Your view on Reading

[unlikelyhero]

I'm getting so friggin pissed lately with all of the problems people seem to be having with reading and how "little" people actually are reading. I think that when people say this that it is total bull. Why the hell are people thinking this. Reading is not down at all. The things that are down in the reading world are certain types of literature, which were never really read to much. Reading started mainly just been a form of entertainment, and with the way people are treating it will not remain such much longer. Many people do actually read a lot, but they'd rather read a magazine or an article on a website instead of a book. Anyway I was wondering how you feel on this issue and how much all of you read.

[FyreFlame]

I read all the time. I have nothing better to do. (unless it involves anime) I hate magazines and the internet (exclulding this site). I'm ticked that people really don't like to read anymore.

[LadySage]

I love to read. I've read at least a dozen books since summer, and I can never really get enough. Every so often, I will fall off on my reading, but I always start up again. Someday, I want to be a writer. It is sort of sad that people no longer care much for reading, but as long as I have my books, I'm happy.

[Wolfwood]

im sorry i dont know any good authors to even read a decent book.... All the books ive read are really really boring

if anyone wants they can suggest books to me :)

[Peppie]

I just like reading, but I'll be damned if I would rate it superior, better, more cultural, more intellectual, than any other form of mediaentertainment consumption.

Problem with reading is that books are generally expensive, there's a huge selection to pick from, and it's hard to probe up front if you like a book. (No screenshots :P)

Ofcourse you can always visit libraries, but personally I hate libraries, because it puts me on a time limit (by having to return books after x weeks).

Anyway, for those who view it as higher culture, you're generalising; books (like anime, games, films) also have their share of crappy works. On the flipside, those other types of media also have their high quality/revolutionary works. (Grave of the Fireflies, Creatures, Citizen Kane)

In the end I think we should just regard them as one of many media to spend our spare time with, with their own pros and cons.

[Jun_Inohara]

Originally posted by Peppie
I just like reading, but I'll be damned if I would rate it superior, better, more cultural, more intellectual, than any other form of mediaentertainment consumption.

Problem with reading is that books are generally expensive, there's a huge selection to pick from, and it's hard to probe up front if you like a book. (No screenshots :P)




O.O $7 for something you can keep for years and years and re-read is expensive? O.o Seems like a damned good investment to me.

Anyway, I'm hardly one to suggest that the kind of books I love to read are anything complicated or thought provoking. With the exception of classics like Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Huck Finn, etc. I pretty much exclusively stick to fantasy books. BUT, I also feel that reading has increased my vocabulary far more than almost anything else (aside from growing up speaking the language, I mean :P). I've heard more than once that reading over the summer tends to help a students grades the next fall. If such is the case, then it's always helped me ^^;;

And in a way I DO think it's a superior form of entertainment to other things. In the respect that it forces you to really use your head and your imagination. The words on the page and the broadness of your imagination are what bring the story to life instead of it being completely spoon-fed to you as it might with a movie, tv show, etc. I'm not knocking those forms of entertainment, but I for one can curl up with a book far longer than I can stand to sit in front of a tv, or movie ^^;; That's just ME of course, and I don't expect it to be the same for everyone.

I'm just happy to NOT be the kind of person that doesn't like to read. The thought of ever missing out on the books I've read is apalling ^^;;

[friedrice8669]

I enjoy reading, I just find other stuff to do like watch tv....

[Dave K]

I read a lot of things. Novels, fanfics, newspapers, historical books, all the different guiness book of world records, and then for a change of pace I read this message board.

Beside reading, eating and playing video games I don't really do to much.

[Human_Fighter]

I find it much easier to read reference books than novels (well over 75% of the books I've read in the past year are factual), so this makes it more difficult to pinpoint exactly how much I read. Not as much as I want to for one thing though.

[Ritalin]

The majority of stuff I read is a referance book, or something educational. I'll read a fiction from time to time, but thats like bi-yearly. o_O I was never a fan of reading daily, I always found something more interesting to do.

