People who don't read books.

mackg

Chuck Stone wrote: »

One of the tougher books I have read is 'A Brief History of Time' by Stephen Hawking. It's dumbed down for mere mortals but I still found myself fabricating my own personalized explanations for complex ideas.

I love listening to people extolling the virtues of ABHoT as if they'd digested it's 'simplicity' with the ease of an Enid Blyton novel.

One of the most fascinating books I have ever read, I had to reread parts several times to get to grips with them. You should read the grand design as well if you havn't already.

ICE HOUSE

I only read books for which I have to study. I cant understand people who read sci fi books and the like.

old hippy

paddyandy wrote: »

If you need an explanation then you don't deserve to know.

So; to sum it up. You don't know why you don't read, apart from some drivel that there's only a dozen books worth a look & the majority of books are bad - that's why they end up in second hand/charity shops?

Did you suffer some childhood trauma which involved a bookshelf/nogging interface?

old hippy

ICE HOUSE wrote: »

I only read books for which I have to study. I cant understand people who read sci fi books and the like.

Because people like escapism, variety and travel (of the mind)...

Da Shins Kelly

ICE HOUSE wrote: »

I only read books for which I have to study. I cant understand people who read sci fi books and the like.

I was actually reading an interesting article about the rise in popularity of sci-fi and fantasy novels in times of recession and depression, as people tend to turn to extreme forms of escapism in blue times.

Snakeblood

Chuck Stone wrote: »

One of the tougher books I have read is 'A Brief History of Time' by Stephen Hawking. It's dumbed down for mere mortals but I still found myself fabricating my own personalized explanations for complex ideas.

I love listening to people extolling the virtues of ABHoT as if they'd digested it's 'simplicity' with the ease of an Enid Blyton novel.

I didn't read that. I stuck with my Enid Blyton novels instead. Stick a pirate cove and some oiks in your explanations of the vagaries of space/time, Stephen, and I might give it a go next time.

The King of Moo

ICE HOUSE wrote: »

I only read books for which I have to study. I cant understand people who read sci fi books and the like.

While I don't think it's wrong to have that point of view, it's one I don't think I'll ever fully understand simply because it's so different from mine.

I'm more likely to gravitate towards sci-fi or at least literature far removed from my everyday life in some way, simply because even if it's bad there'll probably be some element of novelty to it, and I might see something I've never seen before, or learn something new.

superelliptic

CarMe wrote: »

Me and my friend were talking about going to the cinema last night so I texted her saying "We need to talk about Kevin is out in the cinema, that's one of the best books I've ever read" to which she replied "Ah it wouldn't be my cup of tea if it used to be a book" from a girl who loves sex and the city!
Each to their own I say but I'm so glad reading is s part of my life I dip in and out of.

God thats a depressing post.

superelliptic

-Trek- wrote: »

I kind of hope one day they will invent a device like they had in the Matrix, download a novel into the brain via a USB cable, that might solve my lack of patience towards reading problem.

With a USB cable? Sounds like Johnny Mnemonic more than Neo and co.

Teyla Emmagan

The older I get the less of a snob I am about people who don't read books. I used to think it was basically a sign of limitation, or at least and indication of a lack of curiosity and imagination. When I was a kid I spent years inside various books, books that shaped my mind and fuelled my fantasies, books that created entire universes into which I could slide. Books that were my friends, characters I fell in love with, languages I could speak, skills I learnt. I can’t imagine what my life would have been without them.

I still feel a bit of pity for people who don't realise how much joy there is to be found in reading for pleasure, but I'm less precious about it now. I guess I have realised we all find stimulation in different places.

amorset

Is there a balance, as with everything? My daughter of 8 is obsessed with books, she reads evey minute she has at home. I have even found her during the night reading. Other parents think you can never read enough, Im not sure. She gets it from her mother, I never read as a child.

