Post: #26

(02-07-2012 03:52 PM)Tuthmosis Wrote:  I read a shit-ton of books. I probably read 3-5 per week. That's no exaggeration: it's a part of my "business," so to speak. One of the keys is to understand the contours and "lilt" in a book. There are, in other words, denser parts of the logic and lighter parts. You have to read at different cadences.

No wonder you are so good with words

Post: #27

(02-07-2012 07:36 PM)scotian Wrote:  I read a lot at work when I have downtime, which can be quite often, last year I think I read about 50 books.

One of my favorite new authors I discovered last year was Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers, Blink, Tipping Point, What The Dog Saw), I think many forum readers would also enjoy his work.

Another was Mordechai Richeler, a famous Canadian author from Montreal whose books include Barney's Version and the Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (both made into movies).

My all time favorite author is Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting), I wish he would hurry up and write something new!

Mine too! I hope you've read all his shyt? I liked Glue as well but most cats at work couldn't understand what the fcuk he was writing in the scottish dialect he uses in his writing. Funny enough, I'm a Londoner yet I was able to move through his novels effortlessly. I wonder why?

Post: #28

Pitt - Regarding books, why do you want to read more? As one poster mentioned, you can't just read because it's the right thing to do, you should read because you want.
If you want to be more informed, you can use other methods of gathering information, you don't necessarily have to read, if you don't like it.

I find we always make time for things we want to do. If you haven't had the time, it means it hasn't been a priority in your life, which is fine.

For instance, one of my friends was very informed but he hardly read. He would watch documentaries and youtube as he preferred the visual form.

Myself, I prefer reading and I actually have to steer clear of bookstores and libraries because I turn into a maniac once I enter.

My reading collection is extremely diverse. I've got books on stocks, mathematics, psychology, languages, gaming and fiction.

Loving the iphone because when I'm on the bus, I can just flick onto the kindle app and start reading some shyt from there.

Post: #29

I have kindle on all my computers and on my ipod which I carry with me. I pretty much read anytime when it's quiet.

If I'm somewhere loud and I have a couple of spare minutes I read this forum.

The info on this forum raises my attention span so high that outside noise is not going to interfere with my retention of information.

I like to drive and listen to audio programs or podcasts.

I think one of the limiting factors of me not reading more books is money. Most books I try to find on a torrent, if I can't find it I buy it, but sometimes I go crazy.

Post: #30

(02-08-2012 12:28 PM)Moma Wrote:  

(02-07-2012 07:36 PM)scotian Wrote:  I read a lot at work when I have downtime, which can be quite often, last year I think I read about 50 books.

One of my favorite new authors I discovered last year was Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers, Blink, Tipping Point, What The Dog Saw), I think many forum readers would also enjoy his work.

Another was Mordechai Richeler, a famous Canadian author from Montreal whose books include Barney's Version and the Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (both made into movies).

My all time favorite author is Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting), I wish he would hurry up and write something new!

Mine too! I hope you've read all his shyt? I liked Glue as well but most cats at work couldn't understand what the fcuk he was writing in the scottish dialect he uses in his writing. Funny enough, I'm a Londoner yet I was able to move through his novels effortlessly. I wonder why?

Moma, it took me some time to get used Welsh's writing style with the Scottish dialect but it was well worth it, I really like the stories he writes about, the gritty side of Edinburgh. He wrote two books that were collections of short stories, Reheated Cabbage and The Acid House. The latter was made into an awesome movie, if you haven't seen it already, check it out, one of the most fucked up films I've ever seen!

Post: #31

I wonder who said over 100 books a year? I usually read 3-4 books a year.

Post: #32

(02-08-2012 02:07 PM)bengalltigerr Wrote:  I wonder who said over 100 books a year? I usually read 3-4 books a year.

Yea, at over 100 books a year that equates to about 2 books a week!

Are we talking those small five page books like Postman Pat, Thomas the Tank Engine and Billy Bluehat? Do those count in the equation? Hehehe..

Post: #33

(02-08-2012 12:35 PM)Moma Wrote:  Pitt - Regarding books, why do you want to read more? As one poster mentioned, you can't just read because it's the right thing to do, you should read because you want.
If you want to be more informed, you can use other methods of gathering information, you don't necessarily have to read, if you don't like it.

I find we always make time for things we want to do. If you haven't had the time, it means it hasn't been a priority in your life, which is fine.

For instance, one of my friends was very informed but he hardly read. He would watch documentaries and youtube as he preferred the visual form.

Myself, I prefer reading and I actually have to steer clear of bookstores and libraries because I turn into a maniac once I enter.

