What's Normal? - Do you read books on a regular basis? (1 Viewer)

[General Malaise]

All the successful people I know in real life are avid readers. It's a healthy habit to maintain throughout life, IMO. All that said, I probably read between 3-10 books a year, so not exactly 'avid'. I think this year I'll finish 10 books, so that's not too bad for me. I'm also a SLOW reader, often putting the book down to think about what I've read. I also have probably 15 books on my shelf that I got through 100 pages or so and just quit.

 

[General Malaise]

Oh, and I print out a bunch of articles I pull off the web and copy/paste into word with small print, two sided. I'll print out 10 or so articles on a Monday and carry that around reading at the bar or waiting for something or other. The Athletic alone is the source of a bunch of reading for me. I just don't like always reading on a screen. I like to have something in my hands, something with black ink on white paper. Less screen time.

 

[guru_007]

Big time book reader from child to age 25 or so. Full stop from mid 20's to mid 40's, save financial magazines/publications.
Got back into books big time about 5-6 years ago and try to read 1,000 pages/week. Want to get as much into this feeble brain before I pass on (plus I read somewhere that reading improves cognitive functions and I need all the help I can get).

 

[General Malaise]

We should start a book thread in the FFA. I would love to share some book ideas around here.

 

[The General]

I’d def try one out. I have the PaperWhite one (called something like that) and is a good device. Can use outside or in bright areas, is backlit for indoors when dark, battery lasts forever, holds hundreds of books.

The dedicated Kindle device is also better than the app because it removes the distraction/temptation to switchover to another app.

I assume the device is linked with the app? All my highlighting and notes that I do in the app I can then see if I were to get a device and vice versa? I do 90% of my reading on the Kindle app on an iPad.

I never read on my phone app but am pretty certain as long as both are online they sync. They do this for bookmarks for sure, not sure about the notes but I assume they would.

I keep my Kindle disconnected from WiFi unless I am buying to eke out that much more battery life so haven’t really messed with this.

 

[Don Quixote]

I’d def try one out. I have the PaperWhite one (called something like that) and is a good device. Can use outside or in bright areas, is backlit for indoors when dark, battery lasts forever, holds hundreds of books.

The dedicated Kindle device is also better than the app because it removes the distraction/temptation to switchover to another app.

I assume the device is linked with the app? All my highlighting and notes that I do in the app I can then see if I were to get a device and vice versa? I do 90% of my reading on the Kindle app on an iPad.

I never read on my phone app but am pretty certain as long as both are online they sync. They do this for bookmarks for sure, not sure about the notes but I assume they would.

I keep my Kindle disconnected from WiFi unless I am buying to eke out that much more battery life so haven’t really messed with this.

Yep - They sync up. You may have to click on “go to furthest page read”, but it will go there. I mostly read print these days, but going back and forth between Paperwhite and Kindle app on phone is advantage when I’m on the go and maybe just killing a few minutes waiting for a doctor’s appointment or something.

 

[dgreen]

I’d def try one out. I have the PaperWhite one (called something like that) and is a good device. Can use outside or in bright areas, is backlit for indoors when dark, battery lasts forever, holds hundreds of books.

The dedicated Kindle device is also better than the app because it removes the distraction/temptation to switchover to another app.

I assume the device is linked with the app? All my highlighting and notes that I do in the app I can then see if I were to get a device and vice versa? I do 90% of my reading on the Kindle app on an iPad.

I never read on my phone app but am pretty certain as long as both are online they sync. They do this for bookmarks for sure, not sure about the notes but I assume they would.

I keep my Kindle disconnected from WiFi unless I am buying to eke out that much more battery life so haven’t really messed with this.

Yep - They sync up. You may have to click on “go to furthest page read”, but it will go there. I mostly read print these days, but going back and forth between Paperwhite and Kindle app on phone is advantage when I’m on the go and maybe just killing a few minutes waiting for a doctor’s appointment or something.

Thanks. I assumed they would sync, but good to hear they do. I do a lot of highlighting.

