What Makes a Reader

[Dr. Drib]

I remember the exact moment I started to read, and thought I knew what I was reading:

See Dick.
See Jane.
Funny, funny Jane.
Run, Spot, Run!


And when I discovered the actual subtext of what I had been avidly devouring during those early years long long ago, I knew I would have to name my first-born Spot.

[Apache]

I do not remember when I started reading. As far as I can remember I have always read. My mother liked to read. My father only read newspapers. My sister only reads gossip magazines. I had an uncle on my fathers side and my maternal grandfather both read a lot. My father was in the USAF and we lived all over the place, moving every two years. My grandfather lived in Illinois and my uncle lived in Georgia. We all read the same books. When I visited my grandfather we would swap all of the books we had read. Then when I visited my uncle we would also swap.
Apache

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by Apache

I do not remember when I started reading
Apache

Ditto. I know that my single father taught his three kids to read by reading to us and encouraging us to read the books available - mostly a (to a kid) largeish library of a Times of India collection. I hadn't READ Shaw and Shakespeare by the time I started kindergarten, but thanks to the spines and the tables of contents, I knew who they were.

[Paperbackstash]

Good thread following the other one on Harry Potter/classic.

I agree with you I think it's an inborn trait -some can learn it, but some naturally navigate toward it.

As I mentioned in another post in the other thread, I'm the only one in my family who likes reading. My parents read to me as a kid but never read and don't like it, my brother doesn't like to read, and my son doesn't -- but I've been fascinated by books and reading since about the age of 2.

Fortunately I found several friends who are readers and we have a fun book club going on once a month

[leebase]

In in the "you are born with it" side of the isle. Of course, a child has to be given the opportunity to learn to read and then have access to books to read. But - becoming a life long reader? I think it's no different than any other type of passion.

And, of course, I'm particularly speaking of "reading books you don't have too". Not basic literacy. Reading for work, reading social media, reading the internet, reading road signs...none of that are what I'm speaking of.

My gateway drug was the Weekly Reader. I LOVED getting the weekly reader and having my father give me a couple dollars to buy a book. The Witches Buttons, A Wrinkle in Time still stand out in my mind as books I loved that I got from the Weekly Reader.

SRA's - someone mentioned. I loved racing with my friends to see who could get to the highest level first. We all finished the whole set.

Somehow I got my hand on Westerns in paperback format. I used to read a lot of westerns until I discovered science fiction.

I read all the time. My step mom would chase me out of the house...but I'd just take my book with me.

[hobnail]

Maybe readers are more prone to flights of fancy, to use a phrase. In other words, we enjoy being taken to another place, another time, that's been created by someone's imagination. The non-readers may be more grounded and prefer the here and now.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by hobnail

Maybe readers are more prone to flights of fancy, to use a phrase. In other words, we enjoy being taken to another place, another time, that's been created by someone's imagination. The non-readers may be more grounded and prefer the here and now.

But they usually watch movies. That's also being taken to another place. I think it's more likely they're not able to imagine another place by mere words. And so reading does nothing for them. Of course that's only speculation, as I cannot imagine not being interested in reading.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

Cereal boxes, milk cartons, shampoo bottles, toothpaste, anything with a label. It was a compulsion. I had to. Even with always having my cell phone with me, I still keep a book in my car. Right now it's Jane Eyre.

That was me, too. If it was near me and had text, I read it.

[hobnail]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

But they usually watch movies. That's also being taken to another place. I think it's more likely they're not able to imagine another place by mere words. And so reading does nothing for them. Of course that's only speculation, as I cannot imagine not being interested in reading.

Exactly; excellent point.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by hobnail

Maybe readers are more prone to flights of fancy, to use a phrase. In other words, we enjoy being taken to another place, another time, that's been created by someone's imagination. The non-readers may be more grounded and prefer the here and now.

Or it might be just the opposite. I am a very grounded, practical person, and my favorite books to read are paranormal romances. I love being taken to someplace that I'll never go to.

[barryem]

I was born before there was TV and I remember listening to the Saturday morning kids radio shows. A few of them had stories and they were what pulled me into them. I knew I loved stories before I learned to read and when I did learn to read I found a new way to enjoy stories.

That's always been what reading is all about for me. I want stories.

I still listen to old time radio shows (OTR) and my favorites are anthology series. That's true of early TV as well. There were a lot of anthology series on early TV and radio. They make up a big part of my collection and I listen to them more than to most shows. I approach reading in kind of the same way. I want every book to be a complete story that stands alone. If I have to read a series in order or read a second book to get the full story I'm not interested. Books are my favorite anthologies.

Barry

[Quoth]

Before 1935 electronic TV barryem?
Or before 1924 start of Mechanical TV after hours using broadcast transmitters.
USA had TV during WWII, but in UK it was turned off in September 1939.
My dad was born before Electronic TV, but didn't have a TV at home till about 1958.

BBC R4 still has some dramatised books on Radio as well as narrated books. Audio books have the biggest growth at over 20%.

I do think titles in a Series should be complete stories or else it's really a serial.

[hobnail]

Maybe barryem means before color tv. I remember being in 1st grade or whatever and we made a "field trip" to someone's house that had a color TV to watch a debate between Nixon and JFK. Thinking back I don't doubt that the teacher just wanted to see a color tv. Prior to that I remember whenever I was at my grandparent's house that they always watched Lawrence Welk; "A one and a two ...", lord I hated that show. Ah, memories.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Before 1935 electronic TV barryem?
Or before 1924 start of Mechanical TV after hours using broadcast transmitters.
USA had TV during WWII, but in UK it was turned off in September 1939.

I believe barryem is 79, which means he was born in 1940 or 1941. Commercial tv didn’t start in the US until July 1, 1941, and even then it was just in New York. So I take him at his word and don’t see the point of playing gotcha.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

Or it might be just the opposite. I am a very grounded, practical person, and my favorite books to read are paranormal romances. I love being taken to someplace that I'll never go to.

Science fiction and fantasy books can take you away from home and even away from Earth. You can go to other dimensions, other planets, other galaxies, other time (past and/or present), etc.