What kind of reader are you ?

Quexos · 01-30-2011, 05:22 PM

I was wondering how people read their books. I mean do you read books from beginning to end ? or just a couple chapters then on to the next book ? or any other way ?

I wonder because I am a thorough reader. When I decide to start a book I read every word of it until the end. But I also happen to be a somewhat slow reader. on a bad day I may not read more than 10 pages, 40 on a good day, when I have time and I don't feel tired. To read more I'd have to read all day almost non stop and while I may have read 60 or 80 pages in a day, such days are the exception for me.

So when I hear that some people read one or two full books a week and keep that average throughout the year, I am amazed. But when I hear of some people reading several books a day, I have a hard time believing that. Unless those readers just fly through the pages without really reading every line or skipping chapters or just beginning a book, not liking it and ditching it.

So what kind of reader are you ?

Rumpelteazer · 01-30-2011, 05:35 PM

It happens very rarely I don't finish a book, even when I don't really like it I usually finish it. How fast I read depends on the book. Some books, for instance most cozy mysteries or Southern Vampire series, I can finish within one or two days. Other books take (a lot) longer. At the moment I'm rereading The Shining and I'm going much slower than I would have expected.

At the moment I'm into cozy mysteries, YA books and detective books, the latter two have lots of action which, for me, reads a lot quicker than a books in which time moves slower. So at the moment I'm reading 2 or 3 books a week, but when I'm tired of fast-paced books I'll expect to read 1 or maybe 2 average length books a week.

DixieGal · 01-30-2011, 05:45 PM

I never finish a book that I don't like. Except for the Feb MR book club book. It is dreadful.

Billi · 01-30-2011, 05:51 PM

I'm reading from first to last page and I'm a slow reader - I would never manage 100 books a year as most members here do, you all have my deepest respect for this - and I'm a friend of really thick books. If I like a book I hope it will never end!

My "weakness" is that I'm a "parallel" reader, too, there are mostly 4-5 books I'm reading simultaneously, not included the books I have to read for work and study. I've been trying for a long time to stop this behaviour, but then, when I'm down to one or two books there surely will come another most interesting one my way. Can't help it.

SeaBookGuy · 01-30-2011, 06:00 PM

I tend to have a few on the go at once. Right now I'm cycling among:

Audiobooks: Finishing up Jane Gardam's novel "Old Filth", and have started Mary Roach's nonfiction about the afterlife "Spook" (which I'll continue with as my "main" audiobook after Gardam). Moreover,
I sometimes listen to stories from Joyce's "Dubliners" and Julian Barnes' "The Lemon Table" here and there.

E-books open on my reader:

1) "The Secret Lives of Somerset Maugham" - about halfway through, nice in small doses, but not exactly riveting.

2) "Grounded" - story of a couple's travels around the world by surface only, so interesting I want the relatively short book (200 pages) to last.

3) "The Art of Eating In" - nearly finished with this (sort of) non-TV reality TV show about the life of a New York blogger who vows not to eat restaurant food (for a couple of years).

4) A non-Holmes novel by Conan Doyle, translated into French, for reading practice - the Sony
French-English dictionary works great!

5) A book of film 1000 film reviews that's taken me a couple months to get barely 1/3 of the way through.

Print book: almost finished with "Majestie" (bio of James I), a quick read that I got off the library's New Books shelf a few days ago.

CazMar · 01-30-2011, 06:02 PM

My reading speed was once tested at 400 words per minute (which I think is about professional proof reader speed? Don't really know what is an average speed.) I am often reading between 4-6 books at a time (no - not ALL at the same time for the smart alec who is bound to ask

). I just prefer to read more exciting or difficult books in the daytime and something light before I go to sleep.
I can recall the plots of books I read years ago, but if the book is difficult - a textbook for example - I just read it twice. This fast reading speed was a boon at school as I could read a book four times while everyone else was reading it once, giving me a probably completely unwarranted reputation for being smart! Nope, all I could do was read faster!
My theory here is the way I learnt to read - sort of self taught at about 4 years old. Not having to go through the education system's whacky ideas on how children should read probably saved me.

PKFFW · 01-30-2011, 06:05 PM

I read a book from start to finish, every word, every line and every chapter.

