Let's Chat! - Never Delete!

[Kara]

I'm hooome! I'm reading The Silver Bough recommended by a friend who knows the author. So far, it's good. I'm curious to see how the second half goes--some of the reviews are not so positive.

[Nathan]

I'm a total nerd, reading Star Trek: Voyager: The Eternal Tide. Star Trek books are my guilty pleasure. ;) Loving it so far and can't wait to finish.

[Kara]

I'm so so so excited about our books for October! We have our buddy read, Frankenstein, that I've been meaning to read for years now, and this is a great excuse. And we have three really exciting group reads: The Lies of Locke Lamora, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Outlander.

Which do you plan to participate in? If you're reading more than one, which are you the most excited for?

I think I'm the most excited about Outlander. The length (of both the book itself and the series) has always scared me a bit, but it sounds right up my alley.

[Ashley]

I will be joining in the discussions of Frankenstein and Outlander. (Perhaps the Locke Lamora book as well if I have time).

I'm most excited about Outlander. Historical Fiction is my favorite genre.

[Kelsi]

I plan on participating with Frankenstein and The Lies of Locke Lamora. Very excited for both! I read Outlander this past summer and continued on and read up to book 4. All in about a two month time period. It is such a fast read! And so so good! Halfway through Book 4 the storyline got a little weird for me, so I stopped. I would like to finish the series at some point, but just can't get back in. The first three are stay-up-late, guilty pleasure reads! I'm so excited to discuss it with you!

[Toni]

I plan on participating in The Lies of Locke Lamora as well. Looking forward to it.

[Nathan]

I'm going to participate in Frankenstein, hopefully. I already own the ebook, it's just a matter of finding the time!

[Kara]

Yikes, just had to raise my goal to 151 books for the year. I'm pretty scared about this one--I don't know if I'll make it.

[Lilac]

I'm sure you will, you've already read loads this year year so I bet you can reach your new goal :)

[Kara]

It's so funny...I haven't read anywhere CLOSE to this many books in a year. Last year, I read 49 books. I read 24 the year before that and 19 the year before that. The combination of Goodreads and having a boyfriend who loves to read has really compelled me to up my reading time.

[Kelsi]

You can do it!! I've been kind of a lull this month in reading. So busy! But after LSAT I'm diving right back in. I can't wait to not feel guilty about getting caught up in a good book.

First book I plan on reading...okay, make that two. and . Ah! I hope some of you understand the feeling of a JK Rowling book coming out. I'm so excited to see what she has in her mind other than Harry Potter. It's going to be really hard to not read it. I'm getting it as a 3 year anniversary present from my boyfriend. He's not sneaky and left the order up on his computer. I think I may ask him to hold onto it so I focus on the LSAT.

[Lilac]

I can't wait to read The Casual Vacancy either! I've been waititng five years for her to release another book and I'm really glad it's one for adults this time. Hopefully it'll help me to grow up a bit just like the HPs did when I read them for the first time (7 years ago):D

[Nathan]

I've never read this much in a year either! But it's been kind of crazy, and I think I'll slow down a little next year. I'll be (fingers crossed) starting University in the fall of 2013, so I think a slower reading schedule will be necessary!

[Johanna]

I never read this much either! And I just might keep going next year as well :)

[Toni]

I'm hitting new highs on the amount of reading I am doing as well. My goal for this year was to double what I read last year. I'm well on my way to achieving that goal and probably surpassing it.

[Kara]

I don't know if I'll be able to keep it up next year! I'd love to, but it's been an oddly slow year for work which has allowed me to read more. I don't expect next year to be like this. I'm a project manager, and we'll be entering the execution phase of my two biggest projects around January. You never know. I thought I'd hit my peak last year, and here we are with a 300% increase. :)

[Lilac]

I don't think I'll be able to read as much next year either. I have the first of my exams next year and my homework will probably triple. Plus loads more stuff will be going on so I won't be able to read much at all :(

[Sharon]

I probably read close to 100 books a year so I thought it would be an unique challenge to try for 150 this year. Looks like I'll make it but I'll set my goal a little lower next year. I've felt too rushed in my reading this year at times.

