ATLarts

By Jeff

June 25, 2008 8:53 AM | Link to this

Eh, I’m starting to go through a more ‘literary’ phase myself right now, meaning books such as Fahrenheit 451, The Fountainhead, 1984, and Atlas Shrugged are about to be on my reading list side by side with the more traditional (for me) somewhat-pop fiction. (I say somewhat because while I primarily read fiction, my interests are somewhat esoteric - alternative archaeology anyone? - and the authors I read aren’t always well known - RJ Archer, Jeremy Robinson, Thomas Greanias, among others.)

As far as rewiring my brain: I don’t really see that. Of course, I’ve always been a more computerized time-sharing type person anyway. (FYI: The way a computer handles multiple programs running at once: Sequentially, yet very fast - so fast that a human cannot POSSIBLY keep up. It devotes milliseconds to each program it is running at any given time, but during those milliseconds there is ONLY a single program being executed.)

This enables me to read at the same depth I always have, typically engaging my ‘hyper-focus’ in ANY book I read - INCLUDING 451, which I finished last night -, and yet still finish books rather quickly while still having the deeper meanings still sink in.

Note that I was even able to engage this ‘hyper-focus’ while reading The Road, and I was reading that (and finishing it) less than a month before my wedding. (In other words, during one of the single CRAZIEST months of my life thus far!)

As far as am I tackling fewer books: Well, as of this moment I believe I’m at 27 books on the year so far, and I’m on track to hit my goal of 53. I may have read more at some point in my life, but I’ve only recently (within the past couple of years) started counting, and I’ve ALREADY equalled my count from 2006…

By Kris

June 25, 2008 8:53 AM | Link to this

I’ve suffered from this for years now. I’m “actively” reading about 3 books now. I tend to get distracted by the Internet, thus not finishing the books.

By Anne

June 25, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this

I’m not distracted by the internet at all nor do I have problems finishing a book or books due to the draw of the internet. Of course, I’m on a computer all day long, so reading a good book is an escape for me! I find that I’m reading more books than ever. I’ve always been a very fast reader and am up to 32 books so far and just started reading Ken Follett’s new book, World Without End. I love the internet and the information it provides, but for me, books will always take precedent!

By Mike K.

June 25, 2008 9:42 AM | Link to this

He cites himself and I have to admit, I feel some of the same thing. I’ve been having more trouble lately reading books all the way through unless it’s for work. I get halfway and get a bad case of “What else do I have to read?” I’ve always been a little bit this way, but I think it’s getting more pronounced.

This is EXACTLY how I feel too! I have a ton of books at home on many subjects that I like to read about, and yet I can’t seem to get past the first few chapters. Sometimes, rather than trying to make it through a tough chapter or two, I’ll just lose interest or do something else. I just need to set off a block of time and just spend time reading! I’ve also decided to read the “Classics” as well to work out my brain a bit more.

By Maria

June 25, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this

I’m pretty sure the Internet had my brain scrambled for a few years. I was a champion Internet addict back in the late ’90s / early ’00s, and there were several years that the length of my “books read” list was depressing at best. Ugh.

These days, though, the Internet helps me feed my reading habits. I read tons of book blogs and have a to-read list a mile long. I reserve books through the public library’s website. I engage in some healthy reading competition with online buddies.

I do have one unfortunate aftereffect of my Internet addiction — sometimes I unconsciously let my gaze wander while I’m reading. I’ll be at the top of the left-hand page, and then, without even realizing it, I’ll have skipped ahead and read the paragraph on the bottom of the right-hand page. Or, I will have flipped through to some other page toward the end and read that. Argh! I’m trying to make a conscious effort to stay focused. I’ve read 20-some books so far this year and have 2 in progress right now.

By I agree

June 25, 2008 10:16 AM | Link to this

I agree although I think “reality” TV shows are even worse. I was at a dinner party the other night and 80 percent of the table was discussing the latest happenings on “The Batchelorette” while two or three of us huddled in a corner talking about “The Kite Runner” or whatever else we’d been reading.

I fear our country is on the verge of entertaining itself to death!

By Jeff

June 25, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this

Maria:

Where do you find these book blogs? The only ones I know about are here and Shelfari.

By Lily Toad

June 25, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this

I wonder if that sense of “what else is there to read” comes from having a multitude of tv channels and incessant flipping of channels looking for something else. If I’m watching this, what am I missing? I don’t know if you are a tv junkie, Phil, so this comment is not just directed at you, but at people in general.