Conall Cernach

amorset wrote: »

Is there a balance, as with everything? My daughter of 8 is obsessed with books, she reads evey minute she has at home. I have even found her during the night reading. Other parents think you can never read enough, Im not sure. She gets it from her mother, I never read as a child.

Is this fact and the fact that you joined in May 2004 and only have 10 posts related?:p

Snakeblood

amorset wrote: »

Is there a balance, as with everything? My daughter of 8 is obsessed with books, she reads evey minute she has at home. I have even found her during the night reading. Other parents think you can never read enough, Im not sure. She gets it from her mother, I never read as a child.

It'd depend what she's reading, and if she's getting enough exercise. Oh, and a social life.

old hippy

Snakeblood wrote: »

It'd depend what she's reading, and if she's getting enough exercise. Oh, and a social life.

Jeez. My social life is one of the reasons I should be reading more. Books feed the head & keep ye out of trouble...

sandmanporto

I like to read. I hate fiction etc. I have read auto biographies related to me that's it or educational books. I like buying a newspaper preferably the star. I find that when i read a newspaper alone it kills the lonliness. Some people dont like reading so dont tar someone dumb or retarded because of that. It's lame!

old hippy

sandmanporto wrote: »

I like to read. I hate fiction etc. I have read auto biographies related to me that's it or educational books. I like buying a newspaper preferably the star. I find that when i read a newspaper alone it kills the lonliness. Some people dont like reading so dont tar someone dumb or retarded because of that. It's lame!

I wouldn't dare tar someone as dumb or retarded because they don't like reading. It's just that they miss out on so much.

However, I might get my bristles out when I hear of people who read the Star :rolleyes:

paddyandy

Emptiness in people's lives is the reason for most reading of books.

The King of Moo

paddyandy wrote: »

Emptiness in people's lives is the reason for most reading of books.

And what are the reasons people listen to music and watch films and television?

And if those reasons are different, why are they different?

paddyandy

same

The King of Moo

paddyandy wrote: »

same

So do you not do any of those things?

Anyway, how can you possibly say that that's the sole reason that basically all of the art in the world is consumed?

Can't people who already have fulfilling lives still enjoy a good book or film?

RichieC

sandmanporto wrote: »

I like to read. I hate fiction etc. I have read auto biographies related to me that's it or educational books. I like buying a newspaper preferably the star. I find that when i read a newspaper alone it kills the lonliness. Some people dont like reading so dont tar someone dumb or retarded because of that. It's lame!

paddyandy

Should'nt need it.

The King of Moo

paddyandy wrote: »

Should'nt need it.

Stricly speaking, no-one needs art of any kind, but like the guy said, Man can't live on bread alone.

All we really need is food, water and shelter, but art, like so many of the things we take for granted in life, enriches the experience.

RichieC

paddyandy wrote: »

Emptiness in people's lives is the reason for most reading of books.

Reading keeps your mind sharp, expands your vocabulary, improves your grammar and you might even learn something.

Deki

I think when you are reading as you eat lunch and on breaks because you don't have time to any other time, isn't an indication of emptiness in your life. My life is full, I read for sheer pleasure. I realize not everyone is going to find pleasure in reading. You don't have to.

Adamantium

just after finishing World War Z, great vivid book!

mickrock

The King of Moo wrote: »

Stricly speaking, no-one needs art of any kind, but like the guy said, Man can't live on bread alone.

All we really need is food, water and shelter, but art, like so many of the things we take for granted in life, enriches the experience.

Yes, it can enrich the experience but much of the time art is consumed as an escape or distraction from life because of boredom, loneliness or some other form of unhappiness.

paddyandy

RichieC wrote: »

Reading keeps your mind sharp, expands your vocabulary, improves your grammar and you might even learn something.

When you go through life and experience what you have read you see a great gap and how language fails all the time and stories poor renditions of reality.

old hippy

paddyandy wrote: »

When you go through life and experience what you have read you see a great gap and how language fails all the time and stories poor renditions of reality.

