Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Sorry this is a day late!

Do you have a favorite place, time or circumstance conducive to reading? (in bed, in the bath, outside, in a certain chair, etc.) Do you have preferences for lighting, music, time of day, etc? Do you prefer a physical book, ebook, audiobook, or some of each?

My favorite reading situation is outside on a balcony, sitting on a comfy rocking chair, holding a physical book, with a cup of coffee on a side table. I'm not a morning person, but for the rare times that I'm awake early, I like reading with the sound of birds in the background.

I actually get most of my reading done in my lunch break at work. I have quite a good job, as far as unfortunate distractions from reading go, and they give me an hour for my lunch. There's a lovely café near where I work, so I generally just sit there for an hour with a hot chocolate and get through about a quarter of a book.

I also love reading cuddled up in bed, though unfortunately do it a lot less than I mean to.

I'm lucky in that I still work from home, and my job is rather famine or feast. This means on the quiet days, I can sit in my armchair and read, or else in the garden nook I built just for the purpose for the summer.

I mostly read on my kindle nowadays, although I do still sometimes get out an actual book. It took me a while to converts from physical to e-reader, but now I find the latter so much more convenient.

I love reading in the bath and I love reading in bed. Besides reading in little bits and pieces throughout the day (I keep the Kindle app on my phone so I always have my book with me, so I can read while standing in line at the grocery store or waiting for my water to boil or for a meeting to start), those are definitely the two places I read the most often. And because of that, even though I do love physical books, I mostly read ebooks on my phone. I like that I have it with me all the time and I like that it's easier to curl up on my side in bed while holding the book and easier to hold above the surface of the water than a heavy hardback.

I also really enjoy reading out loud. I read out loud to my family for years as a kid and teenager and I've also done a lot of reading to significant others.

My favorite place is the living room sofa. I do read in the bed at night. My favorite times are early mornings & afternoons after lunch. No preferences. I read books in all forms. I’m listening to an audio book on my IPad now as I’m writing this message.

I prefer a physical book when at home, but ebooks are great for traveling and audiobooks are perfect to "read" while driving, exercising, doing housework, etc. Also, I have never been able to read while a passenger in a car or bus because I would get carsick, so audio is great for that. I like reading physical books on the couch or in a comfy chair (which I don't have at the moment.)

I am retired but when I was working I always read on break and lunch times. I was home with 2 little kids for a few years. When I started an office job with scheduled breaks and lunches, it was great! My kids didn't let me have a predictably free 30-60 minutes to read! I got through some longer and more challenging books with those short intervals of reading.

I have a very comfortable recliner next to a well lit window that looks out over my horse pasture, so when I want to read, that's where I do it.

I do audio-books at bedtime and in my vehicle (I spend a LOT of time in my truck traveling to horse shows, clinics, and lessons). And I read with the kindle cloud reader at work when I'm not busy. I have a lot of desk time, and if things are slow, like they are today, I can catch up on Goodreads and get some book time in. I carry my nook just about everywhere, and I tend to read it in the car when hubby is driving (I'm very OCD, and if I'm not occupied with a book, I'm a bad passenger. LOL)

I wish I enjoyed audio books more — it would be so great to be able to listen to something while driving or cooking! But I have a really hard time following them for some reason. I find my mind wandering and feel like I have to go back. I'm going to try again sometime soon with one of those full cast audiobooks that everyone's always saying is really good and see if that helps hold my attention.

For those couple days a year where it's warm in Upstate NY (kidding, we get 1 or 2 weeks most years! lol), I prefer to read outside in a lounge chair or my hammock. Most of the time, I read on my daybed in my den. When I was working, I was on the road a lot and would listen to audiobooks while driving. Sometimes I still listen while I'm in bed or trying to tune out whatever my family is watching on TV.

Many years ago, when I was on summer break from college, I read The Poisonwood Bible. I read most of it on my dad's back porch under the awning. The memory of that book is linked with reading outside in heat and humidity (even rain!). I've wanted to reread it, but I don't want to replace that strong memory.

