Saturday 20 April 2013

R is for Reading

I like reading.

I'm not a particularly fast reader, nor am I particularly slow. I can quite happily whiz through several books in a few weeks, and then spend months trundling through just one (Anna Karenina was a six-month slog through Autumn/Winter, and I'm still not sure whether or not I enjoyed it).

What I can't do is read when there's noise around me. Doesn't matter whether it's a television, radio, music or just a couple of people having a conversation, as soon as there's some background noise I can't concentrate.

My dad has the same problem. He has to leave the room if someone starts talking while he's reading. My mum and sister, on the other hand, both possess the enviable ability to zone out everything else going on around them. It's as if, as soon as they open a book, an automatic Reading Bubble is activated, which blocks out any background noise.

My Reading Bubble is either faulty, or non-existent. Either way, for the time being at least, Dad and I will have to make do with the quiet room.

Question: Do you have a Reading Bubble? Or will you be joining us in the quiet room?

5 comments:

  1. When I read, I have to have some kind of background noise or I'll start distracting myself. Usually I'll turn the TV on or play some low music and I'm good.

    I can't read when other people are around though. I think that's mostly because if someone is near they are guaranteed to try starting a conversation.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can't read with any kind of noise or people around me. Even at the library, where it's quiet, I can't read, I get too distracted!

    http://www.m5carolin.blogspot.com/2013/04/recess.html

    ReplyDelete
  3. I can have background noise only if it's music and as long as I don't know the words (no tv and no people). So if we're driving and I want to read and my husband wants to listen to music he has to listen to something I don't know the words to.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love the blogpost! I love reading too, I'm a Bookaholic. Reading is best enjoyed when you are seated at your favorite place, and there is no noise, of course that's not possible always and sometime you just have to make do with what you have. I'm really lucky that I can read almost anywhere but I do prefer silence most of the time.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thankfully, I have a Bubble which comes in very useful in life! Especially if you have a noisy family like mine..

    ReplyDelete