I
managed to get several chunks of multi-hour reading in over the last several
days. This is an all too rare occurrence for me lately. Readers of this blog
know how much I love to delve into books. To my consternation, there is so
little time to do it!
I
have a job that requires fairly long hours from me. In addition, as much as I
love the practice of reading and feel that it is my most important hobby, there
is also more to life. I love the outdoors, food culture and cooking, keeping
abreast of current events and various technical interests and so much more. I
devote time to family and friends. All this leaves me insufficient time to
pursue the ingestion of the written word.
Of
course, reading is indeed a very high priority! I often irresponsibly do without
sleep in my determination to conquer pages. I have also forsworn virtually all
television in an effort to gain reading time. OK, I do watch a little
television while eating breakfast and preparing for the day. This time is not
time that I would be reading anyway. Ironically, a fair amount to this
television time is spent watching Book TV!
Of
course everything is relative. I spend more time with books than do the great
majority of family, friends and coworkers. It is a priority in my life. Yet,
when I look at the rapidity that some of my fellow bloggers move through books,
I am positively green with envy!
If I
ever get to retire, and that is a long, long way off, I hope to return to the
long stretches of unfettered reading that I enjoyed in the days of my youth!
33 comments:
Brian: Sunday afternoons around here are spent reading and nothing else.
Wow, didn't know there was a Book TV! That's great! I don't live in the US, but looks as if they have some programmes to watch online, so I'll be tuning in. Thanks for the tip!
I know what you mean about finding time. I find that when I'm busy, sometimes even if I have a little time free I'm too frazzled to enjoy a good book and surf the web instead. At the moment I've got plenty of time to read and am enjoying it, but have been through those frustrating times too, so know exactly what you're talking about. And there are always people who seem to read way more than I do!
Hi Guy - A great way to spend and afternoon. Though I myself am more of a night reader.
Hi Andrew - Book TV is great. I believe that everything that they put on is available online. believeHere in the US it is on all weekend from Friday night through about 6 AM on Monday morning.
Never heard of Book TV. What's it about, Brian? What programmes does it have?
Hi Miguel - Book TV generally covers the authors of non fiction books speaking at bookstores and events. Most of the content is available online here.
http://www.booktv.org/
I totally need to check out this BookTV thing. To everything there is a season and you will find time again. I usually read around 100 a year and this year I am sweating 50, but I will also end up with my English Lit degree in December - if I can just get through this Toni Morrison Seminar.
Book TV???? I need to watch!!! New Follower so Hi!! :-)
I hear you! With a baby on the way in less than two months and an impending Trans-Pacific move in the works, I'm lucky if I get ten minutes a day to read. This is why I carry my book everywhere I go. Even the three minute wait for a teller at the bank provides me with some time. It has literally come to that.
Hi Belle - Book TV is totally cool. I usually yell at people for watching TV while eating. But....when it comes to not so fancy weekend breakfasts of just a little fruit and toast on the couch....there is nothing better then watching book TV!
Hmm. I don't think I'm reading much these days but it's a choice. I'm a phase person, I have phases of everything but I suppose, even when I don't read a lot I still read more than most which is 1 - 2 books per week. But going without sleep for books. Never. I don't do well if I have less than 8 hrs but I'm spoilt I don't have to commute and can work from home on many days, so that helps a lot. I was awfully busy at work last year but now I just keep on using the word "no" more often but it depends on the job, if you can do it. We do have a lot of book programs on TV but not in the morning. Sounds great.
Hi Kirsty - Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
It is amazing how my mention of Book TV has gotten everyone's attention. I thought everyone watched it and that it had some of the highest rated shows in the world :)
Hi Ryan - Congratulations on the baby! Whenever I hear folks who have children describe their lives I begin to feel guilty about complaining about being busy.
Sneaking a little reading in here and there can be fun!
Hi Caroline - I too am a little bit of a phase person. However, over the last few years I have not been full speed ahead when it comes to reading.