 

[ChiefD]

Oh, and I print out a bunch of articles I pull off the web and copy/paste into word with small print, two sided. I'll print out 10 or so articles on a Monday and carry that around reading at the bar or waiting for something or other. The Athletic alone is the source of a bunch of reading for me. I just don't like always reading on a screen. I like to have something in my hands, something with black ink on white paper. Less screen time.

You print the internet?

 

[General Malaise]

Oh, and I print out a bunch of articles I pull off the web and copy/paste into word with small print, two sided. I'll print out 10 or so articles on a Monday and carry that around reading at the bar or waiting for something or other. The Athletic alone is the source of a bunch of reading for me. I just don't like always reading on a screen. I like to have something in my hands, something with black ink on white paper. Less screen time.

You print the internet?

Only the parts I want to read.

 

[HellToupee]

I listen to Audible and read on a kindle. The reading I do the past few years is old hard boiled crime , easy in easy out. Like a small bag of Swedish fish

 

[Terminalxylem]

Ten pages every day for 59 days and counting. #75Hard

Yep. Like a few others, I had read like one book in my adult life. But that challenge got me reading a little more, though I’ve stalled on number 4. I have two more waiting on deck, however.

I think I can maintain a few books a year pace from here on out, but has to be non-fiction, and for no more than an hour a day. Not a fan of sitting still, or using my imagination.

 

[Terminalxylem]

All the successful people I know in real life are avid readers. It's a healthy habit to maintain throughout life, IMO. All that said, I probably read between 3-10 books a year, so not exactly 'avid'. I think this year I'll finish 10 books, so that's not too bad for me. I'm also a SLOW reader, often putting the book down to think about what I've read. I also have probably 15 books on my shelf that I got through 100 pages or so and just quit.

How are you gauging succes?

Almost all the avid readers I know are overweight.

 

[gianmarco]

All the successful people I know in real life are avid readers. It's a healthy habit to maintain throughout life, IMO. All that said, I probably read between 3-10 books a year, so not exactly 'avid'. I think this year I'll finish 10 books, so that's not too bad for me. I'm also a SLOW reader, often putting the book down to think about what I've read. I also have probably 15 books on my shelf that I got through 100 pages or so and just quit.

How are you gauging succes?

Almost all the avid readers I know are overweight.

This line cracked me up....

 

[General Malaise]

All the successful people I know in real life are avid readers. It's a healthy habit to maintain throughout life, IMO. All that said, I probably read between 3-10 books a year, so not exactly 'avid'. I think this year I'll finish 10 books, so that's not too bad for me. I'm also a SLOW reader, often putting the book down to think about what I've read. I also have probably 15 books on my shelf that I got through 100 pages or so and just quit.

How are you gauging succes?

Almost all the avid readers I know are overweight.

GET A LOAD OF ALL THESE FATIES!!!!!11

Many people think of success as a result of luck, circumstance, or good fortune. While luck plays a role in success, the people considered the most successful have many habits in common.

For many of the most successful people alive, reading is not just a hobby; it’s a way of life. From business leaders and political figures to celebrities and regular Joes, the world’s most successful people are high-volume readers.

Warren Buffet spends about almost 8 hours a day reading. The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham is one of his favorite books.

Mark Cuban reads for more than three hours almost every day.

He said in his book, How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It, “To this day, I feel like if I put in enough time consuming all the information available, particularly with the internet making it so readily accessible, I can get an advantage in any technology business.”

Albert Einstein read books on maths and physics for hours every day. Abraham Lincoln was a self-learner. “All I have learned, I learned from books, he once said.

Jane Austen, Theodore Roosevelt, and Queen Elizabeth I are a few of the most famous readers of all time.

Today Barack Obama, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Brené Brown, Sheryl Sandberg, Oprah, Mark Zuckerberg, Reese Witherspoon, J.K. Rowling and many successful people share what they read in public. You can find some of their recommended books here.

When you think about it, reading a lot makes sense. It can be hard to become successful if you don’t know anything about other successful people.

A growing body of research shows the importance of reading for knowledge, improvement, and personal growth.
Reading helps you develop new perspectives and exposes you to new ideas and ways of thinking. It also allows you to build your skills, improve yourself and accelerate your growth.

