I just skim over this thread so others may have said the same thing. But...
Some people read as a diversion. They don't want "hard to understand" books. They want "the familiar". I like to read those books too.
BUT
Some read books to enrich their understanding of the world and its people.
Some read books focused on the past, lets say about the Sepoy Rebellion.
And, as I saw in a few places, some read books by Terry Pratchett.
I read a lot of the above.
I'll be getting the Sony PRS-600 reader because it has TWO dictionaries in it - US and British.
Some people don't want to interrupt their reading to look up a new word. They will "assume" an understanding based on context.
But using a built in dictionary while reading can hardly be called an interruption.
So
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xanthe
..., is a dictionary really such a critical item?
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If you only read works that don't challenge you? No.