Never reads!

Bookworms and Extroverts Unite!
You can still be a voracious reader, learning new things AND be a social butterfly. Actually these people are far more interesting to me. They exhibit a curiosity for life.
🦋 USA Gundy

I was the child with her head stuck in a book ,when my mother insisted I go out to play I took my book and found a quiet corner to read it.I dont read much now and can go for months without picking up a book.I dont feel deprived by it though ,its just now life is.My daughter reads a lot ,my son only for information ,no book for pleasure ,just a fact finding mission.My OH is similar but he was diagnosed with dyslexia when the 2nd of my GC was diagnosed in high school.We had been saying for the whole of primary school we thought she was dyslexic but the teachers knew better!!
OH ,saw many similarities in himself so had it checked out.It didn't impinge on his life a great deal he just couldn't read contracts etc unless he had time and a quiet space to do it in.
I'm very proud of the fact he has built up businesses not knowing he had an issue and certainly not judgemental of him not reading for pleasure

I grew up failing to make my library books last the week but as life got busy with work, and then as an academic, I found reading became functional rather than a pleasure. I learnt to skim read long documents and pick out the pertinent bits; I read thousands of essays which needed to be marked and given detailed, kind and constructive feedback. I didn't want more reading when I got home! After retirement I have slowly been feeling my way back into reading but I'm very picky and will discard a book if I am irritated by the style of prose, poor structure or simply not enjoying it. There are plenty of other things to do, particularly online and also writing. I don't feel I miss out by reading less than I did when I was a teenaged 'literary vacuum cleaner' and notice that one of my children hardly ever picks up a book now - and not for want of ability as he's waded through the entire LOTR series in the past! These days, most young people read online so I wouldn't worry if someone isn't picking up novels etc as they are probably reading and communicating in different ways. Online gaming, for example, can be very engaging, creative and challenging requiring multi-dimensional processing and memory rather than using the linear format of traditional text. At some point in the future I think it's likely that people will turn away from the internet and return to the simplicity of reading paper, like they have vinyl!

Horses for courses, we're all different, wouldn't do for us all to have exactly the same interests.

Both my children grew up surrounded by books and I read stories to them - together and separately - at bedtime and other times throughout their childhoods. DD still reads, although not as avidly as I do; DS loved being read to but never really took to reading fiction - he and his dad both prefer reading technical maths /engineering /computer stuff, sometimes from books but more often these days on the internet. I do believe we all need stories, but suspect a lot of young people nowadays get their story 'fix' from video games, film and TV rather than books. I don't think there is anything wrong with this but I do think children should be offered plenty of books from the earliest age, so that they have a broad and genuine choice of where they get their stories from.

I too am a bookworm. One daughter is too, the daughter has always hated reading with a passion.

I just love to curl up with a good book and books are always taken on holidays!

My first post here, hi everyone. I’ve always been an avid reader & wouldn’t judge anyone who isn’t, but do feel they’re missing out. We’re thrilled that our 2.5 yr old Granddaughter loves books & memorises them, narrating to herself in her cot at night.
For anyone who finds it difficult to read a book, I can highly recommend audiobooks - I admit to being addicted to them & they make the dullest task much more enjoyable. Having just had major eye surgery, I’m very grateful to have a huge audio library at hand.

No because I think it is up to the individual. I like to read now and again but mostly making things cheers me up. Knitting, crocheting, watercolour painting, playing the ukulele, doing glass painting, embroidery.

Our DD used to say how glad she was that DH and I were both readers, because it was a good example to her boys. One of them is still hooked on stories (history at uni), the other never engaged in the same way.
As for DD, she never reads herself, which I regret. Talking about books with a kindred spirit can be such a source of pleasure.
But, as others have said, we are all different.

Reading has always been a joy and belonging to a local readers' group has brought me like-minded friends. I also write reviews on new books for the local press and would read all day if I could. It's almost a drug and now that I have to rely on public transport, I don't mind delays with a book in my bag!

