h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Being a student from Russia I have to make a research devoted to the subject that sounds as "the role of reading in life of English people". I ask you for help! Tell there please what is your attitude to reading, what kind of books do you prefer to read, what does reading mean for you. Everything you like! I will love all your ideas and thoughts! Thank you beforehand!

When I was quite young my parents discovered that the best way to keep me quiet was to sit me down with a good book. I've been an avid reader ever since. My fiction works range from classics to modern novels. (I inherited a number of works by Charles Dickens and I have a few novels by Russian authors. I've read War and Peace at least six times, but I didn't appreciate Anna Karenin until I read it again a few years ago.) My favourite authors include Dick Francis (crime, mostly in the world of horse racing), Wilbur Smith (adventure in and around Africa), Frederick Forsyth (thrillers/espionage) and J. R. R. Tolkien. I have more than 1000 books, including reference works. I have almost as many non-fiction as fiction, with favourite topics being history and travel/exploration before World War II.

When I go on holiday I always take at least 3 books with me, sometimes as many as five. I read for relaxation and for education. I prefer to look things up in an encyclopedia, rather than online, although there is a good chance that I'll get distracted by little bits of information on the way. Perhaps that's why I like encyclopedias so much!

If you want to know anything else, let me know. It might also be a good idea to post this on the Ask h2g2 forum.

I try to avoid Reading. It's a dump.

RF

Posted By: Tonyfreddy
'I try to avoid Reading. It's a dump.'

Its motorway services are fairly clean though.


i enjoy reading immensely. Anything by DNA (obviously) the Discworld series, and lately the works of Mitch albom.

I use it for insperation, and self reflection on a deeper level, but gernerally, it's and opportunity for me to relax

Hi Allita,

I'm living in the UK (if that makes any difference) and I've always loved animal books (horse stories have always been a favourite), fantasy and some science fiction.

Watership Down, Black Beauty - Timeless classics.

Black Stallion, Silver Brumby - Two series that I loved as a child.

Nowadays I read less than I used to. I've been reading more awful novels from authors such as Jilly Cooper, and dipping in and out of a comfortably gentle fantasy/sci fi series by Anne McCaffrey about the people and dragons of Pern. I enjoy her other more sci fi work too.

I read for escapism. Escapist pleasure. Reading a book is, to me, completely immersing myself in the world the author has created. If I dont mind putting the book down, I probably wont end up finishing it unless I've nothing else to do.

Mainly SF and Fantasy here, Allita.

Although I do read biographies/autobiographies if the person is someone I like, Peter Sellars, Spike Milligan et al.

I also love poetry and have read that to my children for many years.

I like crime fiction, too, Ellis Peters (Cadfael), Colin Dexter (Morse), Agatha Christie, James Paterson. Loads of 'em.

I enjoy reading, mainly in the evening, but during the summer I can read anytime - so long as I'm sat in the sun with cold drink beside me (and don't need to do the gardening )