Challenge: 50 Books discussion

Just as the question says; Do you need quiet in order to read your books?

A lot of the reading that I do is either during my ride to and from work, or on my lunch hour in some noisy cafe somewhere. I'm also ADD so outside noise either has to be very pervasive in order for me to be able to ignore it, or I need quiet.

There is nothing worse than a semi quiet space with maybe one conversation that I can just hear. I have to listen in! My brain just will not stick with reading alone unless it is saturated with noise.

How about you?

There's an energy I believe is emitted out of books when you read while it's quiet. Kind of like putting your ear to an empty sea shell. I personally get more out of it this way. I feel like I can actually hear the book come to life if everything is quiet. I would call it literary Synesthesia.


Yes, I can read while the TV is on, if I really tried, but then that energy disappears. I can't read if there are people being obnoxiously loud. Just their inconsideration alone would infuriate me to the point where I couldn't concentrate anyway.
Soft jazz/light classical/latin jazz. yes.

I can read to music if it's instrumental, or if the lyrics are in a language other than English. Jazz from France in the twenties..Edith Piaf sort of stuff, or maybe the softer tracks from Cuba Son.

I don't need absolute silence but if there's a conversation going on that's too near in my viscinity, I can't concentrate. Music usually doesn't bother me so I sometimes listen to it while reading if I want some background noise.

Huomenta Susanna! I wish I could listen to more music while I read. I'm afraid I have to save my music for when I'm walking.

Hey, Tim. I tend to listen to music every chance I get: walking, riding the bus, in the car, when I'm on the computer... almost always. So usually no music for me when I'm reading :)

I liked Rachel's comment on the energy of reading in silence. Like her, I get so much more when I'm reading in complete silence; my brain only has to focus on the page in front of me, instead of working to block outside distractions.

Maeghan wrote: "I liked Rachel's comment on the energy of reading in silence. Like her, I get so much more when I'm reading in complete silence; my brain only has to focus on the page in front of me, instead of wo..."

I liked her comment as well. I recognised the energy she was talking about. I don't generally get that feeling from fiction, but if I'm reading a book about ideas...Rand...Huxley...I can feel it coming over me and you know the brain is working on all cylinders.

Susanna wrote: "Hey, Tim. I tend to listen to music every chance I get: walking, riding the bus, in the car, when I'm on the computer... almost always. So usually no music for me when I'm reading :)"

I do a LOT of statistical work when I am working on genetics projects. For that I absolutely need music in order to see the patterns. I save delta blues, and Greenwich Village folk invasion for that sort of thing.

I read all of the time - while watching TV, at work in the break room, in the car in the line at the drive through, in the car while someone else is driving, in bed before I go to sleep. Except for the later, it is usually not quiet when I read.

I prefer quiet. But sometimes I can get myself to that "Zen" space where I can block out all other noise when I'm on the bus going to work for instance. But other times, if someone is talking on their cell phone on the bus, it really distracts me while I read. I'd like to find good quality ear plugs to wear at the gym so I could just get on the stationary bike or treadmill and read for an hour and kill 2 birds with one stone, but I have a hard time since they have loud music and for some reason I always get people who want to talk to each other on the machines right next to me.

I like the TV on or music playing when I am sewing etc but prefer silence when I am reading.

Arlene wrote: "I read all of the time - while watching TV, at work in the break room, in the car in the line at the drive through, in the car while someone else is driving, in bed before I go to sleep. Except fo..."

Laughing...at this time of year I have a lot of slack time in my position, so I tend to read in between clients...but I walk back and forth in this small room that used to be a bank vault while I read. Drives the co-workers batty.

Connie wrote: "I prefer quiet. But sometimes I can get myself to that "Zen" space where I can block out all other noise when I'm on the bus going to work for instance. But other times, if someone is talking on ..."

That sounds brutal...talking while exercising! I think that is why I used to love running so much...no people! Unfortunately running and reading is not a suggested activity.

