"The average person reads less than 100 books in their lifetime?"

[justamouse]

I say that as a person with a DH who hasn't read a book for 8 or more years. He reads medical journals exclusively and uses the TV way too much, in my opinion. But he's still interesting. I wish he got more of my literary references and I wish he knew how much better the HP books were than the movies but I will still keep him.

 

Ugh, I hear you on the Dh. Mine reads FDA periodicals all day, and the paper every day, though. But I, too, wish he'd get my literary references.

[Jennifer3141]

That's for the National Geographics. :D

 

Hey, I'm trying to pick out an ereader so I can lend you books that way. :lol:

[stripe]

Why look down your noses at those who are different?

I wasn't looking down my nose.

 

I posted a study no one seemed to read (seems to be my fate on here) that 1/4 of Americans had read zero books in the previous year.

 

I like the library. I'm all for it. Why buy everything?

 

I know people who just don't read. It's not something they are interested in. Whether that is good or bad, is not the point. The point was whether the statistic made sense. I thought it did.

 

I had kids from one family come to my home and sit down in front of a bookshelf and pull out book after book, seemingly marveling at them. In their case, there were and are books in their house, but not kids' books, mostly reference or other serious books for adults. I was touched by how excited they were by books.

 

There are also programs to give children from poorer families books of their own (including Dolly Parton's), and there was that famous study in Freakanomics (not a source I assert always gets it "right," but it's food for thought) that the number of books in one's house has a positive relationship to school grades, more than the act of a parent reading. It certainly seems less likely -- though not impossible -- that one transmits love for reading by actually having books around (owned, borrowed, or whatever) and reading yourself, to promote reading.

 

So if reading is valueless, or if it's so valuable, that really doesn't change the fact that people were wondering if it's true or just a bogus and shocking quote slapped up by Kobo Books.

 

I think we forget just how high functional illiteracy is in the US. That is more disturbing to me than the fact that Americans love to watch TV.

[shanvan]

I think it's safe to assume when you go into a person's house and they have no books, then you ask and they tell you that reading is boring, it's safe to assume there really are no books. I'm not making that up.

 

Yep, this describes my in-laws, except they don't actually come out and say that books are boring, they just imply. Their home is intellectually arid. No books, no quality movies, no quality artwork. Often (not always) people who have no interest in books also have no interest in learning in general. They aren't going to be watching educational TV or videos either. at least, this is what I've seen with Dh's entire extended family.

 

We have witnessed long conversations at their house about why the outdoor light sensor is making the light go on. Father in law thinks it is one of the neighbor's cats (whom he has declared war on and would like to kill). Mother in law thinks someone is walking by (and runs to the window to see who), or maybe it is broken and father in law should check into it. Father in law argues with her for 15 minutes about why it is working perfectly fine and maybe the wind blew the trash can in front of the sensor. They discuss how it happened the other night too and why that might be (they argue about this too)..... It's a debate we've heard many times and still fascinating!

 

Once I thought I might have to leave the room screaming, but now I have learned to listen and be amused. I'm sure if I talk about things I've read or learned they probably want to run screaming from the room too! Maybe I do look down my nose at them, but maybe they look down theirs at Dh and me too! I don't know...I just know we are different and conversations and spending time together are not always easy. And they have very little appreciation for any of the things my Dc are interested in or in their accomplishments. We find it really limits relationships.

[cathmom]

I've seen kids really angry at the idea of summer reading lists because they believe that summer vacation means a break from anything schoolish and they define reading books as schoolish. It's sad. :(

 

When I was in high school, they started this by assigning a book to be read over the summer. I was angry and I refused to read it. I would read it when school started again. But it wasn't because I defined reading books as schoolish, it was because I felt that the school had no right to interfere in my break. I read the entire summer; I just didn't read their assigned book.

[swellmomma]

Ugh...another big tv, no books post. Have you seen their closets? Their bedroom shelves? I used to have so many books, then realized they were space wasters. If you came her, you'd see a television, and not see any books unless you walked into the laundry room, or saw the shelves in my closet.

Some people can't afford books, others use the library, some use only an ereader. I DO realize some people simply don't read, but there are way too many assumptions going on here(in general, not you personally).

