"Slow Reader"

[misterreplicant]

I like to read my books and picture a movie in my head. I also re-read little sections if necessary in order to better understand what is going on in a scene. At school I am known as a "slow reader" but when I say it is only to better understand the details of the story, they just ignore me.

There are probably other people out there known as "slow readers" in my personal opinion, I believe it isn't about how fast you read the book, more of how well you understand the book, and how you think about it.

You might read a chapter of your favorite book and after the chapter take a while to think about what happened because something big happened that you'd like to dwell on.

What are your thoughts on this?

[Emil Miller]

There are books that are fast reads and those that aren't, but each person need only take the amount of time that suits them. I agree that there are times when the structure of a certain passage is such that it invites re-reading, either for clarification or the pleasure of repeating something particularly well-written. I don't see the point in flashing through books unless you have limited reading time, and even then you will miss something of the book's flavour. Reading should be a relaxing pastime rather than a race or an obstacle course but each will decide how they want to play it.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

In my humble opinion, slow reading is better than fast reading. I read slow, and I definitely notice a difference in how fast I read certain works (a Stephen King book will go much faster than Moby Dick). And, it just depends on the kind of reader you are.

May I ask, what grade are you in? From your writing I assume college level. If this is the case, and your professors (or teacher of any level, really) don't encourage your reading practices as they are, then they are ignorant.

[misterreplicant]

May I ask, what grade are you in? From your writing I assume college level. If this is the case, and your professors (or teacher of any level, really) don't encourage your reading practices as they are, then they are ignorant.

That's VERY flattering! Thanks!

I'm halfway through 9th grade at the moment. My teachers weren't calling my a slow reader, just a few friends who have a lot of time on their hands, we all have a few of those that we know... Right?

[Paulclem]

You can get through quite a few books in a decade, so don't worry about reading speed. You could teach yourself to speed read - it's not hard, and just involves scanning across a page without jumping from word to word. I can do both - though I am a naturally much more leisurely reader, and you, or anyone could too. Do you really want to though when you are reading literature? I save the speed reading for work stuff.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

That's VERY flattering! Thanks!

I'm halfway through 9th grade at the moment. My teachers weren't calling my a slow reader, just a few friends who have a lot of time on their hands, we all have a few of those that we know... Right?

Oh, definitely. That's good that you're teachers aren't. And I commend you on reading Dante. I'm 24 and just getting to it, haha.

And, while speed reading has its place, I don't feel it is for literature. For text-book reading or purely informative reading, sure, but, to me, literature is meant to be read for immersion. Speed reading just doesn't allow for that.

[misterreplicant]

Oh, definitely. That's good that you're teachers aren't. And I commend you on reading Dante. I'm 24 and just getting to it, haha.

And, while speed reading has its place, I don't feel it is for literature. For text-book reading or purely informative reading, sure, but, to me, literature is meant to be read for immersion. Speed reading just doesn't allow for that.

Haha, ever read anything by Vergil? Vergil in The Inferno is like the main protagonist of a good video game. For instance (no spoilers), he get's mad at these creepy demons for not letting him and Dante further into hell. XD

I agree with you on that last part, thank you a lot.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Nope, not him either. I have seen the the "Dante's Inferno" video game (I actually made a thread about it a little while back to see what people thought of making a video game out of a classic piece of literature. . . the response was mostly negative http://www.online-literature.com/for...ht=video+games), but haven't played it; I'll stick to God of War.

[misterreplicant]

Woah! I didn't know you predicted the future!

Quick! What will happen in 2012?!?! lol

[Big Dante]

It depends on what I am reading. I can speed-read through things and this is the course I usually take when reading The Wheel Of Time or other long fantasy series.
When reading something with a little bit more meaning such as a classic I slow my speed right down so I don't miss anything important but I don't revisit parts as you said you do although I probably should.
There is nothing wrong with being a 'slow reader' because it's far better than being a non reader. I used to be a fairly slow reader myself but my speed increased when I began reading fantasy as you don't need to pay attention to everything the author is saying compared to a classic or a short thriller.

[Helga]

I am a very slow reader and like you said I like to picture it and I often re-read some chapters, I also do that long after I finish a book re-read something I like.
I don't think speed matters and I need to think about the book after I finish I can't start reading another book the minuet I put the last one down.

oh and I have not gotten to Dante yet but am planning on it this year.

[MystyrMystyry]

It is not the fault of a slow reading speed that is too long for life, but life which is too short for a slow reading speed

I like to read some parts fast, some slow, regardless of the novel, and it may be my physical position while reading, or state of tiredness/alertness, or what I may be avoiding by taking my time

But at length when you discover that the book will become one of your permanent favorites it doesn't matter, there'll always be time to re-read the parts you first skimmed at glacial pace later

Those books which demand they be pored over slowly by having every sentence perfect and demanding a few extra chews before moving on to the next, will only ever be read slowly - no other way - and if it takes a lifetime it takes a lifetime

But if you're taking a year to read an undemanding fiction I wouldn't suggest taking literature as a major - at least not until you learn to discern crap from quality

A study was taken by profs of e-x-t-r-e-m-e-l-y sedentary readers whom it was observed were given to daydreaming and imaginings beyond what the text described

That's not a problem if you do something with it - like committing the fantasies to a story, play or poem - only if you don't will it hinder your enjoyment/appreciation of other works

In college though if you can't shoulder the workload because of subconscious thoughts, well, you're doomed to all work no play

You can self-test your reading speed vs comprehension easily enough with a previously unread shortstory or chapter selected at random, and reading as fast as possible before the words become a grey blur, and then writing down everything you remember about it, what it was about, where it was set, character descriptions/names and everything

If when you re-read it slowly you find you didn't absorb very much at all, then you are probably destined to be a writer - and that's not a bad thing