Am I the only one who doesn't read? Ever?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I devour books non-stop: fiction, non-fiction and everything in between. My nightmare is getting stuck somewhere without access to books.
As long as you have a fulfilling life, not reading is perfectly fine.

This is me, too. I'd rather sit and read the back of a cereal box for the ninth time than not read anything at all. As others said, it's also my escape and my relaxation. My husband doesn't read much other than history/non-fiction, but I realized reading the quoted comment above that that's how he feels about music. I could happily live without it as long as I had books; he's the exact opposite and would be miserable stuck without anything to listen to.

[Anonymous]

If your brain visabily gained weight, like the body does, then more non-readers would find the time. But it would still be a chore for them. Just like exercising is a chore for me. Even if I get an exercise 'high', the next day I really don't want to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I devour books non-stop: fiction, non-fiction and everything in between. My nightmare is getting stuck somewhere without access to books.
As long as you have a fulfilling life, not reading is perfectly fine.

This is me, too. I'd rather sit and read the back of a cereal box for the ninth time than not read anything at all. As others said, it's also my escape and my relaxation. My husband doesn't read much other than history/non-fiction, but I realized reading the quoted comment above that that's how he feels about music. I could happily live without it as long as I had books; he's the exact opposite and would be miserable stuck without anything to listen to.

You're like me. As a kid I wasn't allowed to read at the breakfast table, so I would read the cereal box over and over. I thought I was the only one!

[Anonymous]

Reading is one of life's greatest pleasures but not everyone realizes that or learns it.

Its like people who are content to eat food out of tins even though they have fresh food available to them.

[Anonymous]

I read a lot for work. Smart magazines for pleasure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not completely true -- but if it isn't in the Wall Street Journal or Forbes, I frankly probably don't care enough to read it.

I find it amazing that all of my friends and colleagues have a book going at all times. The last time I read a book for pleasure was 1 book 10 yrs ago. The last time before that -- someone was forcing me to read the "classics" in HS though my idea of reading those was speeding reading and reading the cliff notes to ace the test. I didn't read a single book in college (finance major and I made sure to come in with AP credit so I could get out of the reading intensive liberal arts kinds of requirements though I think we were only required to take 2-3 of those max anyway).

I used to read a lot when I was a kid -- up until maybe 6th-7th grade (think Babysitters Club and the like) and then when I stopped, that was it. I'm otherwise a well educated professional, 2 ivy degrees etc. I just can't pretend to care about fiction; I don't know how to get into it. As for non fiction -- theoretically that sounds better bc at least you're learning something, but I don't have the attention span to stick with a 300 pg biography.

OP- I'm a "reader" but I have a couple of highly educated successful friends who are not-- at all. I notice that they really enjoy hands on hobbies like athletics, refurbishing furniture, gardening, etc. they are people who need to be moving and have a lot of spare physical energy.

This is personality- people are different and derive energy from different things. When I have spare time, I like reading and movies and puttering around the kitchen. I'm also big on naps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not completely true -- but if it isn't in the Wall Street Journal or Forbes, I frankly probably don't care enough to read it.

I find it amazing that all of my friends and colleagues have a book going at all times. The last time I read a book for pleasure was 1 book 10 yrs ago. The last time before that -- someone was forcing me to read the "classics" in HS though my idea of reading those was speeding reading and reading the cliff notes to ace the test. I didn't read a single book in college (finance major and I made sure to come in with AP credit so I could get out of the reading intensive liberal arts kinds of requirements though I think we were only required to take 2-3 of those max anyway).

I used to read a lot when I was a kid -- up until maybe 6th-7th grade (think Babysitters Club and the like) and then when I stopped, that was it. I'm otherwise a well educated professional, 2 ivy degrees etc. I just can't pretend to care about fiction; I don't know how to get into it. As for non fiction -- theoretically that sounds better bc at least you're learning something, but I don't have the attention span to stick with a 300 pg biography.

OP- I'm a "reader" but I have a couple of highly educated successful friends who are not-- at all. I notice that they really enjoy hands on hobbies like athletics, refurbishing furniture, gardening, etc. they are people who need to be moving and have a lot of spare physical energy.

This is personality- people are different and derive energy from different things. When I have spare time, I like reading and movies and puttering around the kitchen. I'm also big on naps.

Oh and don't listen to any reading snobbery a reading is only a pleasure if you find it a pleasure. If you want to read more-- start with something small, that you enjoy. Short stories are a great start because it's not much commitment and there are some excellent short story authors. Non fiction- read something on the short side that is exciting. I recommend Close to Shore-- one of my favorite non fiction books.

[Anonymous]

Only very stupid and uninteresting people fail to read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I do judge. Almost all of human knowledge is in a book somewhere. I don't think fiction is the be-all-end-all - what about history, current events, memoir, science writing, religion, philosophy, hell, cookbooks and DIY too. Obviously, news, magazines and the web to some extent cover some of the bases too. But I don't see how anyone with any intellectual curiosity isn't reading *something*.

There's NPR, you know.

I think it's weird that people don't read books, but I don't judge. My dh doesn't read books but he does have intellectual curiosity. Sometimes an article from Smithsonian or what have you is all you need on a given subject. Also some people just don't have the time.

[Anonymous]

Everyone has the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only very stupid and uninteresting people fail to read.

Sounds like you should read "Miss Manners."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only very stupid and uninteresting people fail to read.

Sounds like you should read "Miss Manners."

Does she have a section on giving your honest opinion on an anonymous talk board?

[Anonymous]

For the various non-readers, how are you encouraging your children to read?

[Anonymous]

I enjoy reading so much that the idea of someone who doesn't enjoy reading absolutely baffles me. It's like saying, "I don't shower." It's woven into my life. FTR, i haven't enjoyed any fiction books I've read in a long time, so I pretty much focus on non-fiction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I enjoy reading so much that the idea of someone who doesn't enjoy reading absolutely baffles me. It's like saying, "I don't shower." It's woven into my life. FTR, i haven't enjoyed any fiction books I've read in a long time, so I pretty much focus on non-fiction.

Exactly!