Reading
 

I know a lot of people here read a lot, but I'm wondering how common a practice it is today.

When I was in high school there were no dvd players, no personal computers, no internet, not even VCrs.

Besides listening to music, getting stoned and going to midnight movies and live concerts, one of the main activities my crowd was into was reading. There was a whole library of literature that everyone was expected to read, and we traded books frequently. Our list of shared literature included:

Vonnegut
Tom Robbins
Tolkein
Harlan Ellison
Robert Heinlein (Stranger in a Strange Land)
Anthony Burgess
Steal This Book
Alan Watts
Richard Brautigan
Ray Bradbury
The Whole Earth Catalog
Underground Comics
Ken Kesey

When we got together after school to hang out, conversations frequently could have been mistaken for book discussion groups.

I have a feeling that with the internet, DVDs, video games and such, shared literary experience is not so common. Would anyone like to comment on this, or share your experience of sharing literature as you grew up- or were my friends and I a bunch of nerdy freaks?

I've been a reader since I was a kid, I love it, my mother insisted. ;) She loves books, and even managed a bookstore for years. But honestly, besides her, and one other friend of mine, I know very few people that read on a regular basis. I was considered a nerd (okay, probably still am...ha) and even now, its rare (except on forums like this one) that I actually meet anyone that enjoys reading as much as I do.

And the people that I meet that do read as much as I do, definitely do not read what I do, so its also rare for me to have a conversation about the books I read. Though I do read a bit of everything, tend to stick mostly with mysteries, both the more graphic mysteries and cozies, and horror, but I love the classics, hell I'm still the only person I know (again, outside of forums) that reads Shakespeare....for FUN. I read nonfiction, history mostly, but also some true crime. Fantasy. Like I said, everything. But it wasn't ever really something I shared with my peers.

So it wasn't common where I was from when I was growing up. Most kids seemed to feel that reading was something you just HAD to do to pass a class, and that it couldn't be enjoyable. I certainly always thought they were the ones that had it all wrong, but they seemed to be convinced I was.

Thanks for the reply Jenna. I imagine that's going to be the most common experience.

One hour, seventeen minutes:)


HAHAHAAA









dammit, I should have put some money down:mad:



























Now, what's this thread all about....:p

Probably so, unfortunately. My dad (who doesn't read much anymore for fun, because now he's stuck reading boring manuals and the like all day) has told me that it was the same way for him that it was for you and your friends, that there were certain books that you were just expected to read in his circle of friends. Many of those he recommended to me. And that is how I was introduced to two of my favorite books of all time: Catch-22 and A Clockwork Orange.

I would have loved that. I may have actually fit in somewhere then during school...haha....:o

I've always loved to read but I know I'm in the minority. I can't discuss books with any of my friends because they don't read anything except web pages. Fewer and fewer people have the patience, discipline, and imagination to read anymore. Also, with sites like sparknotes most kids can get away without even doing the assigned reading, because god knows hardly any of them read for leisure anymore. I think it's really sad...and as a result I think there's a serious lack of writing and grammatical skills which make us seem like a country of retards.

Books played a HUGE part in my life.
My mom read to me from the womb, I got older,I started reading and never stopped.

I remember reading Dune and how sad I was when the series ended.
It was like leaving someone I cared deeply about.
I recommended it to all my friends, A few actually took to it and many late coffee nights began exploring what was meant by this or that.
I have nothing but wonderful memories of that time.


I have been in ALL the groups growing up and every one of them had book discussions...some more than others.

That's cool Novakru. The Dune series is really great.

Noire- that's pretty much what I expected. I don't read much myself anymore- I don't have that much time. I recently read Doc Faustus' book though and had a great time. I should make myself read more.

I'm the type that loves to read...but usually finds something else to do. For some reason I rarely can bring myself to just sit down and read a book, even though I always enjoy it when I do.

That's one of my personal resolutions, actually...to become a more avid reader.

NE, the only author I read in high school was Ray Bradbury (Something Wicked This Way Comes). My class and I read Shakespeare a lot. I especially liked Macbeth.

I still want to read Lord of the Flies and watch the movie.

I have around 20 books here that I need to read. I've always loved reading. I have to admit that when I was in school, I hated reading about politicians, and doing book reports and research papers on them. I still hate politics.

I go through spells or "binges" with everything. Before I started getting into the internet of late, I was reading a lot for months. I bought books any time the library didn't have something I wanted because to get an interlibrary loan, I still had to pay 2 to 3 dollars for postage and sometimes the books were not in good shape. All I could get with those loans were hardbacks (too heavy after a while) and I prefer fresh, clean paperbacks.

I can't stand to get a book that smells like dust, mold or mildew, smoke, or perfume. It's one of my bigger pet peeves, but that's another story. I mostly read suspense and some of the books I read are twisted.

Disease or Phalanx suggested Crash by J.G. Ballard, and I got a loan from the library for it. I wanted to read it before seeing the movie. Same with The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum.

It's actually strange because I can read about violence, but I have a hard time seeing such things as rape and animal cruelty in a movie. I know it's not real but I still get upset.

My mom and I trade books. She decided she liked James Patterson and I had already read many of his books. I had already started reading Michael Connelly and I gave her some books of mine. Now she likes him. Non of my other friends read much. My son bought a book about Anthony Kiedis of The Red Hot Chili Peppers and never read it. He reads anime novels.

If you've got any good suggestions, that would be great. I might read A Clockwork Orange. I'm getting interested in horror.

What is Doc's book about? I'd like to know more about what genre(s) he writes. I can ask him if you don't have time to answer my question.

I'm glad you posted this thread because I run out of patience when I go through the What book are you reading now? thread. There aren't too many descriptions on any of them.

I've read some of Dean Koontz's books and the same with Stephen King. I like books about cops and murder, mostly serial killers.

Sorry to turn my post into a book. :)