The strange reading habits of Albert Cheng

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The strange reading habits of Albert Cheng
Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 1:00AM / Standard Entry / Members only
10 comments

Hi everybody,

As you all know, I absolutely LOVE reading. I adore it. I think reading great pieces of literature is a fantastic way of allowing yourself to grow and understand life better. Right now I am embarking on a difficult reading task. I intend to read ALL the books that make up the Great American Novel. The novels I have read amongst them have been extremely rewarding. I think it is wonderful to have the ability to communicate stories and feelings through words. I count myself very lucky that I was given the opportunity to learn how to read. But I got a very strange reading habit that slows down my reading considerably. I make an effort to understand EVERY SINGLE word and expression in the books I read. I found by doing this, my vocabulary has expanded exponentially. I have used my love of words and expressions in my seduction techniques. You can never underestimate the power of witty quotes when it comes to seducing women. So I would love to thank Steinbeck, Kerouac, Fitzgerald, Orwell, Lewis and Tolkien in helping me develop my language skills. I will inform you all when I have finished reading the books of the Great American Novel and express what I have learned from reading them as soon as I can. Until then, keep on reading!

Best wishes,

Albert

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Janina
posted on Thursday, Jan 24, 2008 9:15PM [Report]

I used to love reading, but my way of reading, which is like yours, somehow bored me, as it takes all my time just to finish a book.
I even had to use a dictionary to find the right term which really matches the word used in a book.
But anyway, now that I got bored w/ doing nothing, I’m gradually learning to love reading again.
Jaine
posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 3:35PM [Report]

interesting
I like to read too, but not so I can seduce women ^_~
Out of your list I have only read To Kill a Mockingbird. Like Huisy they did it at my school in High School, but my class did another book (Endless Steppe) and so I borrowed To Kill a Mockingbird and read it anyway.
Good luck
are you going to run any new seductive lines from it by us?
Cloudz7
posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 1:32PM [Report]

LOL really improving your verbal seduction skills huh

at least u read, i only read mags and online blogs :P
AlbertCheng
posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 10:07AM

Thank you. That's very generous of you, HuisyG.

Best wishes,

Albert
HuisyG
posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 7:06AM [Report]

I'm like Peachey, sometimes I take too long to read, I tend to focus on every single word... perhaps, it's part of being dyslexic too...

I have a dictionary with me whenever I read...

Albert, you write beautifully - you're very articulate!

I remember reading the Mocking Bird when I was in highschool, but I don't remember much of it... um.. . i found it boring... =(
AlbertCheng
posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 5:06AM

I read for personal pleasure AND use the material in books to my seductive advantage.

Best wishes,

Albert
AlbertCheng
posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 5:06AM

The Scarlet Letter, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Moby Dick, To Kill A Mockingbird, the Great Gatsby, the Grapes of Wrath, On The Road, the Catcher in the Rye, Slaughter-house Five, the Sound and the Fury, and the U.S.A. Trilogy are amongst the suggestive Great American Novels. The Great American Novel is more like an ideal so to speak. It is a goal which American authors strive to achieve.

I know Norman Mailer lamented that the Naked and the Dead was not counted as a Great American Novel.

Best wishes,

Albert
Wendy Cheng
posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 1:51AM [Report]

my question is... which books are considered "great american novel?" i know that tom wolfe is said to have attempted it (or succeeded?) with bonfire of the vanities.
Dreamy
posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 1:44AM [Report]

So do you read because you love to read? or you read because you can seduce women?
:p

Reading is good indeed.. i'm not a good reader, i always skip through things...
peachey
posted on Thursday, Jan 3, 2008 1:38AM [Report]

Sometimes I try to concentrate on every single word but I find it really slows down my reading. haha. Depending on what's happening in the novel, I might skim a paragraph or two. I really want to finish at least one book within the 3-week time-frame the library provides for checked-out books.

How many books are in this collection of Great American novels?