Forgetting how to read - Page 2

Thasaidon · 02-19-2018, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by June

I have experienced this, and it was awful: while I was on chemo, it was basically impossible to concentrate on a book. I managed to read some short stories, but it was a struggle. Focus was only for a few minutes max. So a whole year wasted while I “could have read” it was a very strange experience - I am normally always reading, the back of a milk carton of nothing else is handy.

I feel for you. I was on chemo a few years ago and had the same problem.

Katsunami · 02-19-2018, 12:53 PM

I don't know if it is something similar to this, but the last few years, I'm experiencing the "I want something else" problem. This is since I have a larg(ish) gaming library (GOG.com sales) and e-book library (Kobo Coupons). It doesn't matter what game I'm playing, or what book I'm reading, I often feel as if I want to play or read "something else." In the past, this was not the case, because my TBRead or TBPlayed 'pile' was only one book or game high. Now I have 800 TBR books, and 20 or so TBP/R (to be played/replayed) games.

Therefore I come to the conclusion that having a large choice of books or games at your immediate disposal is not good for your (my) concetration. It creates the feeling of having a lot to do.

Spoiler:

Sometimes I wish I hadn't built up my e-book library to include a thousand+ books (and 60 huge Delphi Classics), but then I remember that these e-books are MUCH more future proof than games. I'm sure there will be EPUB2 readers LONG into the future, or else, a way to convert into a newer/other format. Games can fail anytime a new operating system (or even, an update to an existing one) is released.

HLS · 02-19-2018, 09:14 PM

I find that if I go to a library I can read longer with less pauses. I love my library we have a coffee bar inside the library and a Yogertini and a Chipolte like 200 feet away. Anyone here in Kansas City go to the Country Club Plaza Branch

Also If I go to a park when the weather is nice I can read more. We have a park with benches a few feet from a lake and I can read and play with the ducks

Tarana · 02-20-2018, 12:45 AM

I think it is like Ekbell says - people have much shorter attention spans. To stay focused on a book is probably difficult for many today. I have attention span problems only because of health issues, but I can still sit down and read 100 pages in an evening doing nothing else but making space for the cats to all sleep in their places on me.

Tarana · 02-20-2018, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thasaidon

I feel for you. I was on chemo a few years ago and had the same problem.

Same problem with anesthesia. Takes me about 6 weeks after surgery to be able to get my brain together. So, I've learned to just reread or relisten to a book rather than start a new one. (haven't needed the chemo yet - crossed fingers).

Thasaidon · 02-20-2018, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarana

Same problem with anesthesia. Takes me about 6 weeks after surgery to be able to get my brain together. So, I've learned to just reread or relisten to a book rather than start a new one. (haven't needed the chemo yet - crossed fingers).

I hope you are fortunate and it turns out you do not need it.

I was fortunate the side effects from my chemo were quite mild. I just felt lethargic and sleepy and did not even feel like reading or working on the PC.

Richwood · 02-21-2018, 07:38 PM

I noted the same thing during my father's chemotherapy for the cancer that ended up killing him, as did he. He said that he would find himself reading the same page repeatedly, unable to retain the information read. Actual paper book, magazine and newspaper reading as almost 25 years since his death so no Kindles, Kobos or tablets available.

HLS · 02-23-2018, 11:10 PM

I am doing better. It once took me months to read 1 book now I can read 1-2 books a month if they are normal length

Vmurph · 02-24-2018, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by latepaul

Second is that sense of "losing yourself" in the world of the book rarely happens any more.

THIS! The saddest effect that aging has on reading, is the depth of emersion diminishes as we age. And suspension of belief becomes more difficult as our sense of logic increases, contaminating our once magical sense of imagination.

Quote:

On their own they are worse for me. I can 'hear' the book but be thinking about something else and then either have to rewind or I miss stuff. But I get frustrated if I am rewinding a lot.

And this. Audiobooks seem to bring out the ADD in me.

Thasaidon · 02-24-2018, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vmurph

THIS! The saddest effect that aging has on reading, is the depth of emersion diminishes as we age. And suspension of belief becomes more difficult as our sense of logic increases, contaminating our once magical sense of imagination.

I do not find my depth of immersion has diminished with age but that some/many new books no longer engage my interest. When I was a lot younger I would have persevered with them but now I abandon them and start another book.

This does not apply to books I have read in the past and am rereading.

I often do not know why why such books fail to engage my interest as they can be by good authors and well written. It may be a "Dr Fell" issue.

Does anyone else find this?

kyteflyer · 02-24-2018, 07:53 AM

I find that I can no longer read printed books. My eyes glaze over and my wrists ache, it just doesnt work for me anymore. I find I am spending more time on the computer (or ipad in my case) than I should, so I am only reading before I go to sleep. Right now, its 11.45pm here, and I'm on my way to bed. I'll read a page or two on my iPhone (and thats not "proper" pages, its phone pages) and then I will be asleep. Thank goodness it switches off after a few minutes of inactivity. I'm not sure if thats because of exhaustion or loss of focus...

BookCat · 02-24-2018, 12:33 PM

kyteflyer: I have the same problem; I can no longer read pbooks. I think this is because the font size isn't adjustable and I can vary the brightness of my Paperwhite's screen.

Quote:

I do not find my depth of immersion has diminished with age but that some/many new books no longer engage my interest. When I was a lot younger I would have persevered with them but now I abandon them and start another book.

I have this problem. It may be caused by knowing that I have lots of other ebooks waiting to be read: why waste time with ones that don't "grab" me?

DuckieTigger · 02-24-2018, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

kyteflyer: I have the same problem; I can no longer read pbooks. I think this is because the font size isn't adjustable and I can vary the brightness of my Paperwhite's screen.