Not everyone has the time or the motivation to read every day, but reading regularly is one of the best habits you can develop.

 

[ChiefD]

GET A LOAD OF ALL THESE FATIES!!!!!11

Many people think of success as a result of luck, circumstance, or good fortune. While luck plays a role in success, the people considered the most successful have many habits in common.

For many of the most successful people alive, reading is not just a hobby; it’s a way of life. From business leaders and political figures to celebrities and regular Joes, the world’s most successful people are high-volume readers.

Warren Buffet spends about almost 8 hours a day reading. The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham is one of his favorite books.

Mark Cuban reads for more than three hours almost every day.

He said in his book, How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It, “To this day, I feel like if I put in enough time consuming all the information available, particularly with the internet making it so readily accessible, I can get an advantage in any technology business.”

Albert Einstein read books on maths and physics for hours every day. Abraham Lincoln was a self-learner. “All I have learned, I learned from books, he once said.

Jane Austen, Theodore Roosevelt, and Queen Elizabeth I are a few of the most famous readers of all time.

Today Barack Obama, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Brené Brown, Sheryl Sandberg, Oprah, Mark Zuckerberg, Reese Witherspoon, J.K. Rowling and many successful people share what they read in public. You can find some of their recommended books here.

When you think about it, reading a lot makes sense. It can be hard to become successful if you don’t know anything about other successful people.

A growing body of research shows the importance of reading for knowledge, improvement, and personal growth.
Reading helps you develop new perspectives and exposes you to new ideas and ways of thinking. It also allows you to build your skills, improve yourself and accelerate your growth.

Not everyone has the time or the motivation to read every day, but reading regularly is one of the best habits you can develop.

Dictionary?

 

[General Malaise]

GET A LOAD OF ALL THESE FATIES!!!!!11

Many people think of success as a result of luck, circumstance, or good fortune. While luck plays a role in success, the people considered the most successful have many habits in common.

For many of the most successful people alive, reading is not just a hobby; it’s a way of life. From business leaders and political figures to celebrities and regular Joes, the world’s most successful people are high-volume readers.

Warren Buffet spends about almost 8 hours a day reading. The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham is one of his favorite books.

Mark Cuban reads for more than three hours almost every day.

He said in his book, How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It, “To this day, I feel like if I put in enough time consuming all the information available, particularly with the internet making it so readily accessible, I can get an advantage in any technology business.”

Albert Einstein read books on maths and physics for hours every day. Abraham Lincoln was a self-learner. “All I have learned, I learned from books, he once said.

Jane Austen, Theodore Roosevelt, and Queen Elizabeth I are a few of the most famous readers of all time.

Today Barack Obama, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Brené Brown, Sheryl Sandberg, Oprah, Mark Zuckerberg, Reese Witherspoon, J.K. Rowling and many successful people share what they read in public. You can find some of their recommended books here.

When you think about it, reading a lot makes sense. It can be hard to become successful if you don’t know anything about other successful people.

A growing body of research shows the importance of reading for knowledge, improvement, and personal growth.
Reading helps you develop new perspectives and exposes you to new ideas and ways of thinking. It also allows you to build your skills, improve yourself and accelerate your growth.

Not everyone has the time or the motivation to read every day, but reading regularly is one of the best habits you can develop.

Dictionary?

I can't spell. I'm not an avid reader. I'm also overweight.

 

[tri-man 47]

I've averaged about a dozen book a year over the past fifteen years, which is when I started keeping a log of what I've read (a helpful practice to recall noteworthy books). The pace has been hindered by work/life dynamics. But I love reading - both fiction and nonfiction. When I walk into the library, I'm like a kid in a candy store. I'm really looking forward to retirement next July, in part because it will give me more time to read, which for now tends to be confined to 30-60 minutes at the end of the day.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

In the olden days read a ton, mainly science fiction. Now I just laugh at you guys all day.

 

[FairWarning]

I try to, need to get glasses.

