Growing up I have been told many times by my parents and
teachers that I should read more often because that will help me out in the
future. But I never really took this
advice. I am not a big fan of reading; whenever I had to read a book for school
I tried to think of a way so that I did not have to read the book
I remember
when I first started reading; I enjoyed it quite a bit. I was walking around
reading everything I could. My dad would take me to the library almost every
week so that I could have something new to read. Reading was fun, mostly
because no one was putting pressure on me to do it. I was reading because I enjoyed
it. But as I got older things started to change. The teachers started to give
reading assignments. Most of the time I wasn’t interested in the books, I was
just reading because I had to. I think that is when I slowly started to dislike
reading. I was assigned a new book to read every week. Every time I was reading
a little less until I got to the point where I wasn’t even reading the books
anymore; I would just have a friend tell me the story, or I would search for a
summary of the book online. It got to a point where as soon as I heard that I had
to read something I would automatically start thinking that I will not enjoy
it.
About two
years ago I was talking to a friend of mine who really enjoys reading. He recommended a book to me and assured that I
would like it. At first I wasn’t interested but since he loved reading so much I
thought that maybe I should give the book a try, I thought that I might like it
and then start reading other books again. Turns out that once I started to read
the book I really did like it, I didn’t want to stop reading. When I finished
the book I felt very satisfied, I really felt like I wanted to read another
book. Maybe I should have done this, because as days went by I slowly started
to lose all interest in reading again. I think that was the last book I read.
I was
trying to figure out why I dislike reading so much. I think one of the biggest
reasons why I don’t like to read is because for a long time I felt like I was
forced to do this. And most of the time I didn’t really care about the topic. I
know that reading is important and that it definitely will help me in the
future. However I still can’t get myself to read a book.
My question to the class is: why do
you think you like (or don’t like) reading? Now that you think about it, would
you have done anything differently to change the perception you have of
reading? What kind of advice would you give to someone who doesn’t like
reading?
We're on the same boat here. I despise having to read for classes I am not interested in. But I do enjoy reading about nature and animals, I also love novels like Frankenstein and Jane Eyre. I like reading these types of books because I am very interested in themes. I like anything that will teach a lesson. My advice to those who don't like to read is to find a piece of literature that talks about something they like. For example, someone that's interested in fashion should get a fashion magazine and read fashion! Even the best writers in the world like to read only certain things...
ReplyDeleteI love reading - I always have a book with me. The thing is, I love reading what I want to read, not what is forced on me. A perfect example would be the ENC1102 books we are required to have. I always put these off to the last minute because they do not interest me at all. Which is why the advice I would give someone who dislikes reading is to first ignore everything that they were forced to read and start thinking of the things that interest them. There is a book for everyone and everything - one just has to be willing to search.
ReplyDeleteI also used to enjoy reading certain books when i was younger. I feel like books that i was forced to read pushed me away from reading. I don't read unless i have to and this is a bad habit. I think if I would have read more books I was interested in when it was not necessary I would enjoy reading more now. Find a topic your interested in and read something other than what you are forced to read.
ReplyDeleteI love reading anything that my nose wants to dive into. I can read anything if I put my heart into it and actually want to understand what the author intended to write into a novel. Just like you I don't enjoy reading when someone forces me to read a book. When a teacher wants me to read a book from a list, like summer reading, I jump right into it because I have a selection of books to choose from giving me a wide variety of genres. Last semester I had a literature class where we had to read six different novels that were similar in a broad range, but different points of view. I liked reading the novels because the were mostly fictitious characters, but real events. I believe that reading fake scenarios makes my mind wonder of the possibilities that something might actually work in real life. This automatically draws me into the book, actually being surrounded by the scenery and characters. What I don't like reading for classes or in general are non-fiction books or Bibliographies. The fact is that I don't care about the life of someone that I never heard about until a Jeopardy question appeared on their name. Nonetheless, reading has always been a fun hobby of mine, and always will be. The one thing that will go into my grave will be the first non-picture book I read, Harry Potter.
ReplyDeleteI used to be the same way when it came to reading. I would do everything in my power to avoid reading a book that was assigned. But then I realized that i wasn't enjoying reading what was forced upon me. I found a book that I loved and that boosted my love of reading through the roof. Now I love reading and i will always be looking for a new book. If someone forces a book upon you it might turn you to hate reading. It was a struggle to get me to read but all it took was a good book and I was set. The key to reading is to make sure that you find a book you are interested in.
