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Do you read books?

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Originally posted by: yllus
I read a lot. And as open-minded as I sometimes believe that I am, I automatically think a little less of people who don't read. I think even worse of people who don't read and are proud of the fact.
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this
 
Sadly, I dropped out of reading due to the timesink of wandering the internets. However lately, I've started reading again - Dune and Darkly Dreaming Dexter...
 
Originally posted by: Maleficus
My rule for life has always been never go anywhere without a book, you'd be hard pressed not to find me with a small paperback in my pocket/backpack/car/somewhere. Anytime an unexpected delay comes up, whip out my book 🙂 10 minutes here, 15 there, adds up to me going through books very quickly.
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Just don't attempt to read and walk at the same time. I lost a brand new pair of white PONY shoes with a blue stripe trying to do that once when I walking home from middle school and walked right into a ditch that was filled knee high with muddy water. 😱
 
Constantly. I read a book a week on average and now and then I'll read a whole book cover to cover in one sitting. I keep a book on me all the time for reading on the bus or at lunch or whatever. I don't think less of people who don't read, but I guess I would think more of people that do. I read purely for entertainment purposes but even then reading expands vocabulary, improves cognition, and improves writing and speech. Keeping up on your reading and writing is an easy way to improve these skill sets in a way that IMing your friends, "OMG hi 2 u!" doesn't. So in terms of forms of entertainment, I think it is one of the more intellectual and it also helps provide a useful, necessary, and at times much needed skill set.

I've been wanting to get into the Discworld novels but I have not been able to find The Colo(u)r of Magic in the libraries or English bookstores here. I ended up buying a copy of Thud! seeing it was Terry Pratchett but I did not realize it was still part of the Discworld series until the last day of reading it. Well, despite the break in continuity (which I didn't notice) I really REALLY wish I started reading these years ago. Sigh... all that time wasted...
 
In elementary and middle school it always seemed like I was 20 pages behind in any required reading, but about the time high school started I got the reading bug bad and wouldn't go anywhere without a book or two in my backpack. Later, carrying around a book turned into something of a security blanket. I'd get edgy if I didn't have one ion me.

Several years ago I went to work in a school library and now I work at a public library, mainly in the youth department. I tend to read a lot of juvenile and young adult titles, but I mix in adult titles too, but almost 100% of my reading is purely for pleasure. I've got a decent collection of old sword and sorcery pulp fiction paperbacks too.

You guys really should check out your local libraries if you haven't before. Depending on how well funded they are you might be able to borrow videos, DVDs, audio books and lots of other materials. Libraries are also trending towards loaning to a wider area outside their immediate locals so the list of materials you can request is pretty vast these days. Your tax dollars are already paying for it anyway.
 
Originally posted by: Paladin3
You guys really should check out your local libraries if you haven't before. Depending on how well funded they are you might be able to borrow videos, DVDs, audio books and lots of other materials.
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I get books, movies on VHS and DVD, books on CD, books on CD in mp3 format and self-playing digital audio books. I also download books from my library from home. They also allow you to sign up for your favorite living authors, and when one of those authors releases a new book you are automatically put on the reserve list. They notify you when the book is available for you to check out. Just went yesterday to pick up the latest Patricia Cornwell, Mary Higgins Clark and W.E.B. Griffith. I know I could not afford my reading habit if I had to buy all the items.
 
Originally posted by: yllus
I read a lot. And as open-minded as I sometimes believe that I am, I automatically think a little less of people who don't read. I think even worse of people who don't read and are proud of the fact.
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Yep, same.

KT
 
Originally posted by: KeithTalent
Originally posted by: yllus
I read a lot. And as open-minded as I sometimes believe that I am, I automatically think a little less of people who don't read. I think even worse of people who don't read and are proud of the fact.
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Yep, same.

KT
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Mmhmm.
 
I matured into them. I wanted to know what's going on in the world and also wanted to challenge my intellect. At certain ages, it does begin to grow on you.
 
yes i read, but i haven't read anything new since the potter series. i do like books along the lines of battlefield earth (one of the best books i've ever read) and dune(series), LotR, starship troopers.

if anyone can recommend a book i would greatly appreciate it.

also do you buy your books or do you go to the library?
 
Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Originally posted by: SlitheryDee
Too many people get into the mindset that if they do any reading they have to be "getting something out of it". All too often I see this kind of person reading books for grades, books for being successful, books for feeling good about themselves, books for getting them in touch with God, books for making them money, or books for quitting habits. All I can think is that they've so completely missed the point it's not funny. Read something that entertains you and when you're done with that, read something else that entertains you. If reading is such a chore to you that you need to be justifying it by telling yourself that you're "learning something" or "bettering yourself" the YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG. This isn't in response to anything specific in the OP. I just see this as a common error that "non-reader types" make. Read because you like what you're reading.
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They bash this into our heads pretty badly though (what you are arguing against)
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absolutely. and th reason why is because of tv and video games. what's a kid this day and age going to do first with their time? read or play games and watch tv? generalyl it's the latter, which sucks, but that's the reality. kids find it easier to be entertained by that medium, vs using their noodle and imagination.

sad, but this trend has been going on probably since the advent of the atari/commodore64.
 
I read the baseball encyclopedia.
My girlfriend is bonkers over the twilight series by Stephanie Meyers right now
 
I was reading a book a week when I was taking the train to work. Since I moved and started driving to work, I've only read one book in the past year.
 
Reading books is just not my cup of tea... I'm not a very patient person and so when I look at a book the back of my mind tells me there's too little reward(entertainment wise or whatever reason) for the amount of time I would have to put in to read the thing in its entirety. I have no problem reading stuff on wikis or cnn.com, no problem with movie reviews, magazine artcles, etc because they're short.
 
I love to read, although I don't have as much time to devote to it as I would like. I'm surprised at how many people (women mostly) who stereotype men as non-readers. I've had 2 coworkers (out of 25, so a pretty high percentage) be totally surprised that I enjoy reading.
 
Yes, although I used to read more as a child. I find I spend more of my free time working out these days.

Favourite author is Vonnegut.
 
I have never read fiction outside of school.

The only books I ever read are books that teach me new skills or educate me about some real world knowledge. I am a very interested person and I want to know everything however fiction does not fit in this equation.
 
I was never much of a fiction fan, and can count on one hand how many novels I've read outside of school. However, I've always loved history in the encyclopedia/wikipedia/kiddie books. A few weeks ago, I bought a 200 page book on a single topic (Cholera epidemic in London), and finished it. Given that games suck right now, and I've got nothing else to do, I bought 'Conquistador' and 'The Black Death'. Damn they're expensive...
 
I'm 40, and have been constantly reading a lot since I was a kid. Books contain thoughts and ideas, and it's good to absorb and understand them.
 
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