He even made the point that sometimes we can't even remember if we've read a book or not. Since that recently happened to me - with Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods - I found myself seriously thinking about this issue. Does quality reading only happen when you remember the details of a book?
There are certain books I remember more than others. For some, it's because I've read them multiple times (Harry Potter); for others, something about them captured me so completely that images and feelings are stamped on my brain (Fingersmith). Yet those two reasons don't feel sufficient because I've read Gaiman and Pratchett's Good Omens many, many times but the details of it elude me, and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier rocked my world, but I can't recount the plot step by step or name all of the characters. I very, very rarely remember the details of a book, and the longer the time span, the less I remember.
This could be fixed. I could read less, read slower, annotate more, think more about what I'm reading. I know the tricks of memory as far as burning a book into your brain. That's studying...school if you will...and I'm good at school. But my question isn't how to engage in more quality reading; my question is is it necessary or beneficial in any way? Does remembering the details of books benefit your life?
My thoughts are a confused mess on the subject. My gut reaction is that this sort of reading, study and memorization, has its place, but for the most part, reading is a pleasurable activity which need not be taken so seriously. Then my geek brain kicks in and reminds me how annoyed I get when people read a book without even trying to "get it". While I may not remember the details of a book after reading, I do remember themes and impressions and feelings, the more abstract, universal importance type issues. And I do not believe that skimming and skipping through books counts as reading. I have actual finished books without putting them on my yearly book list because while I may have turned the last page, I probably only really read 1/2 the book. I wasn't engaged, I wasn't reading every word, and as such I wasn't "reading" the book.
So I guess I'm stuck in the middle on this question. I do believe that we should read carefully enough to engage with and understand the story, but I do not believe that remembering quotes, plot details, character names, etc. is necessary for good reading. What about you? Do you think that memory plays a role in quality reading?
Ha! I remember so very little it is scary. That is one reason why I started blogging...just to record my thoughts! But I still feel like I am having quality reading at the time I'm reading the book. I don't believe it has anything to do with how carefully I read. I just think that we have ten million things going on in our lives, and we can only retain so much detail. Generally the best I can do is remember a few plot points, and whether I liked the book or not!
ReplyDeleteInteresting topic! I generally remember, like you said, the themes, impressions, and feelings of a book. But I rarely remember details. In fact, I usually forget details so quickly that I absolutely HAVE to take notes for book club books. Even in teaching literature, I have to re-read chapters as closely as possible to the day I teach. It's very strange. I probably do have some kind of memory issues, but it's nice to hear that I'm not the only one!
ReplyDeleteA couple weeks ago I wrote a Salon on a very similar subject, about how my memory of a book is affected by how slowly a read a book and not at all by how I liked it. Didn't know if you saw it because I think it might have been in the bad time...anyway, i just thought it was intersting that you're discoursing on a similar subject. :)
ReplyDeleteIf I have to remember every book for my reading to be considered quality, I'm in trouble! It's not because I rush through books -- though sometimes, of course, I do. I'm like that about everything, really...events, movies, places... I remember general impressions, but almost never the details. For me it's just important to spend a little more time with a book than it takes to read it. That's part of why I blog, just to make myself consider the book once I've finished it. I also go through passages I've marked and write some of them down in a notebook; those quotes are what later help me remember a book.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting topic!
This is a really good question for a "literary amnesiac." It's remarkable (without the positive connotations of that word) how quickly a book begins to fade from my memory after I've read it. I'm just like the other commenters--a big reason for blogging is so I can "remember" more about the book. Otherwise, I usually remember whether I liked a book or not (but I often don't remember why), and maybe I remember a few characters or plot points, but that's about it.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't think this has anything to do with the quality of my reading experience. (It's more about the quality of my memory.) I don't think it's because I'm rushing through my reading. In fact, I think my poor memory has a good side effect: it allows me to enjoy a re-read more than I might if I remembered more about the book!
