Is Farang Life in Thailand almost completely Unconducive to the Enjoyment of Reading Books? Or, is it Life in Thailand, in general, which is so?

[Dan O]

7 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I grew up in a household in which television sets were completely banned. 

 

This resulted in having far more time for reading, introspection, and reflection about almost anything. 

 

We were permitted to listen to the radio, even to listen to guys like Thelonius Monk, such a felon of jazz. 

 

The problem with Social Media is that it dumbs down society, as a whole. 

 

When I spend time watching social media, I get this sick feeling in my gut. 

 

But then, when I read beautiful sentences written by Philip Roth, I realize that he is a true maniac, and my time reading him has not been ill spent. 

 

We have only a finite amount of time here. My time with guys like Roth has been well spent. 

 

It doesn't matter if you might prefer reading about dialectical materialism or stories about the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. 

 

It only matters that, somehow, we will find a way to forsake Fkrbergerger's zombie vision for our New World, and, somehow get back to the garden of books, introspection, and thinking. 

 

*Books are the key to a better life, for you and me. 

 

 

 

 

 

Why bother reading books, just spend your time reading your rambling posts with your numerous replies to yourself? 

[Tracyb]

Well, I’ve been here for over a decade and I still read books.  I spend time reading every day, usually for two to three hours.  I gave up long ago on the idea of sitting in front of a roaring fire in a fireplace though.  I can’t seem to find one…..anywhere!

[Expat68]

13 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

After reading your comment, at least five times, I am not sure what you intended to say.

 

You worked in books/magazines. So then, you worked at what?

You were an editor at Charles Scribner's Sons?

 

You never read books. Except, during your childhood, or while living in Thailand, when you began to love reading.

 

In Thailand, you found some fantastic second-hand book shops.

 

And, before we comment further, you believe that a real book you can hold in your hand is far better than a Kindle book you can download to your device.

 

Did I get it right?

 

If so, I agree with you.

Sorry if misunderstood. I was a printer, only read books in my childhood, now I have retired to Thailand love reading books 

[CygnusX1]

16 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

And, before we comment further, you believe that a real book you can hold in your hand is far better than a Kindle book you can download to your device.

I appreciate my 12.9 inch iPad ever more as my eyesight deteriorates with advancing age, and having almost instant access to millions of books is miraculous.

[CharlieH]

A few off topic posts removed.

[khunpeer]

every night before sleeping I read a book, usually I wake up to early so read on... 

me and some friends are circulating books around!

in ChiangMai are a couple used bookshops, when in BKK near KhaoSanRoad several reasonable used bookshops!

Thais are not readers, their attentionspam is very short! their phone is their magic tool, tiktok, roblox etc, but not for me! in Cmai 2 bookstores, small selection English books, bigger selection with Thai books, but almost no one in the shop! 

2 bookstores seems little for more than 1 million people that live here, but it is what it is... 

mind you, worldwide reading books lost it's popularity, but I also heard that through tiktok (!) some peeps promote reading books, so there's hope...

[rak sa_ngop]

Learn to read Thai and then you can enjoy reading Lee Child's Jack Reacher at a slow leisurely pace. Only 4 or 5 pages a day but so satisfying when you can understand most of it.

I have read all 22 translations, just started 'Past Tense' which is the 23rd.

[BangkokReady]

1 hour ago, daveAustin said:

Rarely bother with paper over here; having them on the phone means one can read—and acquire practically any title—on a whim.

Also it allows you to assimilate better to the local culture, being glued to your phone all day.  No one needs to know you aren't scrolling through Tiktok or playing candycrush.

[KhunLA]

I need to be extremely bored to read a book, fiction anyway.  Read maybe 3 books in Thailand.

 

Almost all my book reading, and quite a lot was done at work.  Going through 1 a week easily, and not all small paperbacks, 2-3-400 pages.

Grisham, Crichton, Clancy.

 

Most of my reading revolved around financials, markets & such.

Edited November 16, 2022 by KhunLA

[Rumpelstilskin]

9 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

If this is the case, pardon the pun, then you are truly blessed in your very good fortune. 

 

I envy you. 

 

Norwegian wood. 

The best books transport the reader to a unique viewpoint/space in time...wheelchair, armchair, bed or beach.  

[jaywalker2]

I read a lot of books --strictly ebooks though. I haven't read a physical book in years. I don't read as much as when I was young but that's to be expected I guess.

 

I think most people probably read a lot, only they're skimming Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and online forums. These distractions are a waste of time but most people seem to prefer them to more productive activities.

[zyphodb]

I read as much here as I used to back in the cold lands, I can't get to sleep without reading at least a few pages first. The changes are that all I read is now on a kindle, far too convenient not to use compared to paper.

 A hammock is nearly as good as a wing chair to read in, I find... 

[TKDfella]

I don't read fiction or novels and buy books from abroad. My problem is finding furniture with strong book shelves that don't bend????. My latest addition is 7 x 10 ins and weighs more than 2 lbs

Edited November 16, 2022 by TKDfella

[Troy Tempest]

10 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

What's a "book"? ????

It's what the Government cooks!

[Jackbenimble]

To read or not to read. 

Isn't this down to the individualand and nothing all to do with the country you live in?