 

[shuke]

Oh, and I print out a bunch of articles I pull off the web and copy/paste into word with small print, two sided. I'll print out 10 or so articles on a Monday and carry that around reading at the bar or waiting for something or other. The Athletic alone is the source of a bunch of reading for me. I just don't like always reading on a screen. I like to have something in my hands, something with black ink on white paper. Less screen time.

This was me pre-phone. Would print out stuff at work and take in the bathroom.

 

[shuke]

I know people have different interests/hobbies but I can't fathom not reading.

Same. I burn through so many, I forget what to list when I post in your thread.

You don't keep a spreadsheet?

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Not as much as I used to, but yeah sure. I'm currently reading American Psycho - I've seen the movie a bunch of times but never read the book. It's great.

 

[wlwiles]

I try to alternate each night between watching one episode of whatever show I'm currently binging, and reading for ~30-45 minutes before bed. When I was a kid in elementary school I would get in trouble for hiding a paperback behind my textbook during class - always was an avid reader but it's fallen way off as an adult so I'm trying to get back into it. There are just too many dang good shows on TV or else I'd read more. Probably read 5 books this year.

 

[Joe Bryant]

So interesting to me that people can read for hours on end. I'm actually a little jealous of y'all... well maybe not as much now that there's internet and streaming. My parents both read a ton, an older brother reads a lot. I just never got into enjoying it... I actually HATED it.

How much of that do you think is you didn't find the book or writer interesting? Meaning, you might like reading if it were a better book or writer?

 

[General Malaise]

I try to alternate each night between watching one episode of whatever show I'm currently binging, and reading for ~30-45 minutes before bed. When I was a kid in elementary school I would get in trouble for hiding a paperback behind my textbook during class - always was an avid reader but it's fallen way off as an adult so I'm trying to get back into it. There are just too many dang good shows on TV or else I'd read more. Probably read 5 books this year.

See, I'm on the other end. I think there's a dearth of good shows on TV and have read more this year than in recent years because TV sucks.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

So interesting to me that people can read for hours on end. I'm actually a little jealous of y'all... well maybe not as much now that there's internet and streaming. My parents both read a ton, an older brother reads a lot. I just never got into enjoying it... I actually HATED it.

This is me......except for the jealous of those that read hours on end. I just have absolutely no interest in doing that. Trying to read a book generally just makes me bored and my mind starts wandering. It really becomes a bit of a waste of time.

I have gotten much more into reading books over the past few years as an antidote to the constant information stream. I find it much more relaxing to just be focusing on one thing that I can control than to be trying to process 50 things at once.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Read on average 30 books a year. One year I read 52 books. Mostly just police/spy/mystery books, but a few non-fiction every year as well.

Kindle and local library membership.

Free Library is honestly one of the things that I appreciate most in life.

 

[General Malaise]

Read on average 30 books a year. One year I read 52 books. Mostly just police/spy/mystery books, but a few non-fiction every year as well.

Kindle and local library membership.

Free Library is honestly one of the things that I appreciate most in life.

Reminds me: I've got a hold on Jimmy Buffet's book at the library. Been wanting to finish the year off with some light reading after the last couple I read.

 

[Keerock]

So interesting to me that people can read for hours on end. I'm actually a little jealous of y'all... well maybe not as much now that there's internet and streaming. My parents both read a ton, an older brother reads a lot. I just never got into enjoying it... I actually HATED it.

How much of that do you think is you didn't find the book or writer interesting? Meaning, you might like reading if it were a better book or writer?

I don’t think that’s it. I’ve tried reading many different types of books and nothing holds my interest. I can get through Randon Shots , but that’s about the extent of it

 

[snogger]

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Novels, non-fiction, autobiographies, poetry, etc. Does NOT include newspapers, magazines, blogs, technical material.

Every night for 20 to 30 minutes. It is a great way to wind down. If I don't read, then I find myself having a hell of time falling asleep.

Dean Koontz, and David Tindell are most of what I've been reading lately.

 

[mr. furley]

every day if i can help it

90% non-fiction. find there's a higher rate of those books holding my interest than fiction, but i do like the classics.

