*depressed sigh*

[conuly]

I really feel bad. And this is embarassing, because I'm going to sound arrogant.

How on earth can people feel proud of only reading a book a week, or less, even? I can read a book just going to class, and another coming home. It's a sad week when I don't manage to read even one book. High school, I would take out six books from the library at once, return all six within two days. That's not counting the books they gave me, and the ones I read while in the library during lunch. Is it normal to read so little? Is it that people read slowly, or that they have other things to do? I don't get it.

I feel weird now. Like the freak here.

Well, I did tell you not to click. Don't blame me.

Comments

[the-turtle-girl.livejournal.com]

I just frikkin envy you! I wish I had time to read that much.

Of course, if I would get off of LJ I would have more. Hehehe.

[conuly]

*headshake* That's what I don't get. It doesn't take any time. My commute is an hour and a half long. I don't read on the bus (ten or fifteen minutes), I don't read in the train station (five minutes), I don't read while walking (another five minutes), I don't read on the last few train stops (six minutes). So it only takes an hour per book. Maybe. An hour is no time. And another hour coming back, another book. Time before class? In a few days, that fills a third book.

[sailoreagle.livejournal.com]

I have no idea and no answer to your question - I can only say, you're not the only one who does that. I'm a voracious reader, as well, and (before I ran out of books I'd not read in the library - yes, I read faster than my local library gets books in) I used to check out... something like 3x or 4x the amount of books that was, in theory, allowed (the librarian knew me). And returned them early. And even now that I have other things to do, I read at least two or three books per week.

If you're a freak, there's a pair of us.

[conuly]

Don't tell. They'd banish us, you know.

[emmyceru.livejournal.com]

If I could, I would read a book or more a day. The fact of the matter is, I don't have time. So I try for a book a week. But most people I know barely read at all.

[conuly]

How much time does it take, though? *is torn between curious and puzzled*

[mhari.livejournal.com]

Oh, definitely not just you. My problem in doing that "read 50 books in a year" thing was in keeping track. ;)

Of course, I really am a freak. I read whenever I'm not doing anything else, and sometimes when I am. o_O

[conuly]

Hey, there's nothing wrong with reading on the toilet.

[feathered.livejournal.com]

Well, you probably are a freak, but at least it's in a nice sort of way.

I'm the same way, though it does take me longer to finish longer books. I'm not entirely sure of the time scale that you give because you don't say what sorts of books you usually read on the commute. There's quite a difference between, say, Tolstoy and Tamora Pierce.

But no matter the books, I think that the overwhelming majority of people don't read much more than reading slowly. My little brother reads about a book a week, but he would rather watch TV than read, so he only ends up doing it sometimes. And, of course, you probably do read quicker than most...

Umm. I'm too spacy to be making comments today. I paused for a moment to listen to the music and totally forgot what I was going to say.

[conuly]

Hm. How about Shade's Children? Bigger than most TP, much smaller than War and Peace.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

Is it normal to read so little? Is it that people read slowly, or that they have other things to do? I don't get it.

Or maybe they just don't derive pleasure from reading (or perhaps from reading books.) It takes all sorts.

I read voraciously from early childhood, but once I hit upper-school and started reading books I didn't like because I had to, my reading habits changed drastically. These days the number of books I get through fluctuates. If I spent less time online, no doubt I'd read more. Currently I'm on a downswing because in November my schedule was crazy and reading before I went to bed would take away sleep I couldn't afford to lose. (Reading on the commute was not an option due to travelsickness. And back in England I always walk everywhere, so reading is out for that too.)

[conuly]

And back in England I always walk everywhere, so reading is out for that too.

Nonsense. What an unhealthy attitude! *I* do not read while walking (usually) because *I* read too much as it is. You're not so unfortunate, and can do as you please.

[rpeate.livejournal.com]

It's just a question of priorities. I completed one book in 2004. I started many, but I only completed one. I lose interest quickly. Plus, I was planning a wedding and honeymoon and writing a play. Photography and LJ do take up a good deal of my time. I like it that way. Reading is good to a certain age, then one must start living or remain stuck in a previous stage. There is always time to read, in moderation, but Life takes over.

[codeman38.livejournal.com]

I'm the same way... I'll start books quite frequently, but my attention wanders and I'm lucky to ever finish them!

[moggymania.livejournal.com]

In my case, it's lack of time... I have perhaps an hour each day where I'm not actively doing something that needs to be done, aside from time I spend online reading/writing. I'm a moderately fast reader: I don't speed-read (that would be incompatible with being able to imagine things in detail as I'm reading them) but I also read quite a bit faster than most people do, provided it's a writing style I can read at all (which is another difficulty altogether).