ReplyDeleteI like reading things that are based around something I find to be stimulating. I don't like to read things with a lot of action or mystery. I enjoy reading material that is informational and fact based, things that will help me better understand a topic or event. I find that I mostly read non-fiction, creative non-fiction and text set up almost like a report, giving valuable information that can be of use to me. I took the same approach with reading assignments for typical high school literature. I always looked for an alternative way of finding out what I needed to know. No offense to the Scarlet Letter, but there are infinite amount of books that teenagers would rather read. I like to read, when it is meaningful.
ReplyDeleteI like reading fiction and novels, but I do not like reading most of the books assigned by school, textbooks, or nonfiction. I like books that tell a story about adventure and love and mystery. If I could change the perception I have about reading, I would try to be more interested in the books that I do not like which I am trying to do now. I read or heard somewhere that you remember information you read by looking at a topic with interest and something you like therefore when reading textbooks I look at it as an adventure of unchartered territory that would be so interesting to me that I would want to tell others about the information that I just read. In other words, find a way for an uninteresting material to be interesting to you. I still don't read all the material assigned for a class, but I read a lot more than what I did in high school.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite pastimes is to read, but to only read what I want to. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s when people tell me what to do, and more specifically, what to read. When I’m forced to read something I figure that it must be a pretty terrible piece of work or else we would be reading it on our own free will. I used to think that the only reason teachers would assign a book to read was because nobody would read it otherwise. My favorite thing about reading was that I had the power to choose what I wanted to read. I was able to choose which topic I wanted to further explore and which ones I wanted to stay clear of. There are many different genres of literature but it seems to me that nobody thinks any of them are worthwhile unless they are a classic. I like the classics fine, it’s just sometimes I’m just not in the mood for an in depth text; I just want to unwind with a bliss book, where I just unwind. However, it seems as though reading doesn’t really “count” if it’s not an academic classic. That in itself is what I think ruins reading for people. People who say they hate to read lie because we read all the time: books, magazines, newspapers, status updates, menus, street signs, the possibilities are endless. To people who don’t like to read, this type of reading doesn’t seem to “count” for them either. Guys who complain about reading just don’t want to read the “sappy love story” in A Tale of Two Cities, but they’ll be happy to read the stats on their favorite athlete. It’s still reading, it’s just that people don’t seem to accept it as such. If we can change what our society has constituted as “reading” we might be able to get more people involved and voluntarily reading instead of just avoiding it their whole lives.
ReplyDeleteFor somebody who doesn’t’ like reading, I would say that I would give reading another chance. I would find a book, magazine or any type of literature and try and rejuvenate their passion for reading. Start off small, like with something that you really enjoy, but it’s only a small article. Then start working your way up to longer texts about the subject you’re interested in. Then slowly branch out to other topics that you still like, and then move to topics you don’t know much about but want to know, and then start moving into topics you don’t like as much. Keep a book or article on hand that you particularly enjoyed from your search for an interesting topic. If, when you start getting up to the classics, feel like you’re heading into that classical stupor again, take a step back and read your interesting article. Later on, try to attempt the classical piece again. Think of it as like crossing a raging river. “Take small steps because if you take a big one, then you might lose your footing and get washed away in the river".
I am the same exact way! When I was younger, like second and third grade I loved reading. I was reading a book about every week. But as you mentioned in your blog, the older I got, I felt like i forced to read. I couldn't enjoy reading. And the books I had to read in high school were so boring and l lost my interest within the first chapter. I think thats the main reason why I don't enjoy reading is because all through out school I was forced.
ReplyDeleteMy advice to someone who doesn't like to read would to give them a book I read in the past. Because if I could sit down and read a book, I am sure someone else can. I am the worst when it comes to reading. One of the books I would tell someone to read is Flowers for Algernon. That book is such an awesome book!
