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Post by RepairmanJack on Nov 13, 2004 11:41:00 GMT -5
I assume we are all readers here. I am wondering what and how we read. For example what kinds of books do you we all read. I like fiction and non-fiction. For each I read a wide range. I like horror, scifi/fantasy, mystery, suspense to name a few. In non-fiction I read a lot of history, science, philosophy, and biography. Actually I am willing to try almost any book. I do pick up a lot of different titles. And I put a lot of them down without finishing them. I believe life is too short to waste time on a bad book. I used to have a 100 page rule where if the book is not interesting to me I will quit reading it. As I get older I have cut down the page limit to about fifty. I still believe in giving a book a fair try, but refuse to waste my time. Does anyone else have a set limit? I also like to read several books at once. I try to make sure they are different enough so as not to confuse them. Occasionally one book will really grab me and I will put the rest down, but not too often. Does anyone set reading goals for the year. I give myself a number I want to hit just to give me something to shoot for. I am not fanatical about it though. I also keep a list of all the books I finish during the year. I have tried things in the past like reading a set number of pages a day or books per week. I find that is too inflexible for me. I think a yearly goal works better for my reading style. Let's face it--I just love to read I just hope it does not become a dying art. Working in a library I see kids everyday who hate to read and only will if forced to for school. What a shame! They have no idea what they are missing.
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Post by stubedoo on Nov 13, 2004 19:20:45 GMT -5
I generally have a 100 page rule unless I've been warned that it takes longer. Dune was like that for me.
I like Sci Fi, but I try to read sci-fi then a non fiction or non-sci-fi. For example I finished an Alaistair Reynolds book and now I'm reading Philip Roth's latest book "The Plot Against America."
I also totally geek out and read science books.
Stu
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TriKrona
Minstrel in the Gallery
Posts: 28
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Post by TriKrona on Nov 14, 2004 12:38:51 GMT -5
I look at reading the same way that I look at eating. Blatantly escapist books are akin to junk food. And I tend to tear through them like a bag of chips. Better books and authors are like a really good meal I want to savor and enjoy so I take my time and pay closer attention to the book in terms of style, theme, plot, sub-plot and everything else good little English Lit. people are supposed to pay attention to.
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Post by Shutter Girl on Nov 14, 2004 17:33:32 GMT -5
My reading habits are all over the place! Either I read a bunch of books at the same time or sometimes, none at all. I like to read 'junk food' fiction, as Ben termed it, it reads fast and easy. My biggest problem in the past few years is that I don't sit down often enough just to read. Instead of surfing I really should be picking up a good book. It takes me forever to read anything because I'm doing it in short fits and spurts -- a bad habit to get into. I really enjoy reading, I think I'll take more time to do it. Now.... how will I squeeze in my guitar playing?
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Post by MaxQuad on Dec 23, 2004 21:42:11 GMT -5
I am wondering what and how we read. One book at a time. I hate to not finish a book. Mainly fiction. When choosing a book, I have to handle it physically first. It has to feel right at the time. It has to strike a chord or else I set it aside and wait to start it at another time. If I finish a book, I have to start another as soon as possible, even if it is just to read the first page. MQ
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Post by RepairmanJack on Dec 24, 2004 1:12:05 GMT -5
If I finish a book, I have to start another as soon as possible, even if it is just to read the first page. MQ Since I usually have more than one book going, I will switch right away to the next one when I finish a book. Occasionally I read a book that really moves me and I make myself wait at least a day or two before reading anything else. I want to savor the moment. It always amazes me how words on a page can cause such strong emotions and feelings in me.
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Post by MaxQuad on Jan 2, 2005 7:24:18 GMT -5
True to form, I finished The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini at 1 AM today - and had to immediately start another book. At 1:01 AM I started The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad. A short burst of Afghani themed books.
MQ
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Post by Shutter Girl on Jan 2, 2005 11:07:33 GMT -5
One of the best things about my job is that I get to read book reviews (and get paid for it, even!). There's been a plethora of middle eastern fiction that has been translated into English in the past couple of years. And there's a lot of fiction being written about that area by American and British writers as well. Now that I know you enjoy it I'll be sure to let you know when something good is coming out, MQ. Similar things can be said about Asian fiction. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for it, whether written by an Asian native, Asian American or just plain caucasian. I'm not really sure what attracts me to that genre but I have to say that it really fascinates me. Past life, perhaps?
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Post by MaxQuad on Jan 2, 2005 14:05:11 GMT -5
There's been a plethora of middle eastern fiction that has been translated into English in the past couple of years. And there's a lot of fiction being written about that area by American and British writers as well. Similar things can be said about Asian fiction. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for it, whether written by an Asian native, Asian American or just plain caucasian. quote] Indian sub-continent influenced literature can also be a treat - Arundhati Roy, Bharati Mukherjee, Jhumpa Lahiri. Some bautifully written books. MQ
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Post by RepairmanJack on Jan 2, 2005 23:33:16 GMT -5
It is interesting reading books from another country. I like to see how other cultures view similar events. The problem I find is that the work is not always translated properly. Some words and ideas just do not translate into English and then we lose the meaning the author intended. There is no way to do a literal translation from one language into another and still capture all the nuances. Does this bother anyone? I feel as if I am reading the cliff notes when I read a translated work. I wish I was fluent in other languages so I could read the originals
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