How do you read?
I get frequent questions—from readers and interviewers—asking me whether I read. My initial response is always, “What, are you crazy?”, but I usually suppress this in favor of something more politic, like, “How can anybody not read?”
People do (not read, I mean), of course, horrifying as this concept is (my husband once had an employee who told him that her daughter had to read a book for school and so she had rented a copy for the child. Having been in her house, I’d noticed that she owned no books (totally creepy), but to have no idea of what or where the public library is?). But come on—to ask a professional novelist whether he or she reads?
Now, I do hear from other novelists who say that they can’t read books in their own genre, or can’t read while actively writing, and that makes some sense (I don’t read time-travel books, myself). But if you don’t read something, how do you refine your sensibilities, improve your craft, or merely fill up your creative well by listening to the lyrical song of someone else’s words?
Let’s put it this way: If there are any novelists who just don’t read, I probably don’t want to read what they write.
A refinement of the “Do you read?” question comes along every now and then, and this one is kind of interesting: “HOW do you read? I used to love reading, but now I have a job, kids, a house, etc., and I just seem to have no time to read anymore. I know you have a busy life, too, so I just wanted to ask, how do you manage to read?”
Now, that’s a question of logistics, isn’t it? So I took a look at “how” I read, physically. Because I do read pretty much all the time, and normally consume 3-4 books a week (lots more, when traveling), not counting whatever I’m reading for research. So how does it work?
Well, for starters, I always have at least one book within reach. If you’re accustomed to only reading in your favorite chair, when you have two or three hours of leisure, with a good light on and a glass of sweet tea beside you, then yeah, having a family is going to inhibit you some. I read everywhere. All the time.
I have a book on the counter while I’m cooking; I can’t (or shouldn’t {cough}) read while chopping vegetables, but I can certainly read while tearing up lettuce, sautéing garlic, or browning meat—and once something’s on the stove or in the oven, I just need to be there. No problem in reading while waiting for things to brown, cook, simmer, etc. (actually, I do pushups on my kitchen counter while reading during kitchen lag-time—I can read the back Op-Ed page of the Wall Street Journal and do 75 pushups (the sissy kind; I have weak wrists) while waiting for the dogs to eat their breakfast. (Why am I waiting for dogs to eat? Because the fat one eats faster and will muscle his brother out of the last quarter of his meal if I’m not watching)).
I have dogs; my son has dogs, and brings them down with him when he comes to visit. I take the rest of the Wall Street Journal to my office with me and whenever the dogs need to go out, I bring a chunk of it along—or if I’ve finished the paper, I grab my Kindle and read whatever’s up on that while the hounds burrow for gophers or play Questing Beast in the long grass and tumbleweeds.
I have a book on the bathroom counter and read while brushing teeth, applying sunscreen, and performing ablutions. I take the book into my closet and read while I’m getting dressed.
I try to walk five miles a day (and manage it about four days a week; get 2-3 miles on other days), with and without dogs. I have audiobooks on my iPod, and listen to these while walking (on my second re-listen of the entire Aubrey/Maturin series, by Patrick O’Brian—great books, one of my all-time favorite series).
If I have books for review (I do occasional reviews for a newspaper) or waiting for possible blurbs (there’s a small stack of ARCs from publishers), I pick one up whenever I go downstairs and take it along on errands (always take a book to a doctor’s appointment or the post office, is my advice).
Poetry books, and nonfiction books that aren’t for research, but just interesting—I’m reading Simon Winchester’s KRAKATOA at the moment—I leave in the bathroom, and read in small, digestible chunks. That enables me to comprehend everything easily, as I’m seldom dealing with more than a page at a time. {g} Have had KRAKATOA in there for two weeks; about halfway through the book, and now know all kinds of fascinating stuff about plate tectonics, with THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS and John Mark Eberhart’s poetry collection, NIGHT WATCH, waiting for their turn.
The only time (other than traveling) I really read without doing something else is for a brief period after dinner, while my husband watches TV, and for a still briefer period after I’ve tucked him in bed, when the dogs and I lie down on the Taos bed, and I read for 10-30 minutes before falling asleep.