Yes, this is probably it. I also do not like the font(s) itself (not just the size) of pbooks. And the weight, and the difficulty turning pages as compared to ereaders. And the paper itself (becomes dirty with use).

Quote:

I have this problem. It may be caused by knowing that I have lots of other ebooks waiting to be read: why waste time with ones that don't "grab" me?

I noticed as well that I am much more willing to give up on a book I did not pay for (as much). Sometimes I force myself to give the book a fair chance and at least try the first few chapters.

Thasaidon · 02-24-2018, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Yes, this is probably it. I also do not like the font(s) itself (not just the size) of pbooks. And the weight, and the difficulty turning pages as compared to ereaders. And the paper itself (becomes dirty with use).

The pages becoming grubby does not bother me much but I find the greater contrast between the text and page makes reading on an eReader much easier.

Richwood · 02-28-2018, 11:54 AM

From the article it is not a matter of forgetting how to read, it is more the inability to concentrate on a book or article for a considerable period of time. As an author the article writer has not lost his ability to concentrate on one task completely or he could not have written the article. I am an avid reader so have not lost that ability yet.

02-19-2018, 12:53 PM	#17
Katsunami Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,111 Karma: 34000001 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: KPW1, KA1	I don't know if it is something similar to this, but the last few years, I'm experiencing the "I want something else" problem. This is since I have a larg(ish) gaming library (GOG.com sales) and e-book library (Kobo Coupons). It doesn't matter what game I'm playing, or what book I'm reading, I often feel as if I want to play or read "something else." In the past, this was not the case, because my TBRead or TBPlayed 'pile' was only one book or game high. Now I have 800 TBR books, and 20 or so TBP/R (to be played/replayed) games. Therefore I come to the conclusion that having a large choice of books or games at your immediate disposal is not good for your (my) concetration. It creates the feeling of having a lot to do. Spoiler: I actually went as far as to ask GOG to -DELETE- a huge amount of my games in my library. Those were all games in the category of "I remember having seen this one with good reviews in 1998-2006, but I never played it, and I should someday." I only kept my absolute favorites and (if applicable) sequels to those. Then I resolved to start at the beginning, and play each of the older games only once more before shelving them forever. Yes, I lost around €50 doing that, but that doesn't matter; I still saved LOADS of money by getting my (newer) games at GOG.com a year or two after release as compared to buying them boxed on release date. Also, they don't have DRM. This means that, as long as I have a computer that can run them, they will work. Sometimes I wish I hadn't built up my e-book library to include a thousand+ books (and 60 huge Delphi Classics), but then I remember that these e-books are MUCH more future proof than games. I'm sure there will be EPUB2 readers LONG into the future, or else, a way to convert into a newer/other format. Games can fail anytime a new operating system (or even, an update to an existing one) is released. Last edited by Katsunami; 02-19-2018 at 01:01 PM.

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02-19-2018, 09:14 PM	#18
HLS Wizard Posts: 2,027 Karma: 15107670 Join Date: May 2017 Device: Sage, Scribe, Boox Note 2 Plus, iPad Pros and Samsungs S6,S7,S8	I find that if I go to a library I can read longer with less pauses. I love my library we have a coffee bar inside the library and a Yogertini and a Chipolte like 200 feet away. Anyone here in Kansas City go to the Country Club Plaza Branch Also If I go to a park when the weather is nice I can read more. We have a park with benches a few feet from a lake and I can read and play with the ducks

02-20-2018, 12:45 AM	#19
Tarana Wizard Posts: 3,977 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	I think it is like Ekbell says - people have much shorter attention spans. To stay focused on a book is probably difficult for many today. I have attention span problems only because of health issues, but I can still sit down and read 100 pages in an evening doing nothing else but making space for the cats to all sleep in their places on me.

02-21-2018, 07:38 PM	#22
Richwood Astronomy Nut Posts: 519 Karma: 3700000 Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Reno, NV Device: Kindle (All), Kobo (Multiple), Sony (most) and Nook Glowlight Plus	I noted the same thing during my father's chemotherapy for the cancer that ended up killing him, as did he. He said that he would find himself reading the same page repeatedly, unable to retain the information read. Actual paper book, magazine and newspaper reading as almost 25 years since his death so no Kindles, Kobos or tablets available.

02-23-2018, 11:10 PM	#23
HLS Wizard Posts: 2,027 Karma: 15107670 Join Date: May 2017 Device: Sage, Scribe, Boox Note 2 Plus, iPad Pros and Samsungs S6,S7,S8	I am doing better. It once took me months to read 1 book now I can read 1-2 books a month if they are normal length

02-24-2018, 07:53 AM	#26
kyteflyer Wizard Posts: 1,841 Karma: 9547754 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Newcastle, Australia Device: iPhone SE2020	I find that I can no longer read printed books. My eyes glaze over and my wrists ache, it just doesnt work for me anymore. I find I am spending more time on the computer (or ipad in my case) than I should, so I am only reading before I go to sleep. Right now, its 11.45pm here, and I'm on my way to bed. I'll read a page or two on my iPhone (and thats not "proper" pages, its phone pages) and then I will be asleep. Thank goodness it switches off after a few minutes of inactivity. I'm not sure if thats because of exhaustion or loss of focus...

02-28-2018, 11:54 AM	#30
Richwood Astronomy Nut Posts: 519 Karma: 3700000 Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Reno, NV Device: Kindle (All), Kobo (Multiple), Sony (most) and Nook Glowlight Plus	From the article it is not a matter of forgetting how to read, it is more the inability to concentrate on a book or article for a considerable period of time. As an author the article writer has not lost his ability to concentrate on one task completely or he could not have written the article. I am an avid reader so have not lost that ability yet.

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