Filipino ReaderCon 2012 Filipino Fridays [3]: Reading Habits and Book Formats

Reading Habits and Book Formats. Where and how do you read? Can you read anywhere and everywhere, or do you need a certain place/mood/state of mind to get reading? Do you read more in the morning or at night or any minute that you can? Where and how do you usually read? Are you exclusively for print, or do you go for ebooks more than print? Have you ever tried audiobooks?

Because my day job requires a lot of reading, and because I spent a great, big chunk of my academic years reading, I think I've developed an ability - talent? - for doing it practically anywhere. Back when I would travel everyday from my hometown in Laguna to Manila and back, I would use the one- to one-and-a-half hours of travel time to read (or sleep, it depends). And since I'm a busybusybusy careerwoman/wife/mother, every minute counts.

But my most favorite time of day to do leisure reading is at bedtime. It's the peace and quiet, when my little girl is asleep and my husband is busy doing some stuff for work that is the most conducive atmosphere for me to do some really good reading.

As for the book formats, I used to be a purist - I didn't want to get a bookish gadget because it takes away the experience of holding a good book in your hands, the smell and feel of the paper between your fingers, and all that. But I eventually got a Kindle (secondhand, from my boss) when I realized the convenience it offers. When I want to read a book so badly and it's not yet locally available, I look it up on the internet and, chances are, a digital edition would be there to satiate my eagerness to read. Also, having an ebook reader helps a lot with my problem regarding shelf space which, at the moment, is practically zilch. I'm a terrible book hoarder, and I'm usually not willing to let go of books just so I could make space for those that I will acquire or have recently acquired. And while I concede that there is nothing that can compare to the over-all experience of having a print copy (and especially since I plan on building a home library in the near future), I also find nothing wrong with avoiding the inconvenience of zero shelf space to accommodate new print books and at the same time, taking advantage of the convenience offered by the "Buy with one click" button on the internet. Anyway, for my favorite books, I can't not buy a print copy anyway, so.

Audiobooks, I've yet to try, and I don't think I will soon.