Comments on: The Book a Day Challenge! http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:32:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: 100 Good Ideas « Scott H Young http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-938343 100 Good Ideas « Scott H Young Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:33:45 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/#comment-938343 [...] Read more [...] [...] Read more [...]

]]> By: SelpHelpSkeptic http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-385822 SelpHelpSkeptic Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:01:38 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/#comment-385822 You are able to read a book-a-day because you are reading books for information (as opposed to recreation) that are rather "easy reads". Try reading Dostoyevsky or my biochemistry textbook in one day. You can't. Reading fiction in one day is pointless because fiction, good fiction, is designed for meaning, desription, word play, style, substance, themes, etc. All this is meant to be digested and read word-for-word to appreciate the prose. I am sorry, I can agree with you on this post. There is no point in trying to read fast unless you learning speed reading in order to gain information quickly, for example, on-the-job. This cultural bragging of "I read that book in two days" that seems popular, means that people aren't really 'reading' - they are skimming. If you want to a cursory understanding of the detail of what you have read, then for sure, read it fast, however, reading for enrichment is almost never a fast thing. You are able to read a book-a-day because you are reading books for information (as opposed to recreation) that are rather “easy reads”.
Try reading Dostoyevsky or my biochemistry textbook in one day. You can’t.

Reading fiction in one day is pointless because fiction, good fiction, is designed for meaning, desription, word play, style, substance, themes, etc. All this is meant to be digested and read word-for-word to appreciate the prose.

I am sorry, I can agree with you on this post. There is no point in trying to read fast unless you learning speed reading in order to gain information quickly, for example, on-the-job.

This cultural bragging of “I read that book in two days” that seems popular, means that people aren’t really ‘reading’ – they are skimming.

If you want to a cursory understanding of the detail of what you have read, then for sure, read it fast, however, reading for enrichment is almost never a fast thing.

]]> By: Scott H Young » Book A Day Challenge Complete! http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-196792 Scott H Young » Book A Day Challenge Complete! Tue, 27 May 2008 17:18:57 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/#comment-196792 [...] those of you who missed my initial post, I had previously decided to take on a temporary “Book A Day” challenge. I had borrowed eight [...] [...] those of you who missed my initial post, I had previously decided to take on a temporary “Book A Day” challenge. I had borrowed eight [...]

]]> By: Kevin http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-153213 Kevin Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:19:27 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/#comment-153213 Something else to consider is to take a little time to digest the material. I find that when I write and try to summarize the chapter or the important points the book makes on different topics, I learn more from the book and notice more points overall than if I had just read it. I think a book a day is a great goal, but I wonder if the number of things a person can really learn from a book is proportional to the amount of time spent digesting and processing the points in the different topics the book brings up. I find that I learn more from the book on the second reading than on the first - ever thought about reading a really good book again? Something else to consider is to take a little time to digest the material. I find that when I write and try to summarize the chapter or the important points the book makes on different topics, I learn more from the book and notice more points overall than if I had just read it.

I think a book a day is a great goal, but I wonder if the number of things a person can really learn from a book is proportional to the amount of time spent digesting and processing the points in the different topics the book brings up. I find that I learn more from the book on the second reading than on the first – ever thought about reading a really good book again?

]]> By: Scott Young http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Scott Young Wed, 29 Mar 2006 13:20:57 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/#comment-55 Yes, I agree that normally a book a day just wouldn't be feasable given most of our schedules. My past habit was a book a week, but after going through this trial midway I think I can reasonably step that up to 2. I'm on schedule with the trial at 4 books over 4 days so far. I took two days to read the Google Story. So I suppose that might be considered a violation of the trial. I really liked the book, and I decided reading it a bit more slowly would do it justice. I caught up by reading another book later that day. I'm away from the internet for the next three days, so when I'm done I'll update you guys on how the challenge went! -Scott Yes, I agree that normally a book a day just wouldn’t be feasable given most of our schedules. My past habit was a book a week, but after going through this trial midway I think I can reasonably step that up to 2.

I’m on schedule with the trial at 4 books over 4 days so far.

I took two days to read the Google Story. So I suppose that might be considered a violation of the trial. I really liked the book, and I decided reading it a bit more slowly would do it justice. I caught up by reading another book later that day.

I’m away from the internet for the next three days, so when I’m done I’ll update you guys on how the challenge went!