I wont finish a book if I don't like it but as I normally choose books from authors/series/styles I like or recommendations from people I trust it isn't very often I don't like a book.

I never read more than one book at a time except for study or work and I would average about an average sized book every week to 10 days. I could read more but I have too many other leisure activities that I enjoy as well. If only I didn't have to work!

Cheers,
PKFFW

Maggie Leung · 01-30-2011, 06:12 PM

I can easily read a mystery or two a day, no skipping parts. But it takes me longer to read substantive books -- to digest nonfiction or to linger over great writing, for instance. I don't have a problem ditching a bad book, but I've read enough to know that some books get better the further you go, and some books are worth taking another crack at, later.

Reading has been my main source of entertainment since childhood, and it led me to edit for a living. I don't watch TV, so I have lots of reading time.

teadonkey · 01-30-2011, 06:12 PM

I read one book at a time and I finish a book all the way through if it keeps me interested. I'm a nursing student with two jobs - my leisure time is precious. I'm not going to waste time reading a book that isn't interesting me.

Before I got so heavy in school, I read about a book every week to a week and a half, depending on how much time I was spending out and about. Now a days I've been averaging two or three a month... What is that? is that a book every week and a half? I am insane apparently I read the same amount. But I have less long blocks of time to just read for hours now.

SeaBookGuy · 01-30-2011, 06:16 PM

To clarify, are some of you guys saying you always finish a book, even ones you don't particularly like, "on principle"? I could never do that ... nor could I limit myself to one book at a time.

Loosheesh · 01-30-2011, 06:33 PM

I'm a fast reader, and can read more than 5 books a week; last year, while on vacation, I read a 600pg book in one day (I really enjoyed it too

)

When I was younger I would force myself to finish a book I didn't like but I no longer do that; I have way too many books I want to read before I die to waste my time on duds.

Also, my reading is very mood-driven so I'm always reading more than one book at a time.

Quexos · 01-30-2011, 06:35 PM

Amazing how much faster than me you good people read. I wish I could read as fast and enjoy even more books.

On the other hand I can't take this and like the evil queen who tried to kill snow white because she was prettier than her, I must kill you all. That way I'll be the fastest reader of all mwahaha

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loosheesh

I'm a fast reader, and can read more than 5 books a week; last year, while on vacation, I read a 600pg book in one day (I really enjoyed it too

)

I would need to dissect your brain in hopes of understanding how you can read 600 pages a day. Is that ok with you ?

Rumpelteazer · 01-30-2011, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

To clarify, are some of you guys saying you always finish a book, even ones you don't particularly like, "on principle"? I could never do that ... nor could I limit myself to one book at a time.

Not always but as Maggie said, some books that start out bad get better. There are times I ditch a book when the topic doesn't interest me or, most often, when I don't like the writing style or there are too many errors (either because of bad OCR or because it wasn't proofread and there are grammar/spelling mistakes).

When I must finish a book (eg because it's for a literature course) I tend to read it as fast as possible. The worst book I have read was Portnoy's Complaint for American Literature. I remember starting it one night, putting it aside because I didn't like it and the next day I didn't have any classes I read all day to finish it.

Stitchawl · 01-30-2011, 06:56 PM

I usually have 3 books going at the same time; one thriller/mystery, one science/history, and one philosophy or religion. If I don't care for a book that I've started, I'll skim it quickly for another 20-40 pages to see if I can get interested, but then can it if I still don't like it. I finish the mystery and thrillers in about 3-4 days, the science or history books in about 8-10 days, and the philosophy books will vary between a week to a month depending upon how intense they are.

Stitchawl

bert501 · 01-30-2011, 07:13 PM

I'd like to read every word start to finish but...bad writing/editing, gratuitous sex/violence or stupid plot twists inserted with a really heavy writing hammer make me hit the skim button! Doesn't take much to make me just give up and move on-there are too many good books to suffer through a bad one.