Hannah wrote: "I wish I enjoyed audio books more — it would be so great to be able to listen to something while driving or cooking! But I have a really hard time following them for some reason. I find my mind wan..."

Tip: try speeding up the narration, play around and you might find a speed that works. My mind wanders if it’s too slow and I miss things.

If I'm being really self-indulgent, it's on the balcony with some snacks/drinks and a full sunny afternoon before it gets too hot to be outside around here. But even though it's terrible for my overall health I do love a book that I don't want to put down so I end up reading until the middle of the night in bed when everyone's asleep and it's nice and quiet.

Favorite - A physical book, out on a lounge chair in the sun during the month or two of late spring/early summer where it's warm but not too warm and the bugs aren't out yet, with a nice cold drink.

But for the rest of the year, a nice comfy chair inside, with a nice drink and maybe a comfy blanket.

Hannah wrote: "I wish I enjoyed audio books more — it would be so great to be able to listen to something while driving or cooking! But I have a really hard time following them for some reason. I find my mind wan..."

Audiobooks are easier for some of us than others. I am a good auditory learner, so I could hear something in class and remember it. My husband and daughter found they are visual learners and it's harder to follow with nothing to look at. You might like something that's more like a podcast, such as As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride or Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood. There isn't a complicated plot to follow and different sections can be enjoyed separately.

I have never liked reading outside. It is always too hot, too cold, too windy, too buggy, too much glare from sun, or something.

I read so much in so many different places that this is hard to answer, but let me give it a try.

I like reading physical books and most often end up reading them in the living room lounge chair during the day or on my bed in the early morning. I tend to read mostly in the morning up to noon. After that, it is hit or miss.

I also read in bed at night but not usually for long. If I wake in the night, it is frequently the kindle that I choose as it has its own light.

I listen to audiobooks when in the car...mostly running errands but also if I am traveling.

I read ebooks on my computer in the mornings when I am online.

I enjoy reading outside in sunshine as the brightness of the light means no need for reading glasses. However, bug season drives me inside.

I always seem to have something to drink next to me. Reading is such a thirsty task!

But, as I frequently have a book of some sort with me, I read anywhere I have to wait or might have to wait. Always prepared.

I love my reading chair in our home library, but I also love the couch where I can tune out the tv and husband and cats are easier to snuggle as I read.

Hannah wrote: "I wish I enjoyed audio books more — it would be so great to be able to listen to something while driving or cooking! But I have a really hard time following them for some reason. I find my mind wan..."

I've never really got into audio books, either: the whole "on in the background while I xxx" wouldn't work for me, as I'd want to concentrate on them, and at that point, I might as well just read it properly.

Weekends snuggled with a blanket and my dog on the couch are my favourite.

I read a few pages with my morning coffee. And read myself to sleep every night. I always have a book with me and often read a few minutes hear and there in lineups or waiting to pick up a kid.

I really do love hardcopies but do most of my reading with my e-reader because it makes it so much easier to carry, hold and read with adjustable font size. I like being able to take notes and highlight sections to refer back to.

I do occasional audio books, but I'd rather read print in most cases. I've learned to be selective about the books I listen to as I'm not a great auditory learner.

I read much faster in print than in audio so the audio has to bring me something special, like performance by the narrator. Some series are perfect on audio, like Chet & Bernie by Spencer Quinn or #1 Ladies Detective Agency. Most nonfiction on audio bores me unless it is something with a lot of narrative like The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics or The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo or humor like Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood. Much nonfiction includes sentences like, "Now that we have examined subject A, let us move on to subject B. There are 3 parts to this subject. . ." In print, I can just skim over to the "good stuff".

I don't really have a preference of where to read. It's more a matter of opportunity. I always have something to read with me and when I get the opportunity to read it, I do!

I cannot do audiobooks. I have a slight auditory processing disability and get frustrated trying to listen and comprehend. It's just too much work for me! Other than that, I prefer either a physical book or a Kindle book. I also read on Internet Archive, Hoopla, and Libby apps (and Amazon read-it-now for Unlimited books), but the print is smaller and harder to read on my phone, so I don't prefer them.

