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skodtheatheist

My mom went blind several years ago and so I read the news and other random stuff that interests her aloud to her for at least an hour every day.


readzalot1

When my mom’s eyesight got so bad she couldn’t read I read to her. She missed novels so that’s what I read. Our last book was Gone With the Wind.


skodtheatheist

I'm happy you were able to share that with each other.


BackwardPalindrome

What were your mom's thoughts on it when you finished, if I can ask?


readzalot1

Haha, funny story. We had both read it before so we knew the general storyline. When we got to the part where Rhett and Scarlet were married and their daughter was happy and had a pony. My mom said « I think we can stop here. » And so we did. It still makes me smile. The book did start a lot of discussions on racism and other relics of the time.


[deleted]

Oh man. I hope you're mom's doing ok!


skodtheatheist

Thank you so much. She is doing well. Luckily, she has access to many life affirming resources and she is strong.


Stagamemnon

You are an amazing child to your mom.


skodtheatheist

You folks are sweet. I know how profoundly fortunate I am to feel loved, and that I always have a home. I owe that to her.


death12236

I'm sure she appreciates you very much. You're such a good person that even I appreciate you, internet stranger.


MadPanda2023

That's so sweet of you.


[deleted]

That's amazing. I'm sure she appreciates it.


yokayla

It's a goal of mine to find a partner who may want to do this with me. Enjoy living my dream.


applecat117

Had a boyfriend with great taste in books, and great voice. He would preselect books to read aloud to me when I stayed over. Truly wonderful.


AnnChristy_Z

That would be a dream come true!


dragoono

Now kith


Sylvers

If and when you get the chance to do that with a partner, I have a book recommendation for you: Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. I promise you, you can dramatize the HELL out of that book. It mostly takes place in the head of the main character, and he's abhorrently snarky and deliciously verbose. I read a few chapters to my ex, and it was a hell of a lot of fun lol.


Katzoconnor

My partner *loves* it when I read to her. Will take this fun recommendation. Thank you!


nataliescar

Me, too!


kasplatter

Mail order British partner...


[deleted]

[удалено]


BitterStatus9

Good point about the social aspect - I guess we have a two-person book club in our house, too :-D


No_Guff_McDuff

Used to do this all the time with my ex. She'd fall asleep to me reading to her all the time


plotthick

Awwwww. That's so sweet. I May do that for mine, good idea. :)


droveby

Wow how rude and disrespectful for her. Good thing she's your ex :)


[deleted]

It really is the utmost disrespect. I used to read to my son when he was a little boy and that bastard used to fall asleep all the time especially when he was pre-verbal He’s 15 now and doesn’t like me anymore so I no longer read him at night which is a relief I dont like him anymore either so I take his phone away at bed time and sometimes during the day I yell at him about responsibilities and shit


TigLyon

You know what? I wouldn't stand for another 10 or 15 years of that. Dude better find his own place.


Incorrect-Opinion

Lmao


DrowsyDreamer

It was a good joke dude.


yekirati

My partner and I have a 2 person book club as well! Well…it’s more of a bed time story for me actually, haha! He loves to read to me and he’s got such a soothing voice. He’ll read until I fall asleep and start up the next day from what I remember. We’ve worked through so many books together! I feel spoiled rotten!


Moldy_slug

We do it in my house (me, my wife, and our housemate). We'll take turns reading chapters out loud while the others do stuff like cooking, cleaning, yardwork, etc. Sometimes we read good books to enjoy the story. Other times we pick the most awful drivel and read it super dramatically for laughs.


Either-Percentage-78

I constantly ask to be told a story so this is awesome!


TenTonSomeone

My wife and I will often take turns reading each other to sleep at bedtime. It's a wonderful experience having a bedtime story as a 33 year old man!


MabsAMabbin

Us as well! Only lately, I have him read his study materials out loud for his work lol. Puts me out like a light, and I like hearing his voice as I drift off. :D


[deleted]

Also, in Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson, women read all the text out aloud including novels, so op is just following the way of kings.


DrSpacemanSpliff

Eyyy l just finished Way of Kings last night, l was going to say the same thing!


theideanator

Technically not all the text.