01-30-2011, 05:22 PM	#1
Quexos Member Retired Posts: 1,999 Karma: 11348924 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Limbo Device: none	What kind of reader are you ? I was wondering how people read their books. I mean do you read books from beginning to end ? or just a couple chapters then on to the next book ? or any other way ? I wonder because I am a thorough reader. When I decide to start a book I read every word of it until the end. But I also happen to be a somewhat slow reader. on a bad day I may not read more than 10 pages, 40 on a good day, when I have time and I don't feel tired. To read more I'd have to read all day almost non stop and while I may have read 60 or 80 pages in a day, such days are the exception for me. So when I hear that some people read one or two full books a week and keep that average throughout the year, I am amazed. But when I hear of some people reading several books a day, I have a hard time believing that. Unless those readers just fly through the pages without really reading every line or skipping chapters or just beginning a book, not liking it and ditching it. So what kind of reader are you ?

01-30-2011, 06:12 PM	#9
teadonkey Zealot Posts: 132 Karma: 2179008 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle 3 WiFi	I read one book at a time and I finish a book all the way through if it keeps me interested. I'm a nursing student with two jobs - my leisure time is precious. I'm not going to waste time reading a book that isn't interesting me. Before I got so heavy in school, I read about a book every week to a week and a half, depending on how much time I was spending out and about. Now a days I've been averaging two or three a month... What is that? is that a book every week and a half? I am insane apparently I read the same amount. But I have less long blocks of time to just read for hours now. Last edited by teadonkey; 01-30-2011 at 06:13 PM. Reason: i'm insane! (:

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
What Kind of E-Reader Are You?	Marc_liest	Deutsches Forum	1	09-26-2010 07:01 AM
What kind of covers do you use?	csskkai	Sony Reader	51	08-06-2010 02:04 AM
New and Kind of Lost	Mary McDonald	Introduce Yourself	13	07-06-2010 08:31 AM
Kind of Embarrassing, But...	LoppyThug	Amazon Kindle	4	04-04-2010 08:16 AM
A different kind of wish list	ChrisI	Sony Reader	19	06-04-2008 05:59 AM

01-30-2011, 05:35 PM	#2
Rumpelteazer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,098 Karma: 24047426 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition	It happens very rarely I don't finish a book, even when I don't really like it I usually finish it. How fast I read depends on the book. Some books, for instance most cozy mysteries or Southern Vampire series, I can finish within one or two days. Other books take (a lot) longer. At the moment I'm rereading The Shining and I'm going much slower than I would have expected. At the moment I'm into cozy mysteries, YA books and detective books, the latter two have lots of action which, for me, reads a lot quicker than a books in which time moves slower. So at the moment I'm reading 2 or 3 books a week, but when I'm tired of fast-paced books I'll expect to read 1 or maybe 2 average length books a week.

01-30-2011, 05:45 PM	#3
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I never finish a book that I don't like. Except for the Feb MR book club book. It is dreadful.

01-30-2011, 05:51 PM	#4
Billi Wizard Posts: 3,388 Karma: 14190103 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Berlin Device: Cybook, iRex, PB, Onyx	I'm reading from first to last page and I'm a slow reader - I would never manage 100 books a year as most members here do, you all have my deepest respect for this - and I'm a friend of really thick books. If I like a book I hope it will never end! My "weakness" is that I'm a "parallel" reader, too, there are mostly 4-5 books I'm reading simultaneously, not included the books I have to read for work and study. I've been trying for a long time to stop this behaviour, but then, when I'm down to one or two books there surely will come another most interesting one my way. Can't help it.

01-30-2011, 06:00 PM	#5
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,015 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	I tend to have a few on the go at once. Right now I'm cycling among: Audiobooks: Finishing up Jane Gardam's novel "Old Filth", and have started Mary Roach's nonfiction about the afterlife "Spook" (which I'll continue with as my "main" audiobook after Gardam). Moreover, I sometimes listen to stories from Joyce's "Dubliners" and Julian Barnes' "The Lemon Table" here and there. E-books open on my reader: 1) "The Secret Lives of Somerset Maugham" - about halfway through, nice in small doses, but not exactly riveting. 2) "Grounded" - story of a couple's travels around the world by surface only, so interesting I want the relatively short book (200 pages) to last. 3) "The Art of Eating In" - nearly finished with this (sort of) non-TV reality TV show about the life of a New York blogger who vows not to eat restaurant food (for a couple of years). 4) A non-Holmes novel by Conan Doyle, translated into French, for reading practice - the Sony French-English dictionary works great! 5) A book of film 1000 film reviews that's taken me a couple months to get barely 1/3 of the way through. Print book: almost finished with "Majestie" (bio of James I), a quick read that I got off the library's New Books shelf a few days ago.

