6 ms·

I read at 146 words per minute, and that is average text. I probably read slower when the material is hard. Over the past year or so I went through roughly 90%

I read at 146 words per minute, and that is average text. I probably read slower when the material is hard. Over the past year or so I went through roughly 90% of Plato's work (like, really), The Quran (partially), On the Nature of Things, Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, Discourses by Epictetus, How to Read by M. Adler, Alchemy of Happiness by Ghazalli, etc.... I also read several short text including James Allen, Xenophon, etc... Currently I am reading Jacques Rousseau, and getting back soon to Adam Smith Wealth of Nations... I also started but did not finish yet the Communist Manifesto, How we think (slightly), Prior Analytics (slightly) and perhaps my hardest read ever, Suma Theologica. I am 100% sure I forgot a couple of books I read. Many of these writings I re-read a few times because they are hard to grasp for me. AT 146 words/minute. I am an inefficient reader, and I never knew it. I am going to thoroughly research ways to improve this.

smalltalk 13y ago
What does this post have to do with the topic? Why do we care what you've read over the past year? No one cares and you're not that special. Other people read too.
graeme 13y ago
I like spreeder: http://www.spreeder.com/ http://www.spreeder.com/ Set the chunk size to three for best effect. Just gradually increase it each time, and also try using it occasionally with the speed far too fast. You'll get used to subvocalizing less, and reading multiple words at once. Of course, for complex texts like the ones you read, it's natural to read much slower. I read 600 WPM for most internet articles, but I'm sure I wouldn't read plato that fast, nor as continuously.
- WalterGR 13y ago
  Since I don't find RSVP mentioned in the comments here: That technique is called Rapid Serial Visual Presentation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_Serial_Visual_Presentation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_Serial_Visual_Presentatio... (The Wikipedia article should mention saccades (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccade http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccade) but strangely it doesn't.) I wrote an RSVP reader in the mid-to-late 90s in QuickBasic. I'll have to see if I can dig up that code. :)
  - lectrick 13y ago
    That's odd. I wrote an RSVP reader in the exact same timeframe in RealBASIC, for a Cornell Psych class (I got an A). I am still annoyed that things like the Kindle don't have that mode.
- inovator 13y ago
  maybe it's just me but I feel like I have a stutter thought when I read using that. It's just doesnt feel right; I think books/articles reading will be less enjoyable if I'd have to use it.
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
  - graeme 13y ago
    I agree. I use it as a training tool, not for pleasure. I found it increased my paper reading speed, without reducing enjoyment or comprehension.
  - calinet6 13y ago
    The duration needs to be based on syllables, otherwise the rhythm is totally off. Has anyone made a syllabic RSVP reader before? Might be interesting to see how much more natural it would be (my hunch is "a lot").
JasonFruit 13y ago
None of those are works that should be speed-read. Thomas Aquinas, Plato, Epictetus, the Qur'an, and (above all) the Bible should be rolled around the mouth, tasted deeply, and either made a part of you or thoroughly spit out if they are found indigestible. If your mechanical reading speed is the limiting factor in reading these works, you're doing it wrong.
- gavinpc 13y ago
  I agree, but god damn, I am jealous. I have two small children and I've finished one book this year. (Coders at Work by Peter Siebel, I highly recommend it.) My wife reads 10x faster than I do but completely eschews the kind of reading I like (viz, literature). But of course, now that, y'know, she has kids too, her overall reading speed is strangely reduced as well. Anyway, at a first glance I found the line coloring helpful.
  - JasonFruit 13y ago
    I have three small children, and I heartily sympathize. Any reading I do comes out of much-needed sleeping time.
- rokhayakebe 13y ago
  Plato is mostly dialogues and it is only hard in the sense that I have to extract the philosophy out of the text, plus Socrates goes around and around. Epictetus is ok as well, the text is simple to read, and I found myself taking many notes and comparing his text to others. Modern interpretation of the Quran with commentary is helpful, the thing about it being that each chapter is somewhat separated from the rest. Bible, I picked than put it back down with humility because I just knew I could not grasp it. Aquinas is hard to follow, imo he is a logician before a theologian and I know nothing of the first and very little of the second science. However I am very interested in the subject of his writing. I agree it is "accidentally" mechanical reading although my goal is "understanding." I just started to read heavily the past 2 years and this is my beginner's eagerness.
  - 13y ago
kingmanaz 13y ago
If you're not reading these works purely for edification then I assume you are working through a Great Books curriculum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_books http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_books ). Congratulations. The trouble will soon be finding anyone to with which discuss what you've read, especially if you work in technology where ideas are assumed to have a shelf life. Being well read can be alienating. In terms of increasing reading speed, you may want to try the utility "dictator" for those texts which are electronic. For physical books I would run a finger under text to maintain momentum as Adler suggested in "How To Read a Book". Make notes in the text, being sure to use a custom set of symbols to speed notation. Write concise thoughts in the margin, don't go overboard. Good luck.
- rokhayakebe 13y ago
  I am definitely going through the G.B., with other writings from Middle Eastern background. It started when I was researching Islamic & Western texts on a particular subject and similarities. Somewhere along I happened upon Adler's book on How to Read. I agree on having no one to discuss it with, but it's ok, "I am having a discussion with the authors on the margins." If you are going through the list I'll be more than happy to have a long term dialogue (email in profile).

