Tell Me About Your Reading Habits

[barry1010]

I have been an avid reader of fiction all my life, although not necessarily 'good' literature.  I have received many books as gifts but most of my books came from public libraries and used book sellers.  When I was little a local toy hospital sold second hand childrens books with a half price discount if you returned one.

I have never bought a new printed novel for myself. Not one.  It would feel like a wild extravagance.  I have bought a few ebooks to finish a series when the book isn't available for download through the public libraries but not many.

These days I mainly read police procedurals and thrillers.

[Vagus]

From when they first came out, I bought the entire Richard and Judy book club choices in one go and lugged them all over Europe. They made me read books I wouldn't have normally have bought and changed reading habits.

Then I was given a kindle and stopped buying actual books. For a couple of years I downloaded the book club choices on to it, then found amazon daily deal and bookbub, and now they're mainly the only books I read.

[Vagus]

I have never bought a hardback that I can remember (cookery books excepted) or a second hand book but a couple of friends and myself used to swap books regularly. Then we all got kindles.

[-SharonA-]

I am an avid reader of thrillers. I devour them. I have loads of books on my Kindle & read at every opportunity. In my younger days, one of my boyfriends dumped me when I took a book to the cinema on a date to read in the intermission!!  😯

[barry1010]

I use bookbub and the Amazon daily deals, too.  Found some interesting reads that way, some rubbish, too.

I wasn't aware of the Richard and Judy book club - will investigate.

I now swap ebooks with friends.

[Vagus]

I'm not sure they still do it to be honest, Barry, as I just don't check. You're right, some bookbub and daily deals are total rubbish, there are some little gems too.

[barry1010]

Can anyone remember children's books that had different coloured dragons to indicate the age group/reading level?  I can't remember the series, publisher or anything else about them.  Could have been Enid Blyton

[barry1010]

Even if Richard and Judy no longer do it, the books will still be available.  I'm always willing to give new books a go

[Countrylover]

I loved all the classics as a  child andinto adulthood.   As a child I would read for hours and hours and also write and draw. I suppose when I reached the age of parties and fellas etc, my reading habits dropped somewhat (well actually hardly existed).  Hubby is a huge reader so I got into books again and the house is full of them.  But I prefer non fiction to fiction, as does Mr L.  Now I hardly read at all mainly because of lack of concentration and poor eyesight after Sepsis.  I had just spent a fortune on new glasses when sepsis struck and was told to wait a while to see if they improved.

As an adult I never read in bed,   I did as a child.

I never, ever liked Dickens.  But I've read War and Peace!

[barry1010]

Maybe an ebook reader such as a Kindle or Kobo would suit you if you are keen to read again, CL.  The backlighting really helps and you can choose the font that best suits and make it as large as you need.

You can download the Kindle app on to your smartphone, laptop or tablet and read books that way if you don't want to splash out on another device.

[Countrylover]

My mum taught me to read at a very young age.  By the time I went to school I was reading extremely well, so I was sat next to other kids who were struggling to help them.  It was boring!

[Prudie]

I have read an acceptable number of the classics in my youth including all of Thomas Hardy which 'spoke' to me but I now read maybe 1 book every 3 years maybe on holiday. I don't know why, I enjoy it when I'm reading but then have no desire to pick up another book. I am an avid puzzler though - mainly sudoku, that's what I do. Husband reads every day, loads his kindle with about 20 books for a 2 week holiday. 

[ToraToraTora]

I read mostly non fiction and I have 3 books on the go at all times. One in the bog, one in front of the TV for when err indoors dissappears when we are watching something and one on my desk upstairs. Curently I am reading "The second world war" - Churchill (vol 1 of 6), "Welcome to the Monkey House" - Kurt Vonnegut and "Six Impossible things" - John Gribbin. I have about 30 books ready to read. I read actual books can't stand the reading apps etc.

[naomi24]

Too broad to list really, but my main interest is world religion, its history and the psychology of religion so my heaving bookshelves are home to an assortment of bibles, the Book of Mormon, three editions of the Koran, theories on the ancient astronaut theory, space, science,  archaeology and books from atheists and religious alike with their versions of what they think is right or wrong.  Apart from that I enjoy the 'classics' from authors like the Brontes, Jane Austen, and Daphne du Maurier, and I've read all of Conan Doyle's books.  A couple of years ago I set myself the task of reading all Agatha Christie's works - and albeit a long haul, I completed it.   I find Stephen Fry's books hugely entertaining, particularly his autobiographies and his trilogy on Greek gods and myths.   I rarely read 'new' novels but do venture occasionally.  Hated Richard Osman's The Thursday Club and love Khaled Hosseini's books.  I would recommend 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' to anyone.  As an aside, and hopefully to give you a little chuckle - I was approached by a book club for a recommendation which I gladly gave - The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón - an intriguing  narrative superbly written.  They hated it.  Oh well.  You can't win 'em all,.  ;o)

[Vagus]

I really like my kindle as it's very light, is backlit, and I can change the font size. I wouldn't read books on my phone (too small) or on my iPad or similar (too big and heavy). 

[barry1010]

Some heavy reading there, TTT.  

[ichkeria]

Just about anything I think might be interesting: only one at a time: Stalingrad, Shuggie Bain and The Abuse of Power by Theresa May the last three, which is indeed I think "just about anything"

[naomi24]

PS.  Good question, barry.  

[Vagus]

I'd say I have a wide range of taste in books, will give all sorts a go but if it's not holding me after maybe the first chapter then it gets deleted, I'm not wasting my time trying to read things I don't really like when there are so many books out there...

[Canary42]

//// I have been an avid reader of fiction all my life, although not necessarily 'good' literature.  I have received many books as gifts but most of my books came from public libraries and used book sellers.  ////

More or less sums me up too.  It did help at one time when I worked in W H Smith's Retail Distribution Warehouse site in Swindon, so got staff discount in the shop and ridiculous prices for Book Club surplus.

[ToraToraTora]

Naomi: Have you read "Revenge" by Stephen Fry? Starts slow but then you can't put it down. It's his version of a classic story that is not initially apparent. I won't spoil it by telling which story. No doubt some troll will later, well one of the literate ones anyway.