Why don't people read more?

[laklak]

I think dumbing down is great. When we get to the point that only 10% of the population can read or do basic maths we'll be the goddamned nobility. The peons will come to us with offerings like nubile young women and unblemished goats so we can read the signs and portents and tell them when to plant their potatoes. We'll predict eclipses and drive off the Sun Eater. We'll know when the full moon occurs and when the seasons start. Every year they'll contribute three months free labor to build our palaces and wait on our every mood and desire.

Bring.It.On. It's gonna fucking ROCK.

[Coito ergo sum]

well, if you got 5 hrs free time in your day (discarding work, sleep, and some basic necessities like meals, a short commute and bathroom time), and you spend 2 of those watching TV, 2 more between your computer and phone, checking messages or facebook, tweetering etc, and possibly listening to music for some time, or engaging in an actual hobby... what's left for books?

It takes about 10 minutes to read about 5 pages. Take a crap, read 5 pages. Finish a 300 page book in 2 months.

and my morning crap, beside the fact it usually happens during office time, rarely takes long enough to read 10 pages... not everybody has that particular time available. and I know lots of people who read papers and mags when they are out of home (like in the transports)

The point wasn't that you have to read on the crapper - just that there is 10 minutes in the day somewhere.

[Twoflower]

I love reading and try to make to time to read every night before I go to bed. I haven't had as much time to read this year because I am graduating in May and have had to focus on classes, but I own a kindle and I agree with what everyone else has said about them. It's fantastic.

[hadespussercats]

I actually have book addiction issues and sometimes I have to swear myself off reading for a while. I'll stay up all night reading, for no good reason, even if it's a book I've read a gajillion times before (I do like to re-read-- a different experience from the first time through something, and sometimes akin to a pleasant visit with old friends.)

I get all jones-y, and nothing gets done-- cleaning, paperwork, etc., etc.

BUT-- I will abandon a book if it's not working for me-- without shame. Life is too short and there are too many good books out there to waste time finishing bad ones.

Oddly enough, I still find plenty of time to waste on-line and in front of the TV. Just talented that way, I guess.

After I was recovering from being sick last year, I went through a long phase where I couldn't focus on anything I was trying to read for more than a paragraph at a time.
I felt amputated.
I started to feel like my old reading self this past fall. With only a few moratoriums necessary since.

Oh, and in other news-- I illustrated a cover for a children's book that is now available on Kindle! PM me if you're interested.

[maiforpeace]

I actually have book addiction issues and sometimes I have to swear myself off reading for a while. I'll stay up all night reading, for no good reason, even if it's a book I've read a gajillion times before (I do like to re-read-- a different experience from the first time through something, and sometimes akin to a pleasant visit with old friends.)

I get all jones-y, and nothing gets done-- cleaning, paperwork, etc., etc.

BUT-- I will abandon a book if it's not working for me-- without shame. Life is too short and there are too many good books out there to waste time finishing bad ones.

Oddly enough, I still find plenty of time to waste on-line and in front of the TV. Just talented that way, I guess.

After I was recovering from being sick last year, I went through a long phase where I couldn't focus on anything I was trying to read for more than a paragraph at a time.
I felt amputated.
I started to feel like my old reading self this past fall. With only a few moratoriums necessary since.

Oh, and in other news-- I illustrated a cover for a children's book that is now available on Kindle! PM me if you're interested.

I don't read children's books, but I would love to see the illustration!

[JimC]

Mrs. Lak and I got Kindles last year, it's the greatest invention since the Gutenberg press. I've got 6 books going at the moment I can switch back and forth between with the press of a couple of buttons. I didn't think I'd like it, no book to hold or pages to turn, but it's marvelous. I've always read a lot, but I read even more now that it's so convenient. Lots of free books out there, and the Kindle price is always much cheaper than the hardback or even paperback prices. It's well worth the money, now I want a Nook also.

I have a Nook. Not only is it great in the way you describe, but for now the books are cheaper, and even sometimes free. One can go to google books and get anything out of copyright for free, save it to a .pdf and upload it to the Kindle in seconds. Phenomenal.

For $1.99, I bought 50 Sci-Fi classic books, including a host of old Edgar Rice Burroughs, HG Wells, Jules Verne and other timeless classics.

I love the Nook. It's far better than books. The last time I had to move I had about 30 large boxes full of paper books, and my shelves in the house had been overflowing - some had migrated to the basement to dwell in darkness. With the Nook, many books will fit on the device itself, and copies are backed up to my computer, and my computer's backup. They can be stored in .pdf format, and I can surf an entire library, plus google books from the device, and download from Barnes & Noble, while waiting for my plane to take off. I can carry my library into the "reading room" (ahem) in our house, and I can carry my library to the beach. It's actually easier to read the Nook on the beach in the sunlight than a regular book.

It is a marvelous device, and I would opt for the e-Ink non-backlit version for reading purposes. Much easier on the eyes than backlit screens.

I love it.

This post has made me want to get one! Better start saving...

[Warren Dew]

1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year

These statistics may be somewhat misleading. There is plenty of reading material that isn't in book form. Granted reading The New York Times Magazine isn't as good as actually reading the books reviewed in that magazine, but it's hardly illiteracy.

They can be stored in .pdf format

How do they prevent piracy?

I'd be a lot more interested in digital books if I could read them as PDFs on my computer screen.