 

[Terminalxylem]

All the successful people I know in real life are avid readers. It's a healthy habit to maintain throughout life, IMO. All that said, I probably read between 3-10 books a year, so not exactly 'avid'. I think this year I'll finish 10 books, so that's not too bad for me. I'm also a SLOW reader, often putting the book down to think about what I've read. I also have probably 15 books on my shelf that I got through 100 pages or so and just quit.

How are you gauging succes?

Almost all the avid readers I know are overweight.

GET A LOAD OF ALL THESE FATIES!!!!!11

Many people think of success as a result of luck, circumstance, or good fortune. While luck plays a role in success, the people considered the most successful have many habits in common.

For many of the most successful people alive, reading is not just a hobby; it’s a way of life. From business leaders and political figures to celebrities and regular Joes, the world’s most successful people are high-volume readers.

Warren Buffet spends about almost 8 hours a day reading. The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham is one of his favorite books.

Mark Cuban reads for more than three hours almost every day.

He said in his book, How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It, “To this day, I feel like if I put in enough time consuming all the information available, particularly with the internet making it so readily accessible, I can get an advantage in any technology business.”

Albert Einstein read books on maths and physics for hours every day. Abraham Lincoln was a self-learner. “All I have learned, I learned from books, he once said.

Jane Austen, Theodore Roosevelt, and Queen Elizabeth I are a few of the most famous readers of all time.

Today Barack Obama, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Brené Brown, Sheryl Sandberg, Oprah, Mark Zuckerberg, Reese Witherspoon, J.K. Rowling and many successful people share what they read in public. You can find some of their recommended books here.

When you think about it, reading a lot makes sense. It can be hard to become successful if you don’t know anything about other successful people.

A growing body of research shows the importance of reading for knowledge, improvement, and personal growth.
Reading helps you develop new perspectives and exposes you to new ideas and ways of thinking. It also allows you to build your skills, improve yourself and accelerate your growth.

Not everyone has the time or the motivation to read every day, but reading regularly is one of the best habits you can develop.

Fair enough. I like reading stuff related to my job, but that's about it. Still, I typically only read a few pages in a sitting, and rarely complete entire books.

And there’s nothing I can do continuously for 8 hours a day, except sleep.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I know people have different interests/hobbies but I can't fathom not reading.

Same. I burn through so many, I forget what to list when I post in your thread.

You don't keep a spreadsheet?

Apparently, laziness trumps my desire to keep track.

 

[belljr]

I can read a green like no other

 

[Gally]

So interesting to me that people can read for hours on end. I'm actually a little jealous of y'all... well maybe not as much now that there's internet and streaming. My parents both read a ton, an older brother reads a lot. I just never got into enjoying it... I actually HATED it.

This is me......except for the jealous of those that read hours on end. I just have absolutely no interest in doing that. Trying to read a book generally just makes me bored and my mind starts wandering. It really becomes a bit of a waste of time.

I have gotten much more into reading books over the past few years as an antidote to the constant information stream. I find it much more relaxing to just be focusing on one thing that I can control than to be trying to process 50 things at once.

I don't have that problem (information overload). I can focus on one thing and I don't get bombarded with processing 50 things at once.

 

[Gally]

So interesting to me that people can read for hours on end. I'm actually a little jealous of y'all... well maybe not as much now that there's internet and streaming. My parents both read a ton, an older brother reads a lot. I just never got into enjoying it... I actually HATED it.

How much of that do you think is you didn't find the book or writer interesting? Meaning, you might like reading if it were a better book or writer?

I don’t think that’s it. I’ve tried reading many different types of books and nothing holds my interest. I can get through Randon Shots , but that’s about the extent of it

I am the same. Sitting down to read a book just does not interest me at all. Doesn't matter the book or subject. It might be the mental aspect of it being a couple hundred pages and that just makes me bored thinking about it.

Short articles or information like FF research or research on something else is fine. But not just sitting and reading for hours.

