Some things about reading
1. One thing I really love about my nook is having multiple books wherever I go. Right now I'm re-reading C.S. Friedman's Coldfire Trilogy and nearing the end of the second book. I'm going to a wedding shower today but I don't need to pack a second book in my bag because I've got the third book lined up! That's a gigantic relief to someone who can't leave her apartment without a book, and these days it's less difficult because of my iphone and eReader. I used to carry gigantic books around with me--now I have to use grad school as my excuse for all the crap I carry around.
2. Another thing about the nook is the comfort. No more needing to flip sides when I'm laying down or finding the right way to hold the book and flip pages. I can just set up the book and tap the side when I'm turning a page. I was worried about the page turn blink when I first got the nook and nearly returned it. I googled about people getting used to the page turn and someone's comment was "Takes less time than taking a Dorito out of the bag." HA. As other commenters assured, I don't even notice the process anymore.
3. Here's the main point of this disjointed post: I'm trying to figure out what happens when I go from reading words to falling into the story. I can never remember to identify the point, though. When I think about it too hard, I'm just reading words but when I let that go I'm in the story and that imagining that carries all readers away when we achieve it. You know that time? When does it happen? How does it happen? I'm sure people have done research but I can't begin to come up with search terms--and I'm supposed to be a master searcher at this point. (I will say I've gotten tons better, I don't do the tell of putting in the little words like "the" "is" "what" "why" that Ran Hock said professional searchers identify the beginners by; and that wasn't in the book, that was when he was looking over my shoulder and saw me doing it, ha.)
What switch is flipped when a book goes from words to story? Do some people do it while others don't, and is that why non-readers don't understand readers? One reason I love Stephen King is, for me, there's mostly no running start, no need to take a few words, I just sink right in. Is Stephen King some grand author? To some people he's a hack, but to me anyone who sucks me into a story like he does can be considered any disparaging epithet others assign to him. I love his books.
I guess I'll keep trying to figure out when and why my imagination takes off when I'm reading. I have an ex who loved watching me read because I'd jump or gasp or laugh. I'll flinch sometimes when I'm on the metro reading during my commute and occasionally garner a glance or two. And to be honest, I don't think I could be with someone who doesn't have that same appreciation for reading, and whom I can read with and be kept company.
(~575 words, and only 2 days late!)
2. Another thing about the nook is the comfort. No more needing to flip sides when I'm laying down or finding the right way to hold the book and flip pages. I can just set up the book and tap the side when I'm turning a page. I was worried about the page turn blink when I first got the nook and nearly returned it. I googled about people getting used to the page turn and someone's comment was "Takes less time than taking a Dorito out of the bag." HA. As other commenters assured, I don't even notice the process anymore.
3. Here's the main point of this disjointed post: I'm trying to figure out what happens when I go from reading words to falling into the story. I can never remember to identify the point, though. When I think about it too hard, I'm just reading words but when I let that go I'm in the story and that imagining that carries all readers away when we achieve it. You know that time? When does it happen? How does it happen? I'm sure people have done research but I can't begin to come up with search terms--and I'm supposed to be a master searcher at this point. (I will say I've gotten tons better, I don't do the tell of putting in the little words like "the" "is" "what" "why" that Ran Hock said professional searchers identify the beginners by; and that wasn't in the book, that was when he was looking over my shoulder and saw me doing it, ha.)
What switch is flipped when a book goes from words to story? Do some people do it while others don't, and is that why non-readers don't understand readers? One reason I love Stephen King is, for me, there's mostly no running start, no need to take a few words, I just sink right in. Is Stephen King some grand author? To some people he's a hack, but to me anyone who sucks me into a story like he does can be considered any disparaging epithet others assign to him. I love his books.
I guess I'll keep trying to figure out when and why my imagination takes off when I'm reading. I have an ex who loved watching me read because I'd jump or gasp or laugh. I'll flinch sometimes when I'm on the metro reading during my commute and occasionally garner a glance or two. And to be honest, I don't think I could be with someone who doesn't have that same appreciation for reading, and whom I can read with and be kept company.
(~575 words, and only 2 days late!)