Karen Foley
Lynn Raye Harris
Ellen Hartman
Diana Holquist
Samantha Hunter
Shirley Jump
Dee Tenorio
Jeannie Watt
What Are We Reading?
I had a student last night, while tutoring, ask me how I managed to come up with so many different ways to say one thing, or how I could even know that many different ways to say one thing, LOL. It was actually an interesting question, how we develop facility of language, a large vocabulary, and I felt for her, just starting out in her education, and having so far to go. But when I asked her what she read, she said "not much" -- mostly, she does school work, and life, but reading is not a habit.
I told her to start reading. Magazines, brochures, catalogs, any kind of book she has time for or interest in -- because that's where facility with language comes from, I truly believe. While you can't pick up everything from reading, you can pick up a lot, it's like programming your brain for language (and I believe TV, music, and anything language-based will do the same, if you are an active listener).
She was excited, and I think I sparked more of an interest in her to read -- not the classics or anything heavy, just what she could get her hands on. I think just developing the habit is important, and then the rest will come.
So, it made me think about what I've been reading. I thought that I read less since I started writing, but I have revised that opinion. I don't read less, but I read different. I read fewer books, but more magazines, research, blogs, webpages, and then, in other moments, recipe and sewing books/boards/magazines, magazines from The Writer to Family Circle and Martha Stewart to Cosmo, and I save catalogs just to look through them. I find catalogs and magazines particularly relaxing before bed. For fun, I will pick up something really different, like my husband's technical trade mag, or something very newsy or scientific when I am sitting around or want to challenge my brain.
I think I may actually read much more than I used to, and I use more of what I read in some practical way. Today, I started the morning reading three fairly technical articles on arson investigation, then several emails, boards and our blog. I looked through the preface of a book I am using to research my next mystery, and I read a little of my own writing to get some things settled in my head, to mull. I read several magazines in B&N the other day while having a coffee. I love to do that. I can pick up something new and just page through it, and it's how I keep up with a few regulars.
I may be reading for a much larger part of my day than I ever realized, some of it feeding directly into my work, some of it for fun or interest. I think I am more spontaneous about my reading, likely to pick up a magazine and just read an article if I have a moment or it's laying there (good for coming up with book ideas).
I also like that I read a much wider variety of things than I ever have. As for books, while I love them, they are probably in the minority of what I read, simply because it will take me several days or weeks to get through one. I finished JA Jance's first Joanna Brady mystery the other night, Desert Heat which I managed to finish in a few evenings, amazingly, and I'm on Sue Grafton's I is for Innocent now, but I only read fiction at bedtime, and very occasionally on the weekends. I will do research reading during the day.
So, what are you reading now, and do you also read a wide variety of things, whether you realize it or not, or just books?
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Ooo
I really like this topic, Sam!
I'm reading... by choice/bookwise I'm nearly 100% romance. I just re-skimmed most of a Silhouette Desire (one of my favorite lines). Erm, and also a few historical romances... and an erotic anthology. (Yes all last night :P) I read a lot of blogs, skim through e-newspapers - generally NYT & BBC News... if I'm doing "research" I'll go to Thompson Reuters, AP, WSJ, etc.
Of course there's all that "book learning" reading I have to do :P wikipedia >.< (which all professors hate even though they know a number of the articles have the same accuracy as a "real encyclopedia"). And I've tried to pick up some books I loved as a kid - I've been buying those up.
As for the girl you tutored, I hope she did start reading! I don't know how to motivate kids to learn. I teach this program called "Street Law" and teach 4th and 5th graders 1-2 times a week in an inner city school. Some of them are brilliant, but some just know *nothing.* And the problem is they seem to like it that way. Sad.
Wiki
I think Wikipeida is a lot of people's dirty little secret. I use it for writing info, though not as a main source, and not without a grain of salt on some issues.