Why look down your noses at those who are different?

 

 

In the case of my sister, I have seen in her closets etc when I lived there caring for my nephew. There truly was no books beyond his tiny 1 shelf in that whole house AND she does not own an ereader. 4 TVs but no books. She and her husband do not like to read. That is fine. I am not looking down my nose at them but I do think it is unfortunate for my nephew to live in such a non-literature rich home. He does go to daycare and preschool 5 days a week, even when my sister and bil are home so I know he is getting books read to him elsewhere but at home he gets stories at bedtime and that is it. During the day if he is home he would rather watch tv, or play on his dad's Ipad or DS, or he plays with his toys, but there is no looking at books for pleasure, or reading onteh couch with a parent etc. I find it sad. Not wrong, or to be looked down on. Just unfortunate.

[justamouse]

Yep, this describes my in-laws, except they don't actually come out and say that books are boring, they just imply. Their home is intellectually arid. No books, no quality movies, no quality artwork. Often (not always) people who have no interest in books also have no interest in learning in general. They aren't going to be watching educational TV or videos either. at least, this is what I've seen with Dh's entire extended family.

 

We have witnessed long conversations at their house about why the outdoor light sensor is making the light go on. Father in law thinks it is one of the neighbor's cats (whom he has declared war on and would like to kill). Mother in law thinks someone is walking by (and runs to the window to see who), or maybe it is broken and father in law should check into it. Father in law argues with her for 15 minutes about why it is working perfectly fine and maybe the wind blew the trash can in front of the sensor. They discuss how it happened the other night too and why that might be (they argue about this too)..... It's a debate we've heard many times and still fascinating!

 

Once I thought I might have to leave the room screaming, but now I have learned to listen and be amused. I'm sure if I talk about things I've read or learned they probably want to run screaming from the room too! Maybe I do look down my nose at them, but maybe they look down theirs at Dh and me too! I don't know...I just know we are different and conversations and spending time together are not always easy. And they have very little appreciation for any of the things my Dc are interested in or in their accomplishments. We find it really limits relationships.

 

:grouphug:

 

I love her to pieces, but that's what my MIL is like, too. I watch the news, when the TV is on (or dramas/English TV/documentaries), and she watches Hollywood Extra and ...I have no idea. But it makes me insane. And we have the same kinds of conversations. It *does* limit relationship. And that's sad. It's also exhausting for me because I am always trying to think of ways to converse and come up empty handed.

 

And you know what I hate? That it sounds classist that our house is like that-filled with books and art and good TV.

[Wheres Toto]

I have as many books as I can out in my house (only a few shelves worth right now) and the 17 bins in the garage plus dd has books in her room. But, we also have 3 televisions (including 1 fairly large one), 3 computers, a Wii and various handheld games that are much more obvious than the books. So, I'm not sure what someone would think coming to our house except it's very obvious little kids live here with the toys scattered everywhere.

 

DH is actually extremely intelligent but does not read books much at all anymore. He has to read various scientific publications, FDA documents and lab reports all day. When he gets home, he likes to relax with light television.

 

I think there's a tendency to lump doesn't read books or doesn't like to read in with can't read well. That's not necessarily true.

[jujsky]

I haven't read all 7 pages of this thread, so this may have been pointed out already. I do believe that the average person hasn't read 100 books. I think people on this board may find that shocking because we're not average people. We all care enough about education to homeschool our kids. Even if there are parents on this board who don't like to read in their spare time, I bet they're at least reading ahead of their kids so they can discuss books with them. I do know people who have only read the books they were assigned in school, and haven't even read all of those.

