What's your favorite way to read?

[turtledove]

A few years ago, there was really only one way to read. Pick up the copy of the book and read it. But now, there are so many different ways to read. E-books, audio books, graphic novels... There are so many options now. I personally still prefer reading the book (e-book or normal book), and I don't think I'd want to listen to it.

How do you like to read?

[CorieHens]

With stories, I still prefer the printed form like books or magazines. I usually read at home when I have nothing else to do like on a dog day afternoon. But most often, I read at night before bedtime. One book lasts for months with me since I am a busy person with a daytime job and a home to care for at night.

[humanoid]

I prefer a proper book too. There's just something about having the book in your hand and turning the pages that I like. I've never got on with e-readers at all. I suspect that, as long as you are reading in a well lit area, books are kinder to the eyes too.

[NYC001]

Even if it's a magazine article, I really prefer print. There's just nothing quite like the feeling of reading a book and I've tried a variety of e-readers, they all give me headaches and I have a harder time tracking what I am reading. I know they are heavy, but I will never stop loving books. The one thing that e-readers have an advantage is the price of books. It is often cheaper to buy the book online, just not as satisfying.

[Tyrell]

The traditional way, the one you mentioned in the the opening post: Pick up a book, and read it. It's not really because I prefer the traditional way, but rather because electronic devices tend to hurt my eyes after a prolonged use. I also find audio books pretty weird, and I can't seem to concentrate on anything I'm doing when I'm listening to it because I tend to dive into the stories I'm 'reading'.

[missbookworm]

Call me old-fashioned, but I would always prefer reading the traditional way. I also love the smell of both old and new books. There's really something romantic about sniffing their pages. I don't totally dislike audio books and eBooks, they're actually pretty convenient.

[xTinx]

Electronic books and graphic novels make the cut for me. Although if paperback versions are available, I'd prefer them over electronic copies. I do read a lot of graphic novels since I'm into Japanese and Korean mangas with bizarre plots. It wouldn't make sense to read graphic novels with crappy storylines no matter how artistic or colorful the drawing are. It's the story that matters, anyway. What I like about paperback novels is that you get a better feel of the story with each turning of the page. You don't have to mind your utility bills too because they don't run out of battery. Audio books, on one hand, will only make me fall asleep. I'd rather avoid them if I could help it.

Edited October 6, 2015 by xTinx

[Belle]

I like reading paper books. I love using bookmarks, highlighting my favorite lines, looking at the pile of books I've read, and I even like the smell of books (that might sound weird).  I have tried reading an e-book once but I didn't enjoy reading it. It easily caused eye strain to me. I'm the type of reader who will finish reading a book in one sitting if it's really a good one, so I think I would not be able to do it with e-books. Also, you will have to worry about the battery of your device because it will only last for a number of hours. I haven't tried using audio books yet, but I have no intention of doing so.  I'll stick with paper books.

[kurdapia]

If there is an option for me to listen to it like a podcast or audio files then that would be better because it does not require my eyes that would eventually get strained. I can also do other things while I listen to it. Before I love reading online but it is consuming so much of my time. It should be something convenient and easy to accomplish. I do not read paperbooks anymore maybe super seldom nowadays

[esennyhc]

Nothing beats a good, old-fashioned hard copy in your hands! I feel like I stare at my computer and phone screens too much throughout the day, so it's great to give my eyes a break while still doing something that I love. I just make sure that I'm reading with a good light source so as not to ruin my eyesight by reading in the dark. The book smell always gets me as well, and it just feels different having something to hold and pages to flip.

[linguaholic]

Nothing beats a good, old-fashioned hard copy in your hands! I feel like I stare at my computer and phone screens too much throughout the day, so it's great to give my eyes a break while still doing something that I love. I just make sure that I'm reading with a good light source so as not to ruin my eyesight by reading in the dark. The book smell always gets me as well, and it just feels different having something to hold and pages to flip.

oh yes!

[czarina84]

I prefer traditional books.  I don't see a need for electronic books unless I'm going somewhere that I need more than one or two books.  For instance, if I was still in school, I would prefer an e-book to lugging around 6 or more textbooks, plus notebooks, etc.  If I just want to read and relax, I definitely want to snuggle up to a book with touchable pages. 