It’s sort of like the way I write. Not in concentrated stretches of 4-5 hours (I do know some writers who claim that’s the only way they can write, and more power to them), but in stretches of an hour at a time, two or three or four times a day (depending where I am in the course of a book; toward the end, I really do write nonstop for ten or twelve hours—bar bathroom breaks (during which I read) and meals (ditto)—but that phase luckily doesn’t last long).
For today: Just finished Charlaine Harris’s new Sookie Stackhouse novel, DEAD RECKONING (good as always) this morning, 35% of the way through Anne Perry’s TREASON AT LISSON GROVE, which I picked up right afterward, four more pages about subduction zones in KRAKATOA, and about 25 pages into the ARC of a thriller off the blurb pile. Plus entertaining stuff from WSJ about the medical maladies of historical characters and why birth-control pills make women marry less-masculine men (also good op-ed piece by a British writer on pusillanimous response of Brits to killing of bin Laden).
Now mind, I don’t watch television. That helps.
No wonder your writing is so amazing! lol Love hearing what other people are reading! I too can’t imagine a good author would be one that didn’t read…i mean really?? And for lack of books…that is certainly not an issue in my house either. I came home from the library the other day and my neighbors daughter exclaimed that I had a lot of books!! I looked at the pile and counted 8 and said..nah not that many! I personally find that I always need a book in the car for the “waiting on kids” part of my day as well as for when my husband actually gets ahold of the tv remote, which with summer coming and the few shows I like dissapering will be frequently!
Wow! You don’t waste a minute of life do you? It’s fantastic that you squeeze literary time into every spare second.
I’m lucky because I have a half an hour train commute in the morning and have an hour again in the afternoon and that’s where I churn through novels. I do get quite engrossed in the stories though and have been known to miss my train stop…usually while reading the Outlander series
Diana,
I love to read myself. I have my ereader on me always. My husband looks at me and I know he is saying to himself, “Geesh woman, another book?” I can’t help but laugh at his face. I think that a novelist as yourself needs to know what everyone else is writing. I think it would make you a more well-rounded and knowlegable writer. I love all your books. Just keep doing what you are doing, obviously its working.
Frances Lucia
I always read, too. I can’t imagine a writer who doesn’t. Besides my extensive study shelves, I’ve recently bought a Kindle and OUTLANDER was my first purchase. Your books are lessons in every craft skill I can think of–not to mention, dang fine reads. ; )
It’s really great to read about your reading habits.
I read a lot too, still have a pile of books lying around in my room but at the moment I’m mostly reading free ebooks. It’s really astonishing how many free ebooks are out there which are free (well there are also bad ones).
At the moment I’m totally into the Conversion books by S.C. Stephens. Great stuff. (http://www.feedbooks.com/userbook/11926/conversion)
I couldn’t read multiple books at once but I have no problem with reading in front of the TV.
Thanks for sharing how you read with us.
Hi Diana-
Wow…we have similar reading habits…while I cook, in the bathroom, around the house, wating at appts. and especially while waiting for my daughter’s bus to arrive. And I’m reading 3-4 different series (Krakatoa is on the to-be-read shelf…my mom loved that book!). It baffles me when people tell me they have no time to read…between Sookie Stackhouse, Kim Harrison, Dana Stabenow and others…I still manage to do all I need to do. It’s all about priorities I guess…we don’t watch tv either. Which is funny, because the people who I think are crazy for not reading are sitting there thinking we are absolutely nuts for not watching television…:)
I love the irony of people who spend hours watching TV telling me they have no time to read. My husband for instance.
Reading was never something that was encouraged in my childhood…I did have some stories that I loved when I was a kid…I vowed that when I had my kids they would read! Well…my daughter is a reader and my son is not much of one…you can only do so much. My daughter has also started a collection of books for her baby (due June) and she is already reading to him. I don’t watch much TV about 2 hrs a week (NCIS being the one hr… Mark Harmon at 60 is still HOT) and a cooking show here or there.
