re: General Reading Question

Physical for me. I like the feel of a physical book and I like the trophy in my book shelf when I finish it!

I am all in on the Kindle Paperwhite. Got is as a gift and was not sure I would like it but I could not go without it now. I buy a physical copy of books I want to keep in my permanent collection if I find a good condition one at a used book store.

quote:

---

Only Audible these days

---

Is that even reading? I’d rather listen to music

The last few months I've tried a Kindle paperwhite and my reading productivity decreased dramatically and I think it's because I just don't feel like looking at yet another device screen at the end of the day. All day long I have GPS, Elog, SXM, and phone display in my face - it's relaxing to have just a book and a light behind me instead of in my face. I'm keeping the Kindle as a backup, but from now on my trips home will include runs to the bookstores to stock up for weeks out on the road.

quote:

---

Audible?

---

Not really reading.

Now there is nothing wrong with audiobooks. I listen myself when I’m long drives. But it isn’t really “reading”

quote:

---

I just don’t feel like having a book read to you is the same as actually reading a book.

---

It's two different ways of processing the exact same material. It isn't exactly the same, but most people in education and psychology would define both as "reading".

Regardless, that's a weirdly elitist position from which to judge people.

It is a stupid discussion because reading / read are used in a wide range of ways. Personally, I think if you are consuming a literary work in any possible form, it can be called reading.

But if I wanted to get extremely technical, you could call it reading as in "do you read me?" "Yes I am reading you" - basically do you hear and understand the words of a speaker - which is another accepted definition

Another accepted definition is to essentially interpret and classify a data input regardless of if that data input is a visual symbol or not.

And of course there is the literal definition of looking at and understanding printed symbols - but is a blind person reading a brail book "reading" by that definition. They are interpreting non-visual symbols.

I prefer real books, but ebooks can be found for great prices.

I honestly don't care, that would really depend on a lot of individual factors - I am saying it is a dumb argument because I can be correct in using a certain definition and manner the term "read" where listening to an audiobook fits that definition. You aren't visually reading a written book - but that isn't the only use of the term:

quote:

---

read·ing
/'rediNG/
See definitions in:

1.
the action or skill of reading written or printed matter silently or aloud.
"the reading of a will"

2.
an occasion at which poetry or other pieces of literature are read aloud to an audience.
"a poetry reading"
a piece of literature or passage of scripture read aloud to a group of people.
"readings from the Bible"

3.
an interpretation.
"feminist readings of Goethe"

4.
a figure or amount shown by a meter or other measuring instrument.
"radiation readings were taken every hour"

5.
a stage of debate in parliament through which a Bill must pass before it can become law.
"the Bill returns to the House for its final reading next week"

read
/red/
verb
gerund or present participle: reading
1.
look at and comprehend the meaning of (written or printed matter) by mentally interpreting the characters or symbols of which it is composed.
"it's the best novel I've ever read"
Similar:

have the ability to look at and comprehend the meaning of written or printed matter.
"only three of the girls could read and none could write"
speak (the written or printed matter that one is reading) aloud, typically to another person.
"I'll read to you if you like"

habitually read (a particular newspaper or journal).
"now, I know what my reputation is—I read the papers"
(of a passage, text, or sign) contain or consist of specified words; have a certain wording.
"the placard read “We want justice.”"
used to indicate that a particular word in a text or passage is incorrect and that another should be substituted for it.
"for madam read madman"

2.
discover (information) by reading it in a written or printed source.
"he was arrested yesterday—I read it in the paper"
discern (a fact, emotion, or quality) in someone's eyes or expression.
"she looked down, terrified that he would read fear on her face"

3.
understand or interpret the nature or significance of.
"he didn't dare look away, in case this was read as a sign of weakness"

4.
inspect and record the figure indicated on (a measuring instrument).
"I've come to read the gas meter"
(of a measuring instrument) indicate a specified measurement or figure.

5.
BRITISH
study (an academic subject) at a university.
"I'm reading English at Cambridge"

6.
(of a computer) copy, transfer, or interpret (data).
"it attempts to read a floppy disk without regard to its format"
enter or extract (data) in an electronic storage device.
"the most common way of reading a file into the system"
(of a device) obtain data from (light or other input).
"the microchip gives a unique code when read by the scanner"
7.
hear and understand the words of (someone speaking on a radio transmitter).
"“Do you read me? Over.”"

---

And yes, there are ways where I can read the intention of a podcast, particularly an educational lecture of one. For audiobooks, I certainly listen intently and try to interpret the information as best I can - so if someone chooses to qualify their audiobooks as something they have read, I don't see a problem with that. Personally, I don't typically do so.