Do you even read?

[Guest]

A topic that regularly comes up in the chat and my reply is still the same: I don't read books and I've only ever read one book, cover to cover, in my entire life. When I read I normally get to the third or fourth chapter, then just give up entirely because I can't bring myself to care about the whole reading experience. I hugely prefer audiobooks and radio as ways to digest fiction.

[LaMaestra]

I love reading and have even taught people to read. One person actually thanked me and said that because of me he now can't get enough of books.

I read mainly non fiction and read in other languages.

[Atheno]

Yes. Yes I do read.

I read a small number of genres I suppose, but if I had to pick, I guess I'd pick sci-fi, though I'm talking more like Ray Bradbury here (who's more fantasy than sci-fi really) than anything really hard.

Just about everything I read is fiction, except for like, the occasional Wikipedia article.

[Tja]

OMG! Do I love to read. I have a minimum of 2 bookcases in every room. (Yes, that includes the bathroom! {do some of my best reading in there}).

I just can't use a device to read. It has to be print.

Fantasy is my #1, but travel writing is a close second.

I used to pack a large suitcase (on rollers, of course) with books to bring on the road with me.

Now, I've found a few discount bookstores along the way. I just bought 12 hardcover books for less than the price of 1 new hardcover!

I've read up to 5 books at one time.

[Geoff]

I don't know how to read. I'm illiterate. Infuriatingly, exasperatingly, inexplicably, irretrievably illiterate.

[Tja]

I don't know how to read. I'm illiterate. Infuriatingly, exasperatingly, inexplicably, irretrievably illiterate.

So...um...does your cat take dictation?

[Geoff]

I don't know how to read. I'm illiterate. Infuriatingly, exasperatingly, inexplicably, irretrievably illiterate.

So...um...does your cat take dictation?

No, I'm allergic to cats. My imaginary lover Jim does.

[Tja]

I don't know how to read. I'm illiterate. Infuriatingly, exasperatingly, inexplicably, irretrievably illiterate.

So...um...does your cat take dictation?

No, I'm allergic to cats. My imaginary lover Jim does.

He's well imagined!

[Xavy]

I read maybe 1 book per month, usually non fiction, usually on my iPad or kindle.

[Moon Thief]

I love to read, but college has kinda sucked my desire to read away.

When I do read though I read mostly fiction, but there are a few Sci-fi books on my list.

[Geoff]

I don't know how to read. I'm illiterate. Infuriatingly, exasperatingly, inexplicably, irretrievably illiterate.

So...um...does your cat take dictation?

No, I'm allergic to cats. My imaginary lover Jim does.

He's well imagined!

I don't get it. Are you trying to pick me up? I will never leave Jim. NEVER!

Also, on a more serious on-topic note: I want to start reading more again, but, similar to Moon Thief, high school killed my desire to read. And then my college sentence ran it into the negatives. Kinda sad. I used to read a lot.

[LaMaestra]

I also have a Nintendo DS utility called '100 Classic Books' which I read.

[Piotrek]

First some things I read here that I can relate to:

@tja

"I've read up to 5 books at one time."

I can't remember ever actually reading 5 books at the same time, although I can't rule it out. I very often read 2 at a time.

Someone here mentioned a periodic reading drought. It happens to me too. In fact, I'm experiencing such a drought right now. I just teporarily have no willingness to read anything, except for the book I'm reading aloud for the purpose of recording.

I'm an English major, so it's kind of tricky to find pleasure-reading time when I'm not worn out from reading for class.

I used to study Polish at the local uni and our reading list was basically a small booklet. I totally understand what you mean.

As for the poll itself:

- I definitely read books!

- I find it tricky to estimate how many books I read a year. Firstly, I don't count them; secondly, do only finished books count? I'm asking this because I quite often put the book away before finishing; this may happen for a variety of reasons; what worries me is that I fail to finish most non-fiction books I happen to have started reading.

- The only foreign language in which I read original (i.e. non-simplified) literature is English (yay for the British Council library in my vicinity :D ). I tried that with Spanish and Italian too, but it involved too much vocabulary-search so I gave up (temporarily?). I find that with my present level of both Spanish and Italian it's not practical for me anyway; it's not the kind of language that I need at this stage. I used to read some simplified editions in Spanish and Italian, but now it's mostly articles, posts, etc.

- I read many genres though recently I prefer crime fiction, supernaturally-themed stuff, post-apo, occassionally non-fiction, s-f, psychological fiction (though it usually tends to involved crime so I should perhaps lump it with crime fiction).

- I read paper books mainly, because I have no dedicated device; for the purpose of recording I read off laptop screen, but it's rather inconvenient. Frankly, save for reading-for-recording I can't recall a single novel (or novel-length book) that I would complete in this way. Short stories- yes, but with full-fledged novels it's too inconventient.

- There are a few books on my mental to-read shelf, but I can't say completing this poll made me want to read them more ;)

[Janus the Fox]

I can read, but its almost always non-fiction. I have a hard time understanding fiction to enjoy it. I often lose interest because it simply doesn't make any logical sense or connect with the fictional characters on any level and become physically and mentally fatigued reading too much for too long.

I read about one or two books not connected with Wikipedia or ICT/Computing related. I've tried reading in Welsh and French... Not happening there either...

[Boots*]

I read 100+ books a year, because i can read really fast and really love reading.

I put a fair few selections in for favourite genre because I don't really have a preference

[Kellam]

I checked other in the genre section because I love social and political theory books too, any books about thought really art and philosophy etc. I wouldn't count them as informational as the concepts in them are not concrete proven facts. Also, I read a bit of poetry too each year.

[iff]

so another question:

how do you decide what to read

looking at my tbr shelf and currently reading there are 14 books:

2 - man booker short listed

2 - primary influence being in my local book shop, though one i saw good reviews for the authors other book

2 - good reviews

1 - classic

1 - song by neon neon based on the book from their album about fentrenelli.