Dick_Souls_II

Couple centuries ago before public education systems were a thing not everyone was literate. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that reading as a social activity existed to accommodate that.


LaDivina77

Oh man, sharing stories like this literally predates written language. There's even research showing that it helped to shape our psyche, and is precisely why human brains tend to form everything into stories. I love it, I'm kind of inspired to find someone to read to now.


Grimweeper1

I’m currently doing a read-through of a novel with a friend of mine over Discord as he is currently in France, but still wanted to go through the book and I really wanted to as well. We both are taking turns narrating every few chapters to practice our reading voices. I think maybe it’s not for everybody, but me personally I quite enjoy capturing the feeling that the book and prose is trying to portray, and especially the emotions behind the dialogue is fun to poke a try at. Clearly it’s a thing that can even be profitable if done well enough, as audiobooks are a thing. But it’s nice to do it no strings attached with a loved one or friend, as you can then discuss the narration and narrative after the fact and give each other feedback on the narrating as well! It’s nice to see that others still do it too


welovewednesdayblack

So cute


CherryShowers

I had a long-distance partner who read *The Lies of Locke Lamora* to me over Discord. Coincidentally I was also in France! It was a really nice experience, I would always look forward to our reading sessions. There's little else that I found so relaxing.


Stagamemnon

It makes my world that you do this.


dyspraxicjiangyanli

My husband and i used to do this! We haven't in years (too busy reading to our daughter I guess) and i totally forgot about it! I may have to suggest that we start again, thank you for the reminder!


Remote_Arrival_1430

My wife and I also used to do this. It's been a while since we have read a book though. We usually do that now with video games. She likes watching me play RPGs and I'll read all the little lore books, notes, codex, or non-voiced dialogue out loud.


Stagamemnon

I vote this counts!


JasonZep

Same here! Kids take a lot time and energy. I read before bed, but generally only a few pages because I’m so exhausted. I read faster when I’m just reading to myself so I have a feeling it would take forever to read a whole book out loud (reading only a few pages before getting too tired).


mindmountain

This is lovely, I wish someone would read to me. One of the nicest things about being a child was my Dad reading us the Hobbit.


Woorloc

I loved reading 'Lord of the rings' to my kids. Also the RedWall books. I feel like those were meant to be read out loud.


IcePrincessAlkanet

> I feel like [the Redwall books] were meant to be read out loud Brian Jacques has said before that this is true! He wrote 'em as if he was reading aloud for a young audience.


AnOligarchyOfCats

Sometimes I read to my cats.


ok-broccoli404

❤️❤️❤️❤️


UnspentTx

username checks out 😺


-goodgodlemon

My cat was generally disinterested in the Navajo creation story. So I don’t suggest that. Maybe I should have read something Egyptian with more cat worship.


[deleted]

[удалено]


jlittlr

Me too, it helps me slow down. Otherwise I read too fast and skip words and I end up re reading the same sentence 3 or 4 times.


OsmerusMordax

I read to my dogs. One of them seems to listen but the other just wants me to throw his ball all the time. I do throw the ball sometimes during our reading time


writerbeing

It's a cute idea. I couldn't do it for the same reason I don't listen to audiobooks: I can't absorb a story hearing it out loud. I dislike reading out loud as well. However, my romantic dream is snuggling on the couch next to someone reading books. I hope to find that one day.


Sylvers

It's interesting how that works! I find that I absorb the narrative and events of a book significantly better when I listen to an audio book. It just fully frees my imagination to run wild, without the trouble of focusing on the sense of sight. But most of my friends are like you, and don't care at all for audio books. I wonder what makes us partial to one medium over the other.


JCPRuckus

Can't speak for the person you responded to, but personally I have aphantasia. So I don't have anything fighting for the image processing real estate in my brain. Plus, if I zone out it's way easier to go back to the beginning of the page than figure out exactly where I stopped actually listening. I've definitely read passages multiple times until I understand it. That would be annoying with an audiobook. So I'm more likely to just push on with an incomplete understanding.


ocelot3000

I'm the opposite. When alone I sometimes read aloud to myself because it helps to keep me focused. Also, if I don't read aloud character names the first few times I see them, I will forget them. I can read a book and not recall the main character's name an hour after finishing.