Reading became an escape for me when I became a caregiver for my mother who was an artist for 48 yrs and suddenly went blind and needed support…the stress of caring for her…being married…my kids were still young teens and work just about put me in the looney bin…but I was able to discover books, books took me to another place and for the last 12 years I have been hooked, or booked if you will!
I try to read as much as I can…about a book a day…I do read in the car, not driving of course but as a passenger when my husband and I go on our adventures…I read in the morning with coffee…and I read when I go to bed…that’s where I read the most. Fantasy/Sci-fi and Historical being my favorite genre and I love to re-read books that I love…yours being on that list.
I know that had I not found both reading and knitting at the time of life crisis I have no idea where I would be.
It’s been my experience that most boys/men are not big readers, no matter what level of education. Maybe it’s just the men I know, but they all would rather watch tv than read a book. I’m trying to interest my seven-year old son in reading. He’s a really good reader, but it’s like pulling teeth to get him to read anything more than school requires. My ten-year old daughter, on the other hand, can’t keep her nose out of a book. We have been reading the Harry Potter series together and my son’s showing great interest in those books. Hopefully his interest in reading will continue after we finish, but it will have serious competition from playing football with his friends or picking his guitar. At least I’ve managed to keep him away from XBox or Playstation. He has a Wii, but he can take it or leave it.
Just read your response to Diana Gabaldon and feel like commenting – I hope you don’t mind. I have a grandson, 23, who when he was a young boy (maybe from age 7 to teen years) read a lot. His mother and my son never married but over the years he stayed with his dad every other week and for two weeks during summers. We gave him many books that he’d read and reread well into the nights. Now that he’s older, his unemployed status dictated that he live with us (his dad and wife and grandmother). Anyway, my comment (after all that background) is that this guy, who read a LOT as a young kid says he now “never reads”! He’s so intelligent – we can carry on conversations about so much. His writing is amazing (but the spelling is terrible!), with large words well used. I only hope that he’ll again pick up the reading habit – and I find it so hard to believe that it’s not part of his life.
I had a reluctant reader in my son – I did everything to encourage him to no avail. Then one day when he was 11 he was off school because he was ill and he picked up the first Harry Potter which I’d got him a couple of year’s before (this was before anyone had heard of the books). That was all it took to spark his imagination and since then he has read voraciously – he is now 25.
I’m another that reads all the time, several books at a time and always have a pile of books waiting to be read.
My experience is the exact opposite, but as you said it may just be the men I know. My dad was a voracious reader. His day wasn’t complete, no matter how much work he had to get done, unless he read the newspaper from beginning to end and he was always reading a book. And yes, he also liked to watch TV. My brother was a slow starter in reading, but once he was hooked, he was hooked for life. My husband is always reading and has a list a mile long of what he is reading next. My son, who also was a slow starter, now is always reading in his spare time. In fact, a few months ago, while the whole family was watching TV he was reading instead. It brought tears to this reading teachers eyes.
As for Diana’s question, I have to agree that it makes no sense for a writer to not be a reader. It’s kind of like some of the teachers I work with who don’t read. How can you be passionate about turning kids into readers if you aren’t one yourself. I read whenever I can, which is unfortunately less and less. Kids, aforementioned teaching, and now my new knitting passion, but not a day goes by that I don’t read something for fun and something for information. My favorite place now to read though is the bathtub. It is one of the few places that my kids don’t follow me anymore.
Try getting books on subjects he’s interested in. I have two boys (now 18 and 21) and unless I was the one reading they had no interest. My eldest is into dirtbikes and motocross so I found every books I could on the subject. Now at 21 the only thing he reads is motocross magazines. Guess that’s better than nothing.
I don’t watch TV either – unless it’s reruns of British tv now and then. And yea, I pretty much read all the time everywhere. How can one not have a book to hand? People always comment on the fact that I read while walking – mianly to and from the train station – but why not? It’s ten minutes each way! I’ve tried writing while walking, but haven’t perfected that yet… *Especially* in waiting rooms or at the post office – how can one simply sit there for 40 minutes or more?
