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Pop Quiz on 'How to Read a Book'

Occasionally it is fun to see if I can catch the readers sleeping by giving them a pop quiz. A couple comments about eReader gadgets recently revealed an opportunity for me to move in for the kill (grin). There seems to be a misunderstanding of what it takes to read a book comfortably

This is an important topic for those of us who see internet addiction (on trivial and repetitive websites) as a serious problem to overcome. Has anyone ever beaten a vicious habit by trying to replace it with a vacuity? I doubt it. They need to replace it with something that has a positive existence; something that is tangible, lively, and takes up time. In my case that means giving up the insulting trivialities of the blogosphere and going back to reading "books."

Now for the multiple choice quiz: which factor has the greatest beneficial effect on your comfort, endurance, and attention span when reading a book?
  1. Display size of the eReader, i.e, 7", 10", etc.
  2. Operating system of the eReader: iOs, Android, proprietary, etc.
  3. Tactile appeal. Are the edges rubber or slippery plastic?
  4. Weight and thinness.
  5. Battery life.
  6. The chair you are sitting in when reading.
  7. The "coolness" factor: when you sit down at Starbucks, does a hot babe at the next table cast furtive, but meaningful, glances at you.
  8. Percent rag content in the paper of the book.
  9. Ink chemistry.
  10. Idiotic or irrelevant marginalia left by the previous reader of the used book.
Now, while you are still cogitating, I'll insert blank lines so you can't see the answer on the screen.
______________________________________________________________________________


















 




Decided yet? The answer is of course #6, the chair. This might not be the right answer for a rubber-boned teenager who can read comfortably in any bodily position. But it's certainly the right answer for old farts or anyone who has a physical problem. I have no back problems, yet I find that 30 minutes in a crappy chair or overstuffed sofa puts me into a surly mood, even if the book is trying to be interesting.

I have gone for years at a time without one of those standard folding chairs that people put outside their RVs. I can't stand sitting in them. Even if you bought a high-end one that was comfortable, consider what it would be like trying to read outdoors: in the sun you would need a windproof parasol, made out of reflectorized mylar film. If you moved the chair into the shade of your rig, you would need to put on a hooded goose-down parka. Or ants would be crawling up your leg while you try to focus attention on the book, which you'll probably fail at anyway since there are too many other distractions outdoors.

The only way to shield yourself from these distractions and to control your environment is to read indoors. Sofas are uncomfortable. "Easy chairs" are designed to induce the catatonic state, which is the optimal attitude for watching television. 

After years on the road, have you ever visited a friend or relative in a beautiful home and felt a powerful impression of luxury and space when first walking into the house, only to discover later that all of that money has not managed to produce a decent reading chair and light? (The latter total up to $200; the rest of the house costs $600,000. And the damn toilet won't even flush right.)

In fact the only comfortable chair is the modern swiveling molded office chair, with good lumbar support, adjustable arms, and caster wheels. That probably means you are at a desk, reading. Now that you are at a desk, all of the vaunted advantages of eReaders and tablets are irrelevant. Any modern laptop or $300 netbook will do the job beautifully.

Are there really consumers out there who are so naive that they can't see the psychological gimmicks of eReaders? Once you blow some money on the gadget you are more likely to buy books from Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Apple to "justify" the gadget. And those companies are in "give 'em the razor, sell 'em the blades" mode. They want to keep you captive in their walled garden, rather than reading books downloaded on a Windows computer in which the consumer can shop around at a variety of bookstores for the best deal.

Now that we have killed off this cultural nonsense about over-rated gadgets, let's ask why Americans are so obsessed about the latest and greatest gadget, and are eager to swallow any lame excuse for another one. Is it just one more symptom of a declining middle-class standard of living? We can't afford to buy a new car without a 7 year mortgage on it, put gasoline in the car, go to the doctor, or eat out at a restaurant. But we can amuse and distract ourselves with latest electronic gadget, since they usually get better and come down in price.