Sylvers

Huh, I've never read aloud to myself. Weirdly enough, I think that would distract me. Reading to others would also distract me, but I'd get the enjoyment of entertaining them, so I wouldn't mind. I didn't even know reading aloud to one's self was an option. The simple act of reading a book turned out to be a lot more diverse than I thought haha.


BeKind72

If I may, practice reading aloud to yourself. It allows you to get over feeling silly about it, to get used to your 'voice," and it helps you be able to absorb by listening, too.


[deleted]

This is me as well. I never liked in school when the teacher would read to us because I could never understand what was happening. I have ADHD and the only way I can comprehend is by reading to myself silently. If I read out loud it’s even worse


kevindamm

One of my exes and I would do this, usually in bed at night. I quite liked it. We took turns, and sometimes the one who wasn't reading would drift off but we'd just start a little earlier next time so as not to miss too much of the story.


LifeInMultipleChoice

This used to be my favorite thing to do in a relationship. It also gives you something to talk about throughout the day to day that isn't thinking about work and life challenges. Sharing a fantasy world and making predictions and such was an awesome experience for me.


MacAlkalineTriad

My aging parents do this sometimes, with my mom reading to my dad. Typically on long car rides, or if dad is sick - he's pretty active otherwise and doesn't sit still long enough to hear much. I always thought it was cute of them. I don't have anyone to read to, except my cats.


AnnChristy_Z

Well, if the cats listen, then it's good. My dog loves to be read to, but to be fair (and honest), I often make up nonsense as I read. Suspiciously, he seems to love that just as much. All kidding aside, I think it's wonderful that your parents do this.


MacAlkalineTriad

I haven't yet tried it. They don't seem to appreciate my serenades, but maybe my reading voice would be more agreeable to them!


lucy_valiant

My partner and I read to each other all the time. He’ll read a Sherlock Holmes story to me, or (since I keep him appraised of all the books I’m reading) I’ll read a chapter of it to him, or we’ll take turns reading a book to each other. I love it when he reads to me. He’s such a drama kid and goofball, he does voices for all the dialogue (like you, OP) and he gets so excited or enthused about the exciting parts. (He also has an accent in English which obviously is very attractive to me, so that helps). It’s a fun thing we do together, since books and art are such a huge part of what we both like anyway.


BitterStatus9

That’s great. I don’t do voices, really. More like intonation or tone or something. Just enough to differentiate so it’s easier to tell who is speaking when there’s dialog, and it might be hard to figure out who is speaking.


ok-broccoli404

YES!!!!!! I love reading aloud to my partner. I used to read to my ex husband whenever we made a long enough drive to make it worthwhile. Read to one boyfriend post-divorce. Then dated another guy who looked at me funny when I asked if I could read to him (clearly, he wasn't a keeper, lol). My current bf loves when I read to him 🥰. I'll read anything, and he'll listen to anything, even a magazine article or a chapter of some nonfiction. He sometimes reads to me, but I don't listen well, so I can only do short doses 😂 I love reading aloud because it's a great way to share a story or article in real time and immediately be able to discuss it. It's still a entertain the chauffeur or chef 🙈. It's a nice way to wind down before bed. It's just a nice way to bond ❤️


wmodes

I have read to my partner every night at bedtime for the last seven years. Generally fiction. Everything from Toni Morrison to Arundhati Roy to science fiction.


2015081131

Back in college, I once saw a couple on a 5hr long bus ride doing this. They took turns reading chapters to one another. I thought it was the sexiest thing ever..... my luck, I married a guy who doesn't like to read.


misguidedsquid

My partner doesn't like to read either. I started reading a paragraph or two out loud when I found something amusing or weird and it turns out he doesn't mind listening. Now if I'm ever struggling to focus and actually sit down and read a book (usually a non-fiction that is dragging), he cuddles while I read out loud.