01-30-2011, 06:02 PM	#6
CazMar Book Geek Posts: 596 Karma: 1499085 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Adelaide, Australia Device: Kobo Touch, Asus MemPad 7" tablet, Nexus 5, Asus 10" tablet	My reading speed was once tested at 400 words per minute (which I think is about professional proof reader speed? Don't really know what is an average speed.) I am often reading between 4-6 books at a time (no - not ALL at the same time for the smart alec who is bound to ask ). I just prefer to read more exciting or difficult books in the daytime and something light before I go to sleep. I can recall the plots of books I read years ago, but if the book is difficult - a textbook for example - I just read it twice. This fast reading speed was a boon at school as I could read a book four times while everyone else was reading it once, giving me a probably completely unwarranted reputation for being smart! Nope, all I could do was read faster! My theory here is the way I learnt to read - sort of self taught at about 4 years old. Not having to go through the education system's whacky ideas on how children should read probably saved me.

01-30-2011, 06:05 PM	#7
PKFFW Wizard Posts: 3,681 Karma: 28297636 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: BeBook, Sony PRS-T1, Kobo H2O	I read a book from start to finish, every word, every line and every chapter. I wont finish a book if I don't like it but as I normally choose books from authors/series/styles I like or recommendations from people I trust it isn't very often I don't like a book. I never read more than one book at a time except for study or work and I would average about an average sized book every week to 10 days. I could read more but I have too many other leisure activities that I enjoy as well. If only I didn't have to work! Cheers, PKFFW

01-30-2011, 06:12 PM	#8
Maggie Leung Wizard Posts: 1,449 Karma: 58383 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle, iPad	I can easily read a mystery or two a day, no skipping parts. But it takes me longer to read substantive books -- to digest nonfiction or to linger over great writing, for instance. I don't have a problem ditching a bad book, but I've read enough to know that some books get better the further you go, and some books are worth taking another crack at, later. Reading has been my main source of entertainment since childhood, and it led me to edit for a living. I don't watch TV, so I have lots of reading time.

01-30-2011, 06:16 PM	#10
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,015 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	To clarify, are some of you guys saying you always finish a book, even ones you don't particularly like, "on principle"? I could never do that ... nor could I limit myself to one book at a time.

01-30-2011, 06:33 PM	#11
Loosheesh Wizard Posts: 1,674 Karma: 3111989 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Jianghu Device: PW1, PW5, iPhone SE 2016, iPhone 13 Pro, iPad Pro 9.7, iPad Pro 2021	I'm a fast reader, and can read more than 5 books a week; last year, while on vacation, I read a 600pg book in one day (I really enjoyed it too ) When I was younger I would force myself to finish a book I didn't like but I no longer do that; I have way too many books I want to read before I die to waste my time on duds. Also, my reading is very mood-driven so I'm always reading more than one book at a time.

01-30-2011, 06:56 PM	#14
Stitchawl Opsimath Posts: 12,344 Karma: 187123287 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand Device: Sony PRS-650, iPhone 5, Kobo Glo, Sony PRS-350, iPad, Samsung Galaxy	I usually have 3 books going at the same time; one thriller/mystery, one science/history, and one philosophy or religion. If I don't care for a book that I've started, I'll skim it quickly for another 20-40 pages to see if I can get interested, but then can it if I still don't like it. I finish the mystery and thrillers in about 3-4 days, the science or history books in about 8-10 days, and the philosophy books will vary between a week to a month depending upon how intense they are. Stitchawl

Advert

Advert

01-30-2011, 07:13 PM	#15
bert501 Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 263126 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Missouri, USA Device: Kindle	I'd like to read every word start to finish but...bad writing/editing, gratuitous sex/violence or stupid plot twists inserted with a really heavy writing hammer make me hit the skim button! Doesn't take much to make me just give up and move on-there are too many good books to suffer through a bad one.