10-01-2012, 06:37 AM | #1 |
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As We Grow Older, We Tend to Read Less.
Hi,
I was never an active member of any forums, and frankly I started off joining this forum to promote my writing. However, once I begin browsing through the threads, I start to want to participate, largely because I am still the same bookworm underneath. Which brings me to the realization: As We Grow Older, We Tend to Read Less. I'm sure it doesn't just apply to me. When I was a kid, or even as a teenager, reading fiction seemed to be my full-time job, and my schoolwork part-time. Now reading fiction has been delegated to the sidelines, so that I haven't read fiction in months. By now the only time I have for reading is right before bed, and I'm now stuck with a non-fiction book (Guns, Germs and Steel) that I'm determined to finish (gave up on it halfway through the first time I read it). And it's a real shame, because fiction is a really important part of my life. What about you? Do you feel the same too - now that you're a full-fledged adult and everything in life needs your attention, reading fiction has become increasingly difficult? |
10-01-2012, 08:41 AM | #2 |
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There are definitely more distractions now then when I was younger but if I find a book that totally catches my interest then I read at every opportunity until it is finished. Staying up later than I should to finish "just one more chapter" and resenting having to go to work because I would rather be reading.
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10-01-2012, 09:07 AM | #3 |
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Mi mother, who has just turned 81, wouldn't agree with you
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10-01-2012, 09:29 AM | #4 |
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Well, I would say that as we grow up, we have more and more things that *have* to be done before we can sit down with a good book.
As a lad I was able to read a book a day. I used to frequent 6 different libraries at the same time. I expect that when I retire I will be able to get back to my reading habits from childhood. The situation *is* different than it was in my youth, though. Nowadays we have Internet and forums like this one (I could be reading a book instead of writing this post ;-)), we have a dozen Discovery (and National Geographic, Viasat explorer ...) channels available on our satelite receiver, instead of two black-and white watered-down TV channels of my youth .... Great book. Do try to finish it - well worth the read, if you like that kind of stuff. |
10-01-2012, 09:29 AM | #5 | |
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I read as much as when I was 15, but, I tend to read more non-fiction then fiction, I was a 90percent fiction reader back in the day, but as I get older and as history and non-fiction writing have improved in general, I find a lot of non-fiction to be as bizarre, intriguing and interesting as fiction. That said, I still love fiction and the escape as well as the depth you can get from it.
Too bad many people tend to stop learning as they get older..... too much idiot box and not enough reading/learning new things.... Quote:
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10-01-2012, 01:05 PM | #6 |
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I'm sorry, but I missed everything after the first two sentences. What's going on here?
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10-01-2012, 01:08 PM | #7 |
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I don't know, not enough pictures in this thread...
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10-01-2012, 04:35 PM | #8 |
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When life is too busy....
When young I also read fiction a lot. Sometimes staying up most of the night and then still going to school. Then marriage/family happened and I became too busy. I was lucky to squeeze in half an hour of reading. Now with the family grown and myself retired, I seldom watch TV. I read for enjoyment. If I don't like the book I quit reading it! Life is too short.
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10-02-2012, 11:01 AM | #9 | |
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Quote:
Thanks for the advice/motivation though. |
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10-02-2012, 04:52 PM | #10 |
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I have to disagree with the OP. I am reading more than ever these days (approaching 60). Probably getting through 2 books every week (as well as writing my own).
I'm sure I read less for a few years whilst bringing up my son, but other than that I've been a pretty constant reader. |
10-02-2012, 06:15 PM | #11 |
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Once you hit 65 you'll find you have more time to read...
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10-02-2012, 06:49 PM | #12 |
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I have been reading more and more after leaving school years ago. I read more because now I can choose to read what I want to read, not because the school curriculum requires me to do so.
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10-02-2012, 08:15 PM | #13 |
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When younger, I read, and I watched TV. Now I somehow don't have the patience for TV.
Once in a while my wife and I go to the movies. Since I don't want to walk out after paying (not to mention the company), I'll sit through them. If rottentomatoes.com gives it 95 percent or so, it's probably OK. Last week we went to an almost empty theater to see a movie that a mere 84 percent of critics liked, and we both found it horrible. When it was too late, I read Rex Reed's review, and he said that, despite all the other positive reviews, the plot made no sense, and, at film festivals, people were walking out. The King's Speech (tomatometer 94 percent) was good, but I like books Last edited by SteveEisenberg; 10-02-2012 at 08:27 PM. |
10-02-2012, 09:31 PM | #14 |
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I read constantly in my teens and 20s. My reading declined in my 30s due largely to my workload and schedule. It bottomed out in my 40s and 50s when I was a stay-at-home dad, and very busy with kids, homework, after school activities, etc.
But my son left for college last year and my reading picked up a bit; my daughter left for college a couple of months ago and my reading really picked up. Now that I've made the transition from stay-at-home dad to merely unemployed I finally have time to read all those books I put off -- and then some! Maybe, if your reading has declined as you've aged, you just haven't lived long enough yet. |
10-03-2012, 11:06 AM | #15 |
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I grew up an only child with lots of time for reading. Then I grew up and married a man who was not a reader. While I made sure to continue to make time to read, because I was busy setting up my own house and discovering new hobbies and interests, I was reading fewer books.
However, I'm still getting older and I'm definitely reading more fiction now, compared to when I married and set up my own house. As my kids get older and we buy them books, I find that I'm reading even more just to keep up with not only my intestests but also with their interests so that I can get ideas for what books to get them next. I think it is less that reading declines as we get older and more that it is cyclical, depending on where we are in our lives and what is currently most important to us at that time. |
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