When I first joined a book club – which must have been about 13-14 years ago – I was a voracious reader, and thrilled at the opportunity to try new books and authors that I might not normally have picked up. Another of our group was worse than me, but I gave her a run for her money. I’m a fiction reader, perhaps because I got enough of non-fiction at work, where I needed to keep up with international political and business writings in The Economist, and the Far Eastern Economic Review (which sadly exists no longer), to name just a few. The last thing I wanted to do in my leisure time was to read non-fiction. And I read a lot. Travelling was always a problem, because I had to ration the number of books I could take with me. (Thanks to e-readers, I never have to worry about that again.)
But something happened in the decade following. I started spending much more time on-line, first on a health support group messageboard, then as a volunteer for that organisation. In 2006, I discovered Nanowrimo, and then at the end of the year, began blogging in earnest. And I’ve been blogging ever since, here, there and everywhere! And of course, part of being a blogger is reading other bloggers’ blogs (and books, when they publish). That takes time. So does FB. It’s not all about what people ate for lunch. I find my US FB friends link to fascinating (or horrifying, sometimes) articles about politics or society, and then I get surfing and read more. And I read these on my iPad, where I also have apps for a number of newspapers and magazines. I realise that I am now, predominantly, a non-fiction reader.
Reading actual books has suffered as a result. Last year I set myself a challenge of reading 40 books. I managed 25. (I blame the attractions of Italy for not achieving this target). This year I’ve set myself a challenge of 45 books. I am already one book behind, and I feel I have cheated getting even this far with a number of small books. Eleanor Catton’s 800 page Booker Prize winner, The Luminaries, is slowing me down. I go days without reading it, even though every time I read it I want to read more. But I’ll find myself back reading a blog, or thinking about or writing a blog post, or reading an article from the Washington Post or The Guardian or Telegraph or Salon or Slate or … or … or …
I was going to title this post “Did blogging kill my reading mojo?” But I have realised that it is the internet that is the real culprit. Or maybe, more broadly, technology. Whatever the reason, I miss reading fiction. And I am determined to get back to it.
Nursing school killed my reading mojo. I still (11 years later) have a hard time staying awake while reading. I blame the long, boring, technical passages I had to read. Now that I am getting my masters it has only gotten worse!
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I can’t point to one thing that is eating up more of my time, but I am reading fewer books too. Part of me is trying to be okay with that: I am still reading. Part of me thinks that I’m retaining more from those books because I am letting them unfold slowly. And part of me is always in a panic due to those library deadlines.
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I think, given its length, you should count The Luminaries as three books.
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You’re not alone… I have trouble just keeping up with the newspapers & magazines that come into the house, nevermind books. And I do blame the Internet too. I managed to read 26? last year & i thought that was doing pretty well. I’m still reading lots of stuff online — blogs, articles, etc. But I do miss having long stretches of time to dive into a good book. I’ve always been more of a non-fiction reader, but I do enjoy a good novel now & then.
I agree with Helen that longer books should count more. 😉 I’m reading the new book about the Beatles (All These Years: Tune In) — it’s about 1000 pages, & that’s the ABRIDGED version — apparently there’s a longer version available in Britain (!!) — and it’s only the first in what will be a three-volume series. I’m enjoying it but it is taking a while, & of course there are lots of distractions. I have it on my e-reader & tend to read it when I’m on the commuter train in the evening, after I’ve finished the papers, and I am reading other stuff as well in the meantime.
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I find that doing more internet reading means my attention span suffers. Today I caught myself reading an internet forum at the same time as a history book on my kindle on the train.
I also agree that long books should count more.
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Several things have affected my reading: Leaving the city, with my subway commute; reading for a living; getting magazines; the Internet. It’s really hard to read books lately. I have many piled up, and I don’t know how many of them I’m even interested in anymore. Sigh.
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Wow–I find that after a session reading on the computer, I plunge with relief into a book (these days it’s usually an e-book). And the longer the better, as long as it’s good. I crave that sustained relationship with relationship with an author’s voice, which is something that the internet can’t give me.
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I read a lot fewer books too. The internet is partially the problem, but the real issue is time. If I have an hour or more, I’ll usually curl up with a book. But I hardly ever have an hour or more. My husband does audiobooks on the commute, but I don’t drive as much so there’s not enough time – and the kids prefer music. So … I don’t read as much. 😦
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