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How to read more books

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Re: How to read more books

#221

Post by kriro »

kamranjon wrote: post #213
kriro wrote: post #202

I do not agree with his take on audio books. I find having a book with me and reading at all times as suggested a bit impractical, however for audio books it is way more feasible. I have long-ish commutes of 5h every couple of weeks and listening to audio books on the drive is great. I also listen to audiobooks when I vacuum, clean, grocery shop. Always unabridged versions and I research quite a bit what I want to li…

In your examples you are always doing something else while listening to an audio book. This was the authors point. Reading is the activity - and I definitely agree - I still listen to audio books, but for a different purpose, to avoid boredom when exercising, etc but I don’t consider this reading. I really think most people can learn quite a bit, especially in this age of instant gratification, by sitting down and pe…

Listening to audiobooks for me is a learned skill. when I started my mind used to wander off and I couldn't tell you what I just listened to. Now for autopilot activities I'm hyper focused on the books. I have increased the speed to roughly 1.3x which seems to be the sweetspot for my brain. Faster sounds like robot-voices to me and slower made me wander off.

I completely agree with the "mental health" boon to taking time, slowing down and focusing on an activity. This can be done with audiobooks, too. I sometimes sit on my couch and listen to an audiobook, too.

Re: How to read more books

#222

Post by stared »

I am curious how it works for people with ADHD.

I mean, I would love to read more books (and I have a very long backlog), but very rarely I find them stimulating enough to sustain attention. And if they do... well, then time flies and other commitments are missed.

Sure, everyone's ADHD is different and I know quite a lot of people, for whom book are go-to. For me there is a narrow bar between not enough stimulated to start, and too stimulated so in my own words of a thousand thoughts.

Re: How to read more books

#223

Post by kriro »

i_am_a_peasant wrote: post #208
kriro wrote: post #202

I do not agree with his take on audio books. I find having a book with me and reading at all times as suggested a bit impractical, however for audio books it is way more feasible. I have long-ish commutes of 5h every couple of weeks and listening to audio books on the drive is great. I also listen to audiobooks when I vacuum, clean, grocery shop. Always unabridged versions and I research quite a bit what I want to li…

i never managed to pay attention fully to an audio book. i always have to go back 30 seconds every now and then cause i lose the plot. i am the same with books. i never read it linearly. i jump back a lot and reread a page or two. and jumping back is just way easier with text. and it’s easier with a physical book than on a kindle. on my big android tablet i can scroll fast back if it’s a pdf. but it’s not always fun…

I had the same problem, playing with the speed helped for me. Similar to meditation, I also learned to focus more on the listening. I completely agree that text is better for jumping and audio might also not be perfect for everybody. For fiction audio it also depends a lot on the narration for me. It needs to be top notch or I "check out".

Re: How to read more books

#224

Post by agumonkey »

kamranjon wrote: post #213
kriro wrote: post #202

I do not agree with his take on audio books. I find having a book with me and reading at all times as suggested a bit impractical, however for audio books it is way more feasible. I have long-ish commutes of 5h every couple of weeks and listening to audio books on the drive is great. I also listen to audiobooks when I vacuum, clean, grocery shop. Always unabridged versions and I research quite a bit what I want to li…

In your examples you are always doing something else while listening to an audio book. This was the authors point. Reading is the activity - and I definitely agree - I still listen to audio books, but for a different purpose, to avoid boredom when exercising, etc but I don’t consider this reading. I really think most people can learn quite a bit, especially in this age of instant gratification, by sitting down and pe…

I still want to try audiobooks more, but I agree that cutting your mind and diving into the words is something quite special. And I was convinced that ebook readers or tablets or whatever from the 2010s would be able to top that but so far I never saw it getting close. Weird.

Re: How to read more books

#225

Post by basscomm »

latexr wrote: post #200
mns wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I loved the article, but the only part that I didn't connect with was the blocking, and probably the goals (not sure if going for the numbers instead of the pleasure of reading something good is ideal long term). I think the author and you shouldn't necessarily be so hard on yourselves to go to these extremes of blocking of these things, usually it works for a while, but it might come back worse when you crack and tr…

> but the only part that I didn't connect with was the blocking, and probably the goals. Funny, because I found the post terrible but approve of the goals technique if done temporarily . Many many years ago I set myself a reading goal (first year it was number of books; second year and beyond it was time spent reading) and that served me well to both establish the types of books which aren’t worth it and create the r…

> Look, it’s fine if audiobooks don’t work for you, and it’s fine to let your readers know why.

