Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

My Top 3 Strangest Places to Read By Grace Becker

Since the day I learned to read, different books would appeal to me in different ways. I am very particular about which books I enjoy and which books I choose to even read in the first place. However, once I find a good book and I begin to read it, there are only a few places that I can really crack down and focus on what I'm reading. In particular, here are the top three (strangest) places I enjoy and focus on my reading the most.

Image result for person relaxing in pool#3- In the Pool- One of my favorite places to read is on a raft in the pool, particularly by myself. When the weather is nice, it is such a relaxing time to do something other than just lay on a raft. And unlike many other people, I find it very difficult to fall asleep on the water for the fear of drowning as I'm asleep. So, what better thing to do while relaxing on your own personal island in the middle of the water than to strand yourself with a good book. 

#2- On a Trampoline- This is another strange place that is very appealing to me as a reader. Being in the middle of a big yard with trees surrounding you is probably one of the most calming, serene locations one can get in their own home. This differs from laying in the grass because the trampoline is a higher structure with a more comfortable bounce to it (and no bugs). And to prevent static on the trampoline, (which is a big distraction when reading), putting a blanket and a pillow down will help contribute to the ultimate peaceful, yet comfortable, reading experience.

Image result for reading on airplane#1- On an Airplane- Unusual, I know, but if you think about it, what better place to have complete silence and no distractions than on an airplane. Reading on a plane is my number one place to relax and really get a book done. Having complete silence is of course a bonus, but the idea of reading while traveling really helps me get a book done. In a car there are too many distractions like car sickness, the world around you, directions, but being on a plane removes all of these worries, causing you to be completely relaxed. That is why reading on a plane is my favorite, most ideal place to read.

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Reading-Related World Records by Julia Young

Reading-Related World Records by Julia Young

While we were discussing our independent reading books, I remember somebody mentioning someone who's read over 300 books in a year. Curious, I decided to find out on my own if there was a world record for the amount of books read in a year. Sadly, this type of record, I discovered, would be extremely hard to police, and therefore there isn't an official formal record. Yet, this did not stop me from learning about various other reading-related world records!

Most Abandoned Book

When I first saw this record on the Guinness World Records Page, I was immediately intrigued... how could there be the world's most abandoned book? Well, believe it or not, "Simon Cowell: The Unauthorized Biography" by Chas Newley-Burden is the book that is most abandoned according to a survey of 452 Travelocities in Britain.
Image result for Simon Cowell: The Unauthorised Biography by Chas Newkey-Burden
This is a picture of the most abandoned book, according to a survey of thousands of books left behind at hundreds of Travelocities in Great Britain.
Longest Marathon Reading Aloud

Reading aloud in class for even a minute can be extremely intimidating to me. First of all, everyone is looking at the text you are reciting, adding more pressure on making sure that you not only say every word, but also that you say it correctly. Second, in really any form of public speaking, you have to be conscientious of your tone, making sure your words flow and are pleasant to the ear. Now, imagine publicly reading out loud for 113 hours and 15 minutes-- that is the world record for the longest marathon reading aloud, accomplished by Deepak Sharma Bajagain from Nepal.

Marathon -reading -aloud
This is Deepak Sharma Bajagain reading a multitude of books aloud in Nepal.
Most Books Toppled Like Dominoes

When I think of books, I think of stories, reading, and writing... not lining them up like dominoes! Yet there is a world record for most books toppled in a domino fashion. People working for the United Biscuits UK Sales Team successfully arranged and toppled 5,318 Guinness World Record books. Here is a link to the taping of the event: https://youtu.be/WWUPA-xUsFo

Other Book Related World Records:

Youngest person to write a published book- Dorothy Straight, Age 4
Largest book signing- Orwin Woodward's book "And Justice For All", 6,786 signings
Highest earning adult fiction author- E L James, $95million from June 2012-June 2013
Fastest selling book of fiction in 24 hours- J K Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", 8.3 million copies within the first 24 hours
Largest private collection of books- John Q. Benham from Indiana, over 1.5million books

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