How quickly I read a book depends primarily on what type it is. Some books I can go through in ~3 hours, others take me 10+ and some I never manage to finish at all.

[stejcruetekie.livejournal.com]

Ok, not to harp on you, but you obviously don't have a good grasp of what it's like for the vast majority of "normal people."

1. Yes, people do read slowly. Apparently, many magnitudes slower than you. What kind of book can you read in an hour? I sure don't know of many aside from short stories. A novel takes me 8-10 hours. A theological book of the same size can take twice as long, since it needs digesting. Ditto for a text book, or really anything other than fiction relaxation reading.

2. Not everyone has long commutes, especially outside of the city, and in the rest of the country. And if they do commute here in the city, during rush hour, I have a sincere hatred of people who take up twice as much space as neccesary because they're sticking the book out in front of them.

3. Even if they do read on the subway, many business people are reading business documents.

4. I, and many many other people, like to use the commute time to simply sit down and relax. For many people, it may be their *only* time to do so.

Mind you, I tend to read a lot too. But I'm not obsessive about it. To me, being unable to be without a book is the same as someone who's unable to be without TV or whatever other mind candy. Everything in moderation....

[conuly]

A novel takes me an hour. A textbook can take me three hours, plus another quick glance through for review. I certainly don't stick my book out in front of me, how tiring. My book sits on my lap, with my laptop. And reading is the best way of relaxing, mihi. It's a nice way to ignore the fact that you're crowded on a train.

[deathchibi.livejournal.com]

I've not been reading much since August that I don't *have* to, because my glasses are way overdue for a-changin', and reading gives me a horrid headache right now. On the upside, my new pair should arrive Wednesday, and I can catch up. I adore my Scientific American magazine, and their book club.

[ser-kai.livejournal.com]

I used to read as much as you.

Unfortunately, I need less distractions to enjoy doing so & I'm generally too tired in the evenings.

Also, I'm very picky about what I'll read & can only reread books so many times with few exceptions(Robert Heinlein's The Green Hills of Earth was an exception but I can only read it every few years, now).

[ser-kai.livejournal.com]

Oh & while I can speed read, I don't enjoy it.

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

Oh no, I'm the same way. I DEVOUR the damn things. I've been upset because recently I haven't managed to read much of anything at all - partly because I haven't been able to find anything that I WANT to read.

(Recs very welcome, by the by. <3)

[conuly]

I'd give, but I read anything, and I have an embarassing taste for badly written books.

[amarafox.livejournal.com]

I used to read more, now I don't read much. I'm not proud of it.

I just haven't felt like reading.

[lakidaa.livejournal.com]

Well, it all depends on the book for me.

Fex: I read the 5th Harry Potter book in one day, from 10am to 10pm.

But I've cut back on my reading recently because A, I've been playing more of my RPGs, and B, class readings (UGH^ultimate power).

[anotheralice.livejournal.com]

I don't read very much at all, and it's something I *highly* dislike about myself. I'm just always so busy, and when I *do* have time to read, it takes me soooo loooong. If I sit down and do absolutely nothing else for an entire day, I can *possibly* get through 400 pages, if I'm lucky. *That's* how long it takes me to read.

So yeah. I'm joining the "we're all jealous of conuly's L33T reading skills" crowd. :)

[anotheralice.livejournal.com]

oh, and i meant to say -- mi madre has the same killer reading skills as you. she's always pouring over books, and she can get through them so fast! she stayed with me a few weeks after i started grad school, and she just *could not understand* why it took me so long to get through my assignments! :)

[ex-chaos-by-699.livejournal.com]

I consider myself a moderately fast reader, but not a speed reader. To give a rough example, I managed to finish Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in 11 hours, which I considered impressive until I found out one of my friends managed to finish it in 4, and another guy I know managed to finish it in 2.

If you're just counting books, I definitely don't read as much as I'd like to. Partially that's a time thing, since I'm working two jobs. It's also a mood thing, I tend to go in cycles where I'll a lot, then not as much. I also ironically didn't do much reading when I was in college, since I was too busy doing things for my classes.

Then there's the problem that I frequently start books, then don't finish them, either because I get sidetracked, or because I'm just not getting into the particular book.

[wakasplat.livejournal.com]

I used to read a lot like you do, but with other things to do and health problems (especially when I have migraines) and so forth, it's definitely different now.

Also I want more to read for meaning these days, so when the page just looks like scraggly black marks, I start over again. Which makes for way shorter reading times than what I used to do (which was speedread through a book at breakneck speed and it'd sort of enter into the back of my head but I couldn't access any knowledge from the book because all the decoding of the words was being done in slow-motion behind my back, so then the knowledge would pop up at some later date and I wouldn't know where it'd come from).