Related to this is the question of rereads – I reread a lot of my favourite books (lots of young adult books from my childhood, The Lord of the Rings, Agatha Christie, Outlander [g]…), but not everyone seems to do this.
I read while walking too! I really enjoy it. Writing is trickier, but I can do a crossword puzzle as I walk.
i love how your mind works! it’s no wonder that your books are long and gripping!! i had to laugh during this description of how you read all these books in your busy schedule, because i am much the same. i always make sure that a book of some kind is in the car with me because sometimes those red lights are just too long, or i get caught behind a train, or my pizza isn’t ready! now that i have a nook, it goes with me everywhere, and helps keep books out of my husband’s way. my boys are still very young (5 and 3) but even when they are outside playing, i have a book with me to read a few paragraphs here and there. there are some shows on tv that i watch (HBO on sunday nights–”game of thrones” could be “outlander!”) but usually, once my boys are in bed, and my husband assures me he doesn’t need any more of my attention, i devote that time to books (currently re-reading ABOSAA. ;-))
the wait is long and usually well worth it for one of your “big books.” i honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.
I always wonder how people can’t find the time to read. lol Every available moment I have a book in my hands. When it’s a really great book I even read while waiting at stop lights. – I don’t recommend this though. ha ha.
Hi Diana,
I am not as multi tasking as you, I can only read one book at a time and at the moment it is An Echo in the Bone. I started the series a couple months ago and it has brought so much enjoyment to me and also my neighbor who I share the books with.
I had total knee replacement surgery on April 4th. I found out its hard to concentrate on what you are reading when you are taking strong pain meds but I flushed those down the toilet so I could concentrate on what I was reading. Forget about pain I want to know whats happening to Jamie, Claire and Ian etc……: )
Thank you again for all the enjoyment that you have brought me.
I think of each one of my books as my friends that I can always go back to time and again.
Diana,
Now I can tell my husband that someone reads more than I do. He actually had the nerve to tell me that I read too much. I read about a book a day (depending on size and complexity) and I would love to read more but just can’t squeeze it in any more (5 kids, full-time job, husband, assistant coach).
How can anyone not know about the library. I have cards from two different libraries in different inter-library loan systems (one near home and one near work) and I am there at least once a week. I don’t buy a lot of books unless I really like the author and plan to reread (I have all of your books and I buy any Robert Heinlein books I can find).
Thank you for letting us know what you are reading – I’ll need to head out to the library today to pick up KRAKATOA (I have a degree in Geology so I think I’ll like it).
Thank you for giving me ideas on how to squeeze in more reading (I’ll try to read while cooking tonight to see if I can do it without making a mess).
Christiane
If you ever veer away from writing time-travel books, you need to treat yourself to “The Time Traveller’s Wife”, which was excellent.
Can’t imagine not having a book or two going, kind of like I can’t imagine not breathing…
Dear Kristina–
Oh, I did read that one–enjoyed it, though didn’t really like HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY (loved the man with OCD, though).
–Diana
Agree about HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY…after loving TTW I thought I would love it, but definitely didn’t. None of the characters felt fleshed out and actions were just too cruel.
Books, books, books – How dull a life without books. I read so many books, everywhere, all the time. My greatest wish is that my very able but reluctant to read children would develop even half of my love of books. I first started to read “Cross Stitch” whilst sitting on the promenade of a very chilly North East England seaside resort and stayed there hours and hours. I want my children to be like me, to be able to lose themselves in a fabulous book and learn something about the world they live in at the same time.