[Kara]

September is wrapping up, and we're quickly entering the fourth quarter. What book(s) are you working on to finish out Q3?

I'd like to finish The Name of the Wind to complete the quarterly challenges.

[Nathan]

I should finish Star Trek: Voyager: The Eternal Tide for my 'E' by tomorrow or the next day. I was getting worried about that one, as it was on order and not coming! But it came just in time. :)

[Lilac]

I'm really excited about the books I plan to read this month. There are quite a few that I was going to read last month but didn't have time to and also there are lots I've been putting off for the start of the 4th quarterly. I especially want to finish The Casual Vacancy (but don't at the same time) and I really want to start Frankenstein and The Perks of Being a Wallflower :)

[Nathan]

Lilac wrote: "I'm really excited about the books I plan to read this month. There are quite a few that I was going to read last month but didn't have time to and also there are lots I've been putting off for the..."

When you finish Perks, come by the buddy read thread for last month and let us know what you thought!

[Lilac]

Will do :)

[Kara]

How do you all feel about mini book reviews on twitter? Is the 160 character limit too short to be meaningful, or do you think it can be done? I kinda want to give it a shot.

Maybe I should start from the beginning. Anyone, um, on twitter? I just signed up today and have no idea what I'm doing.

[Toni]

Kara wrote: "How do you all feel about mini book reviews on twitter? Is the 160 character limit too short to be meaningful, or do you think it can be done? I kinda want to give it a shot.

Maybe I should start ..."

I am signed up too but have absolutely no idea what I am doing either.

[Kelsi]

I have one! I more or less use it to keep in touch with my cousin and just for fun. I love it because it's a quick way to get news. After 160 characters I can tell if I want to read something or not. I follow all sorts of people and love it.

[Kara]

If anyone feels like adding me (you can be among the very first people to do so, haha), you can find me here: @karaayako

[Nathan]

So, I just found this article on Lifehacker: Want to Read Faster? Stop Saying The Words in Your Head As You Read. It's pretty interesting. I never thought about how this could slow down your reading, but it's true. If you're subvocalizing, then you can't read any faster than you can talk! What do you guys think? Ever look into becoming a speed reader?

[Lilac]

Trevor it's really freaky that you mentioned that because just a few hours ago I was looking up the exact some thing!

Well, I for one always subvocalise when I'm reading fiction. I don't read books to store information on what's happened or be able to say I've read specific books (although I have done that). I read books because I love the stories and want to know what happens to characters I've spent hours reading about. Most of the joy of reading is through hearing it spoken in my head, whith different characters having different accents and voices. I've tried reading without saying anything in my head but for me that ruins the experience.
On the other hand I don't always subvocalise non-fiction. When it's just about learning facts I don't need to hear it in my head.

Also, I can read faster than speak even when I'm subvocalising. I think faster than I speak so it's only natural that I read much faster than speak too, right? Maybe some people can't but that's probably got to do with the speed they think.

[Kara]

This might sound totally bizarre, but it never crossed my mind that people subvocalized as they read--that's super interesting!

It's not how I read (although I guess I couldn't exactly articulate how I read).

[Lilac]

I was really shocked that people don't :)
Does that mean that you don't hear the voices of characters whilst reading Kara?

[Ashley]

Trevor wrote: "I'm a total nerd, reading Star Trek: Voyager: The Eternal Tide. Star Trek books are my guilty pleasure. ;) Loving it so far and can't wait to finish."

My hubby loves Star Trek! He loves the old and the new and anything Star Trek, haha. I thought he was going to have convulsions when he learned there was going to be a new Star Trek movie coming out next year.

[Kara]

Lilac wrote: "I was really shocked that people don't :)
Does that mean that you don't hear the voices of characters whilst reading Kara?"

I don't. When I read, it's more like...feeling than actually hearing or even seeing. I don't know how to explain it! Am I the odd one out here? Does anyone else not subvocalize?