 

[Joe Bryant]

So interesting to me that people can read for hours on end. I'm actually a little jealous of y'all... well maybe not as much now that there's internet and streaming. My parents both read a ton, an older brother reads a lot. I just never got into enjoying it... I actually HATED it.

How much of that do you think is you didn't find the book or writer interesting? Meaning, you might like reading if it were a better book or writer?

I don’t think that’s it. I’ve tried reading many different types of books and nothing holds my interest. I can get through Randon Shots , but that’s about the extent of it

Nice! Random Shots feels as long as a book sometimes!

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I was a voracious reader when I was younger. Around 35 or so, I just stopped. I think some of it was loosing my up close vision. I fought against the reality of that for a long time.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Yes. I'm not sure why but got back into reading way more during COVID. Pure entertainment and I love it.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I think part of what i like about it too is that in a world where it seems like everything is changing and few things are like they used to be, there's something centering about entertainment that's pretty much the same way people have been doing it 100+ years ago.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Writing and primarily the written word is how I make my living too, so I'm super interested in people who can do that on an elite level.

 

[Joe Bryant]

So interesting to me that people can read for hours on end. I'm actually a little jealous of y'all... well maybe not as much now that there's internet and streaming. My parents both read a ton, an older brother reads a lot. I just never got into enjoying it... I actually HATED it.

This is me......except for the jealous of those that read hours on end. I just have absolutely no interest in doing that. Trying to read a book generally just makes me bored and my mind starts wandering. It really becomes a bit of a waste of time.

I have gotten much more into reading books over the past few years as an antidote to the constant information stream. I find it much more relaxing to just be focusing on one thing that I can control than to be trying to process 50 things at once.

Yes. That's a real thing for me too. I do a pretty good job of focusing at the computer but it's so easy to be distracted. With a book, it's you and the book and there's something good about that I think.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I think one thing I like about a book is it's difficult to create emotion with words. It's comparatively simple to create fear or happiness with a movie and sound.

It's like the chef who's proud of himself for making a great hamburger that's Waygu beef, cheddar and bacon. Congratulations, you made prime beef, cheese and bacon taste good.

I'm way more interested in the chef who can make broccoli taste great.

To me, that's like writing. The skill needed to pull a reader in with the limited tools of just words on paper is so difficult.

 

[dgreen]

I think one thing I like about a book is it's difficult to create emotion with words. It's comparatively simple to create fear or happiness with a movie and sound.

It's like the chef who's proud of himself for making a great hamburger that's Waygu beef, cheddar and bacon. Congratulations, you made prime beef, cheese and bacon taste good.

I'm way more interested in the chef who can make broccoli taste great.

To me, that's like writing. The skill needed to pull a reader in with the limited tools of just words on paper is so difficult.

Yeah, I always had trouble recognizing good writing. I never understood the complexity. It was mostly just words on paper to me. But, learning about literary techniques and tools helps me appreciate it much more. I wouldn't say I'm good at it now, but I at least understand that that's how literature works.

It's similar to movies. Some people really understand movie-making and telling stories through that medium. I don't. So, I can really only enjoy movies that simply grab my attention in a way that I have had a hard time explaining. If I knew more about the details of movie making, script writing, acting, etc, it would probably make movies even better and I might then better appreciate movies that I otherwise would not enjoy.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I think one thing I like about a book is it's difficult to create emotion with words. It's comparatively simple to create fear or happiness with a movie and sound.

It's like the chef who's proud of himself for making a great hamburger that's Waygu beef, cheddar and bacon. Congratulations, you made prime beef, cheese and bacon taste good.

I'm way more interested in the chef who can make broccoli taste great.

To me, that's like writing. The skill needed to pull a reader in with the limited tools of just words on paper is so difficult.

Yeah, I always had trouble recognizing good writing. I never understood the complexity. It was mostly just words on paper to me. But, learning about literary techniques and tools helps me appreciate it much more. I wouldn't say I'm good at it now, but I at least understand that that's how literature works.

It's similar to movies. Some people really understand movie-making and telling stories through that medium. I don't. So, I can really only enjoy movies that simply grab my attention in a way that I have had a hard time explaining. If I knew more about the details of movie making, script writing, acting, etc, it would probably make movies even better and I might then better appreciate movies that I otherwise would not enjoy.

