Can You Read a Book in a Quarter of an Hour?
“The most potent enemy of reading, it goes without saying, is the small, flat box that you carry in your pocket. In terms of addictive properties, it might as well be stuffed with meth. There’s no point in grinding through a whole book—a chewy bunch of words arranged into a narrative or, heaven preserve us, an argument—when you can pick up your iPhone, touch the Times app, skip the news and commentary, head straight to Wordle, and give yourself an instant hit of euphoria and pride by taking just three guesses to reach a triumphant guano.”
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/05/27/can-you-read-a-book-in-a-quarter-of-an-hour
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@freemo
For some of us the diametric opposite is true. Irrespective of the size, complexity and retention of the material we are slow slow slow readers.
@bookstodon
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I expect that to be the case for anyone who didnt explicitly train to learn how to speed read.
I tried a number of times to develop ‘the speed reading skill’ however they have always ended in failure. I prefer to take ‘a leisurely meandering stroll through the countryside on a lazy summer evening’ rather than an Olympic one hundred metre sprint when it comes to reading. I have come to the realisation that is who I am and more likely than not I will stay this way.
@bibliolater I'm a fast reader (not speed) and honestly, I miss a lot. I kind of love it when a book makes me go back and reread a passage.
I think one of the anxiety inducing points of ‘speed reading’ for me is my constant worry that whilst I am passing sentence after sentence and page after page I may at some point be missing detail or nuance.
@bibliolater @willaful @freemo @bookstodon
It's been awhile since I have heard someone mention 'speed reading'. The mere thought of trying to ingest words and thoughts whilst wondering how much time has elapsed, as if qualifying for an Olympic event, is numbing.
For me, it's about 'glance reading'. This may sound sacrilege given this audience, but I rarely finish a book! I'm often stupefied by meandering preface's and long winded introductions, when I haven't even started the first chapter yet!
I read at my own pace, skim for the best nuggets, make a note if needed, and all with no clock ticking.
@bibliolater @bookstodon I can read quickly, but I usually like to read books that make me think and want to look things up, so I do that
@bibliolater
15 minutes, yea though depends on the size of the book, the complexity of the material, and the level of retention I need. But I am trained in speed reading and yea, I could given those caveats.
@bookstodon