Worst Reading Habit

[applepie]

In light of the 'Sins' thread, I'm curious what are your worst reading habits? You share yours, and I'll share mine:lol:

[Eggys]

I've been known to read till my eyes drop from drowsiness.

Ugh, that was in the past; I'm more controlling of myself now. But I now make sure I get my sleep instead of reading as much of a book as I can.

[Mr Endon]

I have some bad reading habits, but none of the ones you mention. By the way, at least two voting options (which are related to reading frantically) are hardly "bad habits"; they look more like veiled self-praise if you ask me. So come on, people, let your worst colours shine through!

- I don't usually write notes while I read, and when I do they're not my personal notes but rather full quotations;
- I have the terrible tendency to skip some descriptions, or at least skimming through them;
- I don't finish a third of the books I start (though most times I eventually get back at them and get the job done);
- I have the shortest attention span a man without ADD can have, so it has happened that I've read a whole book and forgotten about say its ending a week later.

[grace86]

Sometimes when I am engrossed in the plot of a particular book, I'll skip over whole paragraphs that have just descriptions of something like the scenery. I know that's bad, but hey, I'd like to get to the story sometime! :lol:

I too have a terrible habit of getting about 1/3 into a book and not finishing them. But see the thing with that is that I am haunted by them! They stick out on my bookcases, almost as if they're telling me, "You can't read Gone with the Wind yet, you haven't finished me!!!" It does tend to drive me a little mad to know that I've so many unfinished ones on my bookcase...so I've taken to toting around three or four of them of which I will read one on my lunch break...but just in case my interests change.....

....then I find out I forget what the plot line was when I pick up said books.

[amarna]

I am used to read books in the bookshop without bying them. :blush:

[Mr Endon]

I too have a terrible habit of getting about 1/3 into a book and not finishing them. But see the thing with that is that I am haunted by them! They stick out on my bookcases, almost as if they're telling me, "You can't read Gone with the Wind yet, you haven't finished me!!!" It does tend to drive me a little mad to know that I've so many unfinished ones on my bookcase...so I've taken to toting around three or four of them of which I will read one on my lunch break...but just in case my interests change.....

....then I find out I forget what the plot line was when I pick up said books.

Story of my life!


I am used to read books in the bookshop without bying them. :blush:

That's not a bad habit, that's being clever!

[kratsayra]

- I have the terrible tendency to skip some descriptions, or at least skimming through them;


yup, me too. None of the options in the poll really apply to me. but this is definitely my worst reading habit.

[mono]

In terms of what I responded a 'yes' to:

I forget to do things while I'm reading a book
Not a lot, but when I do, it always seems something not-too-important that I forget, such as household chores, not calling someone back, etc.

I can't hear others speaking while I read
This one can get me in trouble. I cannot count the number of times I have missed my stop on the commuter train due to getting really into a book, not heard my phone ringing, and I even once nearly blocked out an entire serious conversation with a good friend of mine, while he explained to me his life goals - between his sentences, I would just toss in an occasional "mm-hmm," "huh," and "I see," while reading some poetry.

I choose reading over most anything
I can think of few things I would choose over a good book's company. One of them? Sleep, explaining why I would not stay up all night to finish a book (one of the choices) - I can function relatively well under sleep-deprived circumstances, but cannot absorb a book as well, and, as demonstrated on my previous explanation, I can sometimes pay more attention to a book than some of my best friends. :D

I will read anything in print no matter the quality
I will not read just anything, but I will read anything I feel interested in despite the print's quality, yes. The covers and a few pages in my copy of Walt Whitman's complete poetry and selected prose looks like it once functioned as children's coloring book.

[*Classic*Charm*]

Ah! I only voted for one!!

I only voted for I'll stay up all night to finish a book, which is very true. I would do it when I was in high school and be in such rough shape the next morning my mother thought I was sick and would let me stay home to sleep :lol: I still do it, though now I go to school regardless.

I should also have voted for I forget to do things while I'm reading a book and I can't hear others speaking while I read. I can tune out the world when I'm reading. If I'm reading between classes I have to set an alarm on my cell phone to alert me to go to my next class, and I've missed the bus numerous times. If people talk to me when I read, I will reply to them without even noticing that I'm speaking, and will realize later that I had a conversation with someone without knowing what was going on.

[1n50mn14]

The ONLY two I didn't check were these:

I never finish a book because I don't want to know the end.

I start reading books but leave them unfinished.

