Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer Cultivating Pleasure Reading

Hi

I was wondering who here (even photoreaders) love pleasure reading. If you do, how did you make it a part of your life? If not, what are your struggles with it?

I myself know the treasures within reading, but I could really benefit by the aid of cultivating pleasure reading. I've read a lot in my life, and I do so with much discipline.

On the other hand, I just know there's a better way, and I wish to see the psychology that separates pleasure readers and "bored" readers. What do you think is different between the two? What philosophies do each of us hold on to?

Thanks. I appreciate any sincere responses.

Hi,

I have been an avid (some might say pathological) pleasure reader since I was about three or four. I am unable to discipline myself. If I get my hands on a book that I enjoy reading, I usually finish it in one sitting. I have started photoreading the books I read for pleasure and then simply reading them as I would have normally.

I picked up about ten books at the library last week that I was planning on photoreading et al and one of the books was so good that after the preview and PR steps I couldn't discipline myself to put it down to incubate. I read the whole thing straight through in less than two hours, which I think is what I would have needed to use on activation (about 350 pages) with about four 30 minute passes. At first I kind of felt bad about it - "Max, you dunce! You wasted a good opportunity to practice photoreading with something that you REALLY want to know everything about!" which essentially is true I just HAD to have it all RIGHT AWAY. I stopped beating myself up over it, though, because I'm curious about enough things that I can never run dry of things to practice the system on. Also, I think that having PR'ed the book before hand I got through the book a bit more quickly than I would have before.

I don't know if there is any one thing that separates pleasure readers from bored readers... this one friend of mine is really bright, and really curious, not to mention highly creative, and he doesn't particularly like reading. He would much rather hear the stories read on the radio or on tape. When he thinks about things he will try to solve problems in his head rather than scratch down working on paper. I don't know if this has anything to do with a preference for auditory input rather than visual. I don't know. This guy is brilliant at languages, but he writes everything down, has to know how it is spelled, and what the direct translations are in other other languages that he speaks. I am also brilliant at languages - however I have no idea what a word translates to in other languages. All the languages I learn I just kind of hold my nose and jump in, gulping down lots of expressions and phonems and words and things and kind of doggy paddling my way to using the language for communication. It doesn't take very long, but it is messy and not structured at all. Yet I need to do maths and physics workings on paper, structured as can be. The minute I try skipping steps and doing things in my head I get the wrong answer - having integrated where I should have differentiated (especially ln anything!), or gotten a sign convention wrong or something.

None of this proves anything I have no idea what the difference between pleasure readers and bored readers are. I know both types, and they all seem more or less similar to me, except that some of them read more than others *lol*

Even PhotoReaders slow down when reading for pleasure. It's getting the other reading out of the way that makes time for pleasure reading.

One thing I have learnt is to take a break after 20 to 30 minutes... ups my speed for the next part of the book. If I don't take a break I progressively slow down. Something I never used to do.

Alex

Hehe,

I envy...er, admire you, max! You definately have gift of knowing how to pleasure read. From the way you talk, you seem to enjoying to the point that it's tempting.

I read on several sources that a parent's influence on a child determine's their reading habits. Did your parents do it with you? or did they tell you good things about reading? This is just a hypothesis, I know, but it's convincingly true.

I know that pleasure reading definately can boost up PhotoReading results, because of that already-programmed urge to pick up a book!

Hey, Alex, after 20-30 minute sessions, do you need a break because your session was intensive and exhaustive, or merely for incubation? I ask this in the case of you "Getting into the flow," which is a state I need to use as well. Speaking of flow, I read "Finding Flow" from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Contrary to it's point, I automically tend to shy away from challenges, but most likely because I fear failure. I get a little...what you say, "brain-locked" while using PRWMS and slow down. However, I'm getting more proficient at the TT technique. Hehe, it's a mysterious phenomenon!

My mother didn't read much, but my dad would spend entire days reading novels when he wasn't working - morning til evening. I suspect that by the time I was three I knew that reading had to be better than macaroni-and-cheese

I can't seem to take breaks when pleasure reading... though I suspect it would be beneficial. Maybe I will slowly try out breaks when pleasure reading - see what happens.

I take a 5 minute break because it keeps the speed up. I've noticed that the longer I read the slower and more passive it becomes. Five minutes to refresh and review helps me finish the book faster.

When it came pleasure reading I usually complete it in one sitting. Always have which meant some books were all nighters. Thank goodness it's only a couple of hours now and better than watching movies.

Alex