Don’t like reading!

[SoMe1]

As a child I use to read a lot just before I came to Oman, when I was studying at the American School in the UAE, my Arabic was not at all good until the age of 7 when I moved to Oman, I lost my English and started to learn Arabic after being put in a government school. When I started mixing up with Arab’s “who hardly read anything” I picked it up from them, I never read a full book since then! I want to get ride of this habit! I read books in Arabic at least ive read 2 in one year!

But I don’t read English books! Sometimes I find it hard to cooperate with the English and need a dictionary to support me.

I want my reading skills to improve, im not that fast reader, and I don’t really understand everything I read from the first time! I cant focuses when I read, I start dreaming, reading is not something I like doing, I think I should have kept it while I was a child so that I don’t get into all this trouble now!

Any advice?

[Arabian Princess]

Some1, dont say that arabs do not liek reading .. I know alot who adore reading ..
Well you should set a time for u to read .. maybe before u sleep catch a book and read few pages .. at the begning start with books with little pages and as the time goes .. you will find it intresting.
My sister was not a big fan of reading .. but she started as I told uu and now she reads big books .. I think just set a time and you would get addicted to reading!

[IceTea]

Who ever see your statment "I started mixing up with Arab’s" will say u are not an arabic girl !!

Anyway I can see that your english is very good and I don't think it can be called a problem in your case, and yes its right to improve it and people are learning new words everyday. But I think the main reason is lake of time to read in today word and loosing the interest to read. What I like about western people that whenever they have a free time, example traviling in the plane you will see them holding a book and reading.

[SoMe1]

Icetea and Arabian, you see when I was in the UAE I use to mix up with only Americans and British, I never had any arab’s as friends.

When I say arab’s don’t read, I am comparing them to the westerns where you find everyone in each house holds books and reads unlike the life in Arabia. “that is a fact” some do read, but most don’t.

Now I know that my Arabic is very good, I just need to focuses on reading English books to improve my English.

What books do you recommend? I like to read history and novels.

[FaHaD]

well some1 i think i can help u..

to make ur self intrested in reading, try to choose books that u like and enjoy .. like if u like science i advise u to read physics or chemistry ( the best book ever).. .. try to but the book of intrest and finish it .. and remember it should be intresting..

to be a fast reader, i used to have the same problem but now i am alright i can scan so fast in books and take the information i want.., try to read some nice stories or novels.. don't take a large one just a medium size .. believe me once u read an intresting one u will go and read another one..

once u get used to intreted book, try to apply them in ur life and take a benefit from them.......
that is all what i did and nowadays(cos of exams), every hour(except sleeping time) u will find me with a book

[Quick Silver]

Originally posted by SoMe1
When I say arab’s don’t read, I am comparing them to the westerns where you find everyone in each house holds books and reads unlike the life in Arabia. “that is a fact” some do read, but most don’t.

.

just two days ago I was toutering my neigbours teenagers (westerners) to get ready for finals; I heared them saying weired stuff like: people in pakistan follow the pakistani reliegon, india is in the middle east, mexico is in asia, brazil is not in america,,etc...I think an arabian teenager is more mature and have more knowledge than an american teenager... that's for fact....anyways this topic is not about who beats who in reading...I believe that everyone likes reading .... he/she just have to find the right material to read.... find something that interest you, i am sure you will like reading through it's material....
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[amo0or]

well...i think i'm like u SoMe1.. i keep on buying books & books & books and keep them on the shelfs..without reading them.. sara7a i would like to read and there is something inside me driving me to read a book but when i start reading it i got bored and feel sleepy and say to myself.. u better go and call your friend and plane to go out today.. but sara7a i would like to read a complete book.. maybe this is my dream for this week..by the way i just have these books for show i think!

[SoMe1]

Just yesterday I picked up a book my mother was reading it’s called “suffering to surrender” by Dr. Jeffery Lang. He is a professor at a university of San Francisco. The book tells the story of how he found Islam and how he became one, I read trough it, and although the TV show that I usually watch was on, I preferred reading the book then watching TV. I finished 20 pages in one hour, I know im slow. But I managed to understand everything. And it was very interesting. I shall finish the book which is around 300 pages inshallah.

I think you guys are right, its only the matter of picking the right book.

Another thing, while reading trough, there are some words that I really don’t understand, but as I read the whole thing I manage to understand the meaning, do you think I need a dictionary to understand the right meaning, or just keep on reading and ill understand the meaning of the word? Coz sometimes it doesn’t work, so I just skip it, I don’t need to understand each and every word do i?

