Can you read with background noise (tv or people talking for example)?

[lauraloves]

I can read anywhere no matter how loud or quiet. I do prefer some sort of background noise though.

[TStarnes]

I can read no mater where I am.  After about a page I get tunnel vision and the whole world seems to drop away (its one of the reasons I like reading).  Its why when someone comes to talk to me when I am reading I get startled or don't hear them.

[emelee]

Can't read if the background noice is annoying, and I can't read while on a bus, train or car. Those two put together? Forget about it! 

[geordie9]

NO!!!!

[Marie H]

I need silence to read, otherwise it's impossible to take anything in, and retain it as well. It's always like that for me, being an a only child, it was so peaceful, all the time. Sibling rivalry would have been a hell! 

[Rachel56789]

I love reading to music, always have, always will. Most people ask me how I can possibly read without being distracted, but I don't mind it. Sometimes the song I'm playing even fits with the book I'm reading. I just slip on my headphones, open the pages, and I'm pretty much good to go.

[paperplane]

I prefer to have complete silence however if there is a little background noise such as the tv on a reasonable to quiet volume I can deal with it.

 

I don't however understand how some people can read and listen to an ipod at the same time! I'd end up singing along to my music and would repeat lines already read.

[Eleonora]

I'm one of those who need noise to concentrate, Paperplane, but I can't tell you how it works. Sometimes I sing along but I still can take in every single word. And most of the time I read books written in italian while I'm listening to songs sung in english. It's strange, just like if your brains splits in two different parts. And it's funny! My best friend can't take in a word without complete silence: when we travel together by train or bus, and we always read something when we travel, she punches me everytime my music is too loud or when I start singing.. so, maybe it's better to read with no background noise.. it's less painful!

[bookmonkey]

My son is like that Eleonora.  He studies better if he's listening to music at the same time.  I couldn't study with music on, except classical sometimes.  Anything with words would be too distracting.

[Sakura]

I just block out the music when I read. I find background noise soothing, so that's why I still listen to music while reading, but I'm not really paying attention to it besides the fact that it's there.

 

I'm more surprised that so many people need absolute silence to read. I wonder how you'd get any reading done at all, especially if you don't live alone.

[butterflylover]

I have to read in silence also.

[Rick Parise]

I can read anywhere but I need total silence to write.

[StormyAlanna]

When I was younger I used to be able to read while listening to music, or even with the television on in the background, but as I got older this became harder and harder to do.  These days, in an ideal world, I prefer complete silence but that very rarely happens.  If I'm upstairs reading then I don't mind a little bit of background noise drifting up from downstairs, i.e. the television on or people chatting, but if it gets too loud or too distracting then I have been known to put my earphones in.  Not to listen to music, but just to drown out some of the background noise.  I find it works a treat.

Edited April 21, 2014 by StormyAlanna

[LittleW]

That depends on how concentrated I am. Sometimes I can read with TV or people talking beside me and at other times it will distract me and I'd listen to what's being said. 

[anisia]

I always have music on when I'm reading, I prefer it to complete silence; when I had a TV I'd sometimes leave it on, but I used to get distracted by the image. 

[sadya]

Yes, depending on my mood. I can read almost anywhere I am. (only obstacle sometimes are my eyes, nowadays they start hurting if I read too much, I don't have reading glasses, yet when I use my normal glasses the pain lessens, guess my eyes are tired then)

[LittleW]

I always have music on when I'm reading, I prefer it to complete silence; when I had a TV I'd sometimes leave it on, but I used to get distracted by the image. 

Music never distracts me. It's more of a white noise, and when reading I tend to blend it out completely. Which is kind of sad, because I would prefer to hear some of the songs.

[dtrpath27]

I like silence when I read.  Noise outside doesn't bother me but TV or music -- you can forget it!  

[Alexander the Great]

When I was younger, I had no problem reading with surrounding noise. As a kid, I'd bring books to restaurants or when we'd visit friends as a family and I'd read. I remember as a teenager, I'd read in the car and listen to music simultaneously.

 

But ever since I kind of hit my twenties, I lost that ability. Suddenly, I couldn't read on the train if people were talking loudly. Now I can only focus on reading when it's quiet around me. I can't read when a television is playing or a radio is on. The most I can bear is instrumental classical music when reading.

[chesilbeach]

The owners of my favourite cafe play a lot of music I can't stand, so that means earbuds in with something of my own on, as there's no way I can read while Simply Red or Michael Bublé are singing.  I can just about cope with Jack Johnson and some Sinatra, and if it's busy with lots of people, I can't hear the music just general noise of everyone talking and the music mingle together, so I can quite happily tune it out while I read.

[Kylie]

I used to be able to read with noise, but I prefer silence these days. The only music I can tolerate is instrumental music with no singing. I guess I can read with a bit of background noise, but I tend to read more slowly and need to re-read things because I keep getting distracted.

[Ellie West]

I have to say I do concentrate more on a book when it is quiet, like in bed at night. Occasionally I read with other distractions, but it has to be a book that I am engrossed in. Hubby can read with the telly on etc  but I just get annoyed. Maybe quiet music in the background would be the only background noise.

I agree with that, if I am really into the book I can somewhat ignore the background noise. However, I prefer to be in silence to read as to not get distracted and lose my train of thought or picture about that page or section

[chaliepud]

I can cope with the TV on but my Mum and Dad are visiting and my Dad will insist on watching art and golf videos on his laptop with the TV on.. It's too much, I can't focus on my book!

[muggle not]

Noise bothers me when I am reading. I prefer little background noise although I can read outside on the porch and not have any problem with the noises from nature. Last night I read out on the screened porch until 9:00 pm. That is another advantage of the kindle....reading in the dark.

[chesilbeach]

Noise bothers me when I am reading. I prefer little background noise although I can read outside on the porch and not have any problem with the noises from nature. Last night I read out on the screened porch until 9:00 pm. That is another advantage of the kindle....reading in the dark.

 

Sounds blissful!