What is reading, anyway? Novels, comics, graphic novels, manga, e-books, audiobooks — which of these is reading these days? Are they all reading? Only some of them? What are your personal qualifications for something to be “reading” — why? If something isn’t reading, why not? Does it matter? Does it impact your desire to sample a source if you find out a premise you liked the sound of is in a format you don’t consider to be reading? Share your personal definition of reading, and how you came to have that stance.
(Two weeks late for Reading is Fundamental week, but, well…)
…………………………..
My definition of reading–any printed material no matter what format it is in. I will read anything–novels, nonfiction, e-books, manga, graphic novels, comics, magazines, newspapers, even billboards! Some types I read more often than others; novels in traditional book form are my choice at the moment.
Five or six years ago I had a PDA and read lots of e-books. I still have e-books and read them on my computer occassionally, but that is not the best format for them. I am waiting for less expensive devices and then plan to dip into e-books again. I loved travelling with a small device holding hundreds of books. Whenever I travel I pack at least a half dozen books for a weeklong trip!
I don’t listen to audiobooks very often, but I do occassionally when I am doing a project which keeps my hands busy and I can’t read at the same time. Most times I am reading and listening to music or listening to news on the radio or TV. If I listen to an audiobook I don’t really think of that as reading, but I’m unlikely to pick up the printed material and read that after I have listened to an audiobook.
If my current format of choice (a traditional book) is not available I wouldn’t hesitate to try another format, but I might not read it as quickly. What about you? Do you have a favorite format? What is your definition of reading?
I have a favourite format — printed books — but I don’t think that format has as much to do with what “reading” is as we may think. For me, reading is reading is reading — the act of using eyes and brain to process words and meaning. Audiobooks aren’t reading, because there’s no text. But everything else goes.
I love the idea of travelling with hundreds of books on one small machine and my back likes the idea even more, but I can’t see myself being able to look at a screen for hours at a time in the way I will devour a printed book when the story has really taken me over.
My favorite format would be a paperback. I’ve listened to one audio book and couldn’t tell you, for the life of me, what it was about. I’m not an audio learner and I was unable to absorb the story. I also read books on my PDA but I much prefer to hold a book in my hand.
I’ve never tried audiobooks, but that’s because I’ve the worst attention span ever when it comes to listening. I’m like TrishaJ, not an audio learner at all!
And I’ve tried manga and graphic novels – while I like looking at the art, I don’t think I “get” them because I automatically skip to the words and probably miss half the nuances.
So I’m sticking to printed books and ebooks – ebooks are my new obsession because of sheer convenience.
Li
Manga and graphic novels fascinate me, but I know I miss parts as I read. I’ve decided it must be a generational thing–my kids understand better than I do!
The convenience of e-books is hard to argue with, however, I want a lower priced reader and I want one file format so I don’t have to spend my time trying to convert my e-books.
i can’t get into the ebooks. maybe some day i will. i love the feel and smell of a real book. achoo…even the dust on the book jacket!