Sabal El'3af, are they that ignorant?

[Bimzoori]

Originally posted by SoMe1
Just yesterday I picked up a book my mother was reading it’s called “suffering to surrender” by Dr. Jeffery Lang. He is a professor at a university of San Francisco.

SoMe1, this book is GREAT, but I belive the name is "Struggling to Surrender", not "suffering to surrender" :) I'm sure you'll get done with it in no time :) You should also read his "Even Angles Ask"


Sabal El'3af, are they that ignorant?

I'm not Sabla El'3af :p but yes indeed, they are that ignorant...
I get questions like, "Oman?:confused: what State is that in?" :D:D

[SoMe1]

Thanks Bimzi i thought i got it wrong!

Anyways, my mother has that book "Even Angels ask" and she always pushed me to read it, i just didn't want to! 3inad!!

Id turn to it after finishing this one inshallah.

[NaBHaN]

Arab’s “who hardly read anything”


like duh!!! it's probably because you're mixed with arabs who don't read!! everyone i happen to know ejoys reading and owns a huge librarey!! my sister is a huge fan of reading and buys at least 5 books a week!! so...i don't think that it's the problem with arabs!!

[X-press]

Somy, I myself face the same problem and this since I was a kid. I truely never enjoyed reading novel or fiction books, unlike you. I always wandered why I was never interested in them but didn't over worried about it. I always used to read magazines, articles, newspapers and it stopped there.

With time, the only books I really had great pleasure readings where the ones related to Islam or the main religions. I think because it was and still is my interest. I also find a lot of very well written articles over the internet which can also improved my english.
You can also do the same and not limit yourself to books only. However if you do, just pick the ones that attract you and read few pages at a time when you feel like it. It should not be forced but simply enjoyed...;)

[samy]

mixing up with Arab’s “who hardly read anything”

I do not think u r right by saying so ... do u mean those whom were a round u .. like your family or neighbourhood guys or u meant those at your governmental school? .. that does not give u the right to say Arab’s “who hardly read anything that was not fair at all miss.... u should specify who u meant by Arabs ,, Arabs are not only those a round u ... plz try to be accurate ... these things really matters ... u r saying it like those who r accusing Arabs of being illiterate which i believe u do not agree with .. do not u ?????

secondly .. dose this mean that u r not an Arab?? just to know and try to figure out any correlation between your post and your background ..... if u do not mind answering ...

[man]

Salaami ya some1

This is not just your problem, it is actually a disease by which most of the young people are infected with.

Lestin, if you like history then try to find a nice book in history that you will enjoy. I can suggest you some of the books I have:
The history of the world by "J. M. Roberts"
The history of the World by "D. Spielvogel"
A history of the arab people" by "Hourani"

I can't see any thing wrong with your English, but if you think you need more vocabulary to gain, then I would recomment you to re-read about subjects you already know about, in English.

Few years ago, my english was so terrible, Alhamdulilah, through readings I drove to a satisfactory levels although I am still trying to improve my speaking skill by which I am not satisfied yet.

Take it from me some1, do whatever you can to get rid of this problem, reading is a second life by itself, it opens wide horizons, enlightens minds, enhancing strong personality, strengthening the verbal and the analytical skills and many many others...that is all added up to preventing you from wasting time in something bad.

try to set some time just for reading, I usually go to bed at 11:30 and read a book or a magazine until I really feel sleepy. I wake up at 7:00 and i read the news before leaving home.. If I didn't read in these times, definetly I wouldn't do any thing better than that. So try to make use of these breaks when we really waste time.

I do not beleive that the size of the book is an issue, you can pick up whatever you like from the contents and read it, or try to start with books which doesn't need cover to cover reading such as:
Gennius Book of Records.
The world Almanac.
Any Encyclopedia.

One more point, if you are interested by a specific point, issue or event then try to read academic papers which usually come in about 5-20 pages maximum. They are very useful and written by professional researchers. Such a topic you can find it in "the journal of history" . Most of the time, accessing journal is not free. In Case yuo need to read and you can't find, e-mail me and i will try to get you a PDF copy of that paper since I have access to many journals.

By the way, I met Jeffery Lang last year. he is a nice guy. I will try to find his book.

Thanks Some1 and may allah bless you

[SoMe1]

Thanks Man and X-Press.

At the moment i dont even have time to think of reading getting really busy with the wedding which is due in 3 weeks inshllah. i try to read the news when ever i can, i hate to be back and not updated by whats going on, although its all bad news but i have to be updated.

My husbant to be is one of the people who love to read, i guess that too would give me a push. insahllah kheer.