Was wondering if you have read anything by Paullina Simons? To be read in order, The Bronze Horseman, Tatiana and Alexander, The Summer Garden..starvation, despertion in Russia after the German Siege..Tatiana and Alexander endure such hardships to be together, from WW2 into the Vienam War..she becomes a nurse, just as Claire is a doctor, the first books dialog is a little simple, but then starts to get better. It is very hot, Tatiana must be a contortionist–ha. Anyway, just trying to amuse myself until your books come out. Recently took a trip to France with my daughter, of course our favorite subject besides travel would be BOOKS, we spread your name all over France to the few who did not already know you. Have a great day and just keep on keeping on. Nena, from Arkansas
Dear Nena–
I _have_ THE BRONZE HORSEMAN, but haven’t got to it, yet. (You don’t even want to KNOW what my TBR pile…er…room…er…rooms…look like!)
–Diana
Nena,
don’t forget “Tatiana’s Table”!!! I ordered it through “Abe Books” (Australia).
(well worth the $44 I paid)
I’ve been busy trying out the recipes on my family! It’s just sooooooooo much
more than a cook book. Paullina’s extra little stories that go along with the recipes
are nothing short of amazing. A MUST have for Tatiana and Alexander lovers!!
Yes, I agree we do need to amuse ourselves somehow until book 8!
J.
I did not know about this book, will try to get it. I have also read The Girl in Times Square, these books are hard to purchase, I get them from e-bay, but they have to be shipped usually from the UK, we are all waiting on Diana, but have to entertain ourselves until then. So any recommendations, I would so like to know about. I got a sales paper in the mail yesterday, it was a white dress with red flowers..so th0ught again about Tatiana. Really like Tatiana and Alexander, but LOVE Jamie and Claire. Nena
I have read The Bronze Horseman trilogy and really enjoyed them. They are some of the few books I have kept, I usually pass mine on. I just finished The Russian Concubine (the title is misleading) by Kate Furnival and it had the same feel as Horseman. It is part of a trilogy that you might want to try.
Rhona,
thanks sooooooooo much for the recommendations!! I always find it difficult to search out a “sure thing”.
We seem to have similar practices (which is probably why I can reread your whole series several times a year while *patiently* waiting for book 8).
I always have my Nook loaded up and within reach; on my nightstand, in my purse, etc. It goes everywhere with me. And if it can’t go with me then I use my iphone and audible.com to listen to books. I do the same thing (walking and listening). I also use the audiobooks to be productive doing mindless tasks like gardening, painting, yardwork, folding laundry. They are my reward for doing mundane chores. Also, I watch less than an hour of tv a day so that creates a lot of time to read. 
p.s. Thanks for letting us know Breath of S. & A. finally made it to audible in the unabridged format. I cancelled my audible membership out of frustration one day because I couldn’t get anymore of your books. Now I’m back and happy.
p.p.s. Thanks for the Methadone list (that title cracks me up). I also bought the Songs of Love and Death yesterday and loved reading Roger’s parent’s story.
I read A.S. Byatt’s ‘The Children’s Book’ off the Methadone List, and can’t say I was all that impressed. I thought the author was very undisciplined, and unable to create characters her audience could connect with and care about. It really was an excruciating 600 pages. I am afraid that Diana Gabaldon has spoiled me forever!
I know what you mean about being “ruined” by Diana.
I fired up an audio book today and it was torture listening to the person reading it. Davina Porter reading Diana Gabaldon has ruined me for audio books, too.
I agree with ya! Reading is such an amazing experience, taking you to so many places and times, taking you away from your stress and bad days. I would freak out and have a nervous berakdown if I didn’t have books to read. Just yesterday I went to the library, took my bicycle(gotta take advantage of summer days), and had to force myself to stop at 6 books because I didn’t know how much weight I could carry. I love that there are so many varieties of stories, so whatever mood you are in you can find a book to fit it. I also read everywhere. What else is there to do when waiting for something? Thumb twiddling? Tsk tsk. I experienced your first story, Outlander, in February, and read it in a day. Loved it! Unfortunately I was on vacation and the library in my town I have not found your books since I read Outlander. I know they have them, I have seen them, but the Librarian has been doing major spring cleaning and books have been rearranged, and now your series is not where they use to be. But I keep looking. I have to find out what happens!! That’s one downside to libraries, start reading a series and then they don’t have the next book. This has happened to me with Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. I read the first one, but the library does not have the second one. AWWGGHH!!!!