What bothers me about current student research methods is that they opt for convenience, almost forgetting the library is there (and they can access the library online), so I always appreciate when teachers require more than online sources. The internet, useful as it is, is full of garbage and less than critical readers don't always know the difference.
I think the Street Law program sounds fascinating... what a great thing to do!
Sam
I love to read
I'll read anything from the back of a cereal box to a heavy book.
I read magazines, blogs, books. Mostly romance but I've been dipping into some other stuff too (well, not right now as I'm still on my self-imposed goal to finish some other stuff).
I also listen to books on CD during my commute. Right now it's The North River by Pete Hamill. One of my favourite non-romance writers.
ani
I never make reading a goal, LOL
I know that sounds odd, and here I am telling a student to make it goal, but that's because she didn't have the habit in the first place.
It seems like so many other aspects of life are deadline and goal-determined, I never make reading a goal, I never worry I am not reading fast enough, etc. It just sort of happens, which for me is okay.
It's why I resist things like the Harlequin Challenge, etc though I think it's fine for the people who do it, but I don't like seeing things people do for fun turn into stress and work (not saying that is your case with your self-imposed goal, sort of making a jump here to posts I see at Harlequin where people work so hard at that challenge, it's like a job, and they end up beating themselves up for not reading enough, etc). That's not for me.
And yes, I read store products as well -- some of them are very good, like the Jones soda bottles. ;)
Sam
I love to read!
I read so much, it's a wonder that my eyes aren't worn out! I read romance novels, cookbooks, newspapers, magazines, and lots of online blogs. I am a retired elementary school teacher, and I hope that I passed on my love of reading to my students. My favorite time of the day was when I read to my students. Of course, it was always intensely rewarding to watch them learn HOW to read.
Heh
I think you had the more fun part of teaching. ;) By the time I got them in college, we are teaching them how to read critically, how to analyze, and they don't always appreciate that -- it's when reading becomes more work than entertainment, unless you are of my bent analytical mindset, I love analyzing things, sometimes too much. ;)
Sam
I read all genres, quite a
I read all genres, quite a few magazines, the newspaper, enewsletters, and a number of blogs.
I am currently reading Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning.
Mostly
romance books but sometimes romance magazine or recipes. I swear right now there's a conspiracy against me. I like to read holiday themed book in December but I started a lauren Dane series of 4 books in ebook, still need to finish 1 and a half there. Have a 3 book series by Lois Faye Dyer on the go, in print, have 2 and little done. Wanted to read the new Olivia Gates Nocturne Bite as soon as it came out and the new Megan Hart Brief and with the eharlequin challenge we need the briefs or Bites or undones or minis or shorts to add to 50,000 words or roughly 200 pages, plus Monday my January subscription of Desires came in(one of my top ranking lines). Then Katherine has us looking for reindeer over at eharlequin, then this is the time of year when all these wonderful authors are holding contests.
I think I need the secret of saying one thing different ways. There are only so many times I wanna write "I enjoyed the book"
How about "Ditto" LOL
Reading your post made me dizzy -- how many books do you have going? I can't do that. I am reading two now, one fiction, one non-fiction, one for fun, one for research, which means it will take me the rest of the month to get through those two.
Honestly, while I think contributing to the challenge is a great thing, I don't see making yourself crazy over it -- enjoy your books first, and do the rest later, when you can, IMO. :)
Sam
ok Sam
let's see about undizzying you. Techniacally I only have 3 started. 1)Chased by Lauren Dane. the third in her Chase brothers(already finished 1 & 2 and then have #4 to go) 2)Cattleman's Heart by Lois Faye Dyer[print](#3 in her Bowdries series, already read 1 & 2) 3)Layover by Megan Hart(Spice Brief), I read Olivia Gates' Mortal Enemy, Immortal Lover(Nocturne Bite) I'll probably go to Captured by Lori Devoti(Nocturne Bite) next and Taken by Lillian Fiesty(Spice Brief)and Dreamer by Kate Austin. Also in print I want to get to the 6 January Desires before starting holiday books. I usually have 2 going at once an ebook and a print.
