So I don’t know if you know, but I don’t do something a lot of other people supposedly do – read books.
I stopped reading books around the end of high school, when it was no longer necessary to do so. That’s right, I went through college having read a grand total of, uh, one book? And I forget which one it was. And I think it was a graphic novel. I attribute the lack of reading to my low attention span – reading books was one of those things that just put me to sleep, because in comparison, staring at a computer monitor was a greater source of visual stimulus. I just couldn’t look at paper for long enough to get anything out of it.
So when the iPhone came along and someone made an eBook application for it, I decided I’d try it out. And it’s been working! Given nothing better to do on a bus, and staring at an LCD instead of a printed page, I can finally get into reading books. In a week I’ve gone through Tarzan of the Apes (which was included with the app as a demo), and now I’m starting on Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.
If I keep this up, I may very well be anle to increase my frighteningly short attention span. Reading! Who’d-a thunk?
edit s/anle/able
A lot of people dont read books or barely read, esp nowadays. The only books in the past 2 years that I have bought and/or read have been picture books technically (artist’s anatomy, drawing books, books on learning this software or that software).
I did up my reading just before my finals the other week by reading books while on the train, but now when I look at new books, I flip through, looking for pictures, and I get disappointed when there arent any =(
That’s really funny.
I think you read a lot
I think we, keen Internet-users, read a lot more than we realize. RSS!!
Re: I think you read a lot
Yes I am aware that mentally processing visual input of text is reading. My definition in this context concerns books.
Re: I think you read a lot
You have a valid point there. I never questioned your awareness regarding that.
Whenever any written material grabs our attention for a certain time span though, may that material be printed or constructed of pixels, in the end it does qualify as “reading”, doesn’t it?
Re: I think you read a lot
I never said I don’t read a lot, though. I just haven’t read books in a long time; that’s what this post was about.
Re: I think you read a lot
True.
haha you are anle
I actually have the same issue as you, I am unable to keep up reading a book unless there are images or colored text. When the Sony Reader came out and was in all the Borders stores, I thought that was my perfect way to get into reading. I honestly can’t stand to read paper books.
My Art and History of the Book professor, the curator of the rare book room at Smith, will swoop down from the sky and hurl his glasses, like a boomerang, into your throat. That’s why they call him “Murderous Martin”.
Paper is a disgusting sheet of decaying wood that provides no light and is near-impossible to reuse. Surely books were intended to be conveyed through information technology!
Actually, wood paper is a pretty bad deal, even acid-free. Remember when they used cotton, hemp, or other stronger, less acidic fibers a few hundred years ago? Ah, those were the days.