Tim wrote: "Unfortunately running and reading is not a suggested activity..."

I read while on the eliptical or walking on the treadmill. Audio books are good for running.

And I must have TV or music on to drown out the conversations at the gym - otherwise I lose focus on what I am reading. But I can read in complete silence too. Makes no difference to me.

Molly wrote: "Tim wrote: "Unfortunately running and reading is not a suggested activity..."

I read while on the eliptical or walking on the treadmill. Audio books are good for running.

And I must have TV ..."

I have never had one of those audio books. I wonder if they would work for me.

I can read pretty much anywhere. I wish it was quiet of course, but with small children around it usually isn't. If the book is really good all noise disappears for me anyway, because I get sucked into the plot.

Tim wrote: "Just as the question says; Do you need quiet in order to read your books?

A lot of the reading that I do is either during my ride to and from work, or on my lunch hour in some noisy cafe somewhe..."

Depends on the book. If it's a serious nonfiction with lots of difficult words in it, I need to read in my room with no sound at all. Reading classics also requires silence, I guess.

But if it's a pop book, or children lit (but not fantasy), I could just read it anywhere, cafe, bus, etc.

I can tolerate music but not people talking loudly near my ears. All in all, I think I am the type of reader who prefers quiet surrounding ;p

Depends on what I'm reading. If it's "light", there's no problem with ambient noise or conversations. If it's engrossing or complicated, I read in a quiet setting. It's impossible for me to do two things at once--like reading and running on a treadmill. Finally, there is no way I can read in a car--motion sickness!!!!

I will read everywhere and have a do take my book with me every place I go but if I read at home however I find I do need quiet.

As I get older, I need more quiet. In my younger days, I could read and concentrate anywhere. In public I sometimes pretend to read when I'm really just eavesdropping (shhh...don't tell)!

I'm not good at audiobooks, either...I just can't concentrate unless I'm looking at the words.

I don't seem to have any issues with noise....other than that which is physically uncomfortable. As the youngest child I learned to easily tune everything out. Of course that also means people think I'm strange when I stare off into space oblivious to everything around me. :)

My favorite place to read is in the passenger seat as my husband drives. He's nice about keeping the volume low. The radio doesn't bother me its his singing HAHAHA
can't read while the tv is on - I lose focus completely

Random wrote: As the youngest child I learned to easily tune everything out. Of course that also means people th..."

LOL - I'm the youngest and do that too!!!

i'm a people-watcher at heart, so i don't have the discipline to read in cafe, restaurant, library, etc

and mode of transport (bus, car, train, etc) i cannot read either, make me woosie (sp?) motion sickie - bllleeggg.

so i tend to read in stiller settings of home or a large park with not very many people around. Some noise is OK, just not conversations I can make out as my ears tend to eavesdrop (naughty, naughty, naughty)

i am impressed by those above who can listen to music and read at the same time. lucky multi-taskers you are.

I grew up in a large family living in a small house where the TV was always on and music always playing somewhere and a baby would be crying and I had to share my bedroom with my sister so there was no quiet. I can read anywhere. Sometimes I'm distracted by what's going on around me but once pulled back into that story I'm there and the world around me fades...

I actually llike to have somenoise to block out when I read. The only time I have trouble is if there are too many sources of noise. I have a great deaal of difficulty with audio books because sound is something I block out with out really thinking about it then part way through the story I have no idea what is going on becuase I started blocking it out. The only place I can't read is in a moving vehicle...I get car sick!

Kaos wrote: "I will read everywhere and have a do take my book with me every place I go but if I read at home however I find I do need quiet."

That is fun! I do that too!

I love reading in noisy coffee shops as long as the noise is a constant buzz. It was the same for me at the library during grad school. If there was a conversation going on a t a nearby table, I had to put on headphones and some music in order to block it out.

I also love reading in silence. I've learned to appreciate reading in silence more now that I'm a work-at-home mom with an infant.