Robin P wrote: "I read much faster in print than in audio so the audio has to bring me something special, like performance by the narrator. Some series are perfect on audio, like Chet & Bernie by [author:Spencer Q..."

I do this with audio too, although I actually am the opposite about nonfiction - I am bad at retaining information if I'm reading on paper so audio slows me down enough to actually absorb more of it. I get way more annoyed if I'm listening to fiction and it's too slow so unless I really love the audio performance I default to visual reading. I can't do the listening at double speed thing - I don't know why but it just scrambles my brain!

The two places that I read the most are in my car on my lunch break and laying propped up on the couch with my ankles crossed. Sometimes when I find myself drifting asleep while I'm reading, I'll twiddle my feet together really fast to attempt to wake myself up. It works for the moment, but eventually I just fall asleep lol

Hard copies all the way! I will never result to eBooks or audio books. I just can't do it.

I enjoy listening to audiobooks while I play video games. I read a physical book in bed at the end of the day. I also listen in the car or sometimes when working out and reading in the bath or out back in my hammock

I mainly read in the afternoons just in the living room but i do enjoy listening to audio books in the car

My favourite thing is reading in bed. On a Friday or Saturday morning, it looks to my family like I slept in until 11 or noon, but really I woke up at 8 or 9 and read in bed for 2-3 hours.

Most of my reading is audiobooks while cleaning or driving or books on my kindle in bed before I fall asleep. But my favorite are those indulgent mornings where I sit down in my cozy chair with my Kindle and a cup of coffee.

I read mostly at home either in a chair in our family room or in bed. We recently got a new bed and chose one with and adjustable base so that I could be even more comfortable. Its been delightful. I nearly always read Ebooks. I think the only time I read a physical book if I am wanting something for a read-a-thon that I can't get electronically.

I listen to audiobooks in many locations. They are great for long drives, cleaning the house and doing crafty things.

This will sound weird, but I actually pace around the house while I read. I would love to get cozy with a book, but I fall asleep too easily, even if the book is amazing. So I get those steps in while I'm reading.

I borrow most books from Libby and read them on my Kindle. I also check our local Little Free Libraries once a month or so and swap out physical books there. Occasionally I'll borrow an audiobook (especially if the wait is really long on the ebook). I have to be doing something mindless (cleaning, crocheting, Pixel Art on the phone, etc.) while listening, or my focus drifts.

Sarah wrote: "This will sound weird, but I actually pace around the house while I read. I would love to get cozy with a book, but I fall asleep too easily, even if the book is amazing. So I get those steps in wh..."

Good for you. books help your fitness! I definitely listen while walking outside, walking around a grocery store, etc. At home I also don't sit and listen often because If I can sit down, I'll read a print book. It is a rare occurrence and a great compliment to an audiobook if I just stop everything and listen to it.

Robin P wrote: "Sarah wrote: "This will sound weird, but I actually pace around the house while I read. I would love to get cozy with a book, but I fall asleep too easily, even if the book is amazing. So I get tho..."

Oh wow, I would never have thought of that - audiobooks during grocery shopping is genius!

Hannah wrote: "I wish I enjoyed audio books more — it would be so great to be able to listen to something while driving or cooking! But I have a really hard time following them for some reason. I find my mind wan..."

Chrissy said this, and it is also my suggestion - try speeding up the narration. I usually listen to audio books at 2X. I worked a second job at Target for a while, and they didn't want us to have headphones on in the backroom, but they didn't mind if you listened to music or books. People would walk by and laugh at my "chipmunk books." LOL.

My favorite place to read is out on my back porch, my feet up, a pot of tea, my dog, and the birds chirping.

Sarah wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Oh wow, I would never have thought of that - audiobooks during grocery shopping is genius!"

I sometimes get a little frustrated when someone wants to come to the store with me because they I don't get to listen to my book while I shop! :)

I love reading in bed or in the bathtub.
I just need the light to be good, and I don't mind some music from time to time.

I like reading in the morning, but night isn't bad either. However, I fall asleep easily lately. :D