I can really relate to what you say about reading. When someone forces you to do something, you quickly lose interest and consider it to be a chore. I thought the same about art during junior and senior year in high school as you did about reading. Growing up I was always drawing, painting, doodling, etc. As I progressed through the levels of IB Art, I would be getting 3 or 4 art assignments a week; drawing no longer was a release of stress, but it added stress to my busy life. As far as reading goes, I have often felt displeasure while doing a reading assignment because the constant requirement of reading ends up killing the actual joy of reading. However, if I can find a good book, or a peer recommends a good book, I try to be as open minded as possible. I think open mindedness and willingness to continue trying is the key to enjoying things that you previously didn’t enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI think the same as you! I used to enjoy reading when it was my choice but school ruined that for me when they started to assign awful assignments. If I could go back, I do not think I would be able to change how my attitude became that way because I would not be able to change the teachers. Advice I would give to someone who does to like to read? I would say to read for fun! Find a series that you really enjoy and take your time and read them.
ReplyDeleteYou have described every thought I've had on reading over the past 5 years of my life. Even as a creative writing major, I still hate reading. Yeah, I know. Go figure. And really, the only cause to blame is the educational system. Now that I've said that, you must be thinking, "Well, what are they supposed to do, send you on your marry way to read whatever you want?" and my answer is yes.
ReplyDeleteMy tenth grade year my english teacher told us she would assign a ton of reading. Everyone flipped shit and thought they were all going to fail, until she told us we had a choice. That’s the biggest problem with the educational system, you have no choice. She handed us a list of books we were aloud to read for every one of the assignments so we could choose which ones we wanted. Cleverly, she had organized these lists so that the books all communicated similar themes, but were from completely different genres! It was mind-blowing. Class discussions were awesome because we had people talking about books they cared about, with genres they liked, and generally everyone loved the reading. Of course, after I had the time of my life in that class, my eleventh grade english teacher was a strict conservative and deemed the educational system to the equivalent of bootcamp; terrible year that was.
I have mixed feelings about reading. When I was little I always wanted to be just like my cousins and read books with nearly 500 pages! Now that I’m older I realized, I didn’t like reading; I just read because I wanted attention from my mom. I wanted her to see how smart I was and get praised for it. Eventually I put the books down because I was mostly pretending to read them. Around middle school I started to become friends with this girl and she read books that I thought looked interesting. I picked up a few books that had the typical teenage girl as the character because that was what I could relate to most. Then high school came around and the text books continued to bore me. Half way through high school I discovered twilight and haven’t been able to put the books down. I read the fourth book in less than a week and it has almost 800 pages in it. I have strange ways with books and sometimes reading is a struggle. I have come to the conclusion that I like to read books with movies so I already know what’s coming. I feel like I have to read to get to that certain spot and that’s what keeps me intrigued.
ReplyDeleteI love reading. For me, reading is a way to relax and go to someone else’s world so I can take a break from mine. Also, reading has been the way I know what I know. I realized one day what kind of topics I liked and from there I would pick books in those genres and could read for hours.
ReplyDeleteIt is a little annoying to be forced to read and some books are not the most interesting to read but I had to do it anyway for school. What I didn’t like was the how fast they made us read some book. For someone who doesn’t like reading I would ltell them to sit down one day and think about the topics, issues, movies, shows, etc and then find books that are similar to those interest. If you go to read a book and before you have started you decide you will not like then you never will. Each book is different; some books are very interesting at first and some buildup. In tenth grade I began reading Wuthering Heights¸ and before I started reading I told myself that the book would suck. I was wrong. Once I got to the third chapter I could not put the book down, I would stay up at night reading and reading. If you say that you don’t like reading you will never like it.
Growing up I never really liked reading, however, when I got older I learned to appreciate it more. If you get a good book than its hard to put it down. The hardest part about reading is finding time to read. Yes it is very enjoyable but theres so many other things going on in todays world that its hard to find time.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to chose whether I love reading or hate it. For me it all depends on the subject of the book for example I am obsessed with Harry Potter and Psychology textbooks (weird I know), but books about religion or slavery really bore me. I appreciate a book that takes me out of this world, that makes me think, a book that allows me to picture every single detail.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in elementary and in middle school, I loved to read. I would always buy and/or rent books from stores and libraries and I enjoyed them because I chose them. Usually the themes and topics were ones I could relate to. With that said, I think you are really on point with the whole "being forced to read makes reading less enjoyable" theory. Once I got to high school and teachers started assigning corny novels, my desire to read seemed to decrease with every assignment. I think part of the reason why this happens is because English teachers expect us to analyze and reflect on books and their elements in ways that most of us don't find appealing, necessary, or useful (which reminds me of this image http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lk6vwihaMu1qa5z1ro1_400.png).I still do like reading, not just books, but anything that fits my interests. Whether it is sports, technology, or music, I can always find a piece of writing that will entertain me. My advice to someone who doesn't like to read would be to find something that he/she finds interesting, that way reading won't seem boring.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your point of view on reading. As a younger child in elementary school I always read the magic tree house series but when I got older and we had to log how much we read or do book reports, I suddenly stopped reading. As to advice that I would give someone on reading, it would be to just find a book that interest you and read for fun, regardless of school work that may be given to you. Pick a good book to read for reading logs or book reports.