 

Edited to add: I've noticed too as I've brought my son to different specialists to find out what is going on with him (suspected learning disabilities), those specialists all seem pleasantly surprised that DS reads so much. When he was younger (3) and he was going for his OT evaluation and meeting with a psychologist for the first time, both were surprised when they asked how much I read to the kids, I said, "Probably 4-6 books each day." To me, that was a normal thing to do. The more I read to them, the more they wanted me to read to them. Now that my kids are both independent readers, they read all the time. It's not always "good" literature (Captain Underpants, anyone?) but they're reading. The fact that so many professionals who specialize in children are surprised initially by how much we read to our kids ("And they sit through it and pay attention?" Cue the shocked expressions when I answered in the affirmative) and are now surprised when they find out the books DS8 is reading by himself and understanding (books like Harry Potter and the Percy Jackson series) tells me that the majority of kids they see either aren't exposed or encouraged to read enough literature. I fell in love with books on my mother's lap. My kids fell in love with books on my lap. Not all kids who love to read start out that way, but I think a lot of them do.

Edited December 28, 2011 by jujsky

[angela in ohio]

We have books in every room of my house except the bathrooms. My dh said I should try to decorate the living room, so I bought a box of books. I want my kids to grow up surrounded by books. I want them to interact with books everywhere in this house. I do think that reading=learning. I couldn't imagine living in a house with no books. I couldn't raise my children in a house with no books. Yes, dh and I both have Kindles, but my kids see us reading on them all the time. Kids who grow up surrounded by books usually become readers.

 

Same here. We literally (as my blog name implies) have walls of books in our home. It isn't the norm around here, though we know a (homeschool) family or two with a similar decorating style. For us, it has led to some wonderful experiences. We have people in our home often, and it is a statement about what we find important. Many people borrow books or ask about them. They confide to me that they want their dc to read more, and I send them home with something that might work based on their interests.

 

I beat the odds. Our home had only one small shelf of a few books, but I lived at the library instead, and I checked out piles of books from the school library each week. The lbirary isn't what it used to be, and my dc don't go to school, though, so I have to make sure our home is reading-inducing.

 

I do believe the statement on the Nook site, though. Most of the people I know either don't read at all, or they read "hundreds of books," but they are cookie-cutter-plot romance novels. There are those rare people I meet (usually homeschoolers or teachers/professors or professionals) who read widely or often, and I try to talk to them as much as possible. :D

 

Yes, there are other ways to get *information*. My df, for example, has learned a lot of facts from watching the History Channel. But you don't get ideas from that. They tell you what the information is, and when the show is over, you are done. It's not the same as reading a book and thinking about the ideas in it for days (or years!) afterwards. It reminds me of a thread about people sitting and doing "nothing" while waiting. I think so many people have to be doing something at all times, because they have little inner life. If you read, you have ideas to savor in times of rest (or repetitive work... hmmm, maybe that's a reason some moms find the day-to-day monotony of home life awful and others don't.)

[Jenny in Florida]

I know all about the low literacy rates, but perhaps some people just don't like to read. Perhaps they spend their free time watching television, or swimming, or playing cards, or reading magazines, or dancing, or working 80 hour weeks, or tending to several children.....

Go ahead and flame, but some folks have no desire to read more than a few books per year, and that makes them no less than those that do. Bragging about reading tons of novels is quite humorous to me, in a way. I'm so sick of the us vs them mentality that seems to be rampant.

Do some of you really measure one's worth by the number of novels read, or even which books read????

 

It's not that I measure a person's worth by the number of books read. But I do feel sad for the people who don't read. And I find I rarely have much in common with them. I can't think of a diplomatic way to say this: People who don't read frequently just aren't especially interesting, at least to me.

[LibraryLover]

One of my great aunts was taken out of school at 14 to work...that's what they often did with girls 'back in the day'. She didn't read more than a newspaper daily, but she kept a little journal almost all of her life. Some entries are very, very short, "Went to buy a bonnet for J today. Had a cup of coffee with cousin A at the department store lunch counter." It's wonderful. It's her version of FB. :)

 

She didn't have the background to read certain things, but she was full of stories, especially of 'olden times'. When I would drive her around town doing errands, she would tell me what the town used to look like. I love knowing that history. She also had a million recipes in her head. She was a very thoughtful person. My paternal grandmother lived in NYC in the 1920's (! imagine!) and was a waitress in midtown at a very famous resturant. I loved hearing those stories. What an interesting life. I have an uncle who was part of the Normandy invasion. I am not sure how much he read, but he brought us to tears many times over the years with those amazing stories.