Edited November 16, 2022 by Jackbenimble
blaspheme

[statman78]

I still read books here in Thailand.  I love browsing in the used book shops in Bangkok.  I also get some books on my IPad.  We just added a room to our house in Chiang Rai and my wife wants to put in a fake fireplace.  I already have my recliner and reading lamp set up.  We are having a few winter scene  prints framed to go above the fake fireplace so it will feel like our old home in northern US without the extreme cold and snow to shovel.  ????

[wwest5829]

Brought hundreds of books with me upon retirement and donated near 300 on American History to the CMU Library. True, I do not read as much as during my college/university study years. Still, I usually have one of my books on European and Asian History close at hand. Most of my current reading centers on my family genealogy and that has been accessed electronically from scanned books in the USA on early colonial history. Most of my days consist of hours of reading.

[Gandtee]

I read books in bed  every night. It helps me sleep. But then at 89 what else is bed for? One of the advantages of age is that I can reread a book in six months time and the plot is new.???? 

 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2022 by Gandtee
added words

[nana kid]

Neilson-Hayes Library       BKK            B 1500 /year membership   big library           

Plus my condo has a small book swap section in the lobby

[Sparktrader]

11 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

drinking and rogering seems the prime activities

Rogering? Watching Federer replays?

[Sparktrader]

10 hours ago, fondue zoo said:

I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.

Sexy

[Sparktrader]

2 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

And, before we comment further, you believe that a real book you can hold in your hand is far better than a Kindle book you can download to your device.

Yes real books much better. Screens no good for eyes.

[huangnon]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I read books all the time, mainly Science fiction, horror and westerns.

No need for paper, if you have a Kindle, everything is free for download.

Yep, I still have boxes of actual paper books in various states of decay and gathering mould, in the spare rooms. Never really gotten round to throwing them away, tbh.

But I keep a vast library on a single flash drive nowadays, and read mostly everything on a Kobo.

[Balance]

I moved to Thailand include: I married a lovely Thai women in 2014; I could swim dalily in a nice 25 meter pool 10 months a year (setting aside the burning season here in CM); I would have time to read (I converted to digital whenever available becase I can't handle print in 9 point type, or 10 point for that matter, and they are cheaper.); Thai food; and finally and very important, being able to get therapudic Thai massage three hours a week. 

 

I can do all of those things and more because the only social media I use is gmail and Line (at the insistence of my wife), and going to visiting, in person, with friends.  History will record that Facebook and the others did more to damage being social than anything I can think of. 

 

 

[fondue zoo]

5 minutes ago, huangnon said:

Yep, I still have boxes of actual paper books in various states of decay and gathering mould, in the spare rooms. Never really gotten round to throwing them away, tbh.

I don't know why exactly but throwing books in the bin always feels a bit off to me.

 

[Stocky]

The Kindle rekindled my love of reading. 

[newnative]

    I've always enjoyed reading and that didn't change when I moved to Thailand.  Still love to read--mostly novels, mysteries, detective series, etc.  I like to read an actual paper book but lately I've been reading books I've downloaded on to my laptop.  Recently finished the new Elizabeth George and an older Nelson DeMille novel I missed when it first came out.

[SportRider]

My iPad is loaded with e-books and I download new ones all the time.  Use Google Play Books.  Super convenient.

 

Prefer hard copy books of course. But haven't bought one for years.

 

The choice to read books is personal.  You just need to make it a priority use of your time.  Same as the choice to go for a walk, the gym, to socialise, or whatever.

[chilly07]

I'm reading  more in Thailand  than ever before. I have the time to do it!

[HarrySeaman]

I am a lifetime reader, having collected and given to libraries several collections of hard back and paperback books - likely over a thousand in total.

 

I haunted the used book stores in BKK for several years after moving here full time in 2002, then I bought a second hand HP PDA and downloaded a ton of books for free.  The PDA only had a small screen so I had to hit the down screen button a lot, and eventually wore it out.

 

I replaced the HP PDA with a 10" Chinese Android tablet, put Cool Reader on it and have never looked back.  I'm on my third tablet now.  The first simply died.  The second was a one year old Samsung I bought from a friend and when it died I took it to the Pattaya Samsung service center.  The service center said it couldn't be fixed so I bought a new one, which was way overpriced at 30 K Bt at the Samsung store.  The light bulb then belatedly went off and I took the second one to Tukcom and got it fixed for 1000 Bt.  I now keep the old tablet in the kitchen for my recipes but now the battery is dying.  I use the new one for reading for an hour or more in bed before going to sleep, or when traveling as my computer and as a book reader.

 

I have a few paper books, mostly cook books, travel guide books, and a couple of Thai history books but as far as I'm concerned a tablet is the way to go.  You can literally put thousands of books on one so there is never any concern over not having anything to read.  I just checked Lazada and you can get one from many companies, including Samsung, Vivo, and Oppo for less than 2000 Bt.  Interestingly two seem to be the same tablet with different brands and a 1080p screen.  The Samsung ones have higher resolution 4K screens.  

 

I just bought a new Lazada - Sumsang Tab A9 Tablet 10.4 to replace my old Samsung because its battery is virtually dead.

Edited November 16, 2022 by HarrySeaman