Comments

Anonymous said…
There is a big advantage to ereaders if you belong to a library that has ebooks. We just "borrow" all of our books from the library rather than buying any. We can be anywhere in the U.S. and get a book from our local library!
Anonymous, you DON'T need a special gadget like Kindle, Nook, or iTampon to download a book from the library!

You simply choose the format that you want (ePub, Adobe Digital Editions, pdf, text, whatever), and download the book to your Windows PC. You might first have to download the free software to your Windows PC that will read the format in question.

You can also download a free Kindle-for-PC software for your WINDOWS PC from Amazon, and then download the book content from your library in the Kindle format. You do NOT need a Kindle hardware gadget.
Bob Giddings said…
Lol. You've never actually tried a Kindle, have you? I can agree with many of your points, but somehow they don't lead me to your conclusion. I have indeed torn out several benches to replace them with office chairs. But there is a reason why you never see a book shaped like a typewriter. Why do you think that is? :o)

There was a time when the latest technology required both book and reader be chained to a table in the scrptorium. But Gutenberg changed all that, culminating in the glory that is the paperback. Anything that is going to replace THAT is going to have something of the same shape and weight.

It is perfectly true that you don't need a Kindle to read an Ebook. Heck, you can read one start to finish on a cell phone, if that's your thing. So, on second thought,
I suggest you never try a Kindle Paperwhite. Never even go near it. Because if you do, you will become unhappy with your current arrangement. Can't have that.

By the way, the next time you are pawing around in Gutenberg.org, try out Franklin's Autobiography. There's a particular quote that comes to mind in this context:

"So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature,
since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything
one has a mind to do."

Bob
Anonymous said…
I have library cards from a number of different libraries which gives me a larger selection of ebooks.
Every library has different requirements to get a card. Some only require proper ID.
Pat said…
I agree the chair makes the reading experience much more enjoyable. But, a nice lounger outside with a view can be great. I like to take my Ipad, find a nice view, put out a nice chair and read one of the many free books online or a book from my library. Having the ability to use the online dictionary or to easily highlight the book is a big plus with ereaders.
Pat, Well of course I'm happy for you that you have what you like, but I just don't understand why you would want a view when you are outside reading. I'm having enough difficulty staying interested in the book without a good view distracting me.

The online dictionary and highlighting are NOT advantages of an eReader gadget since you can do the same thing on a Windows PC. And isn't the dictionary a cheapie version that doesn't have good etymologies?

Also, when I'm reading I like to run off to wikipedia and check on things. How do you do that on an eReader.

Bob Giddings, give up and I'll go easy on you! Not sure what you mean by "never see a book shaped like a typewriter. Why do you think that is?"

Do you mean that a notebook computer is a 16:9 HORIZONTAL rectangle, whereas most books are VERTICAL rectangles? In fact, the horizontal rectangle is superior for reading since it involves less eyeball rastering which is part of the eyestrain of reading books.
Bob Giddings said…
"Also, when I'm reading I like to run off to wikipedia and check on things. How do you do that on an eReader."

Boonie, it is painfully obvious this is an area where you are operating from a position of invincible ignorance. When reading on the Kindle, if you find a word you don't know you just press against it, and a definition pops up from your choice of downloaded dictionaries. You are given the short version, with an option for "full definition", with etymology, numerous variations, etc. You can even browse the dictionary from there if you want. You can also choose the option for "more", which gives you translation from any number of languages (alas, not yet latin or attic greek) and a link to Wikipedia.

The best part of this is that you are only a couple of presses from anything you want to know, and you get out of all that by pressing anywhere else on the page. It's about as clean an in-and-out means of reference as you could want.


"Bob Giddings, give up and I'll go easy on you! Not sure what you mean by "never see a book shaped like a typewriter. Why do you think that is?"

Lol. Well, this is not a competition. I'm just trying to let you in on something you obviously don't know anything about. What I meant is that a book is book shaped because it is easy to hold in the hand. It is not dragging a keyboard around after itself. You are not chained to the table, but can lean back and relax. You can actually lose yourself in the book and forget about the form it comes in. Just as with a paperback, only you can store a thousand of them in the same space.

