I don't know whether my reading habits are common or strange. Therefore I will present you my reading habits and I'm curious to read your comments.
- I read up to three books parallel.
- When I want to review a book I put a sheet of paper in the book in order to write notes during reading.
- In case a book contains extras (maps, glossary, interview, excerpt of next/other books, register of persons) I read this first.
- Every book gets a 50 pages opportunity to convince me whether to read the whole book or not. If I'm not convinced I stop reading. Fortunately it happens very seldom.
- In few cases I read trilogies in a row.
- I would like to reread books but my TBR pile with unread books is always too high.
- I talk about the books I'm reading with my wife and my daughter. The more I talk about a book the more I like it.
- I stop reading when I'm not in the right mood. It can take up to several months until I continue or start again from the beginning.
- I like to change my reading list very often due to different reasons - book delivery, reviews, comments, recommendations, family, own discoveries.
- I read at different places. This includes bathroom. Imagine a man with a toothbrush in the left hand and a book in the right hand.....
- Normally I don't leave the house without a book.
- Reading on sofa is dangerous because after a while I fall asleep. But most of the time the story continues in my dream. When I continue reading later I'm often surprised because the content of the current page doesn't fit to my memory.
- At home I have always an English - German dictionary available. And of course I have a lot of dictionary links on my laptop.
- Very, very seldom I read whole books in English and in German.
- From time to time I listen to music while I'm reading. But this works only with instrumental music.
- I like to read the last word of a story before I start reading...
And now I wait for your comments.......
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2 hours ago
15 comments:
1. I always read trilogies in a row. I haven't started the next Kushiel trilogy, so I can read it all at once.
2. I try never to go to a doctor's appointment without a book, but sometimes I forget to keep one with me at all times.
3. Occasionally, I'll just be in the mood to not read anything at all; I hate it when that happens.
4. I only read multiple books at a time if I'm determined to get through a book I'm not really enjoying. For example, I finally finished The Satanic Verses, but I read three other books while doing it.
5. I read with the TV on.
6. Part of the reason I write reviews is that I have no friends or family right now that share similar tastes. A shame really.
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We have some similar traits... but I cannot brush my teeth and read, read in German, or with music on.
I always read the ending first too. As for everything else you do, you are a patient man to write notes doing reading. I could never ever do that unless I need all the characters names, because I am terrible at names. Gah.
Hello Cara,
thank you for sharing your reading habits. I didn't know your blog before but I added your blog to my google reader.
To be honest I don't know with whom I should talk about my books except my family. My friends read neither fantasy nor they read books in English. I live in Germany and most people like to read books in German.
But fortunately you can find so many people who like books on blogs or in communities. Do you know Goodreads ? I think this would be the right place for you. I'm a member too. It is my place where maintain all my book lists and shelves.
Hello Shellie,
thank you for your comment. Now I feel relieved. That means we both are normal and the rest of the world is strange :-)
In order to brush your teeth and read simultaneous you need to be an ambidextrous person. Originally I'm a left-hander. At the age of seven I broke my left arm and it took a long time to recover. In the meantime I have been trained to use my right hand.
I'm proud that I can use tools liek hammer or screwdriver with both hands. That is sometimes scary for other people. And of course I can write with both hands.
Hello Harry,
you are really busy. Every post where I want to leave a comment I find a comment from you :-)
To write notes during reading takes training and discipline. It is helpful when you read several books parallel and when you write reviews a few days after you finished a book. But I know a lot of people feel annoyed to do this.
Ah, you see I am trying to undermine your reputation as most fervent blog commenter. :) Nah, just messing with you. To be honest I am finally in the organization of my blogs in Google Reader, so I just wait for new posts to pop up.
Anyway I don't have the concentration to read three novels at once.
Reading the last word can be dangerous... I have tried it before and ended up ruining the book. I love to read... on the toilet. I call it my throne.
I love a good sunday with a book in my hand, at the park.
I try and set asside two hours for reading, because i don't like being interupted.
I'll be back in NYC tomorrow afternoon Michael, hang in there! By the way I also have the 50 page rule.
Alec, I do my very best. Have a safe trip home.
I will buy the first book in a series, and if I like it, I will go on a scavenger hunt until I can find the rest of them. I then proceed to plow through the entire series as fast as I can.
I always take a book to the doctor's office or any other place I might have to wait. In general though, I leave them home.
I only read multiple books at a time if my current book is getting slow or a favorite author has released something new.
If a book switches the pov character frequently, I will skip ahead and read the most of the chapters from a specific character's pov. I have always managed to go just far enough that I don't ruin the ending for myself.
Like other commenters have stated, I don't have many people I can discuss books with. I read far more than anyone else I know.
Kevin,
welcome to the club. One opportunity to discuss about books is on blogs like this one. But maybe you should sign up a community. I'm member of several communities. Do you know Goodreads ? I think this would be a good place for you. There you can meet other people and discuss about books. I'm a member too. It is my place where maintain all my book lists and shelves.
I must admit that I tend to buy entire series without knowing whether I like the first book or not. But before I buy books I read a lot of reviews and excerpts. And so far there was only one series I didn't like: The Black Juwels series by Anne Bishop. I bought the first three books. And skipped it after reading the half of the first book.
I have been using LibrayThing to catalog my books, but I have not taken advantage of the online discussion. Perhaps I will check out GoodReads.
Kevin,
I'm not familiar with LibraryThing. Last year when I started to discover the world of book blogs and communities Goodreads has been my starting point. I use the same name (edifanob) over there. Don't hesitate to add me as a friend.
I never, never read the last of any book!! I love the element of surprise, the unknown. If I read anything of the ending, I would lose interests fast - I'm just wired that way. ;)
Several of your other habits mirror mine. I read anywhere I'm able to and I never leave the house without a book, or it feels like I went out without shoes or something.
I think most have their own little quirks when it comes to reading.
Donna,
thank you for your comment. But don't get me wrong I really read only the last word.
And of course we who read more than one book per year have all our own reading habits.
Unfortunately I usually just have time to read on trips (in the plane). :-/
I don't like to start series unless they are already finished. Terry Brooks is an exception with his very regular publishing. I made a mistake with "RR" because I've waited almost 5 years for A Dance With Dragons. With Jordan I did right; still waiting for the final book (I hear it's a trilogy now) before I start reading. In around '96-98 (?) I said, "What if he dies before finishing?" when a friend asked me to start this mammoth series.
Dave,
thank you for your comment.
It is sad that you don't have much time for reading.
I know you can't convince people who read only completed series. And I don't want to convince. Authors and readers, they are all human beings and nobody knows when he/she will die. That means I also can die before a series will be finished.
I will continue to read unfinished series because I want to read as many good books as possible before I die.
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