I'm needing a lot of time away from language too, so when I spend a lot of time on the net, I don't spend a lot of time reading elsewhere. And vice-versa. Lately my brain has felt too fogged-out to do good reading.

[celticess.livejournal.com]

I used to read a hell of alot more than I do. However now between doing mom things and student things. As well as take care of the house things I just don't have time to read other than my school work. Right now tack on desperately trying to find a place to live to the list giving me even less time. :(

[invsagoth.livejournal.com]

I used to read much more than I do now. When I was young I read the school's library out of books. n.n Plus my house has a large library of books as well that I've read. xD

However, other things have made it so I read less now... I spend far too much time reading textbooks and such. (and all the other fun filled school activities. xP) I know if I spent less time online as well I'd have more time to read. heh Unfortuntely, the net is quite addictive.
Also I like quiet when I'm reading. I've always had to help take care of my siblings, and they are so noisy all the time, that it makes it hard to read with them around. I spend a lot of time fighting with them. xP

I tend to read fast, but I'm not a speed reader. Speed reading I'm taking as the people who don't read word for word, they read by phrases? Where's the fun in that? o.O I've never timed myself on reading, but I can finish a rather large novel in a day. Smaller novels go pretty fast. It all depends on the book. Like for example, I'm reading Tolkien right now, and it's taking me a while to read it, mostly because his writing makes me want to read it at a slower pace, enjoy it... I picture the things in my head, and I like to sit back and think about it.
Other books I fly through, and finish in an hour or two.

It's not freakish that you read so much though. I envy the time that you can devote to reading though. n.n

[innerbrat]

I probably read as much as you, just not so fast. Nowhere near as fast.

And now I'm commuting, I'm a lot more tired, so the time I usually put aside in the evening for reading has become sleep time. I always fall asleep with a book in my hand.

And I should be readin scientific papers...

[katschakai.livejournal.com]

I wish I could read fast. For me it's a lack of concentration that keep's me from reading much. I read like crazy when I was a kid but my concentration just got more and more wonky. Right now I'm training myself to read again.

[deceptica]

I'm down to reading only a book per month or so, but I'm not proud of it. I used to read much more. *is sad* ;_;

Reasons why I don't read as much as I used to:

- The internet. I want to/can only spend so much time reading each day, and a lot of that is taken up by reading things on the net nowadays. I'm thinking that a holiday away from the computer would be a nice thing in a way... but then I also couldn't play Neopets and update my Livejournal, so... no.

- University. I'm often forced to read books for university that I don't like, so it takes me forever to get through them. And guilt prevents me from reading anything else that I would like in the meantime.

Another commenter here mentioned concentration problems... I'm not sure if that's an issue for me, but I think it might. And lastly, I simply never read as fast as you. A book a day tops, and even that would mean doing nothing else all day.

NO, you are not a freak! Stop that at once!

[marveen.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you'll ever see this, since there are 57 comments right now, but I never understood that either.

I work. I exercise every morning. I eat and sleep and somehow manage to keep everything going....and I can STILL read one volume from the Wheel of Time series every day or so. (Chosen for representative length.) If I take shorter books to work, I need to take two or three of them.

Do those people just stare at the wall while they eat? What about when everything is ready for work and there are still ten extra minutes? Do they fall into bed and turn the light out at once? (How can they LIVE like that?!)

Re: NO, you are not a freak! Stop that at once!

[conuly]

1. I check my recent comments page. Often. No matter how many comments there are on a post, I should see it. Sometimes I do skim, though, and miss comments.
2. I think they talk while they eat. Or watch TV. While eating, before leaving for work, before falling into bed. That's supposed to be normal.

[the-lady-aurora.livejournal.com]

I too am a voracious reader. I currently have four different books on the go. Each in a different room so that I always have something to read.

Depending on the size of the book, I can usually polish of one and half books during a 4 hour dialysis session. I started and finished Big Bad Wolf, by James Patterson, during the Tuesday session and then I started on Sparrowdancer by Anne Lewis.

I read Stephen King's Dark Tower in a session and a half - same with Wolves of Calla and Song for Susannah.

I can read a Discworld in about 2 hours - give or take.

I don't find anything strange in being a fast reader. Costs a small fortune though. Our library is tiny - I've read most of the books in there over the last couple of years. As it's a small branch, we rarely get the newer books. Mind you, if I get really desperate there are tons of Mills and Boon romance books - which I used to read when I was 12 or 13.

[conuly]

Hm. What about inter-library loan?

[shoumagic.livejournal.com]

I have time to read, sometimes (well not much, actually) but I can't read fast, at all. I mean, I guess I could if I tried but I like to read something and go back and reread it over if I really that part so it takes a while...