 

Before there were books, there was an oral tradition, and I don't believe for a second that sort of thing isn't still important. I am a huge reader and I know huge readers. But honestly, I would rather hear about something you've done or seen; how to make a good pie crust, how you dry your seeds, how my youngest dd looks just like g-grandmother on my dh's side, how to get rid of fruit flies etc than discuss most books.

Edited December 28, 2011 by LibraryLover

[NicAnn]

I'm thankful to have found a community of readers. But until the last year or so, most people I know did not read more than a book a year. For Dh it has been years since he read a full book. Smart man, but does not like to read.

 

I can believe this quote. Required reading didn't exist at my school, though we were encouraged to check out 2 books from the school library each week. I know many who got through high school without doing much, if any, of the reading.

 

When you come into our house you will see a small shelf of books. We just simply can't afford to buy books. I do buy DD hundreds of books a year, but usually from the thrift store. If that didn't have a wide selection, she wouldn't have many books either. We get the majority of out books from the two library trips a week.

 

I think a lot of you make some great points. But the fact is, I don't think people are reading much...and I don't think they are continuing an oral tradition either. I do think most information comes from television or clips on the internet.

[LibraryLover]

There were over 200,000 new book titles published in the US last year, and Kindles are flying off the shelves. Somebody is reading something. Somewhere. Somehow. Most books aren't even that good. For instance, I thought The Help was not much above tripe. I really don't like to talk about it. lol

Edited December 28, 2011 by LibraryLover

[justamouse]

One of my great aunts was taken out of school at 14 to work...that's what they often did with girls 'back in the day'. She didn't read more than a newspaper daily, but she kept a little journal almost all of her life. Some entries are very, very short, "Went to buy a bonnet for J today. Had a cup of coffee with cousin A at the department store lunch counter." It's wonderful. It's her version of FB. :)

 

She didn't have the background to read certain things, but she was full of stories, especially of 'olden times'. When I would drive her around town doing errands, she would tell me what the town used to look like. I love knowing that history. She also had a million recipes in her head. She was a very thoughtful person. My paternal grandmother lived in NYC in the 1920's (! imagine!) and was a waitress in midtown at a very famous resturant. I loved hearing those stories. What an interesting life. I have an uncle who was part of the Normandy invasion. I am not sure how much he read, but he brought us to tears many times over the years with those amazing stories.

 

Before there were books, there was an oral tradition, and I don't believe for a second that sort of thing isn't still important. I am a huge reader and I know huge readers. But honestly, I would rather hear about something you've done or seen; how to make a good pie crust, how you dry your seeds, how my youngest dd looks just like g-grandmother on my dh's side, how to get rid of fruit flies etc than discuss most books.

 

Yes, well, I'd love to have conversations with your grandmother, too! But I can't hold a conversation on Kim Kardashian, and how her....

[LibraryLover]

Yes, well, I'd love to have conversations with your grandmother, too! But I can't hold a conversation on Kim Kardashian, and how her....

 

 

I could talk about them with her and how I would rather see the Duggars have 10 more kids and the K's not have had any. Whether we like it or not, the Duggars and the Kardashians are part of our culture, and I see no reason not to discuss the ramifications of star culture, or make pop culture discussions off limits etc. Ask her about Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher...or something. Those are pop culture, but still really good stories. ;) I'm not kidding. I remember my grandmother talking about how much more glamorous Elizabeth Taylor was, but it was too bad he left Debbie (because they had little children)--Carrie Fisher and her brother...name escapes me.

 

I'm also sure she has stories about herself or her past, or maybe there is one from when you were a baby that she might like to tell. Maybe there is a cute story about your parent. Next time ask her, "What's the most naughty thing one of your kids ever did?" Or maybe, "Where did you go on your honeymoon?"

 

I've never met a person who doesn't have some stories to tell.

 

ETA: Todd is Carrie's brother's name. That was bugging me.

Edited December 28, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Paige]

What is the population in the study? Is it people in the US? First world countries? People who live to be a certain age before they die?

 

:iagree: If it is based on worldwide statistics, then it is easy to believe.

[justamouse]

I could talk about them with her and how I would rather see the Duggars have 10 more kids and the K's not have had any.