Stand on reading? People read plenty, but not everyone is good at it. When people say "People now don't read enough" usually are just the people that think "People should read this and be opened-minded" which really means they want people to like what they like. *sigh*

It's a broad area... the internet nearly consists purely of reading, so there, you get reading right there! Besides those damn people that don't spell right "u, ur, ppl, tho, etc" ¬¬

[WinterLaurel]

Originally posted by Ritalin
Besides those damn people that don't spell right "u, ur, ppl, tho, etc" ¬¬

omg, teh peeps that cant spel right r so annoying lolers :p Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I love to read. I work in a library if that tells you anything.
When I was growing up, in the B.C. years (Before Cable), reading was my major entertainment. It helped me develop langauge skills and vocabulary. When I was an exchange student to Germany, one thing that significantly helped me learn the langauge was reading. Sometimes I'd have to look up every other word, but I eventually got comfortable.
I'm also an English major (about to graduate), and I loved it that a good portion of my homework was reading. But at this point I'm burnt out and I haven't wanted to read much lately.

[Keitaro]

Most of the reading I do is non-fiction. Either biographical or educational books. Pretty much all of the fiction books I read are for school, unless I find something that really catches my attention, which does not happen too often but has happened before.

[Roark]

I read voraciously. I never go anywhere without being withing spitting distance of some kind of book. Most of the clutter in my room stems from random books in some degree of "in progress" reading. Meals, bathroom time, and walking are all perfect oppurtunities to enjoy a good book, the paper, or whatever magazine happens to be handy. In short, I'm a bookworm. I read mostly what would be considered classics, both modern and ancient. My bookshelf spans everything from Aristotle to Heinlein to Bronte sisters to Toni Morrison. Books are a friend, companion, and a great way to forget a lost love. Never leave home without them.

[Azirafal]

I love to read. I read a lot. What else can I say? Reading is good for You! :GD

P.S. Winter Laurel ==> working in a not very popular lirary or bookstore is one of my wannabe jobs. I'd do nothing through the day just sit on a chair and READ :D

[Jester]

I'm a major reader in my school. I never really read any of the books by Plato or Ptolemy, but I enjoy learning about their teachings. I mostly enjoy fantasy, ya know, drow elves, dwarves, dragons, magic. :D If you enjoy these too, you should really check out some of R. A. Salvatore's "Forgotten Realms." Tons of great series about demons and gods, war and conquest, revenge and magic.

[FyreFlame]

Go Jester I love those books. I basicly only read fantasy.

[Peppie]

Off-topic, but oh well

FANATASY READERS MUST READ THE DISCWORLD SERIES FROM TERRY PRATCHETT

Seriously. It's good reflection. It is, in short, very good humor, and has lots of fantasy parody elements. You will not regret it. Just purchase the first one of the series (it shouldn't be too expensive) or a standalone (same world, different main characters) like the glorious "Pyramids" or "Small Gods"

Seriously

Any fantasy fan not mentioning Pratchett should be clubbed :P

[LadySage]

Originally posted by Peppie
FANATASY READERS MUST READ THE DISCWORLD SERIES FROM TERRY PRATCHETT


Gotcha. I'll check it out next time at Borders.

Another good fantasy writer is Tamora Pierce. Her books are generally aimed at adolescent girls, but they're still very interesting and she's an excellent writer, one of my role models.

[Zelkiiro]

I enjoy reading LOOOONG, deep, books with a good plot. Despite what people say, Harry Potter is a VERY deep series...once you reach the 3rd book...I was one of those people who HATED HP from the depths of my soul...then I actually read it.
DO NOT WATCH THE MOVIES!!!
They do not do the series justice.

I like any type of fiction, basically.