Snowy Saturday mornings, hot tea, down blanket... Mmmm. On the other hand I can read anything, anywhere. This is probably not a good thing. I've probably missed new people, good conversations with people I love, scenery passing by.

I'm okay with noise I guess. I carry my book with my everywhere so if an opportunity rises - work on lunch break, doctor's waiting room. If it is a good book I'm set, if it's boring and doesn't keep my interest it really doesn't matter if there is noise or no noise I probaly won't be able to finish it anyways.

I prefer to read when in a quiet place. I can read on the train, and during travel too. It's hard to read when people are speaking to me, and expecting a reply, though.

I have different materials to read in different levels of noise too. The ADHD thing.

Noise is no problem at all, but clearly audible conversations constantly jerk me out of my book. Music MIGHT work if it's instrumental, but I'd rather be without it.

I don't have a problem with noise- I can knock everything out in just a few minutes time, whereas people call my name and I don't hear them until they shake me.

I've never liked audio books... but I agree about reading while walking on the treadmill :]

When I'm in my room I normally like it quiet, but if there is noise around the house I'll normally turn some BT or classical/instrumental on.

I prefer that it be quiet, but as others have stated I can read with instrumental music playing-Philip Glass, Arvo Part, modern minimalists.

I can read anywhere, any time. Airports, malls, out in the yard while people are mowing or constructing. I read The Metamorphosis propped on my steering wheel in a traffic jam on the 294. Don't freak out! When I say jam I mean JAM. It took over an hour to go a mile. I could've walked three miles in that time. And can someone explain the whole beeping your horn thing? If the road is a parking lot as far as the eye can see, what exactly are people hoping to accomplish?

I need quiet to read.

Nope. I actually need to listen to music while I read. Does anyone else listen while they read?

Perhaps some Mozart, but for the most part I need quiet. Shhhh.

It kind of depends on the book and my mood. Sometimes I will read and have a movie on or music in the background because I don't really enjoy dead silence. Not even when I'm sleeping. If I'm somewhere like a cafeteria or restaurant or something, where there are lots of conversations going on at once, it almost becomes like white noise to me and I can tune it out. However, if there was a couple sitting next to me talking and they're the only thing I can hear, it'll distract me. Is that weird? LOL. But, no, I don't necessarily need it to be quiet to read. It's all circumstantial for me.

i can't stand dead silence and yes i understand the one couple thing. Most of the time a lot of noise is easier to ignore then just one thing going on right next to you.

Bianca wrote: "i can't stand dead silence and yes i understand the one couple thing. Most of the time a lot of noise is easier to ignore then just one thing going on right next to you."

Exactly what I think! :)

I prefer quiet, but if I am really into a book, I think that there could be an earthquake passing through, and I would still be reading! :)

I can pretty much read anytime anywhere. Doesn't bother me if there's noise, music, talking, screaming, quiet. Books consume me and my attention. Nothing else exists. :)

I can read just about anywhere. And if something comes up and I need to stop, I can do that quickly and then pick the book right back up.

It doesn't matter to me. I get into the book very easily. In public I would get more distracted but at home I can even hear the TV or music and be fine. I listen to a lot of different music too.

I try to have a book with me at all times because I never know when there will be a delay or some other open time.

I can and like to listen to instrumental music when I read but can't read to lyrics, especially if it is music I would like to sing to.

As many of you probably know, it is a great way to deter unwanted conversation on planes, etc.

I don't really need it. But, if it's really loud, I would read somewhere else. Just this afternoon, I was reading and my Mom and Dad were talking about a topic concerning history, I was ok with it. But, then it became a bit loud, so I took it to the living room to read. When I read it silently in my head, I prefer quiet. But, when I'm reading out loud, it doesn't really matter.

I really like to read in quiet. Outside in the backyard is my favorite place, or by the fire in the winter. But, really if I am into a book I can read it anywhere!

nope, i don't need quiet at all. There has to be some kind of background noise to keep the momentum going.