The Joys of Slow Reading [A Personal View]
Neither of my parents finished high school, yet both were avid readers, and they passed along the love of reading to me. They did this both by example, by reading aloud, and by providing a family library of books suitable for us children. They also subscribed to book clubs and several magazines along with a monthly publication which I now realize shaped my taste for learning and what I like to call "story-involvement." That was The Reader's Digest.
From news-related articles to patriotic stories to inspirational stories to regular features like "It Pays to Increase Your Word Power," "Quotable Quotes," and "Humor in Uniform," each volume was a lesson in cultural literacy and world events. I read every word.
One article I remember in particular concerned the joy to be had from reading slowly. (This was at a time when the rage was speed reading.) Being taught at a time when phonics was not the norm, I became (and am) a sight reader, one of the drawbacks of which is reading what one thinks one sees rather than actually taking note of each word and punctuation mark. I also listen to what I read, which adds to my enjoyment of dialog and good narration.
The writer-reader relationship is a dynamic one. The writer tries to communicate his thoughts using his vocabulary and style. He works hard so that the reader will not have to. He employs all the tools at his disposal, including all parts of speech (including adverbs) as well as all punctuation marks (including em-dashes and ellipses). He also may employ a judicious amount of italics.
It makes a difference whether a comma, an ellipse, or an em-dash is used in a sentence. They read differently, and if read aloud , they convey different meanings. A well-written account has nuance that a speedy reading may overlook. The author succeeds in conveying his full meaning when the reader correctly interprets the a passage. Slow reading with attention to detail takes one into the passage and allows the author to convey his thoughts. For the reader, it is like appreciating a new world by looking through a powerful telescope.
[more later]
From news-related articles to patriotic stories to inspirational stories to regular features like "It Pays to Increase Your Word Power," "Quotable Quotes," and "Humor in Uniform," each volume was a lesson in cultural literacy and world events. I read every word.
One article I remember in particular concerned the joy to be had from reading slowly. (This was at a time when the rage was speed reading.) Being taught at a time when phonics was not the norm, I became (and am) a sight reader, one of the drawbacks of which is reading what one thinks one sees rather than actually taking note of each word and punctuation mark. I also listen to what I read, which adds to my enjoyment of dialog and good narration.
The writer-reader relationship is a dynamic one. The writer tries to communicate his thoughts using his vocabulary and style. He works hard so that the reader will not have to. He employs all the tools at his disposal, including all parts of speech (including adverbs) as well as all punctuation marks (including em-dashes and ellipses). He also may employ a judicious amount of italics.
It makes a difference whether a comma, an ellipse, or an em-dash is used in a sentence. They read differently, and if read aloud , they convey different meanings. A well-written account has nuance that a speedy reading may overlook. The author succeeds in conveying his full meaning when the reader correctly interprets the a passage. Slow reading with attention to detail takes one into the passage and allows the author to convey his thoughts. For the reader, it is like appreciating a new world by looking through a powerful telescope.
[more later]
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Musings and Mutterings
Posts about my reading, my writing, and thoughts I want to share. Drop in. Hear me out. And set me straight.
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