[Toni]

Lilac wrote: "I was really shocked that people don't :)
Does that mean that you don't hear the voices of characters whilst reading Kara?"

I am a subvocalizer, too (although I didn't know there was a name for it). I believe this is why I have so much trouble reading Russian novels...I get hung up on the names. I tend to come to a dead stop in my reading when I hit a word/name I can't pronounce. I can fake Spanish (3 yrs in high school) and French (1 year in college) but the Russian gets me every time.

[Kara]

I just asked my boyfriend, and he subvocalizes too. Come on...surely there is ONE PERSON here who reads like me.

Maybe?

Bueller?

(On a completely separate note, I've never actually seen the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, but I'm pretty sure I know the whole story thanks to cultural osmosis.)

[Ashley]

When I read, I like to feel each character in the book. A book I'm reading right now takes place in England, so I am trying to read with a British Accent. Sometimes I find myself laughing, even though this book is a mystery and in no way funny, lol.

Toni, I have the same problem with Russian novels. I can't stand not being able to pronounce something!

[Johanna]

I think I read both by subvocalizing and not. Sometimes I notice doing it but other times I just look at the words and let my eyes just see them without thinking them in my head :)

[Nathaly]

Interesting concept. I subvocalize too. And like Ashley, sometimes I read with the accent the book is taking place.

[Nathan]

Kara wrote: "I just asked my boyfriend, and he subvocalizes too. Come on...surely there is ONE PERSON here who reads like me."

Yep! I don't find that I do. Once in a while, I'll notice myself doing it but for the most part I don't think I do. I read really fast - in fact, my whole family complains about how fast I read. lol

Ashley wrote: "My hubby loves Star Trek! He loves the old and the new and anything Star Trek, haha. I thought he was going to have convulsions when he learned there was going to be a new Star Trek movie coming out next year."

haha, awesome! I can't wait for the new movie. I'm mostly a Voyager/Next Generation fan, but the most recent movie was awesome, so I'm pretty excited for the next one. :D

[Kara]

This discussion totally threw off my reading! Now I'm thinking so hard about how I'm processing what I'm reading that I'm distracted, haha. I'm sure it'll wear off in a couple days.

[Toni]

Kara wrote: "This discussion totally threw off my reading! Now I'm thinking so hard about how I'm processing what I'm reading that I'm distracted, haha. I'm sure it'll wear off in a couple days."

That is very funny. I have my face-to-face book club tonight and I sent them the link about subvocalization. I'm sure that will generate lots of conversation for us.

[Nathan]

Oh me too! haha. Just this morning I tried reading faster and found that my little inner voice was struggling to keep up. Then I had to reread an entire paragraph because I wasn't focusing on the words! urg. xP

[Kara]

More on how we read. Using an fMRI machine, researchers say, "It was as though readers were physically placing themselves within the story as they analyzed it."

Totally makes me want to go back to school to study literary neuroscience.

[Nathaly]

So I brought this up to my younger sister who is a super fast reader, average about 3 novels per week besides her mandatory school reads, and she said she never subvolcalizes. I just find it impossible to do!

[Nathaly]

Kara wrote: "More on how we read. Using an fMRI machine, researchers say, "It was as though readers were physically placing themselves within the story as they analyzed it."

Totally makes me want to go back to..."

Cool post Kara!

[Johanna]

I now notice that I find it really hard not to subvocalize!

[Ashley]

Oh my goodness! I know this isn't book related, but did anyone see Felix Baumgartner do his jump this morning from the Stratosphere??? I totally missed it since it happened during church time but saw the pictures of his landing...Totally amazing!!

[Lilac]

I didn't watch the whole thing (it lasted hours) but I saw bits of it while my mum was watching it. I didn't see the end bit though...Or the start...:(

[Kara]

I meant to watch, but I totally missed it! I'm glad he's okay. I could NEVER do anything even REMOTELY like that. I don't have a risk taking bone in my body.

[Kara]

So Goodreads seems to be kind of imploding with hate around the new "Want to Read" buttons. What are your thoughts?