You've never read Milton's poetry? Or Ben Okri's The Famished Road?

They are sensuous, heightened portrayals of reality for sure, but crikey you cannot accuse them of language failure.

Your reason that book reading signifies an empty life is a dud, I'm afraid. And if it wasn't - how would you apply that to posting on the internet?

Toby Take a Bow

It's interesting reading some of the divides between people loving or hating fiction: I try to read both, but I go through phases of concentrating on one or the other. I'm in the middle of a huge and long fiction phase at the moment. There is some debate about how memoirs and biographies can ever be truly non-fiction, as they will always have embellishments, fabricated bridges to assist a story and so on.

As for people not reading: it bothers me less and less as I get older. I wasn't much of a reader when I was younger, and in my twenties, when I got into reading, I think I was one of those annoying zealous types you often see with recent conversions. I do think that reading, whether fiction or non-fiction, definitely adds to a person's life in so many ways, but it can be a difficult thing to get into, I think mainly because our attention spans have been eradicated with tv and video games when we were growing up (that was the case for me, anyway).

mickrock

old hippy wrote: »

Your reason that book reading signifies an empty life is a dud, I'm afraid.

I don't think there is necessarily a correlation between reading and a fulfilling life.

Bookworm85

mickrock wrote: »

I don't think there is necessarily a correlation between reading and a fulfilling life.

Neither is there a correlation between reading and living a dull life.

Yahew

paddyandy wrote: »

When you go through life and experience what you have read you see a great gap and how language fails all the time and stories poor renditions of reality.

Since you don't read, and you have lived only one life, how could you possibly know that?

mickrock

Bookworm85 wrote: »

Neither is there a correlation between reading and living a dull life.

Reading or not reading won't necessarily influence whether you have a duller or more fulfilling life.

The King of Moo

mickrock wrote: »

Reading or not reading won't necessarily influence whether you have a duller or more fulfilling life.

Sure, you can have a fulfilling life without books, I'd imagine, but reading absolutely can make your life more fulfilling.

I don't know how anyone could say reading can't make life better after reading some of the testimonies of people in this thread who have had their lives made more fulfilling by reading.
I know my life is more fulfilling thanks to reading.

Sure, some people might try reading and not get anything out of it, but I'm sure there's more people who've had their lives enriched by reading.

It seems to me like some non-readers are still getting defensive about non-reading and finding snobbery where it doesn't exist.

bpb101

I didn't read much at all, but then the kindle was born. It has really encouraged me to read more.
I got to say it on of the best devices on the market...

OctavarIan

amorset wrote: »

Is there a balance, as with everything? My daughter of 8 is obsessed with books, she reads evey minute she has at home. I have even found her during the night reading. Other parents think you can never read enough, Im not sure. She gets it from her mother, I never read as a child.

I was like this as a child as well. Do all you can to encourage your daughter to start writing. Motivate her to enter competitions. Take her to a book launch. Try to introduce her to an author.

Bookworm85

The King of Moo wrote: »

You can have a fulfilling life without books, I'd imagine, but reading absolutely can make your life more fulfilling.

I don't know how anyone could say reading can't make life better after reading some of the testimonies of people in this thread who have had their lives made more fulfilling by reading.
I know my life is more fulfilling thanks to reading.

.

+ a million!

Nearly every book I have read has left an impression on me or have changed the way I view the world (some for better, some for worse).

Originally Posted by paddyandy
Emptiness in people's lives is the reason for most reading of books.

Nonsense, I really do despair when I see comments like these. I just do not understand why you hold this opinion. If anything reading has made my life more interesting. I'm better able to interact with other people because of my reading. I can hold an intelligent conversation and share opinions that I have read and the opinions that I have formed because of what I have read, and I am sure that many people will agree.

thebman

I think anyone who reads this will have read something today :P

I don't really read books anymore, I read online a good bit though but it isn't usually books but articles.

