Reading to Learn vs. Reading for Leisure

[Sandy]

How many of you fellow bloggers read with a puporse to obtain knowledge? How many of you read as a hobbie or simply for fun?

 

I have always shied away from subjects such as investment, politics, self-help or even biographies, because I find them less enticing than ficitons. My reason for reading is solid, I want to enjoy a good story. I'm not so much of a learning reader. It makes me feel like I'm reading textbooks.

 

But what about you? Do you find spent your time reading to learn a set of skills or certain knowledge or do you read just for the fun of it?

[melydia]

I read for pleasure, but if I learn something along the way that's gravy. But I also happen to enjoy books about science and math and history. I don't necessarily need a good plot - after all, not all nonfiction has one! - but as long as it's engagingly written I'll read it. :)

[DarkMystery]

I read for pleasure, I like a good plot, memerable people and a good place to curl up with my book. I know some people who like to read self-help books, biographies and such, but to me, that's not fun. I like getting all involved in my books, the oh no he didn't, smack him girl, if I could get my hands on him, I'd kill him......are part of it. There are books that get you all emotional, like promises prevail by sarah mccarty, archon by sehrrilyn kenyon, mercurys war by lora leigh, that you need a hankie for, I love that too......

[Linda]

Depends on my mood. Sometimes it is all of the above.

[sari]

Learning is a pleasure for me, so luckily I can read and learn at the same time. I love to read about history and science. Some nonfiction reads just like fiction so if you stay away from this genre you may miss out on some really good reads.

[Mary @ The Sweet Bookshelf]

Right now I'm on a strictly all junk food reading diet. It's all brain candy for me lately. I want to read those thing that take my mind away to a different place and time.

There have been times where I have been interested in different subjects so I grab a book on it and read to learn. I feel that as long as we're reading, no matter what it is, we are learning. It's just how it works.

Mary
The Sweet Bookshelf

[Book Calendar]

I do both. I read various books on publishing, librarianship, bookstores and social media. I enjoy reading this material. I also read a variety of things for pleasure, science fiction, history, poetry, modern classics, fantasy, horror. Pretty much reading anything has value to me as I work with books.

[Shan]

I would say both. I love reading purely for pleasure. But there are so many things that I'm fascinated by that I am always trying to read more about.

I'm a history buff and an international development junkie so I love reading about those subjects. But I find when I am doing a lot of heavy reading, there is nothing better than some good old British chick lit!

Shan
http://goodbooksandacupoftea.blogspot.com

[Melissa Ward]

I read for pleasure. I love a good story. But I am also a fan of accurate historical fiction, as the history books in school were very dry and boring. So I like to learn something from a good book as well.

[Bibliotropic]

A bit of both. Mostly I go for fiction, but sometimes the bug will bit me and I'll go on non-fiction reading binges. Religion, anthropology, history, all kinds.

And though I may love nonfiction and I do learn from reading it, that doesn't mean it isn't lumped in with "reading for fun." I enjoy every minute of reading a good book, whether it's about knights and dragons or the history of women in Islam.

[Jeanie Fritzsche]

I like both. Most of my reading is fiction but currently, in addition to the novel The Heretic's Daughter, I'm listening to Malcolm Gladwell's What the Dog Saw, a collection of his essays from The New Yorker, on my iPod. When I finish The Heretic's Daughter I'll read Game Change because, let's face it, political gossip is WAY more fun than celebrity gossip!

[Emidy Shadmand]

Definitely for the fun of it! Reading is something that I do to relax and entertain myself, so I choose books that I think will fill this purpose. Ocasionally I might pick up a book to help me improve certain skills (like a digital photography book that I read a while ago) but that happens very rarely.

Emidy
Une Parole

[Rheanna Schaffer]

I read for pleasure mostly! I like the feeling of being transported away from everyday life. But then again just about everything I read inspires me or teaches me something. Whether that something be a life experience, history, job related or just something new to me it fascinates still. I get thrilled when I open up the pages to a book because it's like a whole new adventure and if I'm learning something along the way even better!

LOL=Lots Of Love
Rheanna of Try Reading My Mind