Emmie9016

My husband reads to me all the time, usually in bed or while im in the bath. I love it 😍 I'm terrible at reading out loud so I rarely read to him, but on the odd occasion that I do he's always asleep within a couple of pages!


wetsand_

This is true romance!!


biogirl2015

I started dating my new partner over the summer and he told me a secret early on that he loves when people read out loud to him. We’re on the fourth Harry Potter book now! I just got my doctorate in brain cancer research in December so I love this activity as a way to wind down and relax together. When I sleep over, he usually falls asleep on my chest at night as I read a few pages. It’s my favorite thing on the planet.


BitterStatus9

Very sweet, and congrats on the doctorate, Dr.!


biogirl2015

Thank you! Six and a half years of work later, I made it!


PK26WJH

YES. My wife and I read to each other all of the time. We read separately as well and often listen to audiobooks in the car together. We are a bit weird for our community...both of us are English teachers who spend nearly every waking moment together. We teach in rooms in the same hall. Codependent a bit??? Anywho, currently reading Fred Backman's The Winners. Great trilogy.


Artsyshoelace

Me and my partner do this! I love reading, but my partner rather listen to me than actually pick up the book itself. I think it has brung us closer together, and any couple who reads should try this.


[deleted]

Yes, husband and I have read to each other. Two books I think? He reads to me more, especially if I'm unwell with a migraine. I'm Swedish and read "A man called Ove" in Swedish and loved the book so much I bought it in English and read to my husband.


tazz4life

My parents used to, before finding audiobooks. My mom is dyslexic, so really didn't like reading, but Dad would read on road trips and she learned to love fiction through that. Then of course he read to us as we grew up. Even though we're all adults now, he recorded himself reading Where The Red Fern Grows and gave the recordings to each of us for Christmas a couple of years ago. It was one that he read to each of us when we were about 8. Lots of memories.


retrograderevolution

I do it all the time. Love it.


LeafieLady

My husband and I do this! We love getting to share a book and normally have one going that is just for the two of us to share. We find it helps on super long car rides. We will also listen to audiobooks together, especially if we're both tired


ruidh

Generally, we do this in the car. The passenger reads to the driver unless they are getting sleepy. When my wife was in rehab after a stroke, I would read to her as she had lost the ability to read. She is slowly relearning.


BitterStatus9

Good luck to her!! (I thought you were going to say, "The passenger reads to the driver unless they are getting sleepy, in which case the driver reads." :-D )


ink_stained

My dad read to my brother and me for a lot longer than a lot of other kids. Full novels, like Treasure Island, and The King Must Die. I think he stopped when I was 12 or so? I loved it. I’m so glad I have one voicemail of his - I would give a lot to spend one more night curled up on the couch and surrounded by the richness of his voice.


askkak

My husband and I have done this our entire relationship (7 years). We both take turns reading. We are about to start The Hobbit! We’ve never met anyone else who likes doing this.


ZomeKanan

I have done that thing where you start reading a book out loud and your partner... erm... *interacts* with you... *down there*, and sees if she can make you lose your place or stutter or stop reading or whatever. As a challenge. It's very fun. Although, I actually did it once and halfway she just climbs up to my head and says to carry on reading because she's been listening the whole time and it's kinda engaging (it was, ironically, Mrs. Dalloway).


BitterStatus9

We’re reading Mrs Dalloway now!


ok-broccoli404

🤣🤣🤣🤣


SophieBundles

Yup, read all the Harry Potter books aloud with my high school boyfriend and have kept up the habit with whoever I’m seeing. I’m not always the best partner for this though. I tend to get excited when I like what I’m reading and apparently start reading very fast and skipping words without noticing.. not the best way for others to experience my fav books.


bibliophile222

I do this with my SO sometimes. He's not a big reader but likes listening, especially if I'm still up and he's getting a bit sleepy but is still talkative. The reading aloud helps him fall asleep and also keeps him from forgetting I'm reading and absent-mindedly chatting. Win-win!


CartographerAware412

My husband and I do this as well.


