Ebook fans who read slowly - Page 3

kwjones · 03-15-2009, 05:25 PM

For me it boils down to a few different factors.

1. Amount of free time. I usually only get to read when I'm on the train commuting back and forth to work, an hour and a half each way. I don't read as much on the morning commute as I used to. Since my first child was born, at 5:00am I'm usually a zombie. I just can't stay awake long enough to read anything until I get to work and have some coffee. The afternoon ride home, I read the entire time. This is my time to forget everything at work that ticked me off and gives me enough time to unwind and prepare for everything I need to do once I get home. At home there are too many distractions, too much stuff to do and I just don't have enough time to sit down and read except early morning on the weekends, and that's usually only during the summer. 6am on the front porch with a book and a cup of coffee as the sun comes up is pretty nice.

2. Content. While it only take me a few days to read a Tarzan novel, it has taken me months to even get half way through The Federalist Papers. Being able to comprehend what your are reading takes different amounts of energy and time depending on content.

3. Ease of reading. Let's face it, some books aren't at the same level when it comes to reading. Dean Koontz, which I considered to be the literary version of crack cocaine at one time, is much easier to read than, let's say...Jules Verne. The styles are totally different and Koontz doesn't use as many "big words".

4. Style. Different authors have different styles to their writing. If it's a book that I'm really into, it stops being a book and unfolds as a movie in my mind. These are usually the books that I have read more than one time. I'm not a big Stephen King fan. It takes me a lot longer to slug through one of his books than it does for other authors.

Elsi · 03-15-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curly

I am also a fast reader especially I am reading fiction. I become totally engrossed in the book I am reading and I am oblivious to what is going on around me. When I read, I have an image of the story running in my mind's eye, like a film. Sometimes I am not really even aware of reading the words on the page.

Well said! I often talk about reading being more like watching my own movie on the back of my eyelids. My family accuses me of ignoring them when I'm reading, but it's just that I learned to tune out all distractions when reading.

aliencane · 03-15-2009, 05:27 PM

I'm a two speed reader also. I exercise and walk the dog a total of 15 hours a week. That time is spent on audio books. Other times are split between paper books and the Sony Reader. I finish about 12 books a month. Before retirement, most of my reading was technical material and I only managed about one book a month for pleasure. So, now I'm catching up on all the books I wish I had read when I was much younger.

Sydney's Mom · 03-15-2009, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renaldo

That is my wife right there. Not with the Harlequins, but the speed and recollection. It used to drive me crazy. I'm not one of those people that can recall quotes from books, but I still do remember books I read as a kid. She will read a book and be able to talk about it for a day, then that's that. It's completely left her memory it seems.

My daughter is already talking about her memory being full, and needing to delete files (she is only 11 - just wait until she hits 45!). I guess your wife and I are just not writing things to memory that we realize we will never need again.

Renaldo · 03-15-2009, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

My daughter is already talking about her memory being full, and needing to delete files (she is only 11 - just wait until she hits 45!). I guess your wife and I are just not writing things to memory that we realize we will never need again.

Yep, and I think that you've hit it right on the head there. If there's no need to keep the knowledge, you're processing it right back out again. My mom had a friend who was the exact same with mystery books. She would come and visit us in Portland, OR a few times a year. On at least one day of the visit I'd have to accompany her on a trip (pilgrimage) to Powell's Books so that I could carry her books for her, which would be 3-4 large paper grocery sacks full of used paperbacks.

Boston · 03-15-2009, 10:05 PM

I often buy books and its not until I'm 1/3 of the way into it realized that I've already read the book

And when reading for pleasure, if I totally dislike a book 1/4 way through, I have no problems dropping it. Life is too short

Justy · 03-15-2009, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boston

I often buy books and its not until I'm 1/3 of the way into it realized that I've already read the book

Same! I was soooo thrilled when I realized that Fictionwise kept track of what was in my 'bookshelf.' I can't count the number of times I've gone looking for a new book, found one that looked interesting and I didn't remember reading, then I see the big message "You already own this eBook, you can download it from your bookshelf." That feature has saved me soooo much $!!!

montsnmags · 03-15-2009, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

...
So am I a strange creature when it comes to reading? Is there anyone else out there who really loves to read, but who reads for pleasure in a more leisurely fashion, finishing only a handful of books each year? Tell me I'm not alone in the snail's pace!