I used to read a lot when I was commuting on the train but read very little now, other than for the book club.

I used to read but not anymore - is it due to my varifocals? Can’t hold a book in bed? Words just jump all over the place.
Don’t remember what I’ve read either!
I envy the bookworms

I love to read and have done since I was a child. My two daughters are both readers too. My son is dyslexic and although he does read he finds it difficult so can turn into a chore. All my grandchildren are avid readers.

…..Life without a book in my hand would seem strange indeed!🤔

The only two people in my family who never read are my husband ( not read book since leaving school!) and my son -in -law rarely reads! My two kids and two grandkids are avid readers! And me of course.

I learnt to read at an early age ( having a strict mother who didn't like my playing with the rough ( her words ) children in the street - my choices were limited ) and I also enjoy writing .
I have some dyslexic friends and those skills are a nightmare for them .
I have friends , who aren't dyslexic and they just hate reading and writing .

We are all different .

I have friends who are great , but neither of us would enjoy a holiday together :
they like sunbathing or shopping all day every day .
I like a browse round the shops for something interesting and local and have to limit my sunbathing as my skin is so freckly and touchy .
I would rather research the history ,visit old buildings -take photographs of them and perhaps , sketch or paint them .

I also enjoy collecting wild flowers where allowed , pressing and identifying them .

Most of my friends would be bored senseless !

Let's celebrate the diversity of people !

I feel really sorry for people who don't read. I learned to read early and just love disappearing into other worlds and meeting other people in books.

Our youngest grandchild has just started school, and our oldest is twenty five this year, so we have a playroom full of toys, and literally hundreds of books, and there are many more in their bedrooms.
As the youngest will also be the last, I decided a massive clear out was in order, I have so many books in bags for the charity shop, I felt really sad getting rid of them, some have such lovely memories, but I really hope they will find their way to children who will love them.

I have always been an avid reader. DH never read books until he married me. There was no money for books when he was growing up in a large family. Like most teenagers my children lost the habit of reading for pleasure but came back to it in adulthood. I hope GS will be the same as he is following the pattern - gone from a bookworm to having to have a gun to his head! What is most sad is that there is such a decline in the culture of parents reading to children, or of children having books to read at home in many households these days. It impacts so much on their education if they are not fluent readers.

No I agree, I sometimes feel they are missing so much, but they could just as easily say that I miss out on so much because I don’t participate in sport, or want to go on massive roller coasters, or any of the other things their lives are packed with, so horses for courses I guess.

One of my sons who loved reading when he was young, now never reads. My other son is the exact opposite and is now a really keen reader.
Myself, I read a lot and always have. I would be miserable without books. I go to the library once a week, and also have a kindle which I enjoy.
I hope I would never look down on anyone who didn't read.
We are all different.

One of my sons has always, like me, been an avid reader, while the other has never been the least bit interested in reading fiction, although he did love to be read to as a toddler. His reading outside of school has been limited to non-fiction since he was about ten.

Of the 4 dgc, the eldest (12) has loved books from a very early age and he is an avid reader, but the other three show very little interest in reading for pleasure, especially the 18 month old, whose interest in a book still rarely lasts more than a minute, as he would rather be constructing things.

It would never crossed my mind to be judgemental of people who don't read - not unless they were in some way belittling those of us who do like to read, anyway.

I am a reader, always have been, as is one of my daughters. My other daughter and my son, never read.
Two of my granddaughters, cousins, were real little bookworms, we would have lovely days out at Waterstones, but sadly, that’s drifted off with social lives and phones.
It makes me sad, but I accept it’s the way things are.

I read in bed for about an hour every night before turning out the light. My e-reader goes on holiday with me and I also took it into hospital with me when I was undergoing elective surgery recently.
I do know people who never consider reading anything more than a shopping list or recipe card........that's their choice and I would not criticise or berate themas it is non of my business.

I'm another one who used to read loads but since I was ill 18 months ago I find it really difficult to engage with books.