ReplyDeleteAs a child, I absolutely loved reading. Just like you said, I read all the time, and my parents took me to the library regularly to get me more books to read. But, just like you, as more reading assignments were given, I read less and less for pleasure. Even for my high school English classes, I usually wouldn't read the stories, I would get summaries from friends or read the summaries online instead. But, I am slowly getting back into pleasure reading. My sister reads all the time, and knows exactly the books I am interested in so I have started reading again because her recommendation never fail for me. My perception of reading is fine, I guess I just got burnt out during high school because of all the reading assignments. As advice to someone who doesn't like reading, I would say you should choose books based on your interests. You can base it off of t.v. in a way. If you like action adventure movies, search for the same genre in books. There are plenty of good book reviews online that will help you find your interests, and people at book stores will help point you to the popular new books.
ReplyDeleteThere has never been a time in my life where i haven't enjoyed picking up a good book and sitting for hours on end reading. I was the nerd in high school who actually read every book assigned in AP Lit and not only read them because that was the assignment but also for personal pleasure. My parents read to me and my little brother every night before bed and we both share a love for reading. I attribute our infatuation for books to the hours they spent reading to us and the weekly library visits we used to take. I would do nothing to change my perception of reading and to a non-reader i would say, start reading about things that interest you even if it is as simple as a magazine or online article.
ReplyDeleteI have never liked to read. In fact, i hate it. I just can't enjoy reading a novel. I will admit that about a year ago i watched this movie and i absolutely loved it. I watched it about 3 more times until i realized that at the end, there was a to be continued scene that i had never watched until then!! I was so happy that there was a sequel to the movie, but i didn't know if they were going to make another movie or when, so i found the book and i read it in about 2 days and loved it!! But even after that experience, i still don't enjoy reading or have time to read at all. I think that is the main reason i don't read, is because i don't have time, and the fact i just really dislike it.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely enjoy reading. But, like you, I struggle with consistency of reading a book. I enjoy reading books for two reasons. One: it allows me to enter into another world when I feel the need to escape my own. Two: with non-fiction books, they provide endless amount of information on a topic that I am truly interested in. My problem is, I am lazy. I'm sure many have felt that way before. When I find myself having nothing to do, I could be reading a book, but instead I turn my attention to mindless activities such as TV or the internet. If I were to give advice to anyone it would be this: commitment. Make a commitment to at least give a book a chance. Yes, it is easier said than done, however, you might find it's worth the effort.
ReplyDeleteI've never enjoyed reading books, but i do really enjoy reading what I am interested in. I can read on the internet for hours upon hours a day about things that are very educational. Not Facebook and crap like that. But I have never found a book that i was interested in. I would have no problem reading a book if it was on a topic that i enjoyed, but other than that i just can't get into books.
ReplyDeleteI change up my reading habits a lot. At times, it is so easy for me to sit down and read a book. The distractions of everyday life make it difficult to enjoy reading an entire book. If I could go back, I would attempt to engage my reading habits more so that now it wouldn't seem like such a hassle to read. The resources available to us make it impossible to take a vast amount of time to read books, when the internet offers a short summary.
ReplyDeleteI use to feel the same way about reading. However my grade suffered for it and I instead forced my self to enjoy the book and receive better grades. I came to really enjoy reading the books I was assigned to read in school, especially the old classic works. Among my favorites came to be Huckleberry Finn, The Canterbury Tales, and Dante's Inferno. You just need to find one thing about the reading interesting and build off of it.
