot. TV came to us when I was 14. After TV, and in competition with necessary reading and studying for school, I didnt read much at all. After I finished school and became a nurse, I still didnt have much time for reading, it seemed I was always just too tired to bother, and the TV filled the entertainment need. So I was probably down to 1 every couple of weeks by then.

After computers arrived on the scene (I bought a Commodore 64 in 1984) I became absorbed in text adventure games and reading went byebye for years. I've really only got back into it since discovering digital reads. First on a Casseiopia EM500, with Microsoft .lit books, then later with epubs from various sources. The Casio was great for taking on night shift when you just didnt know what you wanted to read, and carting several dead tree books to work just wasnt an option.

Last year and this, I have settled into reading consistently, and am getting through maybe 2 books a week depending on length. Some take longer, of course. I read at night before bed, and usually for a while after rising in the morning. Goodreads keeps track for me.

I'll never get back to those days before TV. I love my TV, its my lazy read. But I try to keep my mind active by continuing to read (preferring sci-fi with hard science as part of the story) as much as I am able. I'm ageing faster than I want, and don't expect to be around for too many more years, 10 if I am very lucky. My TBR list will never be completed! Darn.

OK, thats my reading life story. Its early, and I am rambling. Apologies

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by milady133

Being only me and my boyfriend, I can get away with that. I also read while doing house chores... It takes a lot more time to get them done, but if I'm hooked with a book, I don't care.

I admit, my own housekeeping suffers because of my reading, LOL!


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[HLS]

I greatly increased the book I read from one book every 3-4 months to 2-3 book a month. I read when I am free here and there such as during my lunch break, a little before work, a little after work. Days off I like to read at the park or library. Now if a book is not that good then I end up reading a lot less. I can speed read with wordwise on a tablet but I mostly use kindle

[Thasaidon]

Originally Posted by graycyn

I admit, my own housekeeping suffers because of my reading, LOL!


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The dust doesn't get any thicker after the first two years. "quote - Quentin Crisp?"

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

For me, yes, that's how I visualize. I was once several books into a series when the author decided to get more specific with the description of the main character's kitchen as more action took place there in that book. It really messed me up because I'd already had the entire house locked in my head for ages with all the missing details filled in by my imagination, and suddenly the kitchen wasn't as I'd pictured it.

The physical appearance of a character in a series I was reading was described only vaguely in the earlier books. In a later book there was a more detailed description which didn't match my mental picture. I just decided to keep picturing him as I had all along.

[william z]

Originally Posted by BookCat

This question is aimed at those who read more than two books a week; how do you do it. I'm fascinated by youtubers who review so many books in a month and would like to know if they're reading in their sleep

Please don't mention speed reading. I know the principles, but don't like the practise. I spead-read when I was a student, because I had to, but feel that it detracts from the experience of a book.

So are you reading while asleep? On the loo? Every spare moment?
Please tell.

I probably read about 2 books a week. I do not speed-read though I do read fast. I can read that much because first, I am retired so have a lot of time to read. I do not read "every spare moment" but I do read at various times throughout the day for a few minutes or up to half an hour or more. If I go to a doctor's office or somewhere I have to wait, I always bring my e-reader with me. Every evening I read for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I read every day without fail.

Mostly I read mysteries, thrillers, adventure, horror and science fiction books which can be read much faster than say, some classics or complex novels.

[LittleRach]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

For me, yes, that's how I visualize. I was once several books into a series when the author decided to get more specific with the description of the main character's kitchen as more action took place there in that book. It really messed me up because I'd already had the entire house locked in my head for ages with all the missing details filled in by my imagination, and suddenly the kitchen wasn't as I'd pictured it. In fact, it was nearly backwards. I ended up forcing myself to pretend it had been remodeled between books just so I would stop being pulled up short by the differences.

I'm rarely consciously perceiving the words on the page when I read, it's a movie in my head.

That’s how I read. I just see it happening in my head. But I thought everyone read like that until recently when I found out that my husband didn’t!

Then I read one book where I didn’t get any pictures. None. I don’t know what was wrong, but I couldn’t see the movie at all.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by LittleRach

That’s how I read. I just see it happening in my head. But I thought everyone read like that until recently when I found out that my husband didn’t!

Then I read one book where I didn’t get any pictures. None. I don’t know what was wrong, but I couldn’t see the movie at all.

Since I don't read the way you do, I'm curious - if you read an action scene such as a fight or chase, can you easily see it in your head? I am so poor at visualizing that type of scene that I just skim or even skip them. For me, books that are more conversation and internal thoughts are easier to read.

Until it was pointed out in a commentary I read, I never noticed that Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice contains very little in the way of physical description - for example, we aren't told what color the main character's hair is or what her clothes look like. Is a book without much description frustrating to you, or do you create your own mental image of undescribed characters?