smalltalk 13y ago

What does this post have to do with the topic? Why do we care what you've read over the past year? No one cares and you're not that special. Other people read too.

graeme 13y ago

I like spreeder: http://www.spreeder.com/ http://www.spreeder.com/ Set the chunk size to three for best effect. Just gradually increase it each time, and also try using it occasionally with the speed far too fast. You'll get used to subvocalizing less, and reading multiple words at once. Of course, for complex texts like the ones you read, it's natural to read much slower. I read 600 WPM for most internet articles, but I'm sure I wouldn't read plato that fast, nor as continuously.

WalterGR 13y ago
Since I don't find RSVP mentioned in the comments here: That technique is called Rapid Serial Visual Presentation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_Serial_Visual_Presentation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_Serial_Visual_Presentatio... (The Wikipedia article should mention saccades (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccade http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccade) but strangely it doesn't.) I wrote an RSVP reader in the mid-to-late 90s in QuickBasic. I'll have to see if I can dig up that code. :)
- lectrick 13y ago
  That's odd. I wrote an RSVP reader in the exact same timeframe in RealBASIC, for a Cornell Psych class (I got an A). I am still annoyed that things like the Kindle don't have that mode.
inovator 13y ago
maybe it's just me but I feel like I have a stutter thought when I read using that. It's just doesnt feel right; I think books/articles reading will be less enjoyable if I'd have to use it.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- graeme 13y ago
  I agree. I use it as a training tool, not for pleasure. I found it increased my paper reading speed, without reducing enjoyment or comprehension.
- calinet6 13y ago
  The duration needs to be based on syllables, otherwise the rhythm is totally off. Has anyone made a syllabic RSVP reader before? Might be interesting to see how much more natural it would be (my hunch is "a lot").

JasonFruit 13y ago

None of those are works that should be speed-read. Thomas Aquinas, Plato, Epictetus, the Qur'an, and (above all) the Bible should be rolled around the mouth, tasted deeply, and either made a part of you or thoroughly spit out if they are found indigestible. If your mechanical reading speed is the limiting factor in reading these works, you're doing it wrong.

gavinpc 13y ago
I agree, but god damn, I am jealous. I have two small children and I've finished one book this year. (Coders at Work by Peter Siebel, I highly recommend it.) My wife reads 10x faster than I do but completely eschews the kind of reading I like (viz, literature). But of course, now that, y'know, she has kids too, her overall reading speed is strangely reduced as well. Anyway, at a first glance I found the line coloring helpful.
- JasonFruit 13y ago
  I have three small children, and I heartily sympathize. Any reading I do comes out of much-needed sleeping time.
rokhayakebe 13y ago
Plato is mostly dialogues and it is only hard in the sense that I have to extract the philosophy out of the text, plus Socrates goes around and around. Epictetus is ok as well, the text is simple to read, and I found myself taking many notes and comparing his text to others. Modern interpretation of the Quran with commentary is helpful, the thing about it being that each chapter is somewhat separated from the rest. Bible, I picked than put it back down with humility because I just knew I could not grasp it. Aquinas is hard to follow, imo he is a logician before a theologian and I know nothing of the first and very little of the second science. However I am very interested in the subject of his writing. I agree it is "accidentally" mechanical reading although my goal is "understanding." I just started to read heavily the past 2 years and this is my beginner's eagerness.
- 13y ago

kingmanaz 13y ago

If you're not reading these works purely for edification then I assume you are working through a Great Books curriculum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_books http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_books ). Congratulations. The trouble will soon be finding anyone to with which discuss what you've read, especially if you work in technology where ideas are assumed to have a shelf life. Being well read can be alienating. In terms of increasing reading speed, you may want to try the utility "dictator" for those texts which are electronic. For physical books I would run a finger under text to maintain momentum as Adler suggested in "How To Read a Book". Make notes in the text, being sure to use a custom set of symbols to speed notation. Write concise thoughts in the margin, don't go overboard. Good luck.

rokhayakebe 13y ago
I am definitely going through the G.B., with other writings from Middle Eastern background. It started when I was researching Islamic & Western texts on a particular subject and similarities. Somewhere along I happened upon Adler's book on How to Read. I agree on having no one to discuss it with, but it's ok, "I am having a discussion with the authors on the margins." If you are going through the list I'll be more than happy to have a long term dialogue (email in profile).