Tag: reading

Can Reading Be Passive?

Being an avid reader, I spend a lot of time thinking about books. Not only do I daydream about them but I also chat about them lots. Luckily many of my friends and colleagues are almost as obsessed with literature as I am.

My work mates are always recommending or slating books. Word of mouth is so valuable and I can see how authors benefit from people telling their friends about the novels that left a mark on them.

Whatever reading is, it definitely isn’t passive. Books are immersive experiences and it would be difficult to pick up a well written story without getting absorbed into the narrative.

Here are my three reasons why I believe that reading is an active sport.

1) Sucked In

When I read a good book, I soon become immersed in the pages. My mind wonders to the locations that are described and I lose touch with my surroundings. Not only that, but I usually lose track of time as well.

Getting sucked into the narrative is a complement to any writer. It shows that they are entertaining, intriguing and weaving a tale that distracts the reader from the monotony of their daily lives.

2) Talking Points

When people read novels and short stories that they like, they tend to want to talk about them. My friends often come in and excitedly proclaim how amazing their latest read is.

Enthusiasm is infectious. If I see someone being excited by a good book, I know that I have to read that book and fond out why it is so special.

3) Investments

If you were passively reading a book then you would not begin to empathise with the characters. This is hard to do. I certainly become invested in Joanne Harris and Liane Moriarty books and love when sequels come out.

When you are invested in storybook worlds, you cannot help but care about the main characters and want to discover what happened next in their fabricated lives.

Final Thoughts

If you love books as much as I do (and let’s face it – books are a multibillion dollar industry these days) then you will identify with the reasons I gave above.

It is impossible to passively read books because they are thought-provoking and, when written well, immerse you in their fictional landscapes, making you want to love or hate their characters.

Have you ever been sucked into a good book?

Has a character ever enraged you?

Do you think that reading can be passive?

Check out a recent review I wrote about Truly Madly Guilty by Liana Moriarty. Please also follow my blog for more book, TV and film reviews as well as climate change articles.

That Weekend Feeling

A short poem

As it is finally the weekend, I thought it would be fun to write a poem about how it makes me feel. This week has been particularly taxing and so this weekend couldn’t come quickly enough for me.

The trouble with weekends is that they go by too quickly and I spend a lot of time just getting ready for work, cleaning the house and catching up on lost sleep. I dream about the day when I can work two days a week and have a five day weekend. Maybe my blog will one day allow me to do this. I can but hope.

My Poem

You know it’s the weekend

When there is no alarm.

When you wake up whenever

And you feel very calm.

You know it’s the weekend

When you sit in your pants.

Watching Netflix TV shows,

Laughing loud at the bants.

You know it’s the weekend

When the weather turns bad.

After sunshine filled work days,

Rain and wind may seem sad.

You know it’s the weekend

When you prep for the week.

When you wash clothes and iron

Monday morning seems bleak.

In A Nutshell

Sometimes it feels like the weekend is just catching up on jobs time and preparation for the new working week time.

How do you know when it’s the weekend?

For a previous poem of mine, check out Heating Up – a poem about climate change. Perhaps also follow my blog for similar future articles.

The Truth IS Climate Change

A Climate Change Collective Link Post

Every month a different member of the Climate Change Collective group of bloggers writes about a pressing environmental issue. This month, the brilliant Transatlantic Notes covers the subject of Climate Denial which is sadly rife at the moment.

You can check out the very informative article here:

A Greener World: Debunking Myths About Climate Change

My Worries

Recently I was shocked by some of the responses I got to my posts on Twitter/ X about global warming. Some people are quick to shout down anyone who wants to promote awareness about climate change.

Similarly, certain high profile politicians are happy to deny climate change altogether. They call it a liberal load of rubbish and such like, suggesting that temperature change is natural and not related to industrialisation at all.

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The Transatlantic Notes article includes various myths that have appeared in the press and helps to squash them:

Myth 1. | The Climate Has Always Changed; It’s Normal

Yes, there has been natural climate variability throughout history, and the planet has experienced climate shifts. However, what we’re experiencing today has scientists and experts concerned. Climate change is accelerating at a much faster pace than previous natural variations.

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In A Nutshell

As a geographer who studied environmental change in the biosphere at University, I have been aware of global warming for thirty years. Only recently has it become more widely recognised, seemingly in line with heightened affects such as heatwaves, extreme weather events and flooding.

Following the misleading nonsense of climate deniers is undoing all of the good that climate protestors and scientists are doing. Hopefully, after reading the lead article you will see that there really isn’t a time or place for the denial of climate change.

Please check out the myths about climate change linked in the post above.

For another article by the Climate Change Collective of bloggers, check outWarmer weather – What’s not to like?