I am the same as Sandy. I started blogging to remember books better, because they are GONE in about 2 weeks! I may even remember that I *loved* a book, but what happened in it? Forget it! Or should I say, forGOT it! :--) It is very annoying!!! But it doesn't mean I didn't love it WHILE I was reading it. (And by the way, the blogging option didn't help as much as I hoped, since you can't put spoilers in, so you can't REALLY say what happened, plus you can't really say ALL the things that happened, so a summary doesn't really do it for me as much as I had hoped!) So I don't know, I guess what it all means is that I get to read good books again. I just wish that I didn't have to (since there is so much out there I want to read even for the first time).
ReplyDeleteI don't think remembering facts and characters and plot are necessarily important for "getting" a book. I think I tend to agree with you -- themes and impressions are more important than the kinds of fact you get tested on in school.
ReplyDeleteI notice that I do remember more about the specifics of books since I don't read 50-70 a year. lol BUT, I still want to read 50-70+ a year for totally selfish, book gluttony purposes. I don't think it really matters, though. I think we remember some books because they hit us in a certain way or come into our lives at a certain time. Others just aren't as important to us. I don't think we have to "study" books to have good reading experiences.
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't think good memory is necessary for a good reading experience. BUT, once I've read a book over and over and I know it like the back of my hand (such as Harry Potter :p), it does make it fun in ways that new books aren't. But I wouldn't want all my books to be comfort reads.
ReplyDeleteI'm so relieved that we're having this conversation...I wish I could remember details more but as I read your post and then the other comments, I was struck by the fact that readers remember the things that struck them, the points they analyzed, their evaluations and their impressions...that kind of knowledge is actually a much higher level of thinking than remembering the details...maybe we remember more than we think we do...but what we remember is so deeply ingrained that we don't even realize we remember it?
ReplyDeleteI hope I'm making some sense bc I think I might have just confused myself ;)
This is an interesting thing to think about. I'm guilty of not remembering many of the details of a book I read but I don't think that diminishes the pleasure I got from reading it. Some books (even as I'm reading them) I know will be very forgettable. They are like "candy" books. Others are so good that I wish I could forget them so I can have the experience of reading them anew, if that makes any sense. I think think the pure pleasure you get from reading is enough. I don't need to take notes or remember everything about it.
ReplyDeleteI remember lots of details in the books I read but I don't feel like the amount of details I read is enough. For example I read Someone Else's Garden two weeks ago and I remember the themes, the impressions, the plot, but I don't remember the characters' names! That bothers me.
ReplyDeleteI do think that remembering the details of a book benefits my life. I'm often inspired by what I read or maybe something I read answers a question that I didn't know I had. I can't have that inspiration without remembering the details.
I remember very little of what I read, which is actually why I started the blog, to help me remember what I loved and hated in a particular book. Like you, certain scenes from books are burned into my brain, but overall, I think I really only remember bits and pieces.
ReplyDeleteI do think if I wasn't reading at a breakneck pace I would remember and also savor more of what Ir read, but overall, I am not displeased with the amount that I forget because it just means that I can reread and enjoy it all over again!
I definitely don't think quality reading depends on remembering the details of a book. I'm all for slowing down and taking the time to really enjoy a book, but I find that I define quality reading as being able to get absorbed in a book in the moment more than how much I remember of it days, months, or even years later. Sure there are great books that I happen to remember the details of, but it's enough for me to consider a book a good read if I can remember the feeling it gave me when I was reading it.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any scientific proof to support this, but I think I only remember the things that are important. For example, if a theme of a particular book struck a personal nerve in me, then I'll probably remember it and think about it in the future.
ReplyDeleteI do, however, seem to quickly forget about the books I read purely for entertainment. :)
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ReplyDeleteI'm like you Trisha. Sometimes both are necessary, and often I wish I had more time to spend on a particular (usually non-fiction!) book, but usually a quick read is all I care about. I can always come back to it if I want more right?
ReplyDeleteIt is impossible to remember most details everytime we read. Sure we can do that but it requires effort on our part. Recreational reading is different from analytical reading, and not every book we read is worth our effort in trying to remember details.
ReplyDeleteI highly suggest reading the book titled "How to read a book" by Mortimar J Adler. It goes indepth into how to go about reading a book and getting the most out of it. :) Like the book says, reading a book through once is never enough if you want to get the most out of it.
http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Touchstone-book/dp/0671212095