[Atheist-Lite]

1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year

These statistics may be somewhat misleading. There is plenty of reading material that isn't in book form. Granted reading The New York Times Magazine isn't as good as actually reading the books reviewed in that magazine, but it's hardly illiteracy.

They can be stored in .pdf format

How do they prevent piracy?

I'd be a lot more interested in digital books if I could read them as PDFs on my computer screen.

You can get kindle for PC then there's Readibility.

https://www.readability.com

[Tero]

I find I read less easy fiction before the e books. I tend to finish them on e readers and not put them on a shelf or archive. But I do read reference and nonfiction in short sections, so there the e books are no good, paper better. iPhone apps are better for reference material.

[Rob]

I actually have book addiction issues and sometimes I have to swear myself off reading for a while. I'll stay up all night reading, for no good reason, even if it's a book I've read a gajillion times before (I do like to re-read-- a different experience from the first time through something, and sometimes akin to a pleasant visit with old friends.)

I can't tell you how many times I have stayed up all night to finish a book. It's a bad habit of mine, this incurable lust for reading anything. Seriously, I haven't found a topic to bore me. History of the third reich, A look into existentialism, A tale of two cities, Moby Dick, European history from 1950-2000, a book depicting the struggles and trials of diaspora world wide.

[hadespussercats]

I actually have book addiction issues and sometimes I have to swear myself off reading for a while. I'll stay up all night reading, for no good reason, even if it's a book I've read a gajillion times before (I do like to re-read-- a different experience from the first time through something, and sometimes akin to a pleasant visit with old friends.)

I can't tell you how many times I have stayed up all night to finish a book. It's a bad habit of mine, this incurable lust for reading anything. Seriously, I haven't found a topic to bore me. History of the third reich, A look into existentialism, A tale of two cities, Moby Dick, European history from 1950-2000, a book depicting the struggles and trials of diaspora world wide.

That twitchy jonesing for a new read-- gazing at the shelves-- nope, nope, not that, not that-- sort of like when you keep looking in the fridge, hoping there'll be something different in there this time.

And then--- the excitement of coming home from the used bookstore with a big bag of new reads--- aw, yeah!

There are worse addictions...

[Warren Dew]

I can't tell you how many times I have stayed up all night to finish a book.

This is one of the reasons I'm sometimes afraid to buy new books ... or pull old ones off the shelf. I guess it's okay on fridays and saturdays.

[JimC]

I can't tell you how many times I have stayed up all night to finish a book.

This is one of the reasons I'm sometimes afraid to buy new books ... or pull old ones off the shelf. I guess it's okay on fridays and saturdays.

When I was a kid, the local library opened late into the evening on Fridays. Every week, my parents and I would go there, get a bunch of books each, and stay up really late reading and drinking cups of tea. That was the wild life in our town in those days...

It was nice to be part of a family of bookaholics...

[Coito ergo sum]

Mrs. Lak and I got Kindles last year, it's the greatest invention since the Gutenberg press. I've got 6 books going at the moment I can switch back and forth between with the press of a couple of buttons. I didn't think I'd like it, no book to hold or pages to turn, but it's marvelous. I've always read a lot, but I read even more now that it's so convenient. Lots of free books out there, and the Kindle price is always much cheaper than the hardback or even paperback prices. It's well worth the money, now I want a Nook also.

I have a Nook. Not only is it great in the way you describe, but for now the books are cheaper, and even sometimes free. One can go to google books and get anything out of copyright for free, save it to a .pdf and upload it to the Kindle in seconds. Phenomenal.

For $1.99, I bought 50 Sci-Fi classic books, including a host of old Edgar Rice Burroughs, HG Wells, Jules Verne and other timeless classics.

I love the Nook. It's far better than books. The last time I had to move I had about 30 large boxes full of paper books, and my shelves in the house had been overflowing - some had migrated to the basement to dwell in darkness. With the Nook, many books will fit on the device itself, and copies are backed up to my computer, and my computer's backup. They can be stored in .pdf format, and I can surf an entire library, plus google books from the device, and download from Barnes & Noble, while waiting for my plane to take off. I can carry my library into the "reading room" (ahem) in our house, and I can carry my library to the beach. It's actually easier to read the Nook on the beach in the sunlight than a regular book.

It is a marvelous device, and I would opt for the e-Ink non-backlit version for reading purposes. Much easier on the eyes than backlit screens.

I love it.

This post has made me want to get one! Better start saving...

$149 at Barnes and Noble.

[Coito ergo sum]

1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year

These statistics may be somewhat misleading. There is plenty of reading material that isn't in book form. Granted reading The New York Times Magazine isn't as good as actually reading the books reviewed in that magazine, but it's hardly illiteracy.

I agree - but, I am suspicious of people who don't read books. I can't imagine why people don't.

They can be stored in .pdf format

How do they prevent piracy?

I don't know, actually. About the same way as music, I guess.

I'd be a lot more interested in digital books if I could read them as PDFs on my computer screen.

You can. Go to google books.http://books.google.com/ebooks/reader?i ... g=GBS.PR17 One of the great advantages of the Nook or the Kindle, however, is the eInk they use. It's MUCH easier to read them because they aren't back lit and they appear muted, like ink on paper. You can get a leather case with a book light included that let's you read in the dark. Plus, you can't usually take a computer to bed to read, as many people like to do. Or, to the beach, for that matter.