Kymberli,
I too am a huge fan of my local library. Even if your library does have all the ‘Outlander’ series tucked away, you will just have to take my word and buy your own copies of Diana’s books. ‘Outlander’/’Cross Stitch’ left me wanting more, ‘Dragonfly in Amber’ needing more, ‘Voyager’ desperate for more….. I ravenously consumed the whole series and when I finished ‘Echo in the Bone’ went straight back to book one to start again. They are books that you simply MUST own!
Cheers from Janet in Brisbane, Australia
Hi Janet,
Greetings from New York! I am almost done with my library books. I am hoping to finish this week and go back for more. Ms. Gabaldon’s books are on my list. The library just got a donation of alot of books(yay), boxes from a book sale at another library(yay again), and Friday they got a shipment of books from a library that circulates its books through the county(another yay), so there are ALOT of new books to paw through!!
I am hoping to find the next Outlander book. I plan to come home with a pile of books again. I cannot leave without at least 2 books 
Especially since I read them so quickly.
Yes. I own both her paperback/hardback books and all the books in e-reader format. AND… just to be extra thorough I own them all on Audiobook, too.
RE: The Aubrey/Maturin Series…
I too love that series!!!
AND – I couldn’t help but notice the discreet reference (and reverence??) to the author of that series in Drums of Autumn. Capitan (Patrick?) O’Brian was the commander of Brianna’s ship I believe? I didn’t catch it at first but I did the second time I listened to the audiobook and I remembered thinking ‘how interesting…I wonder if she has the same impression that Aubrey’s & Maturin’s friendship was a little bit more than just friendly?’
And then I thought about Jamie’s and John Grey’s friendship and let my thoughts die there (with a smirk though) – or would should I say, I ‘belayed’ my thoughts and made sure the capitan couldn’t see my grin.
-Michelle
P.S. – I don’t watch t.v. either. Books plus my imagination are all the t.v. I need.
Dear Michelle–
Well, 18th (and early 19th) century male relationships were often ones of great emotional intimacy (because, as in the Aubrey/Maturin series, men were so often out in the world Doing Stuff and the women were running the households; they just didn’t spend a lot of their lives together), but they didn’t normally have a sexual component, and I’m sure Jack’s and Stephen’s doesn’t, either. Pretty clear both of them are entirely heterosexual.
–Diana
I love reading ANNE PERRY,but I tend to read her in the winter,although the last couple monthsI’ve been at the library so much my rules have completely gone out the window. Am reading a new ROBIN HOOD-Angus Donald and CANNOT put it down. I always take a book with to read in the car before my husband comes out for lunch. I take one with to assorted doctor visits. I think most of us have houses and kids to take care of,but I read when I’m making dinner,if I gotta be there too. (this does not work well with frying bacon for BLT’S). I’ll grab a book when baking,and after making assorted bed(s) I’ll grab a cold whatever and head for the porch.
just finished PROPHECY by S.J.PARRIS. This was an amazing book and one those very RARE ones where I had to have quiet. It was amazing! Set in Elizabeth I reign. Just the other one at the library too. Got a couple on hold too. Even though I have a big bookcase with books and my library card always at the ready,I’d be completely lost if I could not read
3 to 4 books a week! I am so glad to hear that! Until several years ago I took it for granted that everyone read a novel at one time or another during the year at least, and it wasn’t until a friend with a masters degree told me she never read that I realized some went through life like this. Other people mentioned this also, to my surprise, the excuse being that they were too busy, too tired, too bored, too restless… I’ve been reading forever! So many books – from the little golden books and comics that my dad would buy for me each evening he went to get his cigarettes and cigars, to Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice that my mom gave me on my 9th birthday! My grandparents had about 1,000 books or so in their library with famous novels from the 1920′s, 30′s, 40′s, and 50′s, which I read through from when I was about 8. How can someone not read? How can a writer not read? There are so many good stories out there!
Do you get bored in the shower and read the shampoo bottles? Or is that just me.