 

I'm also sure she has stories about herself or her past, or maybe there is one from when you were a baby that she might like to tell. Maybe there is a cute story about your parent. Next time ask her, "What's the most naughty thing one of your kids ever did?" Or maybe, "Where did you go on your honeymoon?"

 

I've never met a person who doesn't have some stories to tell.

 

Believe me, she hates it. I've tried that. She utterly hates it, and asks me what I want to talk about that for. They didn't go on a honeymoon. This is my MIL, I'm talking about, though, MY grandmother and I have the Best conversations. We go on all day (she was just here for tea the other day). :001_smile: Now, my MIL's MIL was another keeper of the family stories and Bessie had 13 siblings and could tell you stories all day long.

[LibraryLover]

Believe me, she hates it. I've tried that. She utterly hates it, and asks me what I want to talk about that for. They didn't go on a honeymoon. This is my MIL, I'm talking about, though, MY grandmother and I have the Best conversations. We go on all day (she was just here for tea the other day). :001_smile: Now, my MIL's MIL was another keeper of the family stories and Bessie had 13 siblings and could tell you stories all day long.

 

 

So it's not really about books, she's just a pill. :) I doubt her personality would be any better if she read Jodi Picoult, or even Austen.

Edited December 28, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Jennifer3141]

So it's not really about books, she's just a pill. :) I doubt her personality would be any better if she read Jodi Picoult, or even Austen.

 

But a Lionel Shriver sounds like it could cure her. :lol:

[aggieamy]

I find this thread interesting because I just popped over here from reserving some books at the library. :001_smile:

 

It has been my experience that the few people we know who don't have books in their house also don't read. I find it kind of sad. We went to visit one couple with kids and Little Librarian and my niece were going to sleep in their daughter's room. When it was bedtime I figured that I'd just pick up one of their books for a bedtime story. They didn't have any. None. I had to send DH to the car to bring in the book bag we take with us.

[scrapbookbuzz]

This is quoted from Kobo's website (admittedly it doesn't mention the source). I was shocked at this statement. Do you feel this is an adequate representation of society today?

 

Society, yes. Homeschooling families, no. We are counter-cultural, after all! :D

[scrapbookbuzz]

I find this thread interesting because I just popped over here from reserving some books at the library. :001_smile:

 

It has been my experience that the few people we know who don't have books in their house also don't read. I find it kind of sad. We went to visit one couple with kids and Little Librarian and my niece were going to sleep in their daughter's room. When it was bedtime I figured that I'd just pick up one of their books for a bedtime story. They didn't have any. None. I had to send DH to the car to bring in the book bag we take with us.

 

 

How do people not have ONE book in their house??

[LibraryLover]

:iagree: If it is based on worldwide statistics, then it is easy to believe.

 

 

I agree. Maybe many people don't/cannot read, but more people than ever are reading/can read. Maybe it's not 100 books in a lifetime, but in past times, that number was 0.

[Dmmetler]

My BIL, engineer, graduate degreed, brags about reading one book a year. He finds it downright humorous that I usually have my carry on filled with books and within a day or two, am heading to a bookstore for my "fix" because I've burned through what I've brought. (Well, at least before e-books. Now I can supplement with e-books on my Kindle app when I run out).

 

I'm guessing that he's read well under 100 books since entering high school that weren't required for school or work and weren't reading aloud to his children (I know that they did read at bedtime when the girls were little, but the last couple of trips, his girls have crowded in with DD when we read, so I'm guessing that has stopped now that the girls are able to read for themselves).

[aggieamy]

How do people not have ONE book in their house??

 

It was sad. Another time we went some place with these people I had forgotten a book but saw that the daughter had a backpack with her. We were waiting on something so I offered to read something to all the kids. She gave me her reading textbook. I was bummed.

[PinkInTheBlue]

I absolutely believe it. Outside of my house I only know one person who reads. That person is my mother and she only began reading because we gave her my 15 year old's old iPod touch and introduced her to the Kindle app. I put some books from our Amazon account on it and she's been reading book after book since. (about May)

 

Absolutely nobody else I know loves or even enjoys to read. Even my 15 year old only reads what I make him read and it breaks my heart for him. I believ there is so much treasure in reading that I mourn what the no readers are missing.