[XKamui]

I have had so much college work of late, that reading has been somewhat sidelined. No excuse really, I should be organising my time more efficiently. However I do love reading. I usually stick to the old classics, such as Jude The Obscure by Thomas Hardy and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I don't ever seem to go for modern books, though I have read and thoroughly enjoyed the entire Harry Potter series to date. Oh, and I tell a lie again, I loved the two Bridget Jones books. They made me laugh so much. On the other hand I found the film cringe-worthy and not funny at all. Same goes for the HP film as well. :eek: :angry

[Azirafal]

One: as one can see (Pratchett fans only) my nick is from "Good Omen". So that about explains everything about me, right? ;)
Two: Harry Potter. Yuck. Nothing like a dumb books, that was bought by EVERYONE in the whole damn world and makes a big scene. I read some fragments of it - wagad! How can You read it and say it's good?! I was sure You here don't read real good fantasy books... Forgotten Realms - another "great fantasy book". One of the worst written fantsy seires ever! Eh people, You should read more... I don't know. Maybe Zelazny? Silverberg? Robin Hobb? Mabye some more abitious fantastics? Like ****. (although after reading a couple of them, You can see a clear pattern... it get's a bit boring then) Or King? (the one and only Stephen!) I could also give You a couple of very good Polish writers, but You probably wouldn't get a translation... Nevertheless - Jacek Dukaj an Andrzej Sapkowski. Read a bit, people...

[Mr Apple Glass]

I believe people find books and general reading at different stages in their lives. I enjoy reading now but when I was younger, at school, I only read what I was required to...though I knew class mates who torn through the library like there was hidden gold within each book (which to them it probably was)

I've just started Northern Lights - P Pullman, I bought it just less than a year ago but I never got round to reading it until now,

I was just reading Three men in a Boat - Jerome K Jerome, and On the Road - Jack Kerouac (perhaps thee worst book I have ever read; starts off good and then turns into a dull repitition, some say its great but I just dont get it, all that beat generation kack...meh)

[Okashira_naqi]

Personally, i read most of the time and i even write fanfictions. I dont know why though but it seems that i can score well in my English Papers and the Literature paper as well....The tip to score well for literature is to be longwinded but yet stay with the title! ^_^ I just finished reading the book Japanese Inn, based on Japanese History and the Shogunate rullings...Of course i'd throw aside those literature text when theres a comic to read!!! :)

[Angi]

Of course i'd throw aside those literature text when theres a comic to read!!! :)

Don't do that before you read Shogun. I you just read about the Shogunate, you really should. Besides, it is awesome, and tells you alot about Japan when the Spanish was trying to conquer it. Really do. You will never regret it

[Akimichi Choji]

I read tons of books, from fantasy to poetry to basically anything.
Good Books: Catcher in the Rye, The Thirteenth Warrior, the LOTR series(thats a given).

[Neo-Hunter]

I love to read. its the best thing to do you can find big words to impress people.( JUST Kidding) its actually good to read.

[Jeannie]

Everytime I read a novel I get really tired. Odd.

I LOVE magazines! They're my life and my obsession. I have People's from 1988...


But anyway, alot of people read. I know just about everyone here does if they spend at least an hour surfing forums (or the internet in general). I think people worry because of the content most people are reading (bad fanfiction anyone?)

[jetfire]

I used to absolutely love reading when I was a kid. I owned somewhere over a hundred books. However, I ended up selling them all somewhere down the road, where it was easier to afford more expensive forms of entertainment (DVDs, videogames). Plus, I kinda grew out of the whole Goosebumps types of books.

I am starting up my novel collection on the other hand. I'm mostly interested in fantasy or thriller books. So far I've only got the LotR trilogy, The Halo books, 5 Dark Tower Books, Road To Perdition and a Perfect Dark book. But I still try to read as often as I can, to keep myself from getting lazy, and just for the fact that some books honestly do have great stories. Plain and simple. Even though I don't read as much as I used to, I still consider it a great form of entertainment. I try to keep my forms of entertainment as diverse as possible (such as having the choice between books, games, movies, anime, tv, or just other fun things such as going out to do things like rollerblading, tennis, etc...). There are only so many times I can watch a ton of movies in a row, or read a ton of books in a row. It's good to have reading as an option, but I try to balance everything out so my hobbies don't get stale.