People used to think I was a fast reader, because of the volume of books I went through, but it was just a side-effect of reading so often, rather than quick. Going from what people have posted for their "results" in a speed-reading thread that was around here somewhere, I am down at the low end of reading speed. For some books I slow myself down even more, looking up at least a word on each page out of a desire for certainty of the author's meaning (for instance, sometimes I might "know" the meaning of a word, but looking up the actual meaning adds other tinges of meaning that might explain why the author chose a particular word). This explains why dictionary lookup in an ebook device was a necessity for me.

I've no desire to speed up. For my own mind, travelling at my leisure is a pleasure I try hard to avail myself of, with varying degrees of success.

Cheers,
Marc

DixieGal · 03-15-2009, 10:31 PM

I real very very slowly. My signature line changes every time I start a new book... which can be nearly monthly! I blame it on two things:

1. Studying lit (especially poetry) un-taught me to read fast because I had to find all of the nuances of the material.

2. At this point, every 3 pages, I fall asleep.

pilotbob · 03-15-2009, 10:33 PM

I wonder how many people think they are "fast readers" really are. I think we all think we are smart, well read, fast readers, good drivers, good looking, etc.

That does not mean it is so. Also, there is reading speed and comprehension. I can "read" all the words really fast and not have any idea what I am reading.

Anyway, I am satisfied with how fast I read. I don't think I read fast or slow, just average. But, I have no idea to know.

BOb

Boston · 03-15-2009, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I think we all think we are smart, well read, fast readers, good drivers, good looking, etc.

Are you saying we're not

pilotbob · 03-15-2009, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boston

Are you saying we're not

I didn't say that at all. I'm just saying... what are you comparing to when you say you are a "fast" reader. Also, these things are very hard to test.

But, I do think that most people have a very high opinion of themselves whether it is warranted or not.

BOb

Alisa · 03-15-2009, 11:20 PM

Some folks here read a book a day! Maybe I can do that when I retire but that's a fair ways off still. I do occasionally read books in one sitting but it does mean sacrificing sleep. Typically I read 1-2 books a week depending on the length, the density, and what's going on in my life. My husband easily reads twice that. The books he reads do tend to be more plot driven, though, and he was trained to speed read in school. He's said he thinks that I often get nuances he misses on the occasions where we do read the same book. I envy people who can read as fast as he does and absorb everything. I always have more books on my wish list than I can ever get through. Personally, I really enjoy the rhythm of words and hear them in my head which does tend to slow me down. I also go back and reread passages here and there.

mtravellerh · 03-16-2009, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alisa

Some folks here read a book a day! Maybe I can do that when I retire but that's a fair ways off still. I do occasionally read books in one sitting but it does mean sacrificing sleep. Typically I read 1-2 books a week depending on the length, the density, and what's going on in my life. My husband easily reads twice that. The books he reads do tend to be more plot driven, though, and he was trained to speed read in school. He's said he thinks that I often get nuances he misses on the occasions where we do read the same book. I envy people who can read as fast as he does and absorb everything. I always have more books on my wish list than I can ever get through. Personally, I really enjoy the rhythm of words and hear them in my head which does tend to slow me down. I also go back and reread passages here and there.

I am a pretty fast reader (about 100 average sized pages per hour), but I think the secret for reading a lot is much more simple: Cut back on the TV consumption. I have been cutting my TV time to daily news and the occasional movie I am specifically interested in, Result: It takes me only about two to three days to finish an average sized book.

fugazied · 03-16-2009, 12:33 AM

When I am 'engrossed' in a book I usually blitz through it very quickly, mainly due to a desire to find out what happens next..

But if I re-read something, sometimes I will take may time and savour the writing a bit more. Enjoying each turn of phrase and the writer's style.

