I can't fall asleep without reading first.

Anonymous wrote:I learned about the elements of fiction and then went back and read stuff, although highly acclaimed, I originally thought trite. Using that framework really exposed the brilliance of the writing to me.

So, I read to enjoy the beauty of fiction, especially from the intricately layered, higher end.

Very interesting! Name one or two that you've reread and enjoyed the second time.

I learned about the elements of fiction and then went back and read stuff, although highly acclaimed, I originally thought trite. Using that framework really exposed the brilliance of the writing to me.

So, I read to enjoy the beauty of fiction, especially from the intricately layered, higher end.

I read for enjoyment and broadening because while I find my work fascinating and my home life deeply engrossing, I know that’s a minuscule amount of what exists in the universe and I want to touch more of the universe.

In recent years particularly excellent books have become a common language for me among particularly close people in my life— my husband, best friends, children— where a shared book created a common and shared understanding of an idea or a character which might before have been harder to explain. Reading has enriched some of my most worthwhile relationships.

Such a great question. As I was reading the first comments I was thinking of escapism (which is definitely part of it) but after reflecting on the comments from those with childhood trauma I also think my poorly managed anxiety makes it hard to turn my brain off. So I really mostly get a break when I shove something else captivating in front of it. I definitely need to restart therapy….

But I have always been a reader. I just love it and always have. Am definitely in a candy phase right now and enjoying relatively not upsetting books.

Anonymous wrote:I think it is a shame this thread is on the book forum. Most people are on the book forum to discuss BOOKS because reading is the same for us as breathing, sleeping, eating, it's something that is so integral to life that it's a necessity.

I find it boring and reductive to have to define "why" a person reads. Why does a person ever do anything? Its just not interesting hearing about this, I'd rather hear about the books themselves.

There are SIX pages that include well over a hundred threads. Perhaps, among them, you might find a few that discuss “BOOKS” — or even start your own. Shrug.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it is a shame this thread is on the book forum. Most people are on the book forum to discuss BOOKS because reading is the same for us as breathing, sleeping, eating, it's something that is so integral to life that it's a necessity.

I find it boring and reductive to have to define "why" a person reads. Why does a person ever do anything? Its just not interesting hearing about this, I'd rather hear about the books themselves.

Thanks for gatekeeping the DCUM book forum. Please share the link to your book forum where this nonsense doesn’t exist so we can bask in the superiority complex.

It's not gatekeeping, it's my OPINION which you are now are attempting to shut down, like a, oh yeah, a gatekeeper.

So, a book forum discussing why people read books is a bad thing and somehow gatekeeping? Interesting that this opinion didn't come up before you. In fact people were happy that this thread was created. So your opinion is that necessary? That common? Are you sure you're not misunderstanding the purpose of this thread?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it is a shame this thread is on the book forum. Most people are on the book forum to discuss BOOKS because reading is the same for us as breathing, sleeping, eating, it's something that is so integral to life that it's a necessity.

I find it boring and reductive to have to define "why" a person reads. Why does a person ever do anything? Its just not interesting hearing about this, I'd rather hear about the books themselves.

Thanks for gatekeeping the DCUM book forum. Please share the link to your book forum where this nonsense doesn’t exist so we can bask in the superiority complex.

It's not gatekeeping, it's my OPINION which you are now are attempting to shut down, like a, oh yeah, a gatekeeper.

Anonymous wrote:I think it is a shame this thread is on the book forum. Most people are on the book forum to discuss BOOKS because reading is the same for us as breathing, sleeping, eating, it's something that is so integral to life that it's a necessity.

I find it boring and reductive to have to define "why" a person reads. Why does a person ever do anything? Its just not interesting hearing about this, I'd rather hear about the books themselves.

Thanks for gatekeeping the DCUM book forum. Please share the link to your book forum where this nonsense doesn’t exist so we can bask in the superiority complex.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know! I love reading (listening to audio books). I have loved reading ever since I learned to read. I have no other explanation. I read some for my book club. I only read books I enjoy.