[oompa loompa]

i love reading, everything Stephen King is good and the star wars books by timothy Zahn are really good, those and nehorror books i can find

[kLaUS]

Im not a big fan of reading books, but i dont think that reading is getting lost these days. Maybe there arent that many people reading books, but there are so many stuff out there. I read a lot of anime and games magazines, i also love to read about other cultures (specially the japanese) but i never get caught in a story on a book. Preffer a movie or an anime...

[Syner]

I read at school when I have nothing to do (which was my entire english class, we did nothing this year so I just read my home brought novels and got extra credit everyday lol)

I also read when I have nothing to do at home but believe me, that doesn't happen much lol

personally I like to read ^^

[Akuhei]

I REED LOTZ~ LEWL. I read quite often. I'd have to say that my favorite author is probably William Gibson. With Neuromancer being my favorite of his books. I read pretty much anything though, usually I like to stay in the sci-fi/fantasy genre (my second favorite author is Philip K. Dick >_>).

[Itachi Uchiha]

Any fantasy fan not mentioning Pratchett should be clubbed :P
Tis true, tis true...
Another good fantasy writer is Tamora Pierce. Her books are generally aimed at adolescent girls, but they're still very interesting and she's an excellent writer, one of my role models.
Do you mean the 'Circle of Magic' Series? Those are like little kids books... by the way, Briar r0ckz!
Harry Potter. Yuck. Nothing like a dumb books, that was bought by EVERYONE in the whole damn world and makes a big scene. I read some fragments of it - wagad! How can You read it and say it's good?! I was sure You here don't read real good fantasy books... Forgotten Realms - another "great fantasy book". One of the worst written fantsy seires ever! Eh people, You should read more... I don't know. Maybe Zelazny? Silverberg? Robin Hobb? Mabye some more abitious fantastics? Like ****. (although after reading a couple of them, You can see a clear pattern... it get's a bit boring then) Or King? (the one and only Stephen!) I could also give You a couple of very good Polish writers, but You probably wouldn't get a translation... Nevertheless - Jacek Dukaj an Andrzej Sapkowski. Read a bit, people...
Your words of wisdom bring tears to my eyes... I found the 1st and 3rd harry potter books to be very good, the others all suck though.

I work at a book store and literally have a very wobbly 4 foot high stack of books that make up my 'must read' pile... I feel insulted that no one has mentioned George R. R. Martin, Douglas Adams, Nathaniel Hawthorne, or Robert Louis Stevenson yet.

[Xfox*X]

i read all the time. i hate reading most school books they normally are boring or i dont like the topic of the book. i think people that hate to read have never found what they actually like to read so they say they hate to read because everything they have read before they didnt like.

[Griveton]

I read. Voraciously hardly describes it.

I will read fiction. I will read non-fiction. I will read magazines. I will read newspapers. I will read Scientology pamphlets. I will read the instructions in a packet of toothpicks (literary reference alert!)

I have books on engineering, history, administration, finance, physics (including a "modern physics" book from 1929), math, programming, industrial administration, astronomy, tequila. I have fantasy novels, thrillers, manga, dramas, car and motorcycle repair manuals.... I even have horse and dog breeding books nearby, despite having never owned a horse or a female dog.

I'm basically always reading something. When a book or magazine is not available, I will read anything in front of me. If my only option is Cosmopolitan, I'll learn the latest scandal the in Royal Family of Djibouti. I will even read those pamphlets for bizarre diseases in doctor's offices, or pamphlets offering services while I'm in line at the bank. If printed material is not available, I will satiate my thirst with wikipedia.

In short, I think I have a problem.

