She pulled Anne of Green Gables from the floor where she had dropped it, and hugged it to herself. She started this book yesterday and was so glad her chores were done. She fluffed the blanket out under the tree, patted her kitty and flopped down to read. She opened the book, propped her chin in her hands and started in. She was only a couple chapters in, but she could already see Green Gables and Matthew and Marilla. And Gilbert! And, of course, Anne was becoming a dear friend.

…

She perused her bookshelves. Over the years she had pared down her books. She wondered which one she should read today. Her eyes fell on the one that had gone with her everywhere. Anne with an E. Gently she pulled it off the shelf. She would read about Green Gables again. It had been a long time since she had read about Anne and what fun it would be to walk those paths again.

(Please click over to the blog now to read the rest, if you want to participate in a fun little poll at the end of this article.)

Reasons

The reasons why we choose books can be varied. Age, stage and interest all make a big difference.

In the first example, our reader is young and eager for life. She loves to read stories she can identify with and that she can be completely immersed in. Anne is a great story to help young readers fall in love with reading. The reader is all in. She is emotionally attached to places and people in the book.

In the second example, she is much older and chooses the same book for completely different reasons. She is looking for rest, comfort and familiarity. She chooses Anne because re-reading this book brings back all the feelings of joy she experienced the first time she read the book. She remembers the dappled sunlight on the blanket. The meadowlark singing and her kitten brushing against her leg. It brings comfort to her life.

What is a Reading Tendency?

A reading tendency is the pattern you see most often when choosing books. These basic motives have little to do with intelligence or literary taste. Usually we do them without thinking and if asked about it, we would be hard put to describe it with words.

The tendencies are not fixed, and can definitely change over time. Age can make a difference as our examples show. When you are young and have time to spare, you may be an immersive reader, but as the stages of your life change, you may turn into something else entirely. Your current time of life (babies, empty nester, and the outside circumstances of your life) may invite you to adapt to a differnt style of reading. Sometimes the mental load asks that we keep the reading light. Even the differences between winter and summer can effect what books we choose. I used to read James Michener books; they are huge historical novels that can span thousands of years and be well over a thousand pages long, but I would never get through those books now. I don’t have the time, and frankly, I would lose interest in a book of that length at this point in my life. As I’ve aged, I’ve become a bit more purposeful in my reading. Now I read to learn more than I used to, and I’ve also become ok with not finishing books if I lose interest.

I am going to give names and descriptions to some common reading tendencies that I have noticed. A reading tendency can be like a snapshot of time. Right now I am a ____ reader, and that has to do with current interests and available time.

You may recogize yourself in more than one tendency, or you may feel like a blend of two of them. One or two will most likely be stronger, and reading for different reasons is common.

Every tendency has strengths and weaknesses. No type is the perfect kind of reader. Whichever tendency you are, your reading can be culitvated and refined, and the good thing is, you can try out any other tendency when the mood strikes.

The purpose of this post is to help you see the reasons you choose the books you do. Knowing that may help you make better or more informed choices. It certainly is not about putting you in a box, or on a guilt trip for being the reader you are.

Questions to Consider

• What makes you pick up this book?
• Why do you keep reading if the beginning doesn’t capture your interest?
• When are you okay with abandoning a book?
• Why do you borrow, buy, give away and collect some books?
• How much does weather, calendar, mood or time influence your choices?

Reading Tendencies

The Immersive Reader

The Immersive Reader loves to escape this world and fully enter another world. You become attached to the characters of your story. You tend to read fictional books that give you emotional connection. These books take your full attention. Others in the room may talk to you (or about you!) and you won’t even hear them.

Over-absorption and book hangovers can be two problems this tendency faces. It can be hard for this type to set the book down and get on with real life. Even when working, that absorption can still be noticed. Learning to self-regulate is helpful here.