Of course it depends on the length and difficulty of a book, but I usually cannot get through one in a week.
that is absolutely true..sometimes you want to do more and you end up doing what you really reach that extend..There are still many books sitting in my self that i havent included in my blog..Evrytime I promise myself that i wouldnt buy anything without finishng writing abt them bt everytime my curiosity and love gets over me....Book tv sounds great
I tend to read a lot of novellas as they are very literaray but not such a challenge length wise and crime novels when I'm under pressure. I review very little non-fiction because I hardly manage more than one or two per month and reviewing them takes more time.
Hi Caroline - Usually a manage to finish something about once every ten days. Somethings take a lot less, some a lot more. Right now I am reading DH Lawrence's "Women in Love". I really like it but it has been two weeks plus and I am only 3/4 through!
I usually am always listening to an audiobook, I listen when I run and workout. These often me well over a month.
Hi VB - Yes, books sitting on the shelf is another problem! I have some that I really want to read that have been around for years! Though I have been more disciplined lately about not buying until I am almost ready to read one.
Oh real life, why must you get in the way of reading? ;)
Hi Jennifer - I thought reading was real life and everything else accessary :)
I'm a solitary person: I don't go out much. I also don't have many more hobbies. I seldom watch TV, I seldom go to the movies. And I always take a book with me wherever I go, to read in hallways, in public transportation. That's basically how I manage to find a lot of time to read. It's a sacrifice I choose to make - I think it's well worth it.
Hi Miguel - I agree that giving up certain things,especially TV, in order to read, is definitely worth it.
I'm with you on this! While I get a fair chunk of reading time in during my commutes - which often means a day sitting on airplanes and in airports - there just isn't enough time in the regular week. Why must work steal so many of our hours?!
Hi Amy - Too bad that I need to drive during my commute. It would be nice to use the time productively.
Hey, Brian!
Oh, I can SO relate to this!! And so can others, as I can see from the number of comments you've gotten!!
I don't have much reading time myself, since I have TWO jobs...UGH. Besides, I'm not a very fast reader. In fact, I pronounce words in my head as I read, and have not been able to break that habit. Perhsps that makes me a more careful reader, but, now that I have my fiction and nonfiction blogs, I do wish I could read much faster, so I could post more reviews!!
On the other hand, I'm not interested in speeding up my reading to the point where I'm reading so fast I'm not really savoring the books I'm zipping through. So maybe it's my subconscious mind that's keeping me from reading faster...lol.
I'm sure that most of us bookworms, whether fast or slow readers, have bulging book shelves, with humongous TBR piles to boot! Books are indeed a priority for us, and we wouldn't have it any other way, would we?
HAPPY READING TO ALL, WHETHER FAST OR SLOW!! : )
P.S. I almost forgot to mention that I don't watch much TV either, except for "I Love Lucy" and "STar Trek (TOS)" re-runs. Lol. But I know about "Book TV"! I watch it every weekend!! Gotta check out their website! Thanks for posting it!! : )
Hi Maria - "I Love Lucy" was such a fantastic show! Of course you know how I feel about Star Trek.
I agree it is best not to read too fast. I for one really want to understand what an author is trying to say.
I have limited reading time too, and blogging eats into that as well, which is why I'm so bad at commenting on other people's posts. I too look forward to the day when I can spend uninterrupted hours reading!
Hi Violet - I did not evan mention the time that blogging takes up! Though it is an issue in a way I find that it is an extension of my reading as it causes me to think more about what I read. I may devout a post to that idea sometime in the future.
Well, you know from my own blog entry that I feel the same way. September is over, things are getting better.
I take reading time on my sleeping hours too and it's not a good idea.
BookTV, I'm green with envy now!!
Emma
PS: with so little free time, thank you for reading my blog so often.
Hi Emma -Yes, the sleeping thing is not good.
Your blog is terrific and it well worth the time. I actually find that spent reading about books on blogs ton have become part of the reading experience.
Not sure that retirement would make all that much different - people with multi-interests like you tend to find the hours get filled up whatever your work status. Nice post - I certainly understand where you're coming from!
Hi Tom - Good to see you back!
Retirement is so far off anyway that I will not likely find out soon!
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