Not that I don't enjoy it thoroughly

[Ritalin]

Grive, are you by chance the type of person who reads the backs of medicines/shampoos/soaps when in the bathroom as well? :D

Because I'm like that a lot. >.<

[Roark]

Grive, are you by chance the type of person who reads the backs of medicines/shampoos/soaps when in the bathroom as well? :D

Because I'm like that a lot. >.<
You mean you don't have a small library in there?

Not that mana and I do...

[Mana]

Not that mana and I do...
No, no, of course not. >_>;

I do read a damn lot, though probably not as much as Grive xD; Especially since sometimes a new portable game will give me a break from reading until it's finished.

Ironically, one of the things that I love about reading is one of the things that I worst hate about myself: my terrible memory. I can read a great book and love it to death; then 3 years later, I can't remember a damn thing about the book except for the fact that I liked it, so I can reread it and enjoy it all over again.

[Griveton]

Grive, are you by chance the type of person who reads the backs of medicines/shampoos/soaps when in the bathroom as well? :D

Because I'm like that a lot. >.<

Sometimes. Only of shampoo and my gel, though, since I don't have medicines in the bathroom (I keep them in a pouch on my room with my travel stuff) and I immediately discard every wrapper of bath-related objects. It's scary to know some of the stuff I put on my head is illegal in california.

You mean you don't have a small library in there?

Not that mana and I do...

Actually... I do have one.

At least a couple of books (right now, Darwin Awards, some GTO manga, Arthur Conan Doyle, Carlos Fuentes, a couple airport novels, and of course, the Guinnes book of Records) and magazines (european motorcycles, Panamerican Automotive, Electronics today).


Ironically, one of the things that I love about reading is one of the things that I worst hate about myself: my terrible memory. I can read a great book and love it to death; then 3 years later, I can't remember a damn thing about the book except for the fact that I liked it, so I can reread it and enjoy it all over again.


Lucky Girl :D

[Tyrdium]

I read. Voraciously hardly describes it.http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/544/timeenoughtolasta0oz.jpg

[KiraraKim]

If I had to pick my favorite hobby reading would be on top because really there is nothing more relaxing than curling up with your favorite book. To those who dislike reading, most likely that is because you haven't been reading the right books. With a good book you are so engrossed in the story that it doesn't feel like a chore but instead you want to drop everything you are doing to find out what is happening next in the story.

Although saying all this I used to read a whole lot more than I do. I think I spend too much time on the computer now adays but I am trying to read more this year.

[Griveton]

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/544/timeenoughtolasta0oz.jpg

roflmfao

Pretty much, except that thankfully, I'm unlike Henry in that I have perfect eyesight :D

[Dreamescape]

Ironically, one of the things that I love about reading is one of the things that I worst hate about myself: my terrible memory. I can read a great book and love it to death; then 3 years later, I can't remember a damn thing about the book except for the fact that I liked it, so I can reread it and enjoy it all over again.

We have the same condition. It happens to me with music sometimes as well. I won't be able to remember the lyrics to the songs that I like sometimes, but poopping in a CD or putting the needle to the vinly like it was the first time everytime is a good trade-off.

As far as reading not being down, just certain types of literature... agreed. But that doesn't mean it's not cause for some concern. I was reading this article in Time and a student at Duke told his professor that "they don't read books" after being told to read a 350 page book (which I'm guessing he meant that professors usually only hand out selections deeming book reading unnecessary when you have clff notes. It was done for most of my classes as well, especially Philosophy, but weer required a few books). That was a shock to me coming from someone attending such a prestigious school.

That brought up a question for me. Are we too academic? Books have become chores rather than entertainment. I was watching a Bill Hicks routine and he was relaying a time that he was reading and drinking coffee at a diner when a waitress asks him, "Why are you reading?" Not "what" but "why". Stuff like Family Guy and Jackass flood the airwaves and are our form of entertainment now. Although I think they can be funny, they don't exactly cater to the intelligent side to us.