Books that fit the Immersive Reader:

• Jane Eyre – Charolotte Bronte
• The Lord of the Rings – J. R. R. Tolkien
• The Blue Castle – L. M. Montgomery
• The Shell Seekers – Rosamunde Pilcher
• An Irish Country Dr. series – Patrick Taylor
• The Brotherband Series – John Flanagan

The Wandering Reader

The Wandering Tendency follows your current interest and energy with reading. Your reading is broad and flexible; you make connections easily. There is spontaniety in your book choices. You like books that have quick movement and unusual facts, places or ideas. These can be either fiction or non-fiction, but the non-fiction needs to be kept light for you to enjoy it. Think of this as mostly mood reading.

Rabbit trails, searching more than reading and stacks of unfinished books can be left in the wake of a curious reader. Learning to choose a bit more intentionally can help you feel successful.

Books that fit the Wandering Reader:

• 84, Charing Cross Road – Helene Hanff
• I’d Rather Be Reading – Anne Bogel
• King Solomon’s Mines – H. Rider Haggard
• The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas

The Comfort Reader

The Comfort tendency looks for rest and familiarty. You like to re-read books, bringing back a soothing feeling of nostalgia and yesteryear. Your reading tends to fiction, but needs to be real to life. You identify with the characters and love a book where everything usually turns out right. Rags to riches, restoration project stories and friend to lovers are all very satisfying reads for you. Seasonal reading is also a win for the comfort reader. Maybe your choices tend to be on the upper edge of middle grade novels, the books you remember reading in the formative years.

Narrower preferences can make it more difficult for you to find books you like. There is a danger of finding the predictability a touch boring, surprising you with a reading slump. You avoid unfamiliar voices, so are shy to try a new author or genre.

Books that fit a Comfort Reader:

• Anne of Green Gables – L. M. Montgomery
• All Creatures Great and Small – James Herriot
• Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
• At Home in Mitford – Jan Karon
• The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame
• Where the Red Fern Grows – Wilson Rawls

The Purposeful Reader

The Purposeful Reader plans most reading in advance. You learn, solve, and prepare through your reading. You make deliberate choices. You may keep notes. You easily learn from what you read and can apply it to your life. You find a topic you are interested in and search for books until you find the perfect options. Then you happily read and learn. You tend to non-fiction, although you will venture into fiction if it will be able to teach you something.

Turning reading into work can be a possible pitfal for you. You may wake up one day and realize that you don’t enjoy reading as much as you used to because you are overwhelmed with everthing you have learned. You may try fiction reading, but find you feel guilty because there’s no real point to the time spent reading. The pressure you feel to read purposeful books and complete those books can take the joy away from you.

Books that fit the Purposeful Reader:

• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry – John Mark Comer
• Atomic Habits – James Clear
• On Writing Well – William Zinsser
• A Praying Life – Paul E. Miller
• Breadsong – Kitty and Al Tait
• The Power of Our Words – Paula Denton
• The Pilgrim’s Progress – John Bunyan
• The Empowered Wife – Laura Doyle

The Devoted Reader

The Devoted Reader tendency goes deep with a genre, subject or even author. You are an ace at reading entire series, finding the stamina to easily keep reading. You are loyal to authors you love and can spot a good option when you see it. You have collections of books on your shelves that hold meaning to you. They are books that have seen you through all the stages of life that you have been through up until now.

Continuing books or even series after your interest has faded is a downfall for the devoted reader. You feel guilty for stopping just because you lost some interest. You feel like that is a problem, when in reality, you just moved on or that interest no longer served you. Being too devoted can make for narrower options.

Books that fit the Devoted Reader:

• The Chronicles of Narnia – C. S. Lewis
• The Anne Series – L. M. Montgomery
• The Maisie Dobbs series – Jacquiline Winspear
• Inspector Warlow series – Rhys Dylan
• Mrs. Pollifax series – Dorothy Gilman
• Everything by Charles Dickens

Which One Are You?

Did you recognize yourself in one of these reading tendencies? You may have had experience with all of them at different times, stages or moods, but typically you will come back to one or two more obvious ones. Vote in the poll to show which one you think you most are like.

Tell us more about your tendency in the comments! Also, post a book or two that you have enjoyed lately. Book readers are always on the lookout for new favorites.

Have a wonderful bookish day ☺️

-Eva