Just finished reading pic related, first book I've read in a while. Trying to get into literature more, wanted to know how the average /lit/erati reads in his life.
When do you read? How much before you stop? Do you ever take notes/annotate, and do you ever go back through a book to analyze it before moving on to a new one? And have you felt your reading speed increase? I'm a bit of a slow reader myself
>>7575111
>>>/reddit/
>>7575111
1-2 hours a day, mostly. I'll take notes if I really like something that an author did or if I need to wrap my head around the story a bit more, and if I like a certain theme that a book focused on, I'll try to play with it in my own writing. Reading speed depends on the book.
Read Dostoevsky's works.
>>7575121
the man is asking for advice and wants to learn about literature and /lit/ it's not an elitist club don't be a fucking prick.
Today I read over 200 pages throughout the day, had to of spent at least 5 hours reading. Was really getting into the story, had the day off.
>>7575111
reading speed doesn't matter, comprehension does. note taking while reading and after completion does help understanding understanding a book's worth as a whole. I think speed does increase the more you read. Dostoevsky may seem difficult to some while others will fall right into it. I'd suggest Cormac Mccarthy for accessibility while he is in my opinion still an incredible author. check out no country for old men or blood meridian to start. hemingway's collected short stories are good and you should check out james joyce's dubliners; it is excellent. and don't let anyone tell you what not to read or discourage you from doing so.
>>7575111
My reading speed has probably slowed down since getting into literature since I stop and think more before moving on.
I read whenever I have free time and I highlight parts that I find interesting or profound.
>>7575173
>reading speed doesn't matter
now, anon, we are only fooling ourselves.
>>7575111
I usually write the definitions of words i don't know in the margins- I forget them again about two minutes later, but whatever.
Other than that, I don't really take notes. I'll highlight passages I like, but that's about it.
>>7575152
wait we're not being elitist
I thought that was the whole point
that's why we tell people to go to reddit
hell someone will reply to this telling me to go to reddit probably
>>7575286
no man you just come off like a desperate faggot
What did you think of cat's cradle op? /lit/ hates vonnegut supposedly for being too accessible / not as deep as people think he is, but mostly it's because reddit likes him. Personally I've always had a soft spot for him because his books were what really got me literature.
>>7575286
nah, man. you can fuck off to any old place.
>>7575139
That sounds reasonable, gives me a good idea on what I should be doing, thanks!
>>7575173
>>7575178
It's comforting to hear reading speed is not terribly important, comprehension being the key thing here. I'll definitely check Cormac McCarthy out, I'll see if I can pick up a few of his works you listed. Thanks for the advice, I really do appreciate it.
>>7575347
I guess I could see why Vonnegut is so accessible, perhaps part of the reason why it was so easy to read through Cat's Cradle was because of how simple the writing was. Didn't know /lit/ hated Vonnegut, or that reddit liked him. I actually thought his ideas might be less accessible to those unfamiliar with existentialist thought.
I thought it was a great book. Although the writing could be simple, it got me thinking quite a few times, and being able to cut his fragments of writing with the whole "mini-chapter" structure helped add gravity to a number of them. Personally, I've been thinking a lot about meaning, truth, and rationality, and I find the overrall point Vonnegut makes really interesting, which I took as lies sometimes being preferable to the truth, that the truth is not always good. I really want to go back and try to tease all the different little things about the book that were odd, try to string everything together. As simple as the writing is, aspects of it could be complex, such as the choice to make Newt a midget and the attitudes of characters like Bokonon, Mona, and Minton. It didn't feel as straightforward as the writing would otherwise suggest.
Another quick question, how can you tell good writing from bad writing? I wonder if I'll read some books and under-appreciate the writing, and I'm thinking I might need to develop some sense of taste. Is it something that comes over time? Should I read a few bad books to appreciate better writing?
pic unrelated
>>7575411
kinda wondering this too, maybe context with books could help?
>>7575411
Don't read bad books
>>7576053
Does it just come over time?
At least an hour in my bed before I go to sleep and an hour in the morning before I go to school/work.
Nowadays I also try to read whenever I have downtime. I've just recently realized how time consuming and brain melting lurking/internet browsing is.
>>7575411
>Is it something that comes over time?
yeah.
>Should I read a few bad books to appreciate better writing?
nah. some day you'll pick up an old favorite and be hugely disappointed and that's when you'll know you made it.
>>7575111
>When do you read? How much before you stop?
when i want to x2
>Do you ever take notes/annotate,
when i own the books or they're from an uni library
>do you ever go back through a book to analyze it before moving on to a new one?
if the work is exceptional
> And have you felt your reading speed increase?
no, but it has
>>7575111
I read at random. usually I go a few days without them binge for hours on a new book. At my most consistent it was probably 3-6 hours a day every day, but I haven't done that in years.