[Ritalin]

You mean you don't have a small library in there?

Not that mana and I do...

Magazines or newspapers is about it, or whatever book I left. No bathtub in this apartment, but at my house in Phoenix I would read while in the bath... Now it's down to just music because it's very hard to read while showering. >.>;;

[Daravon]

Reading is losing popularity due to the changes in our culture towards an instant gratification and ADD culture.

Notice also that very few people listen to music any more. And I don't mean listen to it as distraction, I mean sit down and listen to it. The fact that I like to sit down on weekends and listen to a few entire CDs, while doing nothing else, garners endless comments from my peers. Yet old people assure me that in their time sitting down to a record was commonplace. You can see this in everything from movie editing trends, to popular music audio mastering, to game developement.

I blame television, the opiate of the masses.

[Ritalin]

Wait... what? Music is loosing interest?

Besides the obvious lack of high top sellers recently (blame that on shitty new music these past years), every single person I know sits and listens to music just for the sake of music.

And add the sales of mp3 players -- Archos, iriver, Creative, iPod and the success of iTunes.

Music isn't a good distraction when your headphones are on, effectively tuning out the rest of the world. >_>

* Ritalin turns up her music.

[Jeannie]

Expanding a little off what Ritalin said... alot of newer music isn't exactly "sit and listen" music. I don't know anyone that relaxes and listens to My Humps or Promiscuous.


But on topic now...


There are some kids out there that simple don't give reading a try. Now, because the government (or whoever has been saying kids don't read) tend to see the negative before th positive it looks bad on all of us. I know I've been stereotyped as one of these kids and I read all the time. I don't think you'll ever catch me without my magazines...

[Senshi]

Huh?

Oh sorry... I didnt read your post...

Seriously: I'm an English major, so Im required to read... But I do enjoy reading... I end up playing video games as more of a hobby tho

[Ninja Realist]

Expanding a little off what Ritalin said... alot of newer music isn't exactly "sit and listen" music. I don't know anyone that relaxes and listens to My Humps or Promiscuous.

Yes, the shitty pseudo hip-hop that they play on the radio is "alot of newer music". It's not a lot. It makes up maybe 2% of what is being released right now, at most. You want some good sit and listen music? The Fiery Furnaces just came out with a new album, "Bitter Tea", great music to just sit and listen to while your brain atrophies. I can name more if you want. And even more to the point, who said you can only listen to new music? I listen to oldies all the time. If I only listened to new music I would get so ****ing bored of it that it might ruin it for me.

And if you can't think of any good moldies to just "sit and listen to" then you need to look a lot harder.

EDIT

Oh and to post on topic.

I enjoy reading on three levels.

One level of reading is reading for entertainment. I love to read entertaining material which can be anything from magazines, to bubblegum fiction, to literature, and even poetry sometimes ( though I rarely find poetry to be entertaining). I love entertaining books and in a much more personal way then entertaining movies, or TV, because when you read a book you see a different image in your head than everyone else does.

The second level of reading would be reading for information. While I would say that reading the news or reading an interesting article in the news paper is entertaining, It's not the same kind of entertaiment as reading a novel. When I read an article about, for example, nerve gas, I derive my entertainment not from the writers ability but from the factual information that the author is expressing.

Finally, as a writer, I often read books simply to study the writer's ability and to see which of his techniques I find to be effective so that I can hopefully use these in my own writings. For example, I didn't A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man to be particularly entertaining, but I am, to this day, awestruck by Joyce's almost unrivaled descriptive ability.

Reading is a huge part of my life because it's my dream to become a writer my self. I always have at least one book going on top of the massive amount of reading I have to do for school, ( though most of this is historical reading, not literature). Unlike a lot of people I know, I have no problem reading on a computer screen. Sure it's nice to have a book in your hand, but seeing it on a screen will suffice. I never really understood why some people have such a huge problem with it.

