Scanning, skimming, and deep reading

Found some good food for thought in this nice little essay on the "three types of reading."

Years ago, I was taught by teachers who expected me to read the whole book. Not just the Cliff's Notes! This essay really captures the mental gear shifting I do with different types of books. And that perhaps my penchant for long podcasts is not as damaging to the future of deep reading as once thought.

https://bigthink.com/mini-philosophy/the-3-types-of-reading-and-the-2-youll-pick...

>1 BooksAndBytes: Thank you for sharing that article. I now know why I'm a "slow" reader. Most fiction I read is for that immersive experience, the kind of fiction where I want to re-read lines, paragraphs, sometimes chapters. I do also skim and scan, no doubt--usually new articles. And certainly 10 top lists.

Callooh! Callay! ha

One type of reading, and...two things that aren't reading.

>3 St._Troy: eh. Lame gatekeeping.

Reading is reading. Not everything requires the same depth of concentration.

>1 BooksAndBytes: Interesting article, thanks. I'd say our expectaions of a book have been changing for some time. I think with books I'm a slow reader, but I read to make-up for years of not reading, and this is what makes reading and books fun for me.

>3 St._Troy: 😁

I'm with >3 St._Troy:.

Just reading the text illustrates >3 St._Troy:'s point

"Of course, scanning misses a lot. It misses the details and the texture "

"Skimming is the slightly fleshier version of the scan. The skimmer will read a few lines then jump a bit or flow along without really processing. "

and then we come to this bit

"Sometimes, reading should be fun. Skimming keeps it that way."



The historian James Burke said, "When you read a book, you hold another's mind in your hands".

Mr. Thomson says, "When you scan a book, you pay no mind to what you are holding in your hands".

Mr. Thomson says, "When you skim a book, you are holding bound printed paper in your hands".

Mr. Thomson says, "When you read a book it's no fun."

:-)