Reading… for Information, as a Hobby, or a bit of Both?

[Rachel Reeves]

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Hoping to get a snapshot of how much reading fellow soloists fit into their day/week/month, and what type of books they might be seen browsing the shelves for. A couple of questions…

What type of books might you read?

Why read? Is it for the love of it, for information, so that you know what is going on in the world around you…?

If you read – how often do you do this? Or how do you fit it in? Do you have a set time to read (eg. morning while you are eating breakfast), do you read every spare moment that you get, or do you read every now and then when you have an inspiration?

[Eco Manifesto]

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Hi Rachel,

I LOVE LOVE LOVE reading…I read mainly as a hobby but also for information (mainly small business info/development etc).

I subscribe to an online bookstore which sends me out regular newsletters which I look through for book ideas when needed, but I live at the local library too! I also am part of a local bookclub that meets monthly, so those books were chosen by the group (these are mainly non-fiction novels and/or biographies/auto biographies of varied genres).

How often? Whenever I can (I’d say almost daily even if its only for 20 mins!), but usually late at night – it’s something I always make time for, no matter how tired I feel (as its something I enjoy)

Types of books

For enjoyment – mainly non-fiction novels of most genres except romance and westerns
Information – this varies, mainly small business development books but also cook books, crafts, personal development, travel …depending on what I’m interested in at the time!
Magazines – I subscribe to a sustainable/green living bi-monthly magazine which I read not only for enjoyment but it is informative

I always have a book I’m reading/in the middle of, but usually only stick to one or 2 at a time.

Kind Regards,
Chrissy

[Rebekah – Your Architect]

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Hi Rachel,

I love to read too – I find it helps me to turn off from work and calm down, otherwise I keep thinking about it all night! I always try and have a number of books on the go. I usually have one fiction, one business related, one on political or social comment, and one on research related to my work, usually architectural history or theory.

I read for my sanity (this is my ‘me’ time) and I read to educate myself and challenge myself (I don’t believe you should ever stop learning). We live in an age where information is so readily available, yet few people take the time to use it.

Life is busy, but I make a point of fitting in my reading. I read most evenings, for 30-60 minutes either when I get home from work or before I go to bed. I also read probably for 2-3 hours on weekends. When I have holidays I always take a pile of books, but I’m allowed fiction books only!

I find book stores mostly disspointing, and end up getting most of my books either online (fishpond or booktopia) or at the Lifeline Bookfest.

Hope this helps!

[Burgo]

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I enjoy reading and thought when I retired I would be able to catch up with the books I never had time to read when I was working………I seem to have less time now than when I was working.

I read the newspaper every morning twice. I read trade magazines such as Inclean, Management Today and Australian Anthill, the carpet cleaner and themany e newsletters I get each week plus the odd eBook that is sent to me from friends.
I read the forums, Carpet Cleaners and Flying Solo which I enjoy very much and the new aimnet forum that is trying to get up and running.

I also read books on relegion and although I wouldnt call myself a relegious person I find much enjoyment in reading them. I even find I can disagree with the author without having relegion thrust upon me as a few of my Revhead friends would like to

[directsupport]

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Hi Rachel,

Ok, I reluctantly am responding to this post but I think I should share my input.

For me if it wasn’t for skim reading and research I wouldn’t be where I am today, nor would I have the skills I do today, I wouldn’t be able to program for hours on end seeing plain text for hours and hours and hours…..you get the picture..

I find I could sit watching TV for hours if i had the time, but I can’t stay focused with a book, it’s like I need to know the ending, I need to know the final result, I normally sneak peak at the back of the book, a trait my mum does and taught me as a kid. Kind of spoils the whole reading process.

I find if I love to read about stuff to do with my industry, stuff relevant to business, technology stuff, gadget stuff and so forth, but.. I notice allot of the time I just glance over the information not reading word by word, I normally get the main point or main bit of information and i summarize.

To be perfectly honest I would love nothing more than one day down the track that I learn patience and am persistent enough to sit down and read 1 book from front of the book to the end of the book.

