Too much code - slicing

[AK]

On 09/18/2010 11:28 PM, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> On Sat, 18 Sep 2010 21:58:58 -0400, AK wrote:
>
>>> I don't understand this.  So far as I know, the phrase "speed reading"
>>> refers to various methods of reading much faster than most people read,
>>> and is real but not exceptionally interesting.
>>
>> Afaik the idea is that you can read a novel at the speed of half a page
>> a second or so and understand it to the same extent as people who'd read
>> at a normal rate. Woody Allen joke: "I learned speed reading and read
>> War&Peace"; - it involves Russia.
>
> My wife can read scarily fast. It's very something to watch her reading
> pages as fast as she can turn them, and a few years ago she read the
> entire Harry Potter series (to date) in one afternoon, and could gives a
> blow-by-blow account of the plots, including a detailed critique of the
> writing style and characters. But then, she feels that reading the Potter
> series is a chore to be completed as fast as possible, rather than a
> pleasure to be savored. She'll sometimes drag a new Terry Pratchett or
> Stephen King novel out for as much as two days.
>
>

That's pretty impressive. I used to get somewhat close to that speed
when, years ago, I'd read a lot of trashy scifi. The way it would work
is that I'd sense in advance that there's a passage where the hero with
his team is going through a desert area and I'd know that a 30-40 page
section will be punctuated by two battles and one friendly encounter. I
would be able to read at different speeds depending on what's going on,
slowing down a bit where a twist is presented or a crucial plot point is
revealed, both would be telegraphed well in advance. In other spots, I'd
be able to scan a few words at the top of page, a few in the middle and
at the bottom and I'd know what's going on, generally.

I would also be able to give a detailed account of the plot and writing
style and characters but this would be entirely due to predictability of
writing and following tropes. Interestingly, I've also read LoTR in the
same way when I was younger because I was interested in battles and
skipped the dull parts.

I tried a few times to read Potter book 3 but couldn't bear it.. spoiled
too much by Barrie and Grahame.

When I was reading The book of the new sun, though, I could stop and
read a single sentence a few times over and reflect on it for a minute.

  -ak