November 29, 2006
Slow reading
I remember reading an article about the joy of slow reading in an old edition of Readers’ Digest. The writer was at a place where books were hard to come by.
So every book that he could lay his hands on he would read everything in it, even things like acknowledgements and printing history. He would read the story slowly. He would pause to ponder over the meaning of a word or linger over a passage savouring the emotions it had evoked in him.
I have tried it but could not sustain for long. It needs patience, discipline and a conducive environment.
I have seen tourists sitting on deck-chairs and reading books at the beach in Koh Samui (a beach resort in Thailand). I can’t do that. I would rather enjoy the sea breezes, the sounds of the waves and the sights.
Anyway, when I read a story book, I don’t rush through. And if I read an article whether in magazines or blogs I don’t just skim through; I try to read every word. Habit.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I attended a 1 or 2-day speed reading course some years back. However I never practised what they taught me because I found that I was unable to remember what I had read using speed reading.
So going slow, not just for reading but everything else, is still best for me. At 50, it is about the right time that I should slow down.
Thanks for the reminder that we should take time to read slowly otherwise it become 走眼看花，cannot appreciate it.
Like Victor my wife's employers sent her for a speed reading course and she said it was a total waste of time.
I also attended a speed-reading course. They taught you to to look for key words to get the gist of a passage or article. It is applicable only in some areas. Not useful for me.
Post a Comment