ReplyDeleteI think reading is just like watching a show on TV or a movie at the theater. It is entirely based on whether or not you enjoy the content. I myself have enjoyed quite a few books in my time but when presented with one that is forced upon me whether by class or by my peers I do not have the desire to read it. I think if I had to encourage someone to read or give advise to them on what to read I would have to start with what are their general interests in life. It would also help to know if they would like to know about things that are fiction or stories of people that actually exist. This could be done through relating it to a movie they may have seen or maybe even something they have already read.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I don't like reading that much, over the years I have gathered that for me personally it is extremely time consuming and I do not have the time just to sit around and read at my leisure. I wish I could change my view on reading, but hopefully one day I will have the time to just sit down, through up my feet and read for hours at a time. The advice I would give would be to find something that interests you but also sit down when you have the time to read for pleasure and not be rushed into reading a book.
ReplyDeleteI don't really like reading nor ever did. Going through school I have always grinded through all the required reading, disliking all of it. I've gotten used to the mindset of getting A's in every other aspect of an English class in anticipation of doing horrible on assignments related to books. Yes I do like reading things on the internet that are similar to my interests, but reading as in reading a book never. I can't see myself doing anything different to change my feelings toward reading because as stated in another comment before, in the world we live in today there is no time to actually sit down and read a book.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you have found your joy in reading again. When I was in 6th grade, I got really hooked on Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. I loved reading it because, like you stated in your blogpost, I was not forced to read it. It was something I did on my own and it really intrigued me. I can count on one hand the amount of books I have actually read all the way through because since then everything has been required reading. I sometimes feel I do not have the time to read or get really engaged in a story because I am a really busy person. I would tell someone who is not motivated to read to make time for a good book that is not required reading. Reading is good for your mind and your vocabulary, too. I think Stieg Larson's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series will rekindle that passion for reading again. After all, the movie was fantastic.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, I didn’t enjoy reading because usually the books I would sit down and read were ones that were forced upon me. I completely agree that most of the books provided by the English Department were books I had no interest in and that I found to be very unappealing. I usually couldn't get past the first few pages without falling asleep. It was until one Summer when my friend recommended a book to me that immediately grabbed my attention and from then on, I found books that circled around that theme. I love reading romance novels or nonfictional pieces of someone overcoming a deep stage in their life.
ReplyDeleteI would say to someone who doesn’t like to read to pick a book with a story line or subject matter that he/she is interested in. Whether you like reading about sports or fashion, there’s a book out there for everyone. Find something you like talking about or feel deeply for and read about it on your spare time. I wish I could read more, but I just have no time to sit down and read a good book.
When I first learned how to read I can recall enjoying to read whenever I got the opportunity. As time went on though reading became less and less appealing as it was no longer a new skill and it seemed like there were always better things to do. Additionally, as I moved through school there was more and more required reading assignments which always seemed like a drag. For anyone who doesn't like to read I would advise that person to pick a book of a subject or genre that they might be interested in and read just a few pages. In my experience there's a strong chance that the person might become hooked.
ReplyDeleteEver since I was young I was never really into reading. It was most likely because I was always outside or playing sports. I never really had the time to just sit down and read, whenever I am sitting still for too long I have to get up and go do something outside. This can be very counterproductive to reading. If I could change my perspective I would have just put more effort into reading some more books or find a series I would enjoy. My advice to people who don't enjoy reading would be just to find books on some hobby or topic you already enjoy.
ReplyDeletei enjoy reading, but it has to be books that i enjoy. every book that i am assigned to read does not seem interesting to me. if teachers would assign more "free" reads and would assign projects on that i would be much more motivated to be interested and write a better report. these assigned readings kill my desire to read and should no exist in the scholastic community. i think that teachers should be more on the students level.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I don't enjoy reading very much. The only time I ever read is either to get directions of guidance with my schoolwork. It's not that I hate books or anything, but I just don't have the patience to read every word in a book while sitting quietly in a room. Unless the story is relating to something that I really love, I probably wouldn't even think of reading it. Honestly, the times that I read the most are probably when I'm stuck on a part of a video game and I need help getting to the next level. I still wish I would've read a little more when I was younger. Sometimes, I think things such as reading are more of aquired hobbies that take time to develop. To someone that doesn't like reading, I would probably tell them that it's fine, as long as they know how to read basic things such as this comment that I'm writing right now.
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