skaeth

skaeth, 4 months ago

@penalbatoday @bookstodon

I'm far slower when I'm reading nonfiction than when I'm reading fiction. Learning vs consuming, I suppose!

skaeth, 4 months ago

@diazona @bluGill @bookstodon
I think typically DNF is like you said above, but I think DNF-for-now is adjacent enough that it can add to the conversation! After all, you're still hitting a point at which you set the book aside in favor of something else, instead of continuing. I used to be unable to allow myself even that, because it felt like a failure.
Now, I'm a lot like what you described. I love your inclusion of setting a book aside until you can fully appreciate it though-- great point!

skaeth, 4 months ago

@otherdog @bookstodon

Yep, this makes a ton of sense to me. Past-SK agreed with so much of this!

Your mention of obsessing over page numbers and bookmark progress is interesting to me! What does that look like? Is it like a progress thing, or something else?

skaeth, 4 months ago

@simon @bookstodon

I think the super popular books that just aren't sticking with you are the hardest ones to DNF. I sometimes wonder if something's wrong with me or if I'm missing something because I didn't like it or don't care to continue. Reassuring myself that this book just wasn't written for me and that doesn't mean it's a bad book or that anyone's wrong about how they feel has helped me a lot.

skaeth, 4 months ago

@j182 @bookstodon

Yep, I totally agree with all of this! Has this always been your philosophy or has it been a journey toward this?

skaeth, 4 months ago

@Enema_Cowboy @bluGill @bookstodon

Neal Stephenson, man! I enjoy many of his premises but he goes into so much detail I'm impressed and intimidated and boggled all at once lol.

So you usually read all the way through, then, sounds like? Are you choosy about the books you pick up, then, since you're likely to be sticking it out to the end?

skaeth, 4 months ago

@hoare_spitall @shauna @bookstodon

Interesting, so you haven't given up on them completely. It'll be interesting to see if you do complete them eventually.

skaeth, 4 months ago

@diazona @bluGill @bookstodon

I think that's still a fair position-- I can see your point of view!

Do you read multiple books at once, or only a single one at a time? I tend to read one fiction book at a time, so dropping it in favor of a different book even with the intention of trying it again later was still a huge change in mindset for me. It might have been different if I was the sort of person prone to reading multiple books at a time.

skaeth, 4 months ago

@patchworkbunny @bookstodon

That's cool! What do you especially like about those two? Is it the prompts that draw you in or is it the familiarity, doing it year after year, or something else?

skaeth, 4 months ago

@diazona @simon @bookstodon

Yeah, but that's just your opinion, man. 😂

I'm learning to let go of worrying about other people's opinions but it's a journey!

skaeth, 4 months ago

@bobthomson70 @bookstodon

My oldest is like this too. Ever since he learned to read, he's favored nonfiction over fiction quite heavily. He does like some fiction books, and we still read to the kids every night so he is exposed to a lot of fiction, but if he's picking out his own reading, it's 90% going to be a nonfiction book of some sort, lol! And that's ok! I tend to default to fiction, but nonfiction is still reading and still thought provoking.

skaeth, 4 months ago

@Enema_Cowboy @bluGill @bookstodon

lol yes but if he didn't develop each stray thought into a chapter, his books wouldn't be doorstoppers!

I have this inkling that if I really studied each rabbit trail it might go deeper than I think, but I just don't have the desire to, and that's ok lol

skaeth, 4 months ago

@bobthomson70 @bookstodon

I'd love to hear more about this! What did you love about it? What genre?

skaeth, 4 months ago

@diazona @bluGill @bookstodon

When you put a book aside planning to get back to it later, do you normally follow through on that or does it sit in limbo? Do you normally borrow or buy? I'm curious if there's a correlation with DNFing.

Thank you! I'm quite enjoying this discussion myself, though all credit goes to Kriti (even though she's not here) for starting it in the first place!

skaeth, 4 months ago

@otherdog @bookstodon

It's important to be understood I think. Sometimes we can't reach full understanding but I try to listen, anyway, and like I said, I used to have the same mindset myself. I don't know that one is better than the other-- I think it's mainly what works for you.

I wonder if that tracking taps into the same part of the mind that is likely to obsess about things like social media numbers on algorithmic sites etc. I imagine it'd be quite hard to break! Maybe turning it off?

skaeth, 4 months ago

@simon @diazona @bookstodon

I hear you. On the other hand, maybe it's just not written for you. 💕

skaeth, 4 months ago

@patchworkbunny @bookstodon

Ah, that's awesome! I was wondering if there was a community aspect there. That can really enhance the reading experience, I think.

skaeth, 4 months ago

@Enema_Cowboy @bluGill @bookstodon

I'm finding a correlation between the people who mention they tend not to DNF and also being more choosy with what books they pick up, and I think that makes a ton of sense.

What sparked you to start reading books normally read in school? Are you enjoying it?

skaeth, 4 months ago

@hoare_spitall @shauna @bookstodon

That is pretty awesome! I love that it sparked reading in the SF genre too.

skaeth, 4 months ago

@CuriousMagpie @bookstodon

Interesting! And then it turned out not to be for you, once you gave it another shot. I still haven't gotten around to picking up Babel. I'm afraid it might be too dark for me lol

skaeth, 4 months ago

@bobthomson70 @bookstodon

Well you're just adding all sorts of books to my TBR! Excellent!

skaeth, 4 months ago

@bobthomson70 @bookstodon Definitely going to have to look into it more!

skaeth, 4 months ago

@diazona @bluGill @bookstodon

That makes complete sense to me! I often borrow as well, either through my library or through KU (although I have been considering dropping the KU subscription in favor of Kobo Plus). I get lost in my digital collections far too easily and I only have so much shelf space, so buying books for me is more rare than borrowing. I very rarely re-read anything, so there's not much use for me to keep a book around after I've read it.

skaeth, 4 months ago

@Enema_Cowboy @bluGill @bookstodon

Lol!

Oh, but I see The Once and Future King-- TH White, right?-- and now I need to pick your brain on your thoughts because I adored that as a kid. Absolutely loved it.

skaeth, 4 months ago

@hoare_spitall @shauna @bookstodon

Ok Ursula K LeGuin is and always has been one of my favorite authors! I adore her work. I grew up reading her and Andre Norton especially. I highly recommend everyone at least try something of hers!