I am a reader but my family aren't

I buy used books on Amazon, but just today, I discovered World of Books, and ordered three, which cost £9.87 including postage. I can see it might become a habit.

polomint, I've always read a lot but, let's face it, there wasn't much else to do when at home as a child - so the habit stuck.

My children didn't read so much and some of my grandchildren do read extensively, others don't. I think they're missing out.

I do feel that my attention span and patience have dwindled recently. Also, my eyes get tired and reading in bed is no longer possible - I just fall asleep!

My DD's both also read a lot, and even DS who has Down's Syndrome reads books - if painstakingly slowly - but he perseveres. DGC aren't avid readers unfortunately. Like many of you, it is hard to understand how some people aren't interested, but we're all different. ( I do think they"re missing out though ).

My father took me to the library the minute that I was old enough, ( seven in those days ). I read the one book allowed out at a time very quickly, and rushed back to the library,only to be told that I couldn't have another out on the same day. What nonsense! However, I was hooked, and must have been the library's ' best customer '! I was over the moon when I was eventually allowed three books out at a time. There have been very few nights in my life when I haven't read in bed, no matter what time I go there. I spent most weekends and school holidays reading. I'm still a very regular reader, both real books and iBooks.

The best thing anyone can give a child is a love of reading. My mother was an avid reader and passed that on to me. My dad reads but is more inclined to newspapers and the occasional non fiction book. I own literally hundreds of physical books and hundreds of ebooks as well. I loved reading as a child and escaping to another world - at age 12 they had to give me tickets for the adult library as I'd read everything that interested me in the children's library. My husband is dyslexic but still enjoys reading newspapers and, like my Dad, the occasional non fiction book.

Nexus63
We had a similar experience with one of our children. At a parents day we were told that our daughter, then about eleven, was reading rubbish, that she should be reading Jane Austin, or Thomas Hardy. She was never going to be one of life’s prolific readers, so I was just grateful she was reading Jacqueline Wilson.

I was a good reader from age four. I devoured books: they became my 'escape' from listening to my parents fighting!
However, I always had...still do... a habit of not being able to move on in a story if I was presented with a word that I didn't understand. This has never left me... I obviously became an English teacher. Studying the language through books is my favourite thing to do. However,I am another who is finding it difficult to concentrate whilst reading, lately.

i read about 5 books a week, all from kindle as i need large print, years ago when my son was at primary school my husband and i were asked to a meeting and hauled over the coals by a very snooty teacher telling us that if we read books then maybe he would, my husband let her rant and then said, we have books all over the place and my wife goes to the library every week and reads to our son every night, her face was a picture, he is 34 now and still wont read a book.

I have 7 bookcases filled with books and thank goodness I have because I have been rereading them during the pandemic. Usually read two/ three a week plus magazines. I also craft sew and make cards. All this and p/t childminding my grandchildren keep me sane.

I always have 2 books on the go. A real one for home and kindle for out and about and I get through a good few each year.

DH always has one on the go but probably the same one all year.

2 if my DDs are avid readers the third just an occasional reader.

Ever since I first learnt to read aged 4
I have been an avid reader. I am never without my Kindle.
My 6 DGC are keen readers but not as book mad as I am. Hopefuly they will stay this way as they get older. I run a reading group too so I get to hear other people's views of the books. I'd be lost without my Kindle. I can read long into the night without disturbing my husband. He prefers to listen to book tapes.

Jaylucy - Faraway Tree ❤❤❤

I have always read a lot, encouraged by my mother. I read a lot to both my sons and they are both avid readers. My ex-husband 'blamed' me for that trait in them!

I have read more since going into lockdown and now have more' must haves' ready and waiting from samples bought on Amazon.

widgeon3

I can't sleep without reading when I get to bed and I love taking advantage of a wet Sunday afternoon to sit and read.
My dad also read anything and everything and at least while my mum was alive I was able to pass on books that I had finished!
I think that nowadays that the screen is used as soon, if not before the children leave lower school, so books get pushed on one side.
I wouldn't have missed my childhood visiting places like the Faraway Tree, the House at Green Knowe, Secret Garden and others for anything!

sodapop

Can't live without books, I spend a lot of money buying them and having them shipped to France - I don't like e-readers.
All my family are keen readers both fiction and non fiction. I am that person who reads the cereal box and sauce bottle if they are around.

Apropos your last statement, a local French teacher confirmed with the entire class that everyone had used HP sauce.
For the next French exam paper, she reproduced the script from the bottle in its entirety
Not one 'student' recognised it

I'm a terrible bookworm, always a book on the go, usually on my kindle. Both my children love reading, too. I also write novels, I'm on my third, none of them published unfortunately but I love working out the plot.

I love to read, must have read hundreds of books in my lifetime. Great escapism, sad the library is shut as I don’t really like reading on a tablet. I have been known to finish a book in a night if I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

I read all the time, I am on my third book this week. I read anything, books, magazine, cereal boxes I am a quick reader and can easily read a book a day.
Obviously when I am back at work my reading will decrease slightly, but I still read when I get chance. I read physical books, my Kindle, or borrowbox on my tablet.

I read to all my children from when they were very young, we always had lots of books in the house and used the library. Only one of my children have caught the reading habit, the other three rarely look at books.

I have always enjoyed reading and am enjoying the reading group thread. I will always have at least one book on the go at a time and read either physical or Kindle books. My mother and l often swap books but I read non-fiction as well as fiction, which she doesn't. I have always loved poetry too. My husband likes magazines about transport and one of our sons is dyslexic and as a child it was a struggle to get him to read anything but as an adult he is making up a lost time, enjoying Ian Fleming at the moment. My daughter has always been a reader and her favourite genre is courtly historical fiction, especially Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory, which is very different from my preference.

We have thousands of books at home, and I'm a compulsive book buyer. My Mum is a great reader, she's in her mid-70s, but my late Dad probably read just one book after he finished school. My husband's family are also big on books, and their house could be easily taken for a book shop. Thankfully, I managed to instil love of books in my younger son, who at 10 reads a lot. My elder one has special needs, so at 18 is enjoying looking at picture books, but one of his great joys is visiting the book shops and browse the young children's section. Reading is so important in my life, without it I would feel diminished. I don't think it's a generational thing, it's just a personality and all the other factors.

Are you saying they can’t read or won’t read, polomint. If they are adults and they can read, then it’s their decision not to.

I must have a book on hand to read, usually at bedtime.
I have a daily newspaper and having finished that I do the crosswords.
I can’t seem to get on with ebooks. Much prefer the feel of a good book in my hand.

Reading, reading, reading!

My life revolves around reading!

I read 4 or 5 books a week.

I've got about 50 physical books waiting to be read (I buy at least 3 in the supermarket every week) and there are week over 2,000 sitting on my kindle account.

I never pay the cover price for a book, they are generally around £7.99 each but I'll pick them up at 2 for £8 in Asda.

I've never paid more than £1.00 for a Kindle book, is say at least 99% of my collection have been free.