What is your reading "style"?

I’m almost exclusively an e-reader these days, but I do love the feel and smell of books and love it when someone gives me a book either as a loan or gift. Not exactly sure why, but I rarely read fiction anymore unless someone highly recommends a book with a meaty description of why. I do follow the best books thread here and have enjoyed several CC recommendations.

I always have a read in progress although sometimes my loan expires before I finish as I don’t always have time to devote every day. I’m a bedtime reader and like to read until I fall asleep. I’m also a slow reader as I read every word at the same pace I’d read aloud. I guess that’s the English major in me. I appreciate words and believe they deserve to be consumed, all of them, as the author intended. If I find myself skimming, that means the book isn’t for me, and I won’t finish it.

I also like to read aloud and both DH and our son when he was growing up loved our nightly reading hour(s). I read a lot of series books to them, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc., voices and all. Not much TV in our house.

DH, OTOH, drives me crazy at times. He likes to read the end of a book first (!) so he can see how the plot works. He also skims like mad (maybe because he already knows the ending?) and finishes books without any appreciation for the words or imagery. I don’t call that reading.

It’s funny though. Early in my career, I took a few speed reading courses and am able to fly through and digest business articles, documentation, white papers, online info, etc., but I never use that method for pleasure reading and don’t have to think about when to switch.

1 Like