If you don't want to hear it, then be your own way and blessings. But this is one of those times that even if you "win", you lose, because you have cut yourself off from a genuinely useful and pleasurable experience.

Hell, Boonie, I can read off a laptop. I can even, and have, read an entire book off a cell phone, when that is all that is available. But neither is the optimum strategy.

The Kindle Paperwhite is that strategy, but until you try it you will just have to enjoy being hard headed instead. In your case I'd say you'll have to actually buy the Kindle and read a whole book on it before you will allow yourself to let go of all the pointless barriers you have put up against the idea. But they will fall away like dry leaves if you do.


Teri said…
I disagree about the office chair being the most comfortable, I sat in one for over 25 years and prefer something else. I agree with Bob, I don't want to read sitting at a desk.
Ed said…
I don't know anything about Kindels but from what I have heard others say I probably don't need one. I don't buy books, I don't download books and don't have a desire to do either.
I find that I get along just fine by exchanging books that I have read with the RV Parks where I stay. Since I'm willing to read almost anything I can always find a trade.
My preferred reading posture is on the couch or in bed. Almost never read a book when sitting in my chair but always do when I'm using my laptop.
Unknown said…
As a gadget guy, I've been through the original Kindle, the color Nook and still have the iPad. (Gave away the Kindle and Nook.) The iPad is my eReader along with real books. The iPad is read sitting at the table or in bed. Works fine at the table. Unfortunately, the iPad weight is uncomfortable for long reads in bed.

Recently came across the Kindle Paperwhite on the internet. That could be in my future. Luck was with me when daughter Vanita was in town on business. We spent the day talking gadgets among other things -- including her Paperwhite. After a few minutes of experimenting with it and Vanita's sales pitch, it was a no brainer. (Vanita takes after this gadget guy and has had several Kindles in the past. Vanita said this is the best of the Kindles.) When I arrived at home, I ordered the Paperwhite. It will be here in time to be a Christmas present for me.
Anonymous said…
Well, I'm quite biased as you know, Boonie. I work in the ebook business, also for Amazon.com (Camperforce), and have owned eight or nine dedicated ereader gadgets. Prior to ereader devices, for many years I read on the computer screen as yo doing now.

Got my latest, the Kindle Paperwhite, on Friday. You'll have to tear it out of my cold, dead hands. 'Nuff said. :)
Ed, Teri, Lloyd, I'm amazed that there are readers who don't distinguish reading from "lounging around." I consider reading to be intense study, not recreation.
TomInBellaVista said…
enough about ereaders, How about your choice of chair? I have an office chair which I find comfortable enough and use when sitting at my permanently placed laptop (in my office), but when I want to be comfortable and surf, read, watch TV (football games, episodes of The Big Bang Theory, C-span) then it's my Ikea Poang chair, which recently replaced a reclining wingback.

I think a Poang is light enough and also stable that it could be a really good choice for an RV. Just my 2 cents.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/series/07472/#
Ed said…
I readily admit that my reading is recreation, or my preferred term 'entertainment'. The books that I read certainly don't call for nor require intense study.
If I am using a book for intense study then I don't call it reading, I call it 'studying'.
Gee Tom in Orlando, do you think this blog is where Ikea shoppers come to? Hee-hee. Just out of a perverse sense of curiosity I checked out the link! Hey, it had pretty good lumbar support, so it would probably be comfortable for reading.

But office chairs swivel, so they work far better in confined spaces. I am beginning to think that people refuse to see that because of pent-up and latent hostility to years of office work.
Bob Giddings said…
Tom, I used to have a Poang chair in my fifth wheel. Certainly it is comfortable, and the right size to slip into a trailer.

But I'm going to have to go with Boonie on this one. For about the same price, you can get a chair that raises and lowers, swivels, rolls around easily, has variable lumbar and sometimes thigh support, and of course leans back at a variety of angles. They are almost always on sale somewhere. And they last a long time.