[Robin M]

I came from a family of readers so I find it hard to believe. I read more than 100 books a year and our house has bookshelves in every room full of books. Even a small basket with books in the bathroom. Always sharing books with whoever comes over. I really don't know anybody who doesn't read actually.

Edited December 28, 2011 by Mytwoblessings
hit enter too soon!

[elegantlion]

I love reading all these perspectives. My dh is not a fan of books and he doesn't read for pleasure or enlightenment, he reads for knowledge. Mostly it's magazines or online tech stuff.

 

It is hard to have an intellectual conversation with him because he's not exposed to any viewpoint but his own.

 

My son is not a huge fan of reading and over the years dh and I have had our share of "discussions" about making ds read outside of school time. Now it's not so much an issue, but one summer I felt very alone in my home, as the only one who wanted to read ANYTHING.

 

I used to read a lot of self-help, business related books. They were great. However, my best changes and insights come from great novels. Ds and I share a lot of these experiences together, and me reading to him is still his favorite school activity. I remember when I rediscovered the novel how cathartic it felt. I hate that my dh is missing that.

 

We tried doing family reading time for a while, but dh couldn't stay committed to it. I was the one doing the reading even.

 

Yesterday I outlined reading themes for myself for 2012. I'll be reading some heavy material, things it's taken me a few years to build up to reading. Books that hold a lot of wisdom. Again, I look at my dh and know that he will be missing out. He's going to be missing the experience and maybe that is what books give me. It a cheap (relatively) way to walk in someone else's shoes for a while. Movies can do that at a certain level, I adore movies, but books fulfill the experience in a way movies never will reach.

[Audrey]

Well, I'd want a source from a qualified study to verify this "fact," but it wouldn't surprise me if it were accurate. If I just consider my little town and the people who live there, I would say it's accurate. There are some people who read dozens and dozens of books every year, not even counting magazines, newspapers and other media. There are also some who read nothing at all. Sadly, some of the non-readers are proud of their ignorance.

[LibraryLover]

Well, I'd want a source from a qualified study to verify this "fact," but it wouldn't surprise me if it were accurate. If I just consider my little town and the people who live there, I would say it's accurate. There are some people who read dozens and dozens of books every year, not even counting magazines, newspapers and other media. There are also some who read nothing at all. Sadly, some of the non-readers are proud of their ignorance.[/QUOTE]

 

 

While it is sad, I don't personally find it as sad as I find it curious. The anthropologist in me wonders *why* this might be.

 

Reading is such a new human ability. Why are some readers and some not? I know many schools do a terrible job of teaching reading, but why do people who read well not read? Is it really so bad not to read books? I know several people who do not read books, but who read several newspapers daily, and other political magazines, or magazine about a particular hobby/interest.

 

Are most folks who don't read books actually 'proud', or simply acting defensively?

Edited December 28, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Robin M]

And you know. Kobo's may have just said the statement to see what kind of conversation it would generate. Worked. Didn't it.

 

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[Audrey]

Well, I'd want a source from a qualified study to verify this "fact," but it wouldn't surprise me if it were accurate. If I just consider my little town and the people who live there, I would say it's accurate. There are some people who read dozens and dozens of books every year, not even counting magazines, newspapers and other media. There are also some who read nothing at all. Sadly, some of the non-readers are proud of their ignorance.[/QUOTE]

 

 

While it is sad, I don't personally find it as sad as I find it curious. The anthropologist in me wonders *why* this might be.

 

Reading is such a new human ability. Why are some readers and some not? I know schools do a terrible job of teaching reading, but why do people who read well not read? Is it really so bad not to read books? I know several people who do not read books, but who read several newspapers daily, and other political magazines, or magazine about a particular hobby/interest.

 

Are most folks who don't read books actually 'proud', or simply acting defensively?

