For all the books that remain in my house, I am not the avid reader that many people are. Months can go by and I will open nary a book (save for what's being used as fodder for this blog). It is during these periods when about the ONLY thing I read is on the web -- blogs and news sites.
Just when I think I may never crack open a book again, I go off on a reading tangent. I'm on one of these tangents right now. In the past several weeks, I've read three books centered around the Battle of the Little Big Horn and I am now plodding my way through George Carlin's last book (a review to come shortly). I was up reading Carlin's "sortabiography" (an autobiography published posthumously) until nearly 5 o'clock this morning!
I've often wondered why I read books in spurts. As I drifted off to sleep this morning, I think I've discerned the chief reason: book reading tires me out and I need recovery time.
I'm one of these individuals who actually says each word read out loud in my head. So, I read about as fast as a normal conversation. Not only that but, as my wife has noted several times, I often unconsciously mouth or whisper each word as I read it. I used to tell her that such thinking was silly -- I don't do that! -- but I've caught myself reading aloud in a sort of inaudible whisper.
This penchant for saying each word in my head explains why I am such a laboriously slow reader! A person can only talk so fast and be understandable.
Here's one more interesting observation. Because I must articulate each word in a quasi-audible voice, my reading speed average becomes lower still each time I run into a word that I have difficulty pronouncing correctly. I often find myself stuck in the middle of sentences trying to sound it out. It's not that I don't know what the word means or that I don't understand its usage in the sentence; I simply feel the need to pronounce it correctly!
And so, after involving myself in these long, long conversational monologues (it's only my voice that can be heard), it wears me out. I need to recharge before I can begin the book reading process again.
Just when I think I may never crack open a book again, I go off on a reading tangent. I'm on one of these tangents right now. In the past several weeks, I've read three books centered around the Battle of the Little Big Horn and I am now plodding my way through George Carlin's last book (a review to come shortly). I was up reading Carlin's "sortabiography" (an autobiography published posthumously) until nearly 5 o'clock this morning!
I've often wondered why I read books in spurts. As I drifted off to sleep this morning, I think I've discerned the chief reason: book reading tires me out and I need recovery time.
I'm one of these individuals who actually says each word read out loud in my head. So, I read about as fast as a normal conversation. Not only that but, as my wife has noted several times, I often unconsciously mouth or whisper each word as I read it. I used to tell her that such thinking was silly -- I don't do that! -- but I've caught myself reading aloud in a sort of inaudible whisper.
This penchant for saying each word in my head explains why I am such a laboriously slow reader! A person can only talk so fast and be understandable.
Here's one more interesting observation. Because I must articulate each word in a quasi-audible voice, my reading speed average becomes lower still each time I run into a word that I have difficulty pronouncing correctly. I often find myself stuck in the middle of sentences trying to sound it out. It's not that I don't know what the word means or that I don't understand its usage in the sentence; I simply feel the need to pronounce it correctly!
And so, after involving myself in these long, long conversational monologues (it's only my voice that can be heard), it wears me out. I need to recharge before I can begin the book reading process again.
I am also a slow reader. My husband reads in volume compared to me an order of magnitude more. I think I read slowly because I look closely at words...I spell well, he doesn't. I need to edit his writing. I study the construction of sentences, paragraphs. But he also often reads the same book more than once or twice or more. I rarely do. I sometimes think it has to do with the difference in how we were taught to read: phonics vs. phonetics (I'm never quite sure which is which.)
ReplyDeleteHe also says when he reads he goes into a space that is like a movie, very vivid visualizations. Sometimes he is completely oblivious to what's going on around him. He really doesn't enjoy movies...I do.
There are books on speed reading that would help you to quickly reach 400-600 words per minute, far faster than your current rate.
ReplyDeleteOf course, if you're reading poetry, or Tao te Ching, you'll likely want to go slow and savor every word.
BR,
ReplyDeleteI think I'm somewhere between you and your hubby. Most of the books I read are in the nonfiction section. Of the very few books of fiction I read, I do visualize the story in my head which often makes the movie seem out of kilter with my own movie!
John,
I actually took a speed reading course in college. Didn't help one wit! Speed reading simply didn't compute in my pea-sized brain. :-)
I think you're intoning, or internalizing the information--which means, to me, that you're getting more out of it than someone who plows through it and doesn't remember a thing.
ReplyDeleteI also think, through synchronicity, we sometimes put off finishing or reading a book until the time feels right--when we're ready to receive the information.
Oh Ren, I wish #1 was so. Alas, it is not. I read so slowly and concentrate so much on what I'm reading in the present moment, I often forget what was in the preceding paragraph, let alone the last chapter!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't realise it was possible to read without saying each word in your head! I guess I know why I'm a slow reader now. Likewise I get tired from reading and that is why I read before bed so that I exhaust myself which gives me a better chance of sleeping.
ReplyDelete