How much of what you read do you remember?

[Guest Tiresias]

I've often found myself "talking books" with someone who energetically recommends a book but is then unable to tell you anything about it, except that it's good.

 

There are several factors involved: How fast you read; how long since you read the book; how good a memory you have (or how much effort you make) and perhaps most importantly, how much you were enjoying the book. Relative to all these variables, how do you rate your powers of recall?

 

Here are a few of the elements you might care to either brag about recalling in sharp detail for ever or shamefacedly admit to forgetting completely the day after putting the book down.

 

1. General subject, theme, or thesis.

2. Main characters' names.

3. Sequence of events.

4. Names of minor characters and places.

5. Verbatim quotes and passages.

 

 

As for me: I always read slowly. I always remember 1-3. If the book matters to me, and I use mnemonics (a little hobby of mine, technically it's cheating), then there's a good chance I will remember more.

[Ruth]

I tend to remember 1, 2 and 3.

[Tiger]

I tend to remember 1, 2 and 3 as well

[Weave]

1,2,3 and a little of 4. I think I forget what I read, then someone asks me a question and I just spout all of this knowledge

[Laramie]

1, 2, sometimes get mixed up in 3 but I can remember it, some of 4 and 5 if the quotes are good.

[Guest Tiresias]

If its a boring book i don't remeber much of it.

 

If it's a boring book I'll try to forget it.

[Kell]

1, 2 & 3 - 9 times out of 10

4 - maybe 60-70% of the time

5 - if something in particular jumps out at me and means something specific to me at the time.

 

An example of number 5 is actually from a book I hated that spawned one of my favourite quotes ever:

 

"What is normal? Normal is only ordinary; mediocre. Life belongs to the rare, exceptional individual who dares to be different."

 

It's spoken by Audrina's father to Audrina in My Sweet Audrina by Virginia Andrews. It's a dire book - entirely prredictable and following exacly the same format as all the other books in the V C Andrews canon, but at the time I read it, I was an awkward teen who didn't fit in and was constantly bullied for being "different". The quote struck a chord and although I only ever read the book once, the quote stayed in my head.

[Jo-Bridge]

1, 2 and 3- sometimes 4 and never 5! I remember the more "literary" novels more. :readingtwo:I read a lot of crime novels and they do tend to merge with each other! Donna Leon writes really memorable crime novels sent in Venice however and I read a greek detective novel -Late Night News by Petros Markaris which i think will stay in my memory a bit longer!

[Freewheeling Andy]

With ropey books - generally none, maybe (1).

 

With fairly good books (1) and often (3). Not so often (2)

 

With good books (1) and (3 although I'll remember them and re-read and discover I remembered wrong), with hints of (2) but also the places part of (4) without the minor characters - I remember places more than I remember names, but that may be my geography geekiness creeping through.

[boo]

I'd like to think generally 1, 2 and 3. On a good day, and with all my brain cells working at their best, maybe 4!

 

Sometimes I listen to music when reading, so when I next here that particular song I remember the book I was reading at the time. It's not always a good thing when the book wasn't that great though!

[nursenblack]

I usually remember 1, 2, and 3, but it really does depend on how I liked the book and the length of time since it was read. Even now I can think of several books I enjoyed at the time but couldn't tell anyone the main characters names without looking.

[Kylie]

Definitely 1, mostly 2 and 3, depending on how recently I read the book, and some of 4. The only quotes I would generally remember usually concern the first and last lines of a book.

[beef]

I tend to remember more as time goes on for some reason, E.G i cant remember the last book I read (according to my list it was black order) but i can remember a fair bit about Fahrenheit 451 which i read months back.

[Guest Tiresias]

I tend to remember more as time goes on for some reason, E.G i cant remember the last book I read (according to my list it was black order) but i can remember a fair bit about Fahrenheit 451 which i read months back.

 

Are you serious, or is this a joke?

[Nici]

Knowing Beef he is deadly serious!

[Angel]

I tend to remember more as time goes on for some reason, E.G i cant remember the last book I read (according to my list it was black order) but i can remember a fair bit about Fahrenheit 451 which i read months back.

 

First sign of dementia that

[scottishbookworm]

I read 2 books when I'm in my bed

 

when I go on holiday it's 3 books

[Kell]

I used to regularly have four or five books on the go at any given time (one in my bag, one next to the bed, one in the bathroom, one in the living room, etc) and never got the storylines mixed up - I could always remember what was happening in which book and afterwards could very easily give quite a lot of detail on the booksin question. Of course, nowadays, I get confsed reading the label of a shampoo bottle, so I'd not be much good with that now!

[scottishbookworm]

yeah

 

usually it's an ian rankin book for bedtime

 

holiday time it's something like a Jackie collins book

[Jo-Bridge]

yeah

 

usually it's an ian rankin book for bedtime

 

holiday time it's something like a Jackie collins book

 

 

I always read 2 or 3 as well- dont get them mixed up! Usually theres at least one detective/crime novel! I'm a bit of a Rankin fan- do you like the ones he wrote as Jack Reacher?

[TashaG]

I usually remember 1-3 and I'm a sucker for a good quote so if I will often right down something I like!

 

As for reading more than one book at a time, I used to do this when I was a kid. I would read one book till it got really exciting and then I would put it down and start another one. That way I always new that there was something exciting to do if I started to fee bored!

[beef]

Are you serious, or is this a joke?

I am serious. This probably stems from me not taking a break between finishing a book and starting a new one.

[thelastwatcher33]

Usually I ll remember most books quite well, but when I ve read something I was really in to I can remember things in much clearer detail. For instance I read Hannibal by Thomas Harris ages ago but I can remember the story so clearly. I often find myself trying to tell people how fantastic it is but most people have only seen the movie (as I had done before I read it) and are put off. The story is very different to the film, and much better I might add. I find myself emtionally caught up in stories like that and I think thats why I remember it.