Is this really "reading"? I have a friend who used to say she read 10 books a week. I was like wow, how do you find the time? Then I realized she was listening to audiobooks (in the car, out in the garden, mowing lawn, chores, etc). Sometimes while reading I'll come across a word I've never seen before (don't know what it means or sometimes how to pronounce it). I'll stop, look up the meaning and pronunciation and then re-read the sentence or paragraph again. I would imagine most people don't do that with audiobooks. I don't know, audiobooks just seems like "cheating"

That’s ableist BS right there. Please watch this: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRQposSe/

I have poor vision post-LASIK, so I am all audible now. I find it just the opposite- I find words that I rarely hear used ( but know how to spell and define from reading text) pronounced correctly- the most recent was porcine. The only difficulty I have is the difference between English and British English pronunciation of certain words, like “desultory.” I do think for younger readers it is important to see the words spelled, sentence structure, etc.

Okay, so how is that related to the video? The point is that saying you MUST see words on page to read is ableist. Those people basically think that you with your audio books aren’t reading. You aren’t a reader. You must know that’s BS in light of your situation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know! I love reading (listening to audio books). I have loved reading ever since I learned to read. I have no other explanation. I read some for my book club. I only read books I enjoy.

Is this really "reading"? I have a friend who used to say she read 10 books a week. I was like wow, how do you find the time? Then I realized she was listening to audiobooks (in the car, out in the garden, mowing lawn, chores, etc). Sometimes while reading I'll come across a word I've never seen before (don't know what it means or sometimes how to pronounce it). I'll stop, look up the meaning and pronunciation and then re-read the sentence or paragraph again. I would imagine most people don't do that with audiobooks. I don't know, audiobooks just seems like "cheating"

That’s ableist BS right there. Please watch this: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRQposSe/

I have poor vision post-LASIK, so I am all audible now. I find it just the opposite- I find words that I rarely hear used ( but know how to spell and define from reading text) pronounced correctly- the most recent was porcine. The only difficulty I have is the difference between English and British English pronunciation of certain words, like “desultory.” I do think for younger readers it is important to see the words spelled, sentence structure, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes I talk to "readers" but then they say they aren't reading anything right now, and their last book read was like years (plural) ago. I get things like stress, little kids, changes in life, etc. But when do you stop calling yourself a reader and maybe say something like "I used to read".

This is my biggest thing about readers. It's like people who called themselves nerds but hated studying. No you weren't a nerd, you were unpopular.

We. Are. Not. The. Same

Sure, Jan

I think Jan has a point.

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes I talk to "readers" but then they say they aren't reading anything right now, and their last book read was like years (plural) ago. I get things like stress, little kids, changes in life, etc. But when do you stop calling yourself a reader and maybe say something like "I used to read".

This is my biggest thing about readers. It's like people who called themselves nerds but hated studying. No you weren't a nerd, you were unpopular.

We. Are. Not. The. Same

Sure, Jan

I think it is a shame this thread is on the book forum. Most people are on the book forum to discuss BOOKS because reading is the same for us as breathing, sleeping, eating, it's something that is so integral to life that it's a necessity.

I find it boring and reductive to have to define "why" a person reads. Why does a person ever do anything? Its just not interesting hearing about this, I'd rather hear about the books themselves.

I feel like whenever I'm searching for a next book to read, there's some part of me that's not being met, that needs to grow and the current societal structure and work and everything else, isn't giving me that. I think this is why I can pick up a book in February and just not be inspired by it, but then again in December, I try it again and suddenly it's taking to me.

It's weird that I can look to Harry Potter for personal growth, but looking back, I know I read it (and many other books) at a time when there was little imagination in my life. It's like Mr. Rogers and his imagination land and saying "children's work is play".

Now as a grown man, to I'm reading more, but I'm not finding fiction/fantasy as interesting. So when I searched for new books I felt like I was getting the same story but with different characters. So I searched other genres and found some books that are really helping me grow in this next level of my life.

So that's why I read