santa cruz wharf

07 August 2008

being a reader...more than a writer....

"Readers may be divided into four classes:

Sponges, who absorb all that they read and return it in nearly the same state, only a little dirtied.

Sand-glasses, who retain nothing and are content to get through a book for the sake of getting through the time.

Strain-bags, who retain merely the dregs of what they read.

Mogul diamonds, equally rare and valuable, who profit by what they read, and enable others to profit by it also. "

Samuel Taylor Coleridge
poet, critic (1772-1834)

which one are you?

14 comments:

Desert Songbird said...

I used to be a Mogul diamond, but now I struggle to even be a strain-bag.

I'm so lame.

Sandee said...

I'm a little of all of them from time to time. Depends on how I feel and what I'm reading. Just saying. Have a great day Katherine. Big hug. :)

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

I'd like to think I am a mogul Diamond...but I might be a Sponge

Linda said...

I'd like to think that I am a Mogul diamond but some times I fail to retain much of anything due to this whole early on-set dementia I've got going on!

Anndi said...

I strive to be a Mogul diamond... for it as important to be a good reader as it is a good writer.
And everything in life is about learning...

Mel said...

Of course it depends on what I'm reading.

Sponge for some--mogul diamond for others.
And, truth be told, sand-glasses for others that are sand-glass worthy.

Wait.
Yaknow, I've gone back to re-read some of those 'sand-glass' books only to discover it was my attitude about what I was reading and not about the content between the covers.

Schmoop said...

I really didn't read the post that carefully, so I don't which one I am.

I do know that Coleridge is one of my heroes. I think it was his love of opium, that sealed the deal. Cheers Kat!!

Jeff B said...

I think I'm a Spogal Sandbag. I check the book off the list after I've retained what I've sifted through only to share my findings with another.

Dianne said...

I think I'm a Mogul Diamond, at least I hope I am but I surely have tendencies of all at times.

Mo and The Purries said...

I used to be a mogul diamond... now I have TV!

robkroese said...

I've always thought of myself as sort of a sea cucumber.

Travis Cody said...

I think it depends on what I'm reading. Although I don't think I could ever be a sand-glass, because if I'm not interested in the material I won't just read it to have read it.

Marilyn said...

I'm sponge-like but it stays with me and sort of marinates. I wouldn't go so far as to say it comes back out diamond-like.

I, Like The View said...

hmmmmmm

maybe there is another genre of reader. . .

?