-Scott

]]> By: Gleb Reys http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-54 Gleb Reys Wed, 29 Mar 2006 08:03:32 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/#comment-54 It would be great to be able to consume so much of information, but I agree that some books are light reading and others are not. So my personal realistic expectation would be more like 1 book a week. Even then I find it hard because depending on a book it takes me 8-12 hours to read it, and I can't always get this much out of a planned ahead week. Do let us know how you progress, Scott! It would be great to be able to consume so much of information, but I agree that some books are light reading and others are not. So my personal realistic expectation would be more like 1 book a week. Even then I find it hard because depending on a book it takes me 8-12 hours to read it, and I can’t always get this much out of a planned ahead week.

Do let us know how you progress, Scott!

]]> By: Scott Young http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-42 Scott Young Sun, 26 Mar 2006 19:15:10 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/#comment-42 The only problem with the idea is that a "book" is a widely varied amount of reading. It is an interesting challenge, but books are a hundred pages of light reading and others are a thousand pages of dense text. I would worry that such a specific goal as a "book a day" might make you avoid reading some of the denser material. Still, a goal for a specific amount of reading, like a total of an hour or two per day, or a certain amount of pages, would definitely be worthwhile. It would be cool to say you read a book every day, though? Imagine that. In ten years you will have read 3600 books! The only problem with the idea is that a “book” is a widely varied amount of reading. It is an interesting challenge, but books are a hundred pages of light reading and others are a thousand pages of dense text. I would worry that such a specific goal as a “book a day” might make you avoid reading some of the denser material.

Still, a goal for a specific amount of reading, like a total of an hour or two per day, or a certain amount of pages, would definitely be worthwhile.

It would be cool to say you read a book every day, though? Imagine that. In ten years you will have read 3600 books!

]]> By: Matthew Bennett http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-41 Matthew Bennett Sun, 26 Mar 2006 18:48:34 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/#comment-41 wouldn't it be great to get into a habit like that though, constantly? A bit like your daily run or physical workout, to have a daily, or weekly or whatever reading or knowledge 'workout'. I'll have a think about how I could do something like that. wouldn’t it be great to get into a habit like that though, constantly? A bit like your daily run or physical workout, to have a daily, or weekly or whatever reading or knowledge ‘workout’. I’ll have a think about how I could do something like that.

]]> By: Scott Young http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-39 Scott Young Sun, 26 Mar 2006 17:55:09 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/#comment-39 The point of the challenge isn't really to set in a reading habit of one book per day. I don't really think that would be sustainable. Maybe two books per week on most weeks, but 7 might be a bit much... I am personally doing it just as a personal stretch. Identifying areas of challenge to push yourself a little further leaves you expanded as a result. Besides, it will be interesting to see if I can pull it off. I still have 250 pages of Darwin's Ghost to read today.... Thanks for the comments -Scott The point of the challenge isn’t really to set in a reading habit of one book per day. I don’t really think that would be sustainable. Maybe two books per week on most weeks, but 7 might be a bit much…

I am personally doing it just as a personal stretch. Identifying areas of challenge to push yourself a little further leaves you expanded as a result. Besides, it will be interesting to see if I can pull it off. I still have 250 pages of Darwin’s Ghost to read today….

Thanks for the comments
-Scott

]]> By: Matthew Bennett http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-38 Matthew Bennett Sun, 26 Mar 2006 12:59:51 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2006/03/25/the-book-a-day-challenge/#comment-38 My local library's miles away so I don't go there very often at all but I am starting to build up a bit of a personal library on certain topics. The next one, for which I have ordered about 20 books from amazon, is about economics, business and investing, so your idea of trying to read one a day is timed reallly nicely. This has happened to me with all of those great books that for some reason just 'do it' for you but I agree it's a good little objective to try and consciously acheive. For most books, I find the knowledge comes from reading them again and again. One a day as a first read is a great idea :) Then maybe choose which ones to read more in depth at the rate of one a week or with a bit more time. My local library’s miles away so I don’t go there very often at all but I am starting to build up a bit of a personal library on certain topics. The next one, for which I have ordered about 20 books from amazon, is about economics, business and investing, so your idea of trying to read one a day is timed reallly nicely. This has happened to me with all of those great books that for some reason just ‘do it’ for you but I agree it’s a good little objective to try and consciously acheive. For most books, I find the knowledge comes from reading them again and again. One a day as a first read is a great idea :) Then maybe choose which ones to read more in depth at the rate of one a week or with a bit more time.

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