How much do you read?

[Maxply]

I’m wondering if reading is declining as an activity. Is it?

How much do you read? What percentage of your leisure time?

 

[puzzleannie]

for me it is, I used to spend a couple of hours a day reading, now my time is taken up on this forum (ha). seriously, I find it hard to do light recreational reading any more as I used to (mostly mysteries) esp. as so many mysteries published now push authors agendas (gay-les detectives, gratuitous sex and violence unrelated to the plot, etc). It does not give me either enjoyment or relaxation any more. I re-read classics or explore authors I once ignored (Dostoyevsky is a new discovery, for instance).

 

[Dtmccameron]

Well, one might consider frequenting these forums as reading, and a passtime. But I think you meant reading books, newspapers, and magazines.

I get a little depressed from time to time. Not a single person in my entire family reads for the sake of it.

 

[Chovy]

I typically read 3-4 books each week. If I’m on vacation or traveling for work I read a book every day. This is an expensive habit, so this year one goal I have is to re-read the books I already own in lieu of buying new books.

 

[SavedByHim]

I’m actually an avid reader… love it, love it, love it! It’s become so habitual – I read every night before bed – that if I don’t have a book to read, I literally can’t fall asleep. With 3 small children, I’d say reading takes up 90% of my free-time.

Annie, I’m in the middle of Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” right now. Funny you mentioned him.

I’m always on the lookout for good Catholic/Christian writers to avoid the things you mentioned Annie. Maybe someone on here has a list of recommended reads?

 

[bluerose]

Just finished the latest Mary Higgins Clark (“Where Are You Now?”–fab, as usual, especially if you enjoy suspense with no sex or violence, but with a Catholic “flavor” to it!)

Read John Grisham’s “Playing for Pizza” on the way home from vacation (sure made an 11-hour trip go by more pleasantly although the book wasn’t my favorite.)

Got the latest Barbara Delinsky waiting in the wings (“The Secret Between Us”) and hoping to get the next Sister Agatha mystery by David and Aimee Thurlo this coming week (“False Witness”–the fourth in another great Catholic mystery series!)

Yeah, I read a little… too much!

 

[Newzie52]

Just finished the latest Mary Higgins Clark (“Where Are You Now?”–fab, as usual, especially if you enjoy suspense with no sex or violence, but with a Catholic “flavor” to it!)

Read John Grisham’s “Playing for Pizza” on the way home from vacation (sure made an 11-hour trip go by more pleasantly although the book wasn’t my favorite.)

Got the latest Barbara Delinsky waiting in the wings (“The Secret Between Us”) and hoping to get the next Sister Agatha mystery by David and Aimee Thurlo this coming week (“False Witness”–the fourth in another great Catholic mystery series!)

Yeah, I read a little… too much!

I adore reading and hadn’t heard of the “Sister Agatha” mystery series…will have to check it out. Thanks!!!

 

[bluerose]

I adore reading and hadn’t heard of the “Sister Agatha” mystery series…will have to check it out. Thanks!!!

David and Aimee (fellow New Mexicans from up around Corrales/Albuquerque) are rather prolific writers and have several series. The “Sister Agatha” series books are “Bad Faith”, “Thief in Retreat”, “Prey for a Miracle” and the latest, “False Witness”.

Enjoy!

 

[Tessa]

I read a fair bit - working in libraries, it’s an occupational hazard! I don’t do as much recreational reading as I used to, and my tastes have changed a bit. I read more nonfiction now; as someone else said, it’s all too easy to get “slimed” these days. I tend to reread old favourites like the Dorothy L. Sayers mysteries. I also enjoy Georgette Heyer when I want something fun and light.

Has anyone read Sigrid Undset? She wrote the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy.

 

[Katie1723]

I read all the time. One book right after another. It’s something I always enjoyed. I suppose it’s a bit of a hold over from my youth, where the Bookmobile every 2 weeks was a cheap form of entertainment. Then going to Catholic school, we always had books to read over the summer. It’s a pity that our kids don’t have the same “drive” to read we did.
Kathy

 

[puzzleannie]

I
Has anyone read Sigrid Undset? She wrote the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy.

my project for the summer - found a 1 vol collection of all 3 in a used bookstore. read it in college, and look forward to a re-read.

 

[child_of_God85]

Reading was really drilled into me as a child, so I read all the time, at least an hour a day.
I really go nuts if I do not have a book to read, and the more challenging the book the better. There are very few modern authors that I like though, I prefer the classics.

 

[Maynoothman]

Im a student so I read about 13 or 14 hours a day.

During the summer and out of term it goes down to 3 or 4 hours a day, making about 3 or so novels etc a week.

 

[aurora77]

I typically read 3-4 books each week. If I’m on vacation or traveling for work I read a book every day.

Me too!! I could just sit and read for hours. I’ve even started waking up earlier so I can read for an hour before work–it just makes my day better!

 

[Maxply]

This is an interesting question to me.

I’ve seen studies of human happiness, in which researchers ask people what they would most like to do with their leisure time.

Reading for pleasure is high on the list.

But I’ve been wondering if the absolute amount of time we have available for such things is declining. Or if there are just so many activities, that each suffers a bit of participation.

 

[bluerose]

From where I’m sitting (with a book in my lap, natch), this is what I’m seeing:

We live in such a type A society that sitting around “doing nothing” (i.e. reading) is frowned upon. We should all be “doing” something (even messing around on the Internet is “doing” something) and apparently reading, because it involves so little physical activity, is deemed too passive and therefore seems like a “waste of time”. We should be doing something “more constructive” with our leisure time (which kind of kills the concept of “leisure time”, but I digress…)

Maybe we should all start moving our lips while reading. I notice a lot of my friends admit to reading but it’s usually while they’re on the treadmill or stationary bike “to pass the time” or when they’re on a long road trip or stuck in a waiting room. Reading is always excused because you had some time on your hands and weren’t in a position to cure all the ills of the world.

I think we’d all do better if we stopped during the day for “story time” followed by a nice nap and a snack.

 

[Hastrman]

I probably read at least 2 hours a day.

Admittedly much of that is blogs and news/columns, but I also read philosophy, science, linguistics, history and fiction.

And then again I usually write an average of 2 hours a day, too, so there’s that.

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

My reading depends a great deal on my days of work. I work 4 days a week, so during those days, since they are 10 hour work days, I don’t get a lot of readying. Maybe 30 minutes at night before bed. However on my 3 days off I make up for it. I try to read a book or two a week.

Just finished: *The Time Machine *and The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

Currently reading : The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton

Up next: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

God bless