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slow reading: An antidote for a fast world?
- Thread starter SFG75
- Start date
efinitely some good food for thought on this topic.
Eva
Member
*raises hand* Subvocalizer here. But good prose should be "heard" one way or another. Reading out loud is even better. My housemate and I have been reading out loud to each other almost every night for about three years. It's helped slow down the pace of our lives, not just of our reading.
Another major part of slow reading (or "close" reading) is to read something more than once, if it deserves it. Which raises the issue that the essay left out: choice of what to read. Newspapers are designed to be read fast. There isn't much point in savoring a standard news item with the inverted pyramid and so forth. His essay makes more sense for reading Virginia Woolf. Or Nietzsche for that matter (though he doesn't actually talk about reading Nietzsche). Or Ray Bradbury. That's what we're reading out loud right now. One story a night. It's taking a while, but in a good way.
Another major part of slow reading (or "close" reading) is to read something more than once, if it deserves it. Which raises the issue that the essay left out: choice of what to read. Newspapers are designed to be read fast. There isn't much point in savoring a standard news item with the inverted pyramid and so forth. His essay makes more sense for reading Virginia Woolf. Or Nietzsche for that matter (though he doesn't actually talk about reading Nietzsche). Or Ray Bradbury. That's what we're reading out loud right now. One story a night. It's taking a while, but in a good way.
Fantasy Moon
kickbox
Eva, that sounds like an excellent way to enjoy reading together!
Oh, I subvocalize as well. Since I've started keeping track of my read books each year, I'm starting to wonder if I read too much considering that I tend to forget a lot of what I read unless it invokes extreme like or dislike. Although I find that writing book reviews help since I have to think about what it is that I've finished reading and point out its pros and cons. But I don't speed through every book I read. I took my time reading The Silmarillion over the course of two weeks when a book that size generally takes me two or three days to complete, especially when I'm that much into it. I wanted to savor the words. I was pretty much enthralled from start to finish.
Oh, I subvocalize as well. Since I've started keeping track of my read books each year, I'm starting to wonder if I read too much considering that I tend to forget a lot of what I read unless it invokes extreme like or dislike. Although I find that writing book reviews help since I have to think about what it is that I've finished reading and point out its pros and cons. But I don't speed through every book I read. I took my time reading The Silmarillion over the course of two weeks when a book that size generally takes me two or three days to complete, especially when I'm that much into it. I wanted to savor the words. I was pretty much enthralled from start to finish.
Heinrich Böll
New Member
I know I've had to intentionally remind myself to slow down when reading a novel or short story.
I get so used to reading a plethora of news websites, blogs and message boards so quickly I sometimes need to remind myself I'm reading for pleasure and slow down a bit.
good article.
I get so used to reading a plethora of news websites, blogs and message boards so quickly I sometimes need to remind myself I'm reading for pleasure and slow down a bit.
good article.