Listening to an audiobook is not the same as reading a book.

The whole point of the article was how to read more books, not how to have someone read books to you.

Re: How to read more books

#227

Post by aftergibson »

goodroot wrote: post #12

Love this blog, appreciate the author. > This is probably the most difficult part. I had to remove all social media and streaming apps from my iPhone. I removed Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, etc. When I started, I found myself picking up the phone and immediately noticing that something was missing, since the only things left to do were check the weather, read boring emails, or see my bank account. These past few mon…

I very much connect with the "I'm in grief but desperately trying to hold onto something long dead". People point to the smolweb (ugh, that term), Gemini, or something else as proof it's still there, but it really isn't. I'm glad they exist, but the mindshare is with the addictive, algorithm-driven destinations. It's like listening to your favourite band play to a handful of people in the room next to a Taylor Swift concert, you might not like Taylor Swift, but the crowds and energy are all over there, and it's hard to hear your own music when something else is blaring through the wall.

My own response has been to opt out at the hardware level: I've gone for a Mudita Kompakt e-ink phone. I haven't even bothered installing social media, the experience would be bad enough that I'd never be tempted, but what it's great for is KOReader and some light fiction. I use my Kindle for heavier fiction and non-fiction, and paper when I suspect I'll really want to engage with a book, writing all over it, referencing it heavily.

Re: How to read more books

#228

Post by carlosjobim »

throwaway219450 wrote: post #87
5555624 wrote: post #74

Get a long book, a timeless classic, and read one chapter a night. I grew up reading all the time. About 20 years ago, I found myself reading less and less. I decided to read "The Count of Monte Cristo" again. I decided I would read one chapter a night, before going to bed, regardless of how late it was, how busy, etc, By the time I finished, reading before going to bed was a habit. I read 30-60 minutes every night b…

I like doing this if I can’t sleep, although there have been occasions where I ended up staying awake to finish the whole thing. I don’t read in bed unless I’m on my own, or we’re both reading, as I’ve not found any satisfying book lights and I don’t use an e-reader. Also probably better for sleep hygiene and, as I get older, ergonomics to have a cosy spot somewhere else. Younger me could read folded in half, older m…

Use an e-reader. They are great. Incredibly cheap and sturdy. The screen light on e-readers do not interfere with sleep and hormones, as they're shone on the page instead of blasted into your eyes. After some time with an e-reader you will consider it one of the best purchases you've ever done.

Reading boring/difficult but important books is the best solution when you can't sleep. Either they're the best sleeping pill, or you're learning something important.

Re: How to read more books

#229

Post by ubermonkey »

goodroot wrote: post #12

Love this blog, appreciate the author. > This is probably the most difficult part. I had to remove all social media and streaming apps from my iPhone. I removed Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, etc. When I started, I found myself picking up the phone and immediately noticing that something was missing, since the only things left to do were check the weather, read boring emails, or see my bank account. These past few mon…

>What pushed me over the edge is the realization that I'm in grief. The Internet which once shaped my identity today, in no defensible way, resembles the silly place which once gave me solace.

ooof. I'm 56. I got an Internet email address before most people knew email existed (1987). I belonged to virtual communities on usenet and listservs well before the web as we know it took root.

Consequently, I feel your comment in my bones.

Re: How to read more books

#230

Post by latexr »

basscomm wrote: post #225
latexr wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but the only part that I didn't connect with was the blocking, and probably the goals. Funny, because I found the post terrible but approve of the goals technique if done temporarily . Many many years ago I set myself a reading goal (first year it was number of books; second year and beyond it was time spent reading) and that served me well to both establish the types of books which aren’t worth it and create the r…

> Look, it’s fine if audiobooks don’t work for you, and it’s fine to let your readers know why. Listening to an audiobook is not the same as reading a book. The whole point of the article was how to read more books, not how to have someone read books to you.

What a meaningless gatekeeping distinction. Unless your sole goal is to be a poser who wants to be perceived as a literate intellectual who is oh so cultured and well-read, however you consume the book is up to you. Who the heck is thinking “I really want to read more books, but only if it’s in the way this stranger tells me I should, not the way I enjoy”?

If you like reading paper books, good. If you like reading electronic books, good. If you like listening to audiobooks, good. If you like having your partner lovingly transcribe a book into individual postcards and mail them to you weekly, good. Consume the book however you want and don’t judge others by their preference.

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