I find books require too much time for the entertainment value. I'd rather spend that time learning about something that actually happened. I don't need the in depth storyline you get in a book.

Obviously there are books based on historical events etc.. but I can read about those events online for free usually and without all the extra details of some personal angle I don't actually care about.

riggerman

What do ye think is a good average number of books, to read in the year. Im around the 12 mark . Wondering what everyone is like ?

BlaasForRafa

mickrock wrote: »

Reading or not reading won't necessarily influence whether you have a duller or more fulfilling life.

Not reading will indicate that you're more likely to be a bit of a thicko though.

jam_mac_jam

riggerman wrote: »

What do ye think is a good average number of books, to read in the year. Im around the 12 mark . Wondering what everyone is like ?

60-70 for me.

BlaasForRafa

riggerman wrote: »

What do ye think is a good average number of books, to read in the year. Im around the 12 mark . Wondering what everyone is like ?

I couldn't tell you whats average for people as a whole, but as a personal average I'd read a novel every 2 weeks or so, as for non-fiction I normally dip in and out of them as I feel but I'd normally purchase 20 or so non-fiction books a year.

The King of Moo

riggerman wrote: »

What do ye think is a good average number of books, to read in the year. Im around the 12 mark . Wondering what everyone is like ?

That sounds like a respectable number.

I'd say I read about 20-30 a year, and I'd probably read more if I were working a regular job rather than studying.

Paparazzo

paddyandy wrote: »

Emptiness in people's lives is the reason for most reading of books.

I agree. But arguing with anonymous people that you'll never even meet on a message board is time well spend.
Good to see you have your priorities right

sorifinh

Dipping my toe into the boards for the very first time... In second year in school my teacher asked us to read and critique a book. I was so against the idea that I made up a story and pretended it was something I read.

Some months later we read 'Flight of the Doves' in class and I was amazed at how this book affected my emotions and how much I cared about the characters. It was the start of a beautiful friendship between me and fiction. I had a long standing relationship with Stephen King until he started writing about clowns (I have an irrational fear).

I have to disagree about fiction not expanding the mind. I read a book a couple of years ago and had to read a book about Stalin to see if the paranoia, fear and general carry on was as stated in the book. Unfortunately it was...

Anyway... em... don't bite, yis can be a fearsome lot..

The King of Moo

sorifinh wrote: »

Dipping my toe into the boards for the very first time... In second year in school my teacher asked us to read and critique a book. I was so against the idea that I made up a story and pretended it was something I read.

Some months later we read 'Flight of the Doves' in class and I was amazed at how this book affected my emotions and how much I cared about the characters. It was the start of a beautiful friendship between me and fiction. I had a long standing relationship with Stephen King until he started writing about clowns (I have an irrational fear).

I have to disagree about fiction not expanding the mind. I read a book a couple of years ago and had to read a book about Stalin to see if the paranoia, fear and general carry on was as stated in the book. Unfortunately it was...

Anyway... em... don't bite, yis can be a fearsome lot..

That's a great start to your Boards career; I always love to hear people's stories of how they got into reading.

*bites sorifinh while his/her/its guard is down*

sorifinh

The King of Moo wrote: »

That's a great start to your Boards career; I always love to hear people's stories of how they got into reading.

*bites sorifinh while his/her/its guard is down*

I wouldn't, seriously, I was sweatin like a bastard writing that.. :eek:

The King of Moo

sorifinh wrote: »

I wouldn't, seriously, I was sweatin like a bastard writing that.. :eek:

Well the sweating was worth it, it's a great post .

odds_on

Generally, I don't like reading books. It seems so much hard work for so very little enjoyment.

Firstly, I am a very slow reader, I have to say each word to myself.

Secondly, if I do read a book, by the time I get to the end, I've forgotten what the beginning was about.

The only time I read a book is when I have to - usually to do with one of my hobbies.

I don't know the last time I read a book from cover to cover - I must be well over 20 years ago.