I find it hard to sit still. Which is why I don't like reading at a desk, unless I am also writing. So a chair I can move around in and change position in, sometimes even unconsciously, suits me a lot better.

The Poang will fit some people perfectly. The office chair can be made to fit almost anyone perfectly. The typical RV dinette seat is almost guaranteed to make anyone uncomfortable over time, though changing out the cushion for firmer foam can help a lot. I've chunked at least one of the dinette seats in every trailer I've owned, and replaced it with - you got it - an office chair.

The only thing you have to watch out for is putting some carpet or rubber mat down under it. Because the little bit of rolling around you do will wear right through most vinyl pdq.
Bob Giddings, It's funny what you said about the standard RV dinette. I hadn't even spent one night in an RV when I bought my trailer. As it sat on my driveway I got it ready for the RV "Dream" that I had absolutely no experience with.

Despite being an absolute newbie, I ripped out the dinette and replaced it with an office chair and desk!
TomInBellaVista said…
I hadn't considered the swiveling aspect of an office chair in confined space. For me though the poang is way more comfortable than my office chair. My office chair doesn't have a lumbar adjustment though and my aging back demands all the comfort I can afford. The poang just happens to cradle my back perfectly. OK, time for a nap. That's another activity that the poang is well suited for. Can't recall ever falling asleep in an office chair.
XXXXX said…
I certainly see your point about sitting upright and straight in spine when one's reading is really studying. I will also highlight if I am lucky enough to own the book and also literally take notes in outline form. Not that I ever look at these notes again but because the act of doing this better impresses the content in my mind. Must be sitting upright for all of that.
However, Boonie, you love movies. A novel is nothing more than the book form and thus lighter and easier to read. (usually) Often it is much better than the movie version. So it is nice to have this level of involvement with reading as well which lends itself wonderfully to a reclining position or an upholstered lazy-boy. My favorite chair. The rocking chair version, that is.
Bob Giddings said…
A lot of what I prefer has to do with my size. I am 76 inches high and weigh between 220 and 250 lbs., depending on when you catch me. Lately I'm toward the higher end of that.

The Poang chair, for instance. Over a period of about 6 months, I found the angle of lean got greater and greater, until I was unable to actually sit up straight in it. I was just too heavy for the bent wood frame, though it took a while to find that out. Office chairs are made of sterner stuff.

Also, since I am long legged, I liked using one of those cheap adjustable height "indestructable" 4x2 outdoor tables, turned sideways so I could look directly out the window when I ate, with my back to the sink. It might have been a mite crowded for two side by side, especially if one of them was me, but I didn't have to worry about that. This table had the advantage that you could fold it up and take it outside easily.

Another thing I discovered was that my weight was hard on the usual outdoor lawn or tube chairs. 3 or 4 months was about it. I finally settled on cheap folding metal or heavy duty plastic chairs with metal frames. The sort you used to see in any school cafeteria. Very sturdy, comfortable, upright, with good molded back support. They fold flat, and cost only 5 to 7 bucks apiece. They out last cloth chairs 5 or 6 to one. I can stand on them to get on top the trailer. I never managed to break one, though they did get stolen out of the back of the truck occasionally.

I just decided if someone needed a 5 dollar chair that badly, they were welcome to it. It was very convenient to always have a chair in the truck, since I tended to ride around a lot minus the trailer.

Bob Giddings said…
Lol, Tom. In the army I learned to fall dead asleep unshaded on the hot asphalt of a busy air force runway in the middle of a bright summer day, while leaning back against a parachute with a rifle digging into my armpit.

It's a talent I've never completely lost. In fact sometimes it is still disturbingly involuntary. :o)
Anonymous said…
Boonie, I got the Pop Quiz question right! I am so relieved! Sometimes you are a stern taskmaster! I have a very comfortable office chair where I prefer to read actual books, and I read for pleasure! Linda