1 - saw in book shop in dublin and i was under budget for the day

1 - mentioned in article on impac longlist and the author is from country i've not read before, iceland despite being a fan of alot of icelandic music

4 - read previous books of author

though why?

1 - interview with author was good

2 - good reviews

1 - mentioned in article about impac longlist, but also saw in my local bookshop

the 10 books i read so far this year can be summarised as

2 - local bookshop

1 - read by 5 other people on music forum :d

1 - on booker longlist

1 - latest novel of author on booker shortlist, though i couldn't see in shop

5 - read previous books. this includes 2 rereads

though to break that down:

1 - recommended by person i like on another forum

2 - reviews

1 - musician i like soundtracked another book of the authors

1 - i saw a film version of a book of the authors i really liked.

[sindi]

My favourite genre is "other": novels for teens/pre-teens :lol:

[RainbowGalaxy]

I read the results and I was like "Wow! Way fewer people than I thought read erotica!" then I remembered where I was haha.

[I'd rather be in band.]

I love reading, but I always have problems with finding books that are to my liking. If the author did not show any of their unique style of writing, I typically can't even finish the book.

[theotherfey]

I read a lot of books, usually in the fantasy genre. I also enjoy reading manga

[Synchrèse]

I definitely read less books than before (probably around 11-25) and I guess it has something to do with my studies. Nevertheless, I also read lots of essays and articles on different subjects. As a film student I tend to watch more films right now and pick books and texts about cinema, but I also like modern classics, non-fiction, (auto)biography, As a tactile person I also prefer our lovely traditional printed books, but I'm trying to get used to kindle as I find it more practical (I absolutely hate reading long texts online, it just hurts my eyes and I can't really 'touch' it).

[Schrecken]

It's hard to say how many books I read each year, since 99.9% of what I read is non-fiction, the sort of books where you can just breeze thru a chapter or two and put it down for a while and move onto something else and come back to it later. In other words, most books I don't generally read cover-to-cover but will sort of "graze" my way thru several books at a time, along with magazines and newspapers (and articles and blogs online). Being an artist, I also have lots of illustration-heavy books, all of which are non-fiction, so there often isn't as much to read in those kinds of books. I also collect books, and I have a massive collection of scientific books, most of which are paleontology and natural history related. I couldn't begin to tell you how many prehistoric animal and dinosaur books I have these days. I also have other non-fiction books on various subjects about things that interest me. I am also interested in very old books in certain subjects - the other day I was cleaning off a bookshelf and I found a 300+ year old book on insects.

In addition to books, I read a couple of magazines, including a science magazine and a world-news type mag. I also have a huge collection of old homemaker magazines (like Better Homes and Gardens) dating from the 1920s to the early 60's, but I really don't do much reading but rather as an artist I am fascinated by the graphics and artwork of old advertisements in these magazines. This of course is all the paper stuff. Online I'm into many of the same subjects, and whenever an interest flares up, I do quite a bit of online research on it.

When I was in grade school and college I used to read a lot of fiction (mostly horror) but then I had time to kill time, but now my main focus is absorbing knowledge and learning about things since I don't have much time to read anymore.

[FOXracingfan]

Book!!

If I'm not at school, working, or on AVEN I'm reading. ^_^ My favorite genres are Fantasy, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Sci-Fi, Humor, Horror, and Other (Mystery, Thriller, and my favorites are Dystopians)

Great poll! And yes, it does make me want to go read. I have Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn sitting beside me just calling my name. I'm probably gonna go close myself in my bedroom and read for hours.

[SquirrelCat]

Do you read books? Yes.

How many books do you usually read in a year? Around 50/60 (picked 26-50)

Can you read in more than one language? Yes. I can read and understand in 4 languages.

Favorite genre? Fantasy, Mystery, Foreign literature, Educational, Manga, Thriller, anything I can get my hands on except romance.

Favorite medium of reading? Print

Did this poll make you want to go read a book? YES!! :D

[korik]

As an aside....does reading and not understanding *really* count as reading? I understand that the question is targeted at foreign language reading, but still....if you don't understand it, how is it reading?

I read in a language that I'm learning. I don't understand everything, but I DO "read" it.

I love reading, but I always have problems with finding books that are to my liking. If the author did not show any of their unique style of writing, I typically can't even finish the book.

That's why I mostly gave up on fiction. I read mostly memoirs and non-fiction. I prefer the information in them and absorbing knowledge, anyway.

[Janus the Fox]

As an aside....does reading and not understanding *really* count as reading? I understand that the question is targeted at foreign language reading, but still....if you don't understand it, how is it reading?

I read in a language that I'm learning. I don't understand everything, but I DO "read" it.

Reading don't necessarily mean you can comprehend what's written though... It's like with me, I can physically read, but often can't understand or comprehend what's written properly depending on how it gets processed in mind as interpretations can wildly differ between people or what type of writing it is.

Being able to read, but have trouble comprehending what's written does not mean you can't read. Otherwise I would considered unable to read which wouldn't be true.

[House of Chimeras]

Yes read a lot. Usually as far as actual books read cover to cover usually read around 50 to 100 books. However, read far more academic articles , bits from various books, and more. We dont know another language well enough to read a book in a language other than English. However we have read books originally from other countries plenty of times.

Favorite genre is actually informational/research/education and religious as we read a lot of books on history, animistic and/or polytheistic belief systems, and similar. For fiction, love fantasy, realistic fiction, sci-fi, and horror. Plus we do read manga/graphic novels sometimes.

[FiddleKid]

Yes I occasionally read fiction but usually information from textbooks

[SilentComplexity]

... Informational/research/Educational; anything non-fiction.