[spacetime]

For novels, or short-stories, I'm old-fashioned and have a hard time moving away from my preference of physical, printed books. I do acknowledge the benefits of e-books though, such as being able to store a virtually infinite number of books, built-in dictionaries, note-taking capabilities, and perhaps most interestingly, the potential for social interaction between readers as they read it. Plus, e-ink screens are surprisingly comfortable for my eyes to read on, and the backlit ones eliminate the problem of it being too dark to read.

For articles and things that I can read in just a few minutes I prefer my phone. It's always on me, the screen dimension is pleasant enough, I can easily share/save it for a later time, etc. 

[Litnax]

Definitely hard copy for me when I'm at home, relaxing / curling up on the sofa with my favorite book. But when on the go, ebooks are quite convenient.

 

[Carlyarn23]

My favorite way to read is the old fashioned way. Real paper books. You dont get the same satisfaction from an ebook. There's something about feeling the book in your hands that I don't think ebooks are able to replicate. With that being said, I do like ebooks for certain situations. After I had my second child I had an ebook in the hospital and I loved it. 

[sillylucy]

I do not like to read on e-readers. I love to read a hard copy in my room. I currently like to read library books at home on a rainy day. That is my favorite way. Under the covers and with nothing to do. It sounds amazing to me! 

[Miya]

I prefer to read an actual copy of a book. Something about it just makes the experience better. 

Unfortunately, buying books cost money and it's often not cheap. That's why I read e-books now. I don't prefer them, but they're a lot cheaper and more convenient that actual books.

 

[anna3101]

It's a pity that a lot of paper books are so expensive. I also love reading the old-fashioned way, with paper books. But now I'm really accustomed to reading ebooks on my smartphone because you can have a whole bunch and the phone weighs next to nothing, whereas real copies are sometimes incredibly heavy.

That said, I still always try to buy a paper copy of favourite books, to put them on my shelves and just be happy they are with me

[foolsgold]

I still like the good ole' books but enjoy reading from e-books as well. The physical books are quite expensive than ebooks though so it's been a while since I last purchased a book upon the release (usually buy them marked down). I haven't gotten into audio books yet. All the books I want to listen to are read by British people so it's harder to understand with the accent.

[anna3101]

I also somehow cannot get used to audiobooks. I've tried a couple of times but it didn't work for me. It's not the same thing as reading with your eyes and actually seeing the words. Probably a good way to learn a language though, in terms of pronunciation and intonation.

[LeesaJohnson]

I prefer to read the hard copy of books, it provides the joy of reading.

[VinayaSpeaks]

I read paperbacks, ebooks and well as listen to audiobooks. I read paperbacks more than ebooks and audio books. However,  I have more ebooks than audio books and paperbacks. When I read, I like to turn the pages of book,thus I like reading paper books.However, paper books are costly and it is also difficult to store because you need space to store your print books. On the other hand it is easy to store ebooks and audio books.

[AgentD22]

On 19/10/2015 at 6:48 AM, esennyhc said:

Nothing beats a good, old-fashioned hard copy in your hands! I feel like I stare at my computer and phone screens too much throughout the day, so it's great to give my eyes a break while still doing something that I love. I just make sure that I'm reading with a good light source so as not to ruin my eyesight by reading in the dark. The book smell always gets me as well, and it just feels different having something to hold and pages to flip.

Yup! You just described me.

Old school,  with a book in your hands is the way to go. That being said I think there are some ways to, let's say, "enhance" your reading in ways that make the book feel more immersive. I like to read in a clear space, not on the tables/desk I use for work, it keeps my mind clear from distractions, but what really makes a difference is listening to music that fits with the theme/style of the book. I'm sure this is not a big discovery by any means but people know about it for a reason, it really works, makes the book come alive in front of your eyes.

[reverserewind]

I usually read the stuff aloud. I also prefer reading physical copies. Unfortunately, my eyes get sore when I read a lot from the computer screen. Reading aloud is pretty important If you want to sound good.

[lauraxoxo]

Personally, I prefer reading paper books. I don't know, just the feeling of the book in my hand – the sound of the pages turning, the satisfaction of closing it at the en – is something that I really love about the whole reading experience. However, an e-reader does seem awfully convincing. The fact that you can have many many books, regardless of their length, in a lightweight gadget is fascinating. I would have to get one that doesn't have a lighted background though; I can't stand reading on screens. The thing I could never do is audio-books; they take the whole purpose of reading away! I like reading a book at my own pace, and with the characters' voices in my head. Besides, reading aloud is much slower than reading on paper. I am a speed reader and I think that readings out loud are slow and tedious, like, get to the point already! But that's just me.