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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To just not enjoy reading

22 replies

KoalaPineapple · 09/01/2024 09:58

I don’t like reading.

Fiction, non-fiction, any of it really!

AIBU - reading is great!
IANBU - reading is boring!

OP posts:
Wytchy · 09/01/2024 10:00

Reading is great but if you don't enjoy reading that's fine.

So I didn't vote.

saturnspinkhoop · 09/01/2024 10:01

I love reading, but everyone is different and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Sparklesocks · 09/01/2024 10:01

its your preference of course, but reading can span many types of medium (books, audiobooks, magazines, blogs, graphic novels/comics etc) and there are so many different types of genre - so I don’t think it can all be written off as all boring.

calishire · 09/01/2024 10:02

I like reading.... the Mumsnet forum 🤣🤣

araiwa · 09/01/2024 10:03

You read mn so you must like fiction

stayathomer · 09/01/2024 10:03

I said yanbu. I’m an author and I blog about books but if you don’t like it you don’t!!

Bonjovispjs · 09/01/2024 10:04

araiwa · 09/01/2024 10:03

You read mn so you must like fiction

🤣🤣🤣

countrygirl99 · 09/01/2024 10:05

If you don't like it you don't like it. We are all different.

howdoesyourgardengrowinmay · 09/01/2024 10:06

Have you tried audio?

ManateeFair · 09/01/2024 10:17

I love reading and can't imagine my life without it - I have a book reviews blog, I get through about 70ish books every year and my degree is in English literature. But there's no reason anyone should feel obliged to read! It's just a hobby/pastime like any other - it's not somehow superior to any other activity and reading is not the only way to engage with stories or consume information.

If people want to read but don't know how to get into it or what books to start with, I'm always happy to give them advice and encouragement, but I would never try to push reading/books on anyone who simply doesn't enjoy it! I wouldn't like it if someone tried to push their hobby on to me knowing full well I wasn't interested.

DilemmaDelilah · 09/01/2024 12:31

I love reading and am never happier than when curled up with a book.
My DH really doesn't enjoy reading at all. I think he is border-line dyslexic. I have read that an inability to be able to see the pictures in the words is a symptom of this. I cannot imagine not being able to do that, but he says that he can't.
He can definitely read, and read complex words, but it does take him a little longer and he isn't happy reading anything that isn't factual. Give him a recipe book or a car manual and he's OK, but not a novel of any kind.

I wonder if this is the case for you too?

OctoblocksAssemble · 09/01/2024 12:43

I adore reading, and I write my own too. I don't visualise the text like I'm watching a movie, to me a book can do more than that. I love being behind somebody else's eyes, it's very much living vicariously and great escapism.
Probably all types of entertainment are boring to someone, but most of us like it.

Stompythedinosaur · 09/01/2024 12:48

It depends what you are reading, surely? No one enjoys reading for the sake of reading, they enjoy the content - a good story or an interesting article.

But there's no pressure to do any leisure activity that you don't enjoy.

PickledPegs · 09/01/2024 12:50

It’s my favourite thing but you’re not unreasonable for not liking something!

There are loads of activities I think are really boring which other people love (video games / long baths / shopping / keeping tropical fish / golf / watercolour painting)

HappyQuinn · 09/01/2024 12:51

I mean, anyone can like or not like anything they fancy. But I'm curious, do you enjoy films or tv shows? Is it stories you don't like, or the act of reading as opposed to having the story/information told to you in another format?

As someone has already said, mumsnet involves reading - it just isn't reading a novel, but it is still reading, and with some of the longer threads, it can take up a lot of time!

Latewinter · 09/01/2024 12:53

It's absolutely fine you don't enjoy reading but I still voted YABU because I can't imagine it 😂

My bro was never a reader but now does audiobooks in the car and reads loads. I guess he just didn't like staring at a page?

Not that it matters either way.

Isheabastard · 09/01/2024 13:11

I’m a massive bookworm. When I had my Dd I just assumed one day we would be sharing books we loved. But sadly no, reading didn’t do it for her.

Which is fine, everyone to their own. Then when she was about 22 she rang me and told me she’d just finished a book which she had loved.

She then said she somehow felt sad that she had finished the book and was no longer in that authors world. She asked if that was normal and I said yes, yes yes.

So I’m of the camp that thinks you just haven’t found the right book yet. It doesn’t matter if it’s magazines or anime or pulp fiction - if it thrills you and moves you - that’s all that matters.

Hankunamatata · 09/01/2024 13:12

I love a story so like reading. Have you tried audiobooks? Love listening to one while doing something mundane or playing games on phone

MeMyBooksAndMyCats · 09/01/2024 13:15

I love reading, but not everyone likes it.

You may like motorsports, where as I don't everyone's different.

Newrumpus · 09/01/2024 13:23

I used to be an avid reader - have a Literature degree - used to be a preferred way to pass time. Following a personal trauma, I found it difficult to enjoy reading and then found out that I am aphantasic which has made getting back into reading even more difficult. I feel bereft though as I know how much pleasure and comfort I got from reading in the past.

KimberleyClark · 09/01/2024 13:29

I love it. That feeling when you’re really enjoying your book and can’t wait to get back to it.

Circularargument · 09/01/2024 13:34

KoalaPineapple · 09/01/2024 09:58

I don’t like reading.

Fiction, non-fiction, any of it really!

AIBU - reading is great!
IANBU - reading is boring!

I love reading, and think you're missing out, but if you don't, you don't. It's taste, no reasonable or unreasonable about it.

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