The Next Best Book Club discussion

April wrote: Ulya, don't you just love it when a book has such a pull that you can't put it down and just have to kep reading it until you finish it! "

Yup, i know what you mean April.. and i'd go to work half asleep the next morning, but with such a satisfied feeling, that i'd do it again.. haha..

I like to suggest an audiobook. Many of us spend time in the car driving to work, school, grocery, and other various activities. Instead of listening to commercials or the morning talk show, listen to an audiobook!

I smirk and say, "And that's the reason you're going to fail in life and become a janitor."

I say (it all the time, I have a bookshop) that they haven't found a book they want to make time to read. It happens to all of us, you just go off reading for a bit and then a book grabs you and off your go again.

What do I say? I change the subject. Each to his own. People are either readers or they're not, and unless I'm talking to a child, I'm not interested in trying to convert the nonreaders to my side.

I do have one relative who goes out of her way to make anti-reading remarks to me, and occasionally I have to branch out from ignoring these and make a blunt defense, such as, "You don't like reading? I do. Live with it."

I shake my head in disbelief. I would love to talk about books to my co-workers since these are the people I see the most of, however, I dont think anyone has read a book since they had to in High School. Sad really - books are my best friends & they are my way to travel without ever leaving the chair, floor, couch wherever I may happen to land in order to get a few minutes of reading time.

I have a larger problem with people who don't read and get there knowledge from the TV and think that films such as 'Braveheart' and the 'Da Vinci Code' are historically accurate.

What do I say to someone who doesn't read? ...


Not much .........

I say make the time, especially if they tell me they spend their days/nights in front of the TV or watching movies.

(Not that there's anything wrong with movies or certain TV shows. Believe me when I say that I have such love for movies but I don't watch them all the time.)

I don't hang around many non readers. but in this economy books can take you around the world, you can learn things through books, you will never be bored, you will never get OVERLY impatient when having to wait AND if you have teenagers you need to have an idea on what they are reading, great way to connect with them.

For most people, there is a way to make time to read. I always keep a book in the car, just in case I'm left waiting for someone or something. When my bad back calls for ice, I gladly pick up the book while I lay on the ice pack. I even read while I'm blow drying my hair! (I know...weird. But it's 7 minutes of reading!)

I tell them there is always time to read. I read on the toilet, while outside having a fag. Waiting for the potatoes to boil etc. etc.

Jessalina wrote: "Well it's one thing when they throw the fact that you read in your face. But if they really don't have time to read, than that's different. It's actually understandable. Lately I haven't had any ti..."

Yeah, I don't have much time lately either. But some people have plenty of time and though they tell me they don't want to read because reading is a "waste of time."

My experience has been that most people who say this actually mean "I prefer to spend my time on things other than reading." Why they feel the need to cover up that fact is anyone's guess.

Maybe they are embrassed to be caught reading? or maybe reading was put down when they were a child?

I would suggest if they watch movies or tv, a book based on tht

or something that interest them

People that say they do not have time to read (like Dan suggested in post 120) is more likely to be an issue where they would prefer to spend their time in other ways. It's like anything else in life - some people say they don't have time to exercise, some people say they don't have time to learn a language, some people say they don't have time to have a homemade dinner with their family... it comes down to choices. You can either make an active motion to make those things happen, or you can choose to not and therefore blame it on the lack of time.

I do always wonder about those who do not read, ever. I used to work with a girl a year or so younger than myself who didn't read, didn't watch much TV, didn't like going to movies, didn't have hobbies or many interests, and, I can attest, didn't put much into her job. On one hand I felt incredibly sorry for her, and then on the other hand I wondered what the heck she did with her time outside of work. I heard enough of her stories about boyfriends and nights at the bar, and it even made me more sad that that was all she did with her spare time to make her (supposedly) happy.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't trust people who don't read.

Once again I haven't read all the messages in this thread. I don't know how other newer people keep up, if they do.

I simply tell them that we all make time to do the things we most want to do with our time. Everyone I know has some free time, even those with young children, very full time jobs, etc.

When someone says, "They have no time to read." or "I would love to read that book but I have no time" (a more common response), I ask them, gently, what do they have time to do. Eventually, I suggest that they are making a choice to not read and that they might want to look at why they are making that choice.

I don't judge, just listen. Have never really got in trouble with this approach and maybe helped some people look at themselves slightly differently.

Ironically, my wife Pam, seldom reads books. She reads newspapers, magazines, news on the internet, and browses travel books by the dozens but seldom reads an entire book. She doesn't watch TV either.

Too hard a worker, I think.

Well, not to be sarcastic, BUT, they better not go outside because everyone who can is constantly reading. I mean, you can't get through the morning cereal without reading the box, so there must be time for books, right?

I don't judge...Some people actualy ARE too busy to read. WOW can be impossible to beat if you don't really dedicate yourself to it.

On one hand, I am sympathetic to someone who truly has no time to read. I'm a working mom, I don't have time to read as often as I'd like. I actually set my alarm 15 minutes earlier than I need to in the morning, just to have that time to read a few pages of whatever book I'm on. Because God knows it might be the only chance I get for the rest of the day. (Usually I can squeeze in at least a half hour more....)

On the other hand, I think most people can find ways to get some reading in each day, as long as it's a priority. We shouldn't have to defend our choice to be readers, just as we shouldn't make couch potatoes defend their choice.

:)

Wow, I just screwed up those italics, didn't I?

I had an appointment yesterday and it was a 45 minute wait, I think I and one other lady was reading, everyone else was impatient, foot tapping, walking around irriated, looking bored on their face etc, their time waiting was horrible, my time sped by quickly ( we had the option to reschedule)

so the way I look at it, is you can be miserable for 45 minutes or read and the time will just fly by



btw if I don't read daily I get cranky, I have been told reading is like breathing to me.

I don't disagree with non readers, I just think my life is more pleasant because I read : )

but then there is the 16 yr old who can play video games for hours a day, I don't get that and he don't get my reading but we get along just fine

Fiona, I totally agree! I always have a book with me for waits or subway rides, etc. Makes my day much more pleasant. I can deal with annoying subway crowds at rush hour if I have a book (although it is bad when I miss my stop because of it...happened to me for the first time the other day).