 

 

Good question. We could do a joint paper on that. :001_smile:

[elegantlion]

Well, I'd want a source from a qualified study to verify this "fact," but it wouldn't surprise me if it were accurate. If I just consider my little town and the people who live there, I would say it's accurate. There are some people who read dozens and dozens of books every year, not even counting magazines, newspapers and other media. There are also some who read nothing at all. Sadly, some of the non-readers are proud of their ignorance.[/QUOTE]

 

 

While it is sad, I don't personally find it as sad as I find it curious. The anthropologist in me wonders *why* this might be.

 

Reading is such a new human ability. Why are some readers and some not? I know schools do a terrible job of teaching reading, but why do people who read well not read? Is it really so bad not to read books? I know several people who do not read books, but who read several newspapers daily, and other political magazines, or magazine about a particular hobby/interest.

 

Are most folks who don't read books actually 'proud', or simply acting defensively?

 

Dh used to work with a kid (I call him that, he's late 20s) who bragged that he hadn't read a book since 7th grade, shortly before he dropped out of school. :svengo: He actually seemed proud of that fact. He and my dh did some work at my MIL's house (she's a published author) and he acted like he was meeting royalty, someone untouchable. Thankfully, she's very gracious. She ended up gifting him a copy of her first book. He was pretty nice and personable, but seemed to embrace the fact he never read and he didn't know a thing about computers. I found it sad.

Edited December 28, 2011 by elegantlion

[delaney]

I think due to the AR book thing in public schools that kids are being forced to read more. I remember a summer I was fat and pregnant and read over 20 novels! For my DH that is probably true. For my homeschooled kids that will not be the case as they read 2 books at a time plus they hear about 6-8 books read to them each year. I should also count the books they read to the little people too.

[Ester Maria]

I know all about the low literacy rates, but perhaps some people just don't like to read. Perhaps they spend their free time watching television, or swimming, or playing cards, or reading magazines, or dancing, or working 80 hour weeks, or tending to several children.....

Go ahead and flame, but some folks have no desire to read more than a few books per year, and that makes them no less than those that do. Bragging about reading tons of novels is quite humorous to me, in a way. I'm so sick of the us vs them mentality that seems to be rampant.

Do some of you really measure one's worth by the number of novels read, or even which books read????

I think you are bringing up an interesting point, if I am reading you correctly - a book is merely a medium, while its content can be, just like in any medium, sophisticated OR trashy (and everything in between), so really, why would one a priori elevate one medium highter than other media? Because the written word is, in and of itself, more noble and more worthy of appreciation than a moving picture? I adore reading, but this type of argumentation does have a touch of silliness to it. It is just a medium. Reading a trashy romance is hardly a more intellectual activity than watching a lecture or a documentary, just because one spends time decoding text. Which is the reason why a non-reader can, theoretically (because I have not yet seen it in practice, LOL), have a wider knowledge than a reader.

 

HOWEVER, on the flipside, reading is, cognitively, a more complex activity, one where the mind is more active. Making sound, sense, and then a rich mental imagery out of a bunch of characters which are each per se meaningless, requires all sorts of skills and work than merely concentrating on spoken sound does not. It is also a slower activity, one that is paced the way you pace it, unlike the rhythm of many other media, and the only one which you can skim with quality, so reading allows for engaging with material in a whole different way. Assuming that one actually studies content which requires some thinking and building an independent perspective, there is probably no better way to study it on your own than textually.

 

So, it all depends what you read for. In many cases I agree with you, there is nothing inherently "more" and "better" in reading some books than in watching equivalent content on TV. But in other cases, nothing will give you the learning environment needed for critical independent assessment of abstract ideas and their development than textual study. Many books of that kind of content cannot be transformed into a different medium due to the level of abstraction involved (on a theoretical level, there are problems with transformation of any medium into any other, of course) - and that is, principally, the reason why reading is encouraged. Not so much as a fun pasttime - as such, it is hardly different than watching TV, albeit a bit more cognitively complex even then - but as a means of learning and engaging with abstractions.

 

As far as a person's worth is concerned, a person is a person is a person, but people do differ, among other things, by the level and richness of their intellectual lives, which is in extremely high correlation with reading habits. Does it mean those who do not read are lesser people? No, one as a person is judged by some criteria entirely different than how much and what they read. But it still does not make those differences go away, and I think it is a legitimate topic of discussion as such (or at least I have not perceived anyone here as being stuck up over it).