I have never read a whole book from start to end in my life ever.

My mum is a book nut, my friends are book worms, I always hung around libraries growing up, but the whole book thing just didn’t rub off on me.

I think it’s a shame, I seem to love just about any topic but I admit the more fascinating and mysterious the content the more it drags me in like a magnet.

I find I go through life fine without reading a book, I’ll skim over stuff and get a general idea of it enough to apply it, love looking at diagrams, pictures, flow charts, mind maps etc.

Thanks,
Chris

[Renee Barber]

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Hi Rachel

I LOVE to read. I don’t have as much time as I’d like to do it (I could probably do it full-time), but I rarely go a week without reading a couple books, unless I’m stressed.

I like a fair few genres, but mainly science-fiction, fantasy and mysteries. I also love light reading to relax me, such as Devil’s Food by Kerry Greenwood (great author) and The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.

I don’t read a lot of non-fiction as I usually find it dull, but I do read a few marketing books here and there just to keep my marketing mind sharp.

Reading to me is the thin thread that connects you to the thoughts and emotions of the ‘collective consciousness’. In fact (and this will sound dramatic, but it’s true), if I couldn’t read, I’d probably pack it in!

[small business marketing]

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Hi Rachel, like others I also love to read. I love novels in the evening when I’m in bed. Adventure/Thriller sort of stuff.

I also read alot of non-fiction, Marketing, Business, Biography’s….i tend to read these more when i am travelling or during the day if i have an opportunity.

I also read alot of blogs, and I check out this forum daily now.

Eat, drink and be merry

Gary

[Tracey Anne]

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I love reading too – I don’t seem to get to do it as much as I’d like anymore, but try hard to make time.

With fiction my favourite genre is the crime/forensic type stuff – nothing like a good serial killer yarn for escapism
I’m also a bit of a political junkie, and read newspapers voraciously.

If I really love a book I’ll read it multiple times (which everyone tells me is a bit strange).

[Rachel Reeves]

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Wow, thanks for all your responses… this is really interesting reading

Chris; don’t see anything wrong in your response to my question. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being the way that you are – that’s what makes you unique! If you decide you want to read that book from front to back you might have to super glue that last page together so that you can’t read it beforehand (you might not want to do this with a library book though, lol).

Burgo; I love it how you are so honest and forward in what you say and how you say things! Some friends of mine who have retired… they just don’t seem to be able to stop still for a breath. And like you, they seem to be even more busy than before they retired.

I suppose I should probably give a bit of an idea on my own response to these questions…

I love to read, it relaxes me, and grows my sense of understanding and purpose (same as Rebekah, I want to continue to learn and grow). I don’t seem to be able to find much time these days, because I am kept pretty busy with being both a parent and a business entrepreneur. I am trying to fit a bit more in actually, problem is that when I pick up a book then other needs may suffer – because I get so engrossed in the book that I might forget about some of the other important things *giggles* like housework… or…

To get around this I tend to try and limit myself to reading to certain times, usually while I am eating, and also sometimes in the evenings before I go to bed. I am not strict whether I do it or do not, because sometimes I want to write instead, or I have something else I want to be doing (including going to bed early, or plonking myself in front of the tv, or…)

I have been doing some training and development lately, but the content is mainly on audio this time round. I read mainly business books, personal growth books, networking forums such as this one, books about health (allergies in particular) and for fiction I would mainly read John Grisham books.

[Rondelle@ScrapLounge]

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this has been a great thread to read!

I absolutely love reading, it’s like meditation for me. I can think of nothing more relaxing than lying down with a good book.

Business, Self development books and Autobiographies get me motivated and excited to better myself and my business.

For serious chill out time I read poetry.

Fiction for me is a bit of an escape from the day to day routine but I rarely read fiction because if I’m really into a book I struggle to put it down and like you Rachel..nothing gets done! My favourites of all time are To Kill a Mocking Bird, Jane Eyre, and dare I say the Twilight series…it was very hard not to go to the back page of those when I started the next one..lol

[Author]

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