In recent months I've taken a step back from the challenge and not concentrated as much on the numbers(100,000 books will still be donated)There may be a certain book that I want to get to NOW not because it will boost numbers but because I really want to get to it.
Hope that eased a little of the dizziness. :)
Books
I read all sorts of magazines like National Geographic, Cosmo and Entertainment Weekly. I've been reading a lot of romantic suspense and historicals lately.
Love reading!
Like many of you, I'll read most things put in front of me, but mostly it's romances, random articles from the Wall Street Journal, the occasional book that my husband's reading that looks good, tons of kid books (usually with the kids ;)), and lots of blogs and other internet stuff. Oh, and the occasional magazine--love Reader's Digest ;)
Reading
My reading has changed since I retired and have time to read more than what I needed to teach. As a teacher of geography I read a lot of travel information and books on the countries I was teaching as well as the textbook and related bits and pieces. And of course student papers. I would get to read a book for pleasure maybe once every two weeks and during vacations. Now I read mostly romance, but I also read magazines (mainly National Geographic, Smithsonian, and Texas Highways. And I read my local newspaper every day.
Replying to the last three here...
Oh, NG, Washington Post, NYT... I enjoy Newsweek, too.... I love to read through Consumer Reports as well. I miss newspapers, we canceled them, because we never have time to get through them and they just stack up.
Ellen, I didn't know you taught Geography! How did I miss that? I am a geographer as well... only taught 2 semesters at the university while I was finishing my MA, but I would teach it again in a snap, given the opp. Love it -- it does change your grasp of the world in a way that never quite leaves you... it infects all of my books, too. I always think of my characters in terms of place...
I don't miss reading student papers, though. I do some of it in tutoring, and that is a different thing (also teaching them how to read their own writing, reading like a writer, etc), but I have to admit, when I think about teaching writing, I balk, because I don't mind grading exams, etc but I am so done with reading drafts of papers...
Sam
like erotic books reading
like erotic books
reading browyn books tycoom revenge
lauren dane new one
Hail to the Redskins! My
Hail to the Redskins!
My pleasure reading has decreased since I went back to work, but I read news magazines, newpapers, internet posts and blogs, nursing journals, and of course romance, mystery, sci-fi and fantasy. DD is the same way and will read what she can.
Read what you can
I think that is the best advice, and I think the variety is key. I can't read the same thing over and over for very long, it all starts to sound the same to me. I need to break it up with other stuff... :)
Sam
Great topic...
Reading has been my favorite form of entertainment since elementary school. Years ago it was strictly books and newspapers, but now I find I spend a lot of time reading on-line (blogs, news sites, etc). My dh,after completing an advanced degree two years ago,developed a love of reading for the very first time. When we met, he used to joke that he had only read five books in his whole life. Now he reads three newspapers a day, half a dozen magazines a month, and multiple NF books concurrently.
Oh, I'm also enjoying children's stories more than I ever thought possible. I have an absolute blast picking out new Scholastic books for my kids each month. Frankly, I enjoy them as much as my boys!
Reading patterns
My reading patterns have changed through the years and I'll be the first to admit I sometimes get in a reading rut. I'll go through periods where I only want one particular type of novel and I'll set everything else aside until that trend has run its course. I'm not a big fan of non-fiction, and my novel choices will jump from straight romance to mystery to romantic fantasy to Harry Potter. Huge, huge, huge Potter fan. I read a newspaper every day the old fashioned way, then keep up with changes through the day on that newspaper's web page, plus check out Fox News, CNN, The Houston Chronicle and Yahoo news nearly every day. We have several magazines placed strategically around the house and in my car so we always have something to read. I am proud of the fact that both of my teens are avid readers, and while my older daughter reads classic and modern literature, art history and non-fiction, my younger one's taste if more like my own.