Thursday 29 May 2008

Booking Through Thursday

This week's BTT:

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?

I'm going to keep it short and sweet this week - which I am sure will make a nice change. I define the act of reading as anything written down! Newspapers, magazines, comics, graphic novels, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, letters, etc, etc, etc!

I don't count audiobooks or radio plays as reading. Not sure why. I only listen to these on the beach or when driving. I'd much rather read the words myself than listen to someone else and I am always worried I'll fall asleep if I listened in bed and lose my place!

I've not tried a "proper" e-reader but I do have several free books saved onto my computer in a pdf or word format and I've never managed to muster up the energy to read even one of them. I'm not sure if that says something about whether I prefer to enjoy the act of reading in a paper format or just that I've not given the alternative a chance. I have no objection to reading articles/newspapers/short stories online so maybe it's the latter. Although, on reflection, I can't imagine snuggling up in bed with an e-reader in the same way that I would with a book!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, I agree about e-books! I can't read those!

Here is my say!

Anonymous said...

I also agree about e-books. I think its that I spend to much time sitting at the computer as is--why would I want to spend my leisure time there as well?

Anonymous said...

I've said pretty much the same thing. Reading has to be about the written word, as far as I'm concerned, and preferably involving paper and ink.

Chrisbookarama said...

I have e-books on the computer too but haven't read them yet. I really like paper!

jlshall said...

Me, too - I'd much rather do the reading for myself. But I've been thinking maybe audiobooks might be a nice change from listening to music when I'm doing my daily walk. A good thriller might help me keep up the pace!

(M)ary said...

are you reading now? (-;

ps ebooks not my thing either. i like old school book reading!