By Phil Kloer

June 25, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this

Lily: That may be true for some people, but not for me. I was channel flipping for years like a teenage boy on crack, and I still managed to read at a respectable level with the set off. And my viewing has decreased in recent years, cause I am no longer the TV critic at the AJC. For me, I think it’s the Net. Although it could be age, too. Ugh. Do not want to go there!

By Sarah

June 25, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this

I find mobile phones to be the culprit, cutting into ones reading time. The next time you’re having lunch notice the people who sit quietly and read and then notice the others, the ones yaking on their phones calling one person right after the other…just like insecure co-dependents do. The readers always appear to have 20 points on average added to their basic IQ. Nothing says dumb better than a person on a phone, alone….. while dinning.

By Maria

June 25, 2008 1:24 PM | Link to this

Jeff: Most of the other book blogs I read are related to children’s and young adult literature. That’s what I write, so I also read a lot of it and try to keep up with the market. I find out about a lot of new books long before they come out by following the blogs. I happened upon one called Chasing Ray (chasingray.com), followed the links on her blogroll, and watched my bookmarks list grow. A really fun children’s / YA blog I like is Bookshelves O’ Doom. The blogger’s a riot.

The Million is a huge book blog that’s been around for several years. It’s a good place to start in the litblog world. They concentrate mostly on mainstream and literary fiction.

But I swear, there are book blogs on every type of fiction imaginable. The other day I found a blog devoted to books in the “clockpunk” genre. (And yes, that was the first time I’d heard of clockpunk.)

By Becky

June 25, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this

Since I don’t have a computer at home, I still enjoy reading as much as I always have..As another poster said, I am usually reading about 2-3 books at a time..I keep one in the car that I read while waiting on the light to turn green..One on the coffee table to read while listening to the TV & one in the bedroom to read at night right before going to sleep..

By BPJ

June 25, 2008 2:17 PM | Link to this

I read the Atlantic Monthly article and I recommend it to everyone. For that matter, I recommend the Atlantic Monthly, which is the pre-eminent forum for “long-form journalism”. It’s a useful corrective to the “nugget-sized” news that dominates the internet. Like Carr & Kloer, I find the internet useful; however, as with television, it requires some discipline to prevent it from taking over the way I use my time. Discipline is an essential trait for any mature adult; developing and maintaining the discipline to read books (and long articles) is part of being an educated grownup.

And please, don’t lump Ayn Rand’s clumsy attempts at writing with classic works such as 1984 or Fahrenheit 451.

By Phil

June 25, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this

Maria: Hey! Hey! No plugging other book blogs! Just kidding. I’m fine with it. But now you’ve got my interest up about clockpunk. I’ve read a little steampunk here and there, but first Ive heard of clockpunk. Are they related? Can you enlighten me or must I actually Google it?

By JJ

June 25, 2008 3:47 PM | Link to this

The computer in my home, is nothing more than a dust magnet at the moment. I don’t get on it at home, and my daugther uses it for school.

I hate the computer, and only use it for work. I NEVER get on it at home. I don’t understand computer geeks and how they can surf for hours at a time. I would rather watch grass grow…….

I love to read, have been a reader since I could read. My mother’s home is a library, she has SO many books. IT’s an escape for me, I love to run away with a good story.

By Maria

June 25, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

Phil: I admit I had a twinge of guilt about encouraging people to cheat on the ATLArts blog!

I Wiki’d clockpunk to find out how it was different from other steampunk. Steampunk usually integrates technology from the beginning of the Industrial Age. Clockpunk goes back farther, usually being set in the Renaissance and integrating Leonardo DaVinci’s inventions.

(Indeed, the clockpunk blog I found was called “DaVinci Automata.”)

Cool, eh? I’ll have to check some of that out.

By Firenze

June 25, 2008 10:27 PM | Link to this

The genre fragmentation is another interesting byproduct of our Internet Age. I’m actually pretty fond of steampunk and would put China Mieville and Neal Stephenson’s Diamond Age in that bucket. But clockpunk? Does that make Jean Auel’s novels “spearpunk”?

By Mike

June 26, 2008 12:45 AM | Link to this

Isn’t this the same argument that was made when radio and TV became mainstream? Do your homework Phil. Ever heard of Amazon.com? What do they sell? Think about it.

By Phil Kloer

June 26, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this

Firenze: Spearpunk? Excellent! Plus you have a cool nom de net. Im not a big steampunk fan, but I read one China Mieville and was very impressed. Now I have to go find some clockpunk. Which in keeping with today’s topic, I may find myself distracted while reading.