Poll: Do you like reading?

[Mr.Teatime]

Now, I ask this question because I thought most people like to read. You know, except for the adolescents who constantly complain about book assignments. Anyways, I discovered that one of my friends just doesn't like reading. He says he can't imagine just reading for fun.

So that got me wondering if you Escapists enjoy reading. Well...do ya?

 

[Marter]

Sometimes. Some books are enjoyable, but I find that I don't often care about the majority of them. The ones I do really like though, I'll finish up really quickly.

General rule for me though is this: I dislike fiction books. There are exceptions of course, but that's just in general.

I like non-fiction more most of the time.

 

[IndianaJonny]

Plenty to read besides books. If anything, 'reading' is more accessible than it's ever been with magazines, newspapers, blogs, Kindle and what have you - I like having something interesting to read at my fingertips, be it paper or via a mouse.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

I love reading, but I'm not into HUGE Novels (unless they're Harry Potter). I prefer my books short and sweet (and preferably funny)

 

[ScoopMeister]

Reading has been like my number one hobby for my entire life (I feel like I'm cheating on video games because of it, although its probably the other way around).
But yeah, I'll read pretty much anything. Biggest books I ever read were probably LoTR (in one book) and Sherlock Holmes (the complete collection... in one book).

 

[b3nn3tt]

I do indeed like reading. Didn't vote on the poll though, cos I'm not entirely sure which option best indicates my outlook. I don't really read books thinking that one day they might help me take over the world (that's what the ray gun is going to be for), because I have no ambitions of that

 

[Condor219]

Books are still the easiest/most accessible way to convey a narrative, and books still contain humanity's greatest works of storytelling among all genres by far. Movies are great and all, but they only last 3 hours and leave very little to the imagination (plus the whole "Most movies require a very significant investment of money that most people don't have" thing knocks down some of the potential of screenplay, as opposed to books).

Needless to say, I enjoy reading, and saying you don't like to read is shutting yourself off to a lot of the fantastic creations of the human mind.

 

[Hiikuro]

I like a good story. But I am absolutely terrible at reading when it doesn't captivate me, which is very often. I feel stressed and uncomfortable when that happens, oddly enough.

I think there are three memorable (one fiction, one semi-fiction, and one non-fiction) books I've read in the past two years (out of a total of five or six, excluding study-books). I am very selective about what I read.

 

[Sterling|D-Reaver]

I love to read! I just finished book 13 of the wheel of time and then the prequel, and thats just this week
(+ some serious reading aka non-fiction)

For me characters are the most important part I half to be able to understand their motivations. that was one thing about the WoT series that made it hard to read at points, I could stand long descriptions, but some of the twists just looked like stupid choices (at least until later in the book/series) but lets not turn this in to a discussion of one series, eh?

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Not anymore.

I used to read a lot. I haven't read a book in over a year, at this point.

I'll never go back to reading, honestly.

I'd rather watch a mediocre show or play a mediocre game than read a fantastic book, tbh.

 

[TheEndlessSleep]

Im 'one of those adolescants', and i'm wondering... what the hell is a book assignment?

(It's probably an American thing I'm guessing)

Anyway, regardless of how much I have to study books, I've never really felt the need to pick one up and read for fun.

It's not that I hate reading, It's just that it's pretty much the most inefficent, time consuming method of enjoyment out there; lots of work for little reward :S

 

[Audun]

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone."

- Tyrion Lannister.

 

[Cowabungaa]

I just bought another 2 books (Ender's Game and Seeds of Earth), and I haven't even finished the current one (Unseen Academicals). So yeah, I like books. I like them a lot. I have a vivid imagination, so I love thinking up how the characters look, how they sound like, how they world they inhabit looks like. Books need some imagination to be enjoyed.

I'd rather watch a mediocre show or play a mediocre game than read a fantastic book, tbh.

Wait...what? Prefering interactive media over books I can understand, but that sounds rather...odd.

General rule for me though is this: I dislike fiction books. There are exceptions of course, but that's just in general.

How come?

 

[Deamonian]

I read a lot, really. Mostly sci-fi and fantasy, but also other genres such as detective thrillers, etc. For me, to live without even the opportunity to read is a much poorer life than the one I am learning, for in books I can find universes crafted with care by a loving hand, just alike games(, that is, the games I enjoy and play.). sure, the formats are different, but the principles are the same.
The ability to read the stories of heroes and villains, to explore their motives, their actions, psychies, souls.. well, it is a verry engaging thing. And at the same time, with exploring a fictional universe you also explore the minds of the universes' creator, as the world is only limited by the imagination of the writer.

And beyond all that, it's simply a nice passtime.
I usually read books when on the bus or in public areas, sure, I own a DS, but I more prefer reading a good book to playing with my handheld for some reason. not that I mind it, but I just find the book a better choise in those circumstances.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I'd rather watch a mediocre show or play a mediocre game than read a fantastic book, tbh.

Wait...what?

I like to discuss a show or a game, or even a book...And with books, it's hard to discuss books with anyone, since most everyone I know doesn't read.

So, I'll only read wildly popular books that pique my interest, and sadly...that hasn't happened since Harry Potter years ago.

 

[razor343]

Emm...Periodically. Sometimes I get these moments in which I just read every night for 3-4 hours for several weeks...Then it dies for several months and starts again

 

[Korak the Mad]

I love to read, especially ones that are sci-fi/fantasy (magic the gathering series, alternate realities, ect. . .) and horror, like H.P. Lovecraft and Steven King (anything that seems like it could be possible or even exist on a metaphysical level).

 

[Tharwen]

I fit into a very neat little stereotype by reading almost nothing but Terry Pratchett. I have been trying to read some older, well known books though.