Books and the whole process of reading have always intrigued me. How it happens that when I read the same book some time later, I find something new to catch my attention. How something that at first reading didn't seem like much, turned out to be really smart later on. Or the other way around. How I remember a little detail for a long time, and years later I still know that special page. How some books are such that I just can't put them away, wanting to read them again, wanting to remember whole paragraphs. How some other books are such that please me greatly, but which I never wish to return to again. How do you read?
i have found in reading a book twice in the genres i read you tend to catch things you might have missed the first time through
For me, the key to reading is relaxation. I do most of it while lying down on my back (I'm obviously in bed, or on a couch/recliner). I like using my legs as a prop. I'll oftentimes lie on my back with one leg bent, and the second leg crossed (where one foot is on my knee). If I'm at a desk, I'll kick back and prop my legs up. If I'm studying something, I'll sit with the book on the table, and support my head with my hands. Best reading experience I prefer is while sitting outdoors in the warm weather and sunshine on a chaise lounge. I like to have a big glass of ice water within arms reach. For paperbacks, I try to open the book in such a way that it doesn't crease the spine. Both of my hands overlap on the ends of my fingers. I like to take my time as I read. I frequently re-read paragraphs as I go over them. I tend to skip slower parts of the book, but backtrack if I skip too far and missed something.
How I read depends on what I am reading. I read a lot of history books, not popular historical fiction, although I read that too, but straight history. I have read some of my history books numberous times. I might not reread the entire book but instead my go back to a particular chapter or section. I also tend to underline and write in history books. When I read for escape I tend to read mysteries, Patricia Cornwell, James Patterson, stuff like that. Those books I tend to read at full tilt, going through them like a hot knife through butter.