My reading collection is extremely diverse. I've got books on stocks, mathematics, psychology, languages, gaming and fiction.

Loving the iphone because when I'm on the bus, I can just flick onto the kindle app and start reading some shyt from there.

I disagree with you.

I love reading and i have been doing it for years. Actually, i was just counting how many books i have read in the last 2 yrs..in 2011= 6 books, 2010=8 books.

However i take way too long to finish them. For example, i was reading awaken the giant within by Anthony Robbins and i was really enjoying the book but it took me 5 months to finish the book. I tend to have concentration issues so i will read a book today then just read again after 2 weeks, however, it doesnt mean that im not enjoying the book, i would be enjoying it but i cant push myself to finish reading it quick.

Not doing something on consistent basis doesnt mean that is not something that we care about. For instance, i like working out and i know that i should be working out everyday, however i havent been working out for a week now but this is due to work and me being kinda lazy and sick in the last few days but it doesnt mean that i dont care about working out or that im thinking that i should just work out for ''popularity'' as the other user said.

I have this bad habit of not being consistent with certain things in life and bad habits can be changed, reason why i have asked other users what are their secrets to maintain a consistent reading habit.

Why i want to read more? To learn from highly experienced people, to grow and to be stronger.

Post: #34

Pitt -Okay. What do you in your spare time? If you have concentration issues, you can take fish oils to help with that. I have them too and I find it hard to finish a book if the material is dull. If the book is good i.e. a good autobiography or a very humourous piece of work then I am more engaged and tend to stick it out to the end.

My butterfly concentration might be one of the reasons why I am a speed reader. I can't bear being bogged down with dull details. It's the reason I stopped reading IT (by Stephen King) when I was 12. It took for-fcuking-ever for that damn clown to show. I stopped reading long before it even made its appearance - in the literary sense.

For instance, I started 'Star Island' by Carl Hiaasen this Monday night (6th Feb 2012). There are 421 pages in that book and I am on page 347 now (9th Feb 2012).
I don't read it at home nor at work. Just on the way to work (I take the train and bus).
I'll probably be done by Sat morning (at the latest). That's because I like Carl's works of fiction.

Post: #35

I usually do 5-10 books a year.. I have a new goal to read 20-50 books per year.

Post: #36

One thing for guys lacking the time to read non-fiction, google the books names name and 'summary'. Get the books core messages in a page or 3. Most of these books have so much filler and repetition, summarys are a solid option. I check them out from time to time in order to determine if its worth reading a book and also after reading to reinforce the messages if I havent taken my own notes.
Here is an example, a solid summary of Gladwell's Outliers - http://wiki.dandascalescu.com/summaries/...-_Outliers

Another alternative is tracking down the articles that have led to books. Many publishers will commission journalists to expand a successful article into a book. For instance, here is the piece that led to Talent is Overrated - http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/f...0/8391794/

Oh and if you have a kindle go into the settings and turn on 'popular highlights'. It will automatically highlight sections that others have highlighted, this makes it very easy to skip through the filler.

If you want to read badly enough you will find a way.

Post: #37

I have to ask some of the 100+ books guys on here... How much do you retain from what you read? Do you ever go back and reread a book again?

I read lots of technical and psychology books and I always go back and read them again until I feel I've learned something or it has absorbed in my mind.

Post: #38

I'm one of the 100+, however the bulk of my reading is fiction as well as biographies and various memoiors/travel stories, etc.

I just had a look through my reading history in 2011 and so far this year. In that 13 and 1/2 months I've read 121 books, 41 of those were non-fiction yet only 13 did I deem necessary to take dedicated notes on or write a summary. Others I just highlight passages in my kindle.

For those books with plenty to take in and retain I find taking those notes and then later on re-reading summarys and my notes means my retention is really good. The only non-fiction book I re-read during that period was Stephen Kings brilliant On Writing.

If you are strugling to retain you need to work on your note taking and reviewing. Hilight key passages in the book so if you do need to re-read you can flick through to the good stuff allowing your to get through a lot quicker.

Post: #39

I usually read more than one book per week, and I usually triple this rate or better whenever I'm on break.
This is probably why I don't get laid all that frequently. Being a student can be a bother.

Post: #40

how do you guys choose what books to read?

Post: #41

(02-14-2012 11:27 AM)lurker123123 Wrote:  how do you guys choose what books to read?

I have four main passions in life not related to school or self improvement:
1. Fitness
2. Combat type sports like rugby and boxing
3. Primitive Archery (mostly outgrew this but I have never met someone better at it than me)
4. Pickup type stuff/PUA outer and inner game

All I do is google, check out amazon, and pay big attention to the reviews.
Works great, I have a nice library of stuff.

