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i want to speed my reading

I can see wanting to read more books, but I'd rather enjoy the ones I do read than read a ton. People rush through too many things these days, its a shame to waste a book just because one wants to read the entire library. Who knows what you might miss in that way.

Now for academic texts...speed reading is a definite must. But for pleasure, I'd much rather take my time.
 
I read every word. the speed depends on the how the book is written. some well written books I can read at a slower pace and still feel like I read it fast. time flies. other books I rush through at a fast pace. for instance an Alfred Bester book, where the fast plot, action and writing style facillitates faster reading. when a book is boring I try to speed up to get through it or give up altogether.
 
I'm a very slow reader - I read about one book (say, 300/400 pages) in two weeks time. That said, I wouldn't want to read any faster, I like my tempo as it is.

Magemanda:
[when I read a book the first time, I notice] the fact that it actually exists and the essence of the story and ]when I read it a second time, I notice] all those small details that are lost the first time through.
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I don't get that. Why would you want to miss out on small (but perhaps very relevant) details the first time round?

Why, why, why!?

Cheers, Martin
 
im also a fast reader, once i took a speed reading course, but never used the methods (in fact i cant remeber those, but i can remember the ones for memory, ironic eh! :rolleyes: ?, i just read fast (if im to compare with friends, maybe im not fast after all) but i read a 500 pages book in 1 or 2 weeks, depending how busy i im
 
I don't speed read as such, I read every word, but I am a very fast reader. I remember once in primary school, I'd got my new reading book and about ten minutes later I'd read it (and it wasn't that short a book). I went to ask the teacher if I could get the next one and she said disbelievingly "Have you read that?" When I said I had, she went through the book and asked me lots of questions about the stories, all of which I answered correctly. She then glared at me, said I could get the next book, and never bothered me again about how fast I read. :)
 
Freya said:
Surely you just read at the pace that suits you... you wouldnt get a film and put it on fast forward and attempt to understand it that way would you? :)
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My dad did that actually.
 
I don't see how you could get any emotion or feeling out of a book when you finish it in ten minutes. What you spend 20 seconds feeling each up and down and then you're done? If it's true that some people just happen to read that fast, I am happy that I am not one. I prefer to indulge in my novels.
 
I'm not a speed reader.
But in comparison with my classmates I'm a fast reader. But that depends on what I read. Most important is the language: I managed the German translation of 'Middlesex' in two days, but 'Life of Pi' will definitely take a bit longer, as well as 'Le petit prince'. :rolleyes:
 
I have typical reading speed- between 250-300 WPM. I desire to both increase my reading speed (slightly) and my comprehension (mostly) by applying specific reading techniques. It is impressive to read that some have this ability naturally- without applying special skills as they read. I would assume that naturally fast readers regress rarely (if at all) during their readings. I would also assume that such readers could harness their focus and prevent a wondering mind. Crisp vision must also be another major factor for naturally fast readers, not to mention peripherally better vision. Are my assumptions true?

For those here who are naturally fast readers, what (if anything) can you post that will help the rest of us (me!) to improve our reading abilities?
_
 
how fast can you read a book?

yeah, how fast? on average?

skipping chapters not counted. neither does skimming.

ds
 
I think there is, for me, really no definite answer to that question! There are so many factors involved :)

How easy is the book to read? How long is the book? What mood am I in? How tired am I? Am I enjoying the book? How much free time do I have?

I guess I will say about 1 book in 1 to 2 weeks :) Sometimes its a lot faster and sometimes it's slower. I worked very long hours recently and so it takes me a long time to read as my free has been short.
 
Definitely depends on the book. Anything under 300 pages in an evening. Over, and it will take 2-3 days (HP-Order of the Phoenix took 3 days). I can't think of anything that's taken me a full week.

Cathy
The penguins give me strength! Long live the penguins...
 
I'm with Cathy... about 2-3 days for an average sized book. Unless I'm really busy and then it might take a bit longer.
 
I'm glad to see I'm not alone in taking a week or more to read a book. I have always thought that I read quite slow. My mother can finish a book a day if she has the time. My eyeballs just don't go that fast.

I'm also a "tongue warbler" - when I read, I sometimes catch myself mouthing the words inside my mouth. Because we're taught to read by pronouncing the words slowly, that process gets stuck in our minds, so some of us grow up to be slower readers.

But I like to take my time with a book. I'll put it down for a while and mull the story in my mind. Especially when a book is good, I like to develop a sort of relationship with the characters.
 
Cathy C said:
Definitely depends on the book. Anything under 300 pages in an evening.
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aha! this is what i'm fishing for...! how can you read so fast? is there a technique you use i.e. skip boring paragraphs, skip words, pick up only the vowels...

like dele, my average is 2-3 days. a novel of average length (i.e. 200-400 pages). however, i cannot finish a novel in an evening, 300 pages or no. well i can, if i don't mind not understanding what the heck happened in the book. :eek:

order of the phoenix took me > 1 week!

ds
 
SillyWabbit said:
I think there is, for me, really no definite answer to that question! There are so many factors involved :)

How easy is the book to read? How long is the book? What mood am I in? How tired am I? Am I enjoying the book? How much free time do I have?
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i find that if i don't enjoy the book, or if it gets boring, i tend to speed up. when i get to parts i like, i slow down to savour the details.

SillyWabbit said:
I guess I will say about 1 book in 1 to 2 weeks :) Sometimes its a lot faster and sometimes it's slower. I worked very long hours recently and so it takes me a long time to read as my free has been short.
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like me, don't you have to split your free time between books and computer games? :D

ds
 
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