Agreed. We don't need to veer this off into something different but I've become much more interested in the mechanics of storytelling.

Once you see them, you see patterns in other place.

Like the "Hero's journey" framework. Where a hero, has a problem and meets the Guide and faces the Villian and wins or fails.

You start to see that Rocky, Star Wars and Hunger Games are all basically the same movie. Rocky/Luke/Katniss all have a problem and meet Mick/Yoda/Haymitch to battle Apollo Creed/Darth Vader/Capital.

And you get into elements like "there must be 'stakes involved" if it goes badly. It's why in Hunger Games, a couple of the kids get killed right off the bat. That's not gratuitous. That sets in the viewers mind instantly that Katnis could die in this thing. It's a storytelling element.

It's interesting stuff.

 

[Don Quixote]

I think one thing I like about a book is it's difficult to create emotion with words. It's comparatively simple to create fear or happiness with a movie and sound.

It's like the chef who's proud of himself for making a great hamburger that's Waygu beef, cheddar and bacon. Congratulations, you made prime beef, cheese and bacon taste good.

I'm way more interested in the chef who can make broccoli taste great.

To me, that's like writing. The skill needed to pull a reader in with the limited tools of just words on paper is so difficult.

Yeah, I always had trouble recognizing good writing. I never understood the complexity. It was mostly just words on paper to me. But, learning about literary techniques and tools helps me appreciate it much more. I wouldn't say I'm good at it now, but I at least understand that that's how literature works.

It's similar to movies. Some people really understand movie-making and telling stories through that medium. I don't. So, I can really only enjoy movies that simply grab my attention in a way that I have had a hard time explaining. If I knew more about the details of movie making, script writing, acting, etc, it would probably make movies even better and I might then better appreciate movies that I otherwise would not enjoy.

Agreed. We don't need to veer this off into something different but I've become much more interested in the mechanics of storytelling.

Once you see them, you see patterns in other place.

Like the "Hero's journey" framework. Where a hero, has a problem and meets the Guide and faces the Villian and wins or fails.

You start to see that Rocky, Star Wars and Hunger Games are all basically the same movie. Rocky/Luke/Katniss all have a problem and meet Mick/Yoda/Haymitch to battle Apollo Creed/Darth Vader/Capital.

And you get into elements like "there must be 'stakes involved" if it goes badly. It's why in Hunger Games, a couple of the kids get killed right off the bat. That's not gratuitous. That sets in the viewers mind instantly that Katnis could die in this thing. It's a storytelling element.

It's interesting stuff.

A book that I enjoy in that area is George Saunders’ A Swim in the Pond in the Rain. He’s a great writer himself (Lincoln in the Bardo and Tenth of December a couple by him). He adapted it from his class on Russian short stories that he teaches at Syracuse. Set up is reading a short story by Tolstoy, Chekhov, Turgenev, or Gogol, then Saunders spends a chapter dissecting it before going on to the next story. Interesting stuff about what makes for great writing.

 

[AAABatteries]

I know people have different interests/hobbies but I can't fathom not reading.

I read a TON - just not books that much.

In fact, I’d say people read more now than ever. But they are reading social media, websites, etc.

 

[massraider]

In fact, I’d say people read more now than ever. But they are reading social media, websites, etc.

For fun? Much less, would be my guess. Twitter and Reddit are fine, but Instagram and TikTok are huge, and that's not reading. The reading social media is too much work

 

[kupcho1]

Instagram and TikTok are huge, and that's not reading. The reading social media is too much work

We're a lot closer to Idiocracy than most people believe. It'll be upon us one day and it'll be too late.

Curious as to whether the non-readers ever read (past or present tense as applicable) to their children...

 

[belljr]

Instagram and TikTok are huge, and that's not reading. The reading social media is too much work

We're a lot closer to Idiocracy than most people believe. It'll be upon us one day and it'll be too late.

Curious as to whether the non-readers ever read (past or present tense as applicable) to their children...

Read to my kids every night