*shame-faced*

[Virgil]

The big one that I chose that perhaps not many others will is that I look to know the ending of the book and whatever else within too. The pleasure for me in reading is not to be surprised but to observe, analysis, and appreciate the author's art. Knowing where he is heading and the structure up front helps.

[papayahed]

My two are:
I read the ending of a book first
I read spoilers to learn the plot before reading

I like to feel like I'm part of the secret while reading although I have to admit once in a while when I read ahead and I don't like the outcome chances are good I won't finish the book.

[eyemaker]

I read books in store without buying them.
--That's why store managers of bookstores never lets their eyes off me..:)(I'm black listed)
It's kinda fun though, pissing them off..lol
Ofcourse I don't do this very often, only when I feel like "teasing" them-especially my classmate who works there.:)

[Joreads]

I tend to stay up reading alnight even when I should not

[mona amon]

These are the ones I voted for-

I forget to do things while I'm reading a book

I'll stay up all night to finish a book

I can't hear others speaking while I read

I choose reading over most anything

I skip some descriptions or at least skim through them.


The big one that I chose that perhaps not many others will is that I look to know the ending of the book and whatever else within too. The pleasure for me in reading is not to be surprised but to observe, analysis, and appreciate the author's art. Knowing where he is heading and the structure up front helps.

Seems to be a good idea in a way. Most of my skimming and skipping is because of my eagerness to know what happens, and I don't always go back to read what I skipped. But I'll never be able to do it because I love being surprised! :)

[kratsayra]

thanks for adding more options! maybe the list will keep growing and growing . . . :eek:

[Sarasvati21]

I am guilty of about the first half of the choices, I think. I should have chosen the last one, but I didn't see it until after I had already submitted my choices. I spend all day in the bookstore sometimes, reading, but I rarely buy because I finish them in the store :blush:


The big one that I chose that perhaps not many others will is that I look to know the ending of the book and whatever else within too. The pleasure for me in reading is not to be surprised but to observe, analysis, and appreciate the author's art. Knowing where he is heading and the structure up front helps.

Me, too, Virgil! I always cheat and look up all of the plot summaries before I go to the bookstore, and once I have the book, I flip through to see where the author is going. I enjoy the stories/subjects that I read, but I am usually most interested in how the author develops his ideas.

[applepie]

The big one that I chose that perhaps not many others will is that I look to know the ending of the book and whatever else within too. The pleasure for me in reading is not to be surprised but to observe, analysis, and appreciate the author's art. Knowing where he is heading and the structure up front helps.

:lol: So glad to see that I'm not the only one who reads the end. I read for the pleasure of all the intricacies within a book. The ending is very often not that important to me. A book can have a wonderful plot line with the perfect ending, but if it doesn't engage me while reading it then it's no fun. I'm ashamed to say that I'm notorious for reading from the middle of a book to the end before I decide to buy it. I always felt bad when I would go into book stores because I may sit there and read for an hour only to decide that I don't like the writing, or I didn't like what I saw of the plotline.

[Scheherazade]

I really, really, really try not to read the ending.

It is the part of whole package to me. Like a good meal, you want to have things in a nice order; if you dip into your dessert right after your starter, the main course is bound to be ruined, in my opinion.

[Pryderi Agni]

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned....

1. I leave books unfinished a lot.

2. I usually forget the things I have to do when I'm reading.

3. The greatest sin of all: I can't stop fidgeting when I read a book! I can't sit still!

[Tyth]

I often plan to read something in the morning and begin when the night come :confused:So I'll stay up all night to finish a book

[Tsuyoiko]

I have another to add:

I read when I should be working.

If my boss is in the office I download text files from Gutenberg Project and shrink notepad so that I can read sneakily; at a quick glance it will look like work. If my boss is out of the office I read online here.

[Homers_child]

It's not listed up there, but I have a weird habit of always having to twirl and fiddle with a pen or pencil in my hand while I'm reading. If I'm not, I can't concentrate at all.

Weird I know. :lol:

[crystalmoonshin]

I can't stand boring parts in a novel so I skim through them, like what i did in Victor Hugo's "Notredame de Paris" with all the descriptions and some historical stuffs.

I know it's un-ladylike but I don't feel comfortable when I don't sit like this:
http://th00.deviantart.net/fs14/300W/f/2007/061/9/d/Death_Note___L_by_insomniacvampire.jpg

but I only do this in the comfort of my bedroom :D

[caddy_caddy]

I start reading books but leave them unfinished!!!!

and counting the pages every half an hour hhhhhhhhhhhhh
any suggestions????

[grace86]

I have another to add:

I read when I should be working.

