Have you ever had a long period in your adult life when you stopped reading books?

[jackm8]

I had a substantial hiatus in my youth. I was extremely avid reader for the first four or five years of my elementary/highschool (8 year euro system is a bit of a mix of both age wise). I read everything that I got my hands on, at least once. I practically spent all my free time reading, to the point that I was worrying people around me. Then towards the end of highschool, and during the first couple of years of gymnasium equivalent (4 years), I practically completely abandoned books. I don't quite know what caused this. Some light family problems, friends, grades and future worry, pc gaming, I really can't point to anything specific. I even had problems reading novels that were prescribed by classes. I was arrogant and would often leave stuff like Hamlet (read in translation, then) till the last days, and quickly went through the work. I'd misunderstand everything, hated everything, and fail miserably on tests. Then, sometime towards the third year of gymnasium, I discovered fantasy and scifi and it brought me back. Tolkien was the culprit. I had my mum pick me a copy of Lord of the Rings from the library (long story) and I was immediately enchanted. At that time, fantasy literature translations into my native language were severely lacking, so I was forced into reading it in English, and that got me into e-readers as well. My tastes changed, I learned to love Shakespeare, I dismissed fantasy. I no longer read as much as I did in my youth, but I've never gone without books, as well. I still remember fondly the feeling that I got when I rediscovered my passion for reading. It was as if I was sleeping before. My whole mind went from numb to active again.

[twowheels]

I read a ton as a kid, I'd check out two books every day from the library and read one on the way home and through the evening, start the next one and return them the next day -- reading while walking to/from the bus in the halls, on the bus, to/from the bus-stop, etc. My parents hated it and would try to stop me from reading, telling me to live in the "real world".

In university I didn't have time for pleasure reading, I was working full time supporting myself and paying my own way through. A few years later I picked up a Newton Messagepad and started reading Project Gutenberg books on it, followed by a Palm, etc... my reading really went into overdrive when I bought my Kindle 3 (Keyboard), but life got busy and there've been periods of on/off. Currently working at a startup and working far too many hours, so my reading is in a but of a slump these days, but I still carry my Kobo everywhere and do my best, most of my reading being 15 minutes every evening in the hot-tub before bed. I'm looking forward to winter as I find more time to just sit and read.

[ps67]

Ever since I learned to read, at the age of 6, I have never stopped. Of course, there are periods in which I read a lot and periods in which I slow down but never stop. I've never spent a whole week without reading anything, as far as I can remember.

[kevin3289]

As a kid I read every comic book I could lay my hands on, especially the Marvel kind. During high school and some of the following years, I read every Sci-Fi book in the local public library, but then became more interested in other things, leaving it all behind for many years. A few years ago, I read a few e-books, but have been too busy since then. At the end of the day, I find it easier to just sit back and watch a movie.

[applesauce]

I did for about 10 years. I have MS and my vision has been affected. My first Kindle turned my world on its head. I could read again. I adjusted the font style and size, returning me to reading. I now read more than 100 books a year

[RodRiquez]

Yes, I quit reading for a long period.

As a youngster I read a lot.
As soon as I was able, Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton, then from about age 9/10 I discovered fantasy/sci-fi books, Ursula Le Guin, CS Lewis. Rapidly progressing to Tolkien, Arthur C Clarke. I read avidly from then on until age 22.
When I went to university: I stopped reading completely.

There were too many new things to explore like girls, gigs, parties & drugs.
I entered the work world; web design & programming. All my attention was enthusiastically focused on developing those skills, it was very enjoyable & it was a hobby & a job.
I also got into gaming, so playstation was filling spare time.

Fast forward 24 years!

I was really into Table Top Role Playing games before Uni, & had recently begun to play again after a friend had invited me to visit a game shop. It was like re-discovering a lost love. It shifted my mind to think about things I had abandoned.

I had also always wanted to read HP Lovecraft, but had only read a few pages at a friends house a long time back. I got a cheap paperback from Amazon.
BOOM!
I was instantly hooked again. & began voraciously consuming as much as I could.
Gothic novels, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, adventure. Ive read a lot in the last 6 years & often have 2 books on the go.

Having an e-reader has been a very positive help to this, its pleasant & very useful to look up words or references especially with old Gothic novels.

[crossi]

I didn't stop, but I cut way down. I got involved in learning how to make and upload game mods which made learning programming, Gimp for textures, and Blender for 3D modeling a necessity. Took a lot of my time.

[mrscoach]

Not me, but a niece loved reading until high school when the school librarian had the theory of forcing the horses head into the water to make them drink, and the school let her. Liz didn't want to pick up a book for pleasure until she was about 35. That lady turned off hundreds of readers from books.

[Paperbackstash]

Few years as a young adult I cut it out drastically. I now think a lot of it was due to medication I was on and then getting out of the habit from that, but it picked up again later thankfully.

[pypeke]

Great question! I have never stopped reading even if the only time I have is at bedtime. I am a retired teacher, so I have tons of time to read now.

Even though I read on an eReader primarily now, I still have some old favorite paperbacks that I read from time to time, old Scottish cookbooks that use terms like "a handful" or a "coffee cupful" of an ingredient, and my favorite fun novels in hardback copies. (Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, Margaret Atwood's A Handmaid's Tale, Deborah Harkness' Discovery of Witches, Philippa Gregory's "Queen" books, Hunger Games and Divergent series.)

I worry about elementary and middle school children though. They are barely reading anything unless it is a sentence or two on an app or a game. They have not learned to love sitting down quietly with a good book. It can calm the mind, unless it is a Stephen King's novel.

I wonder how parents are getting their kids to read. Harry Potter books helped when they came out, but I am betting those books will soon be banned in some states.

I don't think many adults are reading now. My husband does not read any books at all. He gets "info" off websites which may or not be true. I think the last book I saw him read was The da Vinci Code AFTER the movie came out.

I just don't understand how people can not EVER read books. Books are great for your mental health.

[HLS]

i went 20 years without reading then started up i 2010

[Redsea]

there was a period in my late 20s during a tough job transition and some personal challenges where I barely read anything beyond work emails for about 18 months. It was like my brain was too exhausted to engage with books. Then I picked up a novel on a weekend getaway and suddenly remembered how much I loved reading. Sometimes life just gets in the way, but it doesn't mean you've lost your love for books permanently.