[Zirilan]

I'm getting so friggin pissed lately with all of the problems people seem to be having with reading and how "little" people actually are reading. I think that when people say this that it is total bull. Why the hell are people thinking this. Reading is not down at all. The things that are down in the reading world are certain types of literature, which were never really read to much. Reading started mainly just been a form of entertainment, and with the way people are treating it will not remain such much longer. Many people do actually read a lot, but they'd rather read a magazine or an article on a website instead of a book. Anyway I was wondering how you feel on this issue and how much all of you read.


In response to your actual comment I don't think that reading is all that down at all. Magazines feature articles about things that interest them. The web has billions of different things to read to interest pretty much anyone. But despite these 2 forms of media there are still plenty of actual books to read, not just online ones, whether they be fiction, non-fiction, biography, whatever. So no, I don't think reading is gonna die, not for a while. Eventually paper books will be a thing of the past and then it'll all be digital, but that's not for a while. To show you that reading a book isn't dead, have you ever been to a mall that doesn't have at least one book store? I know I never have, hell I've even seen malls with 3+ bookstores.

As for what I read myself, I mostly read fiction of different kinds, sci-fi is my favorite genre though. When I get a hold of something non-fiction that interests me though, I'll read that too.

[f1rst children]

Reading is losing popularity due to the changes in our culture towards an instant gratification and ADD culture.

Notice also that very few people listen to music any more. And I don't mean listen to it as distraction, I mean sit down and listen to it. The fact that I like to sit down on weekends and listen to a few entire CDs, while doing nothing else, garners endless comments from my peers. Yet old people assure me that in their time sitting down to a record was commonplace. You can see this in everything from movie editing trends, to popular music audio mastering, to game developement.

Don't forget books on tape. People listen to these things and consider it reading, when in actuality it's closer to background noise.

Books weren't meant to be experienced while you're driving.

[Azazis]

I have enough faith in humanity to belief that they'll keep on reading for a while.

As for recent music. Its all soft porn. Turn on MTV. Turn the sound off and put on some 70s corny porn music. Besides cumshots you wont notice much of a difference. You'll like the porn music better anyway.

[punkusa20_2001]

oh how the great intelligence of this world shall be cast down as those rife wit power reek of the wyrm and of the flame, dousing our hopes with illiteracy and the entertainment which is that of idiocies. Over 40% of this country cant read above an 8th grade level.....of course I find that horrible seeing that 8th grade now is considered things like huckleberry fin. That should be like 4th grade, and if you cant read it then make sure they go into a working field immediately....like in japan.

[Griveton]

Books weren't meant to be experienced while you're driving.

Unless you're driving some stretches of Texas/New Mexico/Arizona highways. If you are, just put the car on cruise control (or drop something on the pedal), take out your favorite hardcover, and check the road every 10-15 minutes or so.

:p

[Zirilan]

Unless you're driving some stretches of Texas/New Mexico/Arizona highways. If you are, just put the car on cruise control (or drop something on the pedal), take out your favorite hardcover, and check the road every 10-15 minutes or so.

:p

That's so true.... Be sure to throw Arkansas into that too. Thinking about my upcoming drive from TX to PA has made me consider getting a book on tape so I'm not so bored.

[punkusa20_2001]

yeah arkansas is like one straight road then splits to a second straight road in little rock..... Hey zirilan if you want like the worlds best hamburgers, the last rest stop on the way out of texas, right before texarkana I believe. Behind the rest stop itself is this little burger joint.

[Zirilan]

Hmm, I'll have to keep my eyes out for it. And hilariously enough I'm actually leaving from Texarkana so I should get to it around the next town then I come across then right?

[Kikiko]

i used to read a lot of books (won an award when i was 11! yeah!) but these days all i have time for are the setworks, and those generally suck. but every now and then i get to read something i like!

for the past 3 months i've been ignoring pride and prejudice (going to die in exams -_-''') so that i could read something that actually appeals to me. me = not a huge romance lover!