FORT Koffee Klatch

[chrelsey]

Kids do what they see their parents do and as a parent, I read, I read to my child and I made books available to her and still do.

Hmmm . . . While I agree that this is usually true, sadly it's not always the case. I LOVE to read - have always loved to read. In fact, when I was growing up my mom used to have to limit the number of books that I was allowed to bring home from the library because I would literally do nothing except read - usually up in the tree where I would climb so that I could make sure that I was uninterrupted!

My love for reading has only grown as I have gotten older, and I almost always have two or three books going at the same time.

But where I kind of disagree with the statement that "kids do what they see their parents do" is because when I had my kids I read to them all the time, always made books available to them, and they always saw me reading. However, even with a strong reading environment, neither of them were ever big readers. It's not that they hated it, they just had other things that were of more interest to them. They are adults now - 19 and 21 - and it has really only been in the last year or so that I have noticed their interest increasing ever so slightly. I find this encouraging!

But just as many of you have stated, I cannot imagine my life without being able to escape into the world of wonder, mystery, drama, etc. that each new book takes me into, and I, too, am always just a little bit sad when each book is finished and I have to say goodbye to people and places which - for just a little while - were part of my world too.

[haejin]

Well, as an older teenager (17), I'd say that time and attention (or the lack thereof) is really the key to reading. Reading a book requires a different type of focus than does reading a webpage. It's kind of like the difference between interacting one-on-one and interacting within a group. The latter happens in short bursts, and it's much harder to be distracted from something that just doesn't take as long to do and doesn't use much concentration. I love to read, and I was an avid reader as a younger kid, but I've since found it very, very difficult to get into AND stay in that singular headspace.

Also, another problem we (meaning teens on the cusp of "adulthood") might have with reading is reconciling the difference between "young adult" and "adult" literature. I personally think there's a huge difference between the two, and the jump can be daunting - especially for teens who want to try some self-enrichment (for the lack of a better word), which usually means getting into classics or nonfiction. It might be true that those who are willing to challenge themselves are also capable of handling such material (as I like to think I am). Unfortunately, there have been books in which, by the time I've finished a section, I've forgotten everything from the previous section. That really bothers me, but I guess the only way to fix that is to keep going at it!

[prhoshay]

Personally, I don't believe in reading anything that cannot keep my attention. Unless it is mandatory, it is a waste of my time. I'm not a fan of hardly any self-help books. I'd prefer to mess with my own mind than to read something that somebody else writes to mess with my mind. I can't read something just because everybody else is reading it.

[MRD]

Personally, I don't believe in reading anything that cannot keep my attention. Unless it is mandatory, it is a waste of my time. I'm not a fan of hardly any self-help books. I'd prefer to mess with my own mind than to read something that somebody else writes to mess with my mind. I can't read something just because everybody else is reading it.

I agree. I only read what's interesting. I used to try to finish a book even if I didn't like it. Now I find life is too short and there's too many other books to waste time on a bad one.

I don't like self help books either. My mind really wanders when I read something that doesn't interest me and when I've tried a self help book, my mind really wanders. I'm more of a self help magazine article reader. The shorter lenght is more manageable for me.

[Mantenna]

That's a really good point you brought up, Haejin. To build upon what you said, I think the amount of studying required during the high school/college years diminishes the desire to do any additional reading, even during the periods when there is enough time to do so. At that point, the brain just wants some down-time. (Plus, required "school reading," even for literature, is essentially forced to become skimming.)

I've always thought it was ironic that, with all the great books available, the desire to read is rather trampled on in the name of education.

[Ellen]

Every time I go on Amazon, I think I want a Kindle. But the fact of the matter is I really like books.

Me too -- I love that "new book smell"!

During the school year, I do so much "good" (academic/classics) reading to prepare lessons for my tutoring students. My big joy in summer is to read assorted "beach trash," Anthony Bourdain mafia/restaurant novels, formula legal thrillers by John Grisham, and/or formula medical thrillers by Tess Gerritson.

[Yardgnome]

That's a really good point you brought up, Haejin. To build upon what you said, I think the amount of studying required during the high school/college years diminishes the desire to do any additional reading, even during the periods when there is enough time to do so. At that point, the brain just wants some down-time. (Plus, required "school reading," even for literature, is essentially forced to become skimming.)

I've always thought it was ironic that, with all the great books available, the desire to read is rather trampled on in the name of education.

Manny, I agree 100% with this. I used to be the biggest reader, I always had a book going. Ever since I started Law School, the last thing I want to do with my down time is read. I miss reading but not enough to pick up a book and read something. I'm sure when I'm done with school I'll pick it back up, but for the time being, the thought of reading anything extra is just sickening to me.

[PhoneGrrrl]

Yeah, YG. Law school killed reading for me for about five years after I was done with that beastly experience. I know why too--I'd read cases with such an intensity to commit even the most insignificant details to memory in case I was called on in class that it was really hard to break that way of reading. I really don't need to memorize every single piece of dialog in a book; it took a while to get the speed and ease of casual reading back. I'm just glad I took that Dickensian literature class before I went mental in law school. I'd have never made it through David Copperfield.

What irks me as much, though, as people who say they don't read are people who say they don't do math. Now, I'm not talking high-level mathematics like calculus (because, hold a gun to my head and I'd likely fail at defining what the hell an derivative is these days) but just simple arithmetic. I think it's a weird fear that we have culturally accepted.

[Mariner]

I grew up with my nose stuck in a book. I was one of those kids who would zone the entire world out when I was reading. You could talk to me for 15 minutes and I'd have no idea what you said because I was lost in my book. Law school didn't stop my reading habit. I really stopped reading as much a few years ago. I just have a hard time finding time to read other than on vacation. I was gone last week and finally read a Lisa Scottoline novel I've had for months.

[veejer]

mr. veejer and I are both big readers and so were both kids. College age daughter still reads for pleasure when she gets a chance, but high school age son is into electronics now. Last summer he read the last Harry Potter starting at midnight and was done by about 4:30am, but I don't think he's read that many pages this whole summer!!! He does read the sports section of the newspaper and webpages galore about the Cleveland Indians, but not too many books. It bothers me some, but I'm not worried about it.