If my boss is in the office I download text files from Gutenberg Project and shrink notepad so that I can read sneakily; at a quick glance it will look like work. If my boss is out of the office I read online here.

Oh my gosh I do that too!!!!! One way to do it as well is to sign up for DailyLit (dailylit.com), I have the emails of the books I'm reading sent to my work email! That way...it looks like I'm working :D I only do this some of the time though!

Another bad habit I have is that when I am halfway or more through a book I get anxious to finish it so I can start another one. So I rush through reading it and then get disappointed when it ends because I should have paid more attention to it! Never ending cycle I guess!

[The Walker]

My turn!

I read the ending of a book first
Well i just read the last paragraph. I like how it means nothing when you read it first but makes perfect sense and close so nicely a book at the end


I forget to do things while I'm reading a book
Oh my! my mom hates that for sure! I forget to cook the rice or make the salad or prepare something for lunch or the clothes in the drying machine :blush: bad, bad, bad :D


I'll stay up all night to finish a book
ALWAYS!


I choose reading over most anything
Of course, yap...this is one of the things I dont always like but yeah


I will read anything in print no matter the quality



I will not read just anything, but I will read anything I feel interested in despite the print's quality, yes.
i agree with mono here


I skip some descriptions or at least skim through them.
I NEVER do that...actually I even search the words in the dictionary to have a very clear picture of the scenery in my mind


I start reading books but leave them unfinished.
no, not me. I dont pick up a book if i know i wont finish it. There is only one book I havent finished and that is "this I remember" mainly because it had too much politics in it.

I read books in store without buying them
Yeah i cant do that, I need to be in the comfort of my room or in a place where i feel comfortable and can loose myself.

throw the first stone those who are free of guilty! :D

[Tsuyoiko]

Oh my gosh I do that too!!!!! One way to do it as well is to sign up for DailyLit (dailylit.com), I have the emails of the books I'm reading sent to my work email! That way...it looks like I'm working :D I only do this some of the time though!

Now that's clever skiving! :D

[Barbarous]

I do 'skim' sometimes, hopefully I have never missed too much, but then again, how can one tell!?

But I catch up, meaning I look up the ending or plot of the book, but only to focus on the greater aspects of the book!

[Scheherazade]

The OP:
In light of the 'Sins' thread, I'm curious what are your worst reading habits? You share yours, and I'll share mine:lol:

[Thom Holliday]

I ticked 'I start reading books but leave them unfinished'. It's a really bad habit, but I'll get into a book that I'm really enjoying and then lose concentration and then leave the book for such a long time that I never end up coming back to it. D'oh! Done it with:

The Brothers Karamazov, Ulysses (who hasn't though?), Atlas Shrugged (admittedly it got a bit too heavy going for me) and For Whom the Bell Tolls. Bah!

[applepie]

Wow, this thread is one I forgot about, and imagine my surprise that I started it :D

Bad habits while reading... At the moment I'm horrible for just skimming over the boring parts of stories. i also have a tendency to skip the chapters that I don't feel like reading in books I've read before.

[Scheherazade]

Wow, this thread is one I forgot about, and imagine my surprise that I started it :D Don't I know it?

They have a bad habit of coming back to haunt you, those old threads!

:D

[Niamh]

I'm a reading fiend. I'll choose it over almost anything... especially study!

[L.M. The Third]

A lot of these have applied to me at some point, or to a certain degree. But I chose staying up all night, and reading to the exclusion of almost all else.

I'm overcoming some of bad my habits, like skimming descriptions, reading spoilers, or leaving books unfinished.

[Whistle]

I often start reading several books at the same time and then don't finish any of them.

[Lokasenna]

Amongst my sins, probably the worst one is that I will occasionally forget to eat while reading - many lunches have passed me by...

[applepie]

Ok, I remember another one. Bad habits include staying up till 3 a.m. to read a book because that's when I made the time :D

[cgrillo]

I often read about how a book ends before I read the book itself, but not on purpose. I usually find out about books I want by reading about them on some website, or something, so a lot of the time I am reading about the book and end up reading the whole plot synopsis. I'm trying to cut back, because I like to be surprised in books.

Sometimes I skim through descriptions of settings and things like that, but most of the time I'll only do that rarely, when a book is incredibly dull but I'm intent on finishing it.

[Paulclem]

I like to be surprised so I tend not to read endings or spoilers. My worst reading habit is buying lots at the same time and starting them all. I have 10 or more on the go at the minute. I read depending on how I feel, unless a bok grips me and I'll keep on to the end.

[Mona ..]

I forget some names of the characters in novels :D