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03-15-2009, 05:25 PM	#31
kwjones Groupie Posts: 178 Karma: 1546 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Rising Sun, MD Device: Sony PRS-505; Motorola Droid	For me it boils down to a few different factors. 1. Amount of free time. I usually only get to read when I'm on the train commuting back and forth to work, an hour and a half each way. I don't read as much on the morning commute as I used to. Since my first child was born, at 5:00am I'm usually a zombie. I just can't stay awake long enough to read anything until I get to work and have some coffee. The afternoon ride home, I read the entire time. This is my time to forget everything at work that ticked me off and gives me enough time to unwind and prepare for everything I need to do once I get home. At home there are too many distractions, too much stuff to do and I just don't have enough time to sit down and read except early morning on the weekends, and that's usually only during the summer. 6am on the front porch with a book and a cup of coffee as the sun comes up is pretty nice. 2. Content. While it only take me a few days to read a Tarzan novel, it has taken me months to even get half way through The Federalist Papers. Being able to comprehend what your are reading takes different amounts of energy and time depending on content. 3. Ease of reading. Let's face it, some books aren't at the same level when it comes to reading. Dean Koontz, which I considered to be the literary version of crack cocaine at one time, is much easier to read than, let's say...Jules Verne. The styles are totally different and Koontz doesn't use as many "big words". 4. Style. Different authors have different styles to their writing. If it's a book that I'm really into, it stops being a book and unfolds as a movie in my mind. These are usually the books that I have read more than one time. I'm not a big Stephen King fan. It takes me a lot longer to slug through one of his books than it does for other authors.

03-15-2009, 05:27 PM	#33
aliencane Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 52 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Device: Sony 505, iPad	I'm a two speed reader also. I exercise and walk the dog a total of 15 hours a week. That time is spent on audio books. Other times are split between paper books and the Sony Reader. I finish about 12 books a month. Before retirement, most of my reading was technical material and I only managed about one book a month for pleasure. So, now I'm catching up on all the books I wish I had read when I was much younger.

03-15-2009, 10:05 PM	#36
Boston Fanatic Posts: 555 Karma: 40032 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Boston :) Device: Kindle, Kobo Aura H20, Pixel XL	I often buy books and its not until I'm 1/3 of the way into it realized that I've already read the book And when reading for pleasure, if I totally dislike a book 1/4 way through, I have no problems dropping it. Life is too short

03-15-2009, 10:31 PM	#39
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I real very very slowly. My signature line changes every time I start a new book... which can be nearly monthly! I blame it on two things: 1. Studying lit (especially poetry) un-taught me to read fast because I had to find all of the nuances of the material. 2. At this point, every 3 pages, I fall asleep.

03-15-2009, 10:33 PM	#40
pilotbob Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,832 Karma: 11844413 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tampa, FL USA Device: Kindle Touch	I wonder how many people think they are "fast readers" really are. I think we all think we are smart, well read, fast readers, good drivers, good looking, etc. That does not mean it is so. Also, there is reading speed and comprehension. I can "read" all the words really fast and not have any idea what I am reading. Anyway, I am satisfied with how fast I read. I don't think I read fast or slow, just average. But, I have no idea to know. BOb

03-15-2009, 11:20 PM	#43
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	Some folks here read a book a day! Maybe I can do that when I retire but that's a fair ways off still. I do occasionally read books in one sitting but it does mean sacrificing sleep. Typically I read 1-2 books a week depending on the length, the density, and what's going on in my life. My husband easily reads twice that. The books he reads do tend to be more plot driven, though, and he was trained to speed read in school. He's said he thinks that I often get nuances he misses on the occasions where we do read the same book. I envy people who can read as fast as he does and absorb everything. I always have more books on my wish list than I can ever get through. Personally, I really enjoy the rhythm of words and hear them in my head which does tend to slow me down. I also go back and reread passages here and there.

03-16-2009, 12:33 AM	#45
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	When I am 'engrossed' in a book I usually blitz through it very quickly, mainly due to a desire to find out what happens next.. But if I re-read something, sometimes I will take may time and savour the writing a bit more. Enjoying each turn of phrase and the writer's style.

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