Post: #42

How do I choose a book? Theres is the simple answer of 'I read what looks good'.

Beyond that I use http://www.goodreads.com/ to track what I have read and want to read, I follow what people with similar taste read and get ideas from them, when something catches my eye I check the reviews there and on Amazon. Goodreads has recently incorporated a recommendation engine like netflix, its not perfect but I have gotten some solid recommendations from it.

I also use Amazon to keep track of books I want to buy (I have over 300 book in a few wishlists) and also get recommendations from them - a bit hit and miss.

I get recommendations from places like this forum - start with /thread-2472.html and /thread-6008.html
Also author blogs (I've got some awesome recommendations from guys like Neil Strauss, Steven Pressfield and Tim Feriss), my friends, random people I talk to even one of the best book recommendations I ever received was from an ex-con who did 7 years for manslaughter.
Follow up leads - if you dig one book, google the author, do they have recommendations, what books did they research to write that book, do they have other books.

Post: #43

(02-09-2012 10:35 AM)Moma Wrote:  Pitt -Okay. What do you in your spare time? If you have concentration issues, you can take fish oils to help with that. I have them too and I find it hard to finish a book if the material is dull. If the book is good i.e. a good autobiography or a very humourous piece of work then I am more engaged and tend to stick it out to the end.

My butterfly concentration might be one of the reasons why I am a speed reader. I can't bear being bogged down with dull details. It's the reason I stopped reading IT (by Stephen King) when I was 12. It took for-fcuking-ever for that damn clown to show. I stopped reading long before it even made its appearance - in the literary sense.

For instance, I started 'Star Island' by Carl Hiaasen this Monday night (6th Feb 2012). There are 421 pages in that book and I am on page 347 now (9th Feb 2012).
I don't read it at home nor at work. Just on the way to work (I take the train and bus).
I'll probably be done by Sat morning (at the latest). That's because I like Carl's works of fiction.

I finished star island that Thursday evening (9th of Feb 2012). Took me four days to read a book with 421 pages.

Post: #44

I read about 2 dozen books a year [200-300+ pages each]. But that's usually when I'm travelling on a plane or stuck in some podunk bus terminal in Poland.
It's a mix of travel and travel cooking books. a bit of non fiction, a few from last years best of lists that interest me and occasionally something I would have enjoyed as a kid [Asimov, Wodehouse etc]

The rest of the time I love devouring long form journalism. 4-8k words. Takes about 30 minutes.

iPad + longreads.com is my friend

Post: #45

How many pages a day should I read as a beginner?

Post: #46

(02-07-2012 02:41 AM)pitt Wrote:  Im impressed with the people who said they read 30-50 books per year, fuck there is even one person who claims to read more than 100 books per year. Do you guys care to share your strategies in how you are capable of reading so many books per year?

I think i tend to read 4 or 5 books per year, i definetely need to work on this, im trying to learn the habit of reading e-books because i usually just prefer to buy a hardback copy.

I have started reading how to get rich by felix Dennis before yesterday and im already on page 160 (have more 60 pages to read), im going to try finish this book tonight and move to another book. Fuck, i really need to read more often.

I'm one of the 30-50 responses. Its just a guess but may well be more.

My Amazon ebooks sync across all registered devices. If I have down time at work I can take my phone out and pick up where I left off on my Kindle the night before. Before that it was used bookstores and library sales with the occasional new release. Its my primary entertainment choice. When most people would watch television or play a video game, I read.

Of note is that all books are not created equal. I'm usually reading two or more books at the same time of different types. Usually its a fiction book for entertainment, and a history or biography to expand my mind. I also enjoy philosophy and academic religious material quite a bit.

Ebook files are tiny as well. I literally have thousands of ebooks I will probably never read.

Post: #47

(07-27-2015 03:18 PM)dassad5a5 Wrote:  How many pages a day should I read as a beginner?

Seriously?

If so, as many as you want and have time for, surely?

Post: #48

I read 50-100 full length books each year, have done all my life. I don't own a TV (because I'd be lazy and watch it instead), and it makes it pretty easy to rip through books. I have a couple on the go at one time. Usually something weird, something historical, something classic, and something philosophical. I tend to go through fiction pretty quickly, and use it as a sort of mental deload from other, heavier reading.

Post: #49

I read at least 20-30 books a year, and probably far more than that. With my college courses, I must have 15-20 books assigned during the year, plus whatever I read on my own time.

That doesn't take things like journal articles or magazines into account either.

Post: #50

Reading esoteric political stuff. Like Nothing to Envy about North Korea.