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What Is Reading Anyway?

By Robert Swartwood on November 16, 2009

If you note the sidebar, I’m currently “reading” Dan Brown’s latest. I put reading in quotes like that because I’m not really reading it so much as skimming it. And you know what? I’m halfway through and I don’t think I’ve missed a thing — ask me about the characters, the storyline, whatever, and I can tell you pretty much everything that’s happened. Sure, I may not be soaking up all the info dumps, but I can live with that.

(For those curious, I’m reading The Lost Symbol because it is arguably one of the biggest books published this year, and while I’m not a fan, I figure as someone who enjoys and writers thrillers, I should at least be able to say I’ve read this year’s biggest thriller … even if it is godawful.)

But what is reading, anyway? Just because I’m not reading every word, every line, every sentence of this book, I’m still reading it. Right?

The same with audio books — are they considered reading? I think so. Right now I’m listening to The Turnaround by George P. Pelecanos, and while I have the actual book somewhere around here, I saw the audio version at the library and figured life’s too short and picked it up. And I’m glad I did. It’s great so far. A book I wish I could read but which I’m very happy to be listening to anyway — and besides, I’m following along perfectly with the story, with the characters, even if my eyes aren’t tracking words on a page.

And then you have the graphic novel, which seems to be the bastard child of literature. That, some people would say, is not actual reading.

Well, why not?

I mean, seriously, what is reading anyway?

*  *  *

Thanks to everyone who entered the “Doomsday Giveaway.” Our randomly selected winner this time around is …

Cate Gardner

Cate, e-mail me your address at robert (at) robertswartwood (dot) com and I’ll get a copy of the magazine out to you pronto.

Here’s hoping everyone’s Monday isn’t sucking too badly yet.

Posted in | 6 Responses

  • http://throughaforestofideas.blogspot.com/ Harry Markov

    Fantastic topic to discuss at my own blog and I would also add that there are speed readers, who manage up to 400 pages and hour and do not perceive the story the same as regular readers, since they soak information at different tempo and digest the same way, so yeah good question. What si reading?

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  • http://fright-fest.blogspot.com Cate Gardner

    Only I could win something related to Doomsday… Looking forward to reading your story, Robert.

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  • http://aaronpolson.blogspot.com Aaron Polson

    I’ve always felt audio books were “reading”. You can’t exactly skim those, either (although sometimes you can crank up the replay rate).

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  • http://www.plottopunctuation.com/blog Jason Black

    Reading is when you get a story off of _static_ material printed on a page. Doesn’t matter what that material is; if it came off a page (or a digital equivalent of a page), that’s reading.

    I say _static_ because, of course, that’s the only way I can think of to differentiate my sense of the act of reading from other forms that include motion and sound: movies, for example, also take place on a flat surface that you look at. The pedantic types might argue that this makes movies into a kind of reading, too.

    And yes, as digital technologies evolve and the line between static and non-static content becomes blurry (what happens the first time someone writes a novel that, instead of simply including an illustration or two here and there, includes short animations which convey some important story point?) this definition will probably need revision.

    But for now? If it doesn’t move or talk, and it fits on flat surfaces, yeah that’s reading.

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  • Robert Swartwood

    Harry – I’d love to be a speed reader.

    Aaron – I think all writers and readers should regularly listen to audio books — GOOD audio books, with great narrators, etc. It’d keep everyone fresh.

    Jason – Good points. The mention of movies makes me think of foreign films that are subtitled, and yeah, that is reading … which is why many people prefer to watch those movies dubbed.

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  • http://www.womenofmystery.net Kathleen Ryan

    I visit the library either once a week or every other week. I always take out at least two audiobooks, one for the car and one for the house. I listen while cooking, cleaning, folding laundry, etc. and I listen while driving. I borrow movies from the library and I ALWAYS display the subtitles…I’m reading the dialogue. I read at night and I take books with me during appointments. I am never without something to “read,” whether it’s with my eyes or my ears!

    My daughter is 14 and she’s been reading graphic novels for six years (and many great novels, too). She’s now into vampire stories (Cirque du Freak). She’s a reader and a writer — I’m thrilled. She got her library card at age five, when she could write her name for her library card application.

    Congrats to Cate for winning “Doomsday.”

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