 

Personally, I grew up in an environment where learning was a default free time activity, where textual learning was highly regarded, and even the "leisure readings" typically had more depth to them than the kind of novels (crime and romance, mostly) that are being sold in the street, so it gets hard for me to fathom a home atmosphere without books, or a person who is not at least an occasional reader (not necessarily, or not only, fiction, of course). I have periods in which I need a break from some kinds of books, or even from books as such, but these last kind of pauses are typically not very long. :D Although, to be perfectly honest, I read less than what most people who know me tend to assume. I know people who read more, but I like to balance out my free time with other types of activities too.

[Audrey]

 

Dh used to work with a kid (I call him that, he's late 20s) who bragged that he hadn't read a book since 7th grade, shortly before he dropped out of school. :svengo: He actually seemed proud of that fact. He and my dh did some work at my MIL's house (she's a published author) and he acted like he was meeting royalty, someone untouchable. Thankfully, she's very gracious. She ended up gifting him a copy of her first book. He was pretty nice and personable, but seemed to embrace the fact he never read and he didn't know a thing about computers. I found it sad.

 

 

See... now THAT sounds like a defense mechanism. He dropped out and may have had a tough time with learning anyway. In order to cover his perceived deficiencies, he eschews those things which cause him to feel deficient.

 

Perhaps.... not sure. Still needs some field research. Would you like in our paper?

[elegantlion]

 

 

See... now THAT sounds like a defense mechanism. He dropped out and may have had a tough time with learning anyway. In order to cover his perceived deficiencies, he eschews those things which cause him to feel deficient.

 

Perhaps.... not sure. Still needs some field research. Would you like in our paper?

 

I spent a lot of time with him, no, I think he thought it was cool to be a non-reader. Of course in his circle of friends a good education was not high on the list of accomplishments. Reading directions to the local dealers house, maybe, literature, no.

[-M-]

I seem to remember discussing a similar statistic several years ago. (There was much gnashing of teeth, then, too. (*wry grin*)) The discussion prompted me to seek out the National Endowment for the Arts publication "To Read or Not to Read." Check out the executive summary for some pertinent statistics on the average American's reading life.

[LibraryLover]

 

 

See... now THAT sounds like a defense mechanism. He dropped out and may have had a tough time with learning anyway. In order to cover his perceived deficiencies, he eschews those things which cause him to feel deficient.

 

Perhaps.... not sure. Still needs some field research. Would you like in our paper?

 

 

That's elganton's story. :) But I would still like to do research with you. :) And I agree, when I read this anecdote, it did seem he was embarassed and trying to make fun of his own ignorance, perhaps pretending he was it was ok. I thought so because he seemed so respectful of the person, the books, and so accepting of the gift of a book.

Edited December 28, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Lang Syne Boardie]

My SIL doesn't read. She is perfectly literate and a college graduate, and has been very successful in the business world. I know firsthand that she is very literate, because I have corresponded with her and developed Bible class materials with her. She reads and writes as well as I can. She just hates to read.

 

She spends her time caring for the elderly of her church, working as an accountant, cleaning house, cooking, gardening, being a soccer mom, and homeschooling her two children who also hate to read.

 

She's doing a good job homeschooling. She uses BJU for everything, and the kids score very well on their standardized tests. The kids can definitely read, but they only read their schoolbooks! None of them read for enjoyment.

 

The kids are heavily involved in organized sports, and spend their leisure time at home playing video games.

[stripe]

And obviously, merely reading Captain Underpants and explicit romance novels is nothing to be overwhelmed by.

[elegantlion]

 

 

That's elganton's story. :) But I would still like to do research with you. :) And I agree, when I read this anecdote, it did seem he was embarassed and trying to make fun of his own ignorance, perhaps pretending he was it was ok. I thought so because he seemed so respectful of the person, the books, and so accepting of the gift of a book.

 

Yup, my experience, not the entire story written in two posts. I've met people who were embarrassed by their ignorance, this kid was not one. He was an odd duck, but I don't have time to outline every experience I had with him. ;) He lived with us for a brief period, worked with dh for a few years. But whatever, it's my experience, not a story.