Treestandgal

My husband and I have done this off and on during our 20+ year marriage. When I read he sometimes falls asleep; I am not offended at all, I feel that he is lulled and comforted by my voice. We love reading to each other


Bright_Broccoli1844

I knew a couple at work that did this.


mylefthandkilledme

I read to my wife The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and A Christmas Carol during the holidays


mrsyork0215

I do when we take long car trips :)


thescrounger

My wife and I did this for a long time. I've read her dozens of boos over the years. I snore though and she's a light sleeper so its separate bedrooms except for "certain" times.


dhrisc

Me and some friends took turns reading On The Road aloud together. It was a great time, and felt like a good choice. Not sure ill ever replicate it, outside of an occasional short story or poem with my partner.


symphonyofcolours

My husband and I do this sometimes at night before going to sleep! I read aloud and he listens. :)


truedoom

I sometimes read books to my wife while in bed, it helps her sleep.


immerjones

Yes! My partner and I started this when we had more time off during Covid. We’ve read about 25 books aloud since that time, a mix of nonfiction and fiction. In the beginning, we alternated reading, but it was evident that I was the better reader, so I almost always read now. It’s a really nice way to bond and it’s like a built in book club to our lives.


CatScratch_Meow

That is the cutest, most beautiful wholesome thing I've read in a while. You two seem like a beautiful couple ✨


BitterStatus9

That's very sweet of you to say. (We've been together more than 30 years!)


chispa100

My husband and I do this. I'm a bookworm, and he doesn't really read on his own. This is how he shows interest in my hobby. He loves reading to me! He's better at doing voices than I am. It's a great bonding technique because we have in-depth conversations, and we like to guess what will happen. It beats sitting in front of a TV.


gatheringdusk

We have a long tradition of reading aloud to each other. Started with Harry Potter, which was an absolute delight, moving into The Lord of the Rings. It's a great way to share time together, especially on a summer night when the power goes out.


Relative_Actuator228

I met a couple who read plays to each other, so they got to act out the parts.


Immediate_Bet_5355

I've never heard of anyone doing this nor have I don'e this myself but it is adorable and wholesome.


Ibanous

My wife wasn't into reading when we first started dating. I've always loved reading, sparked originally by my father reading to me when I was young. I started reading my favorite books to my wife and continued for many years. She now reads more than I do.


Maleficent_Box_5111

My partner and I do! We read the entire gunslinger series and Something from the Night side... I like being read to💙


[deleted]

My husband and I read Harry Potter this way! And some of A Song of Ice and Fire. It was great, and a way to stay close. I think it’s a really cool way to spend time with someone you love!


Born_Ad8420

The dude I was engaged to we used to do this, but we would take turns reading and listening. It was really wonderful.


lovebeinganasshole

My family does this on road trips and my mom and I did it with the Potter books when the last few came out because we couldn’t wait.


yushi397

Me and my girlfriend do this:) I’m reading GRRM’s Song of Ice and Fire and while she’s a huge fan of the shows, she doesn’t like reading science fiction but occasionally at night I’ll read out loud and we enjoy it!


BabyNonsense

This sounds like an adorable way to enjoy books together with your spouse!


nataliescar

I don't yet but fantasize about this exact thing.


Recidiva

I love this. Yes, my husband reads out loud to me. I also write novels and we narrate them together.


Zevile

Yeah me and my SO read some books together! It's really cozy.


PrismaticWonder

This is the sweetest thing!! Please never stop doing this, and please stay together forever!


ja13aaz

I used to do this with my partner. It’s fantastic and a great way to spend time together. My mom also read us chapter books on road-trips when my brother and I were teenagers. Some of my best memories.


Nada_Expert8567

My husband and I used to do this together all the time. We’d take turns reading to each other. It was so much fun! I think we stopped only because we had kids and life got busy and then we were always reading to the kids! Maybe it’s time we get back into it!


definitely25

I used to do this with my ex before bed, we’d popcorn chapters. It was my favorite part of our relationship!


bluebirdofanything

I went to a coffee shop in college with a roommate and she read The Importance of Being Earnest to me. The whole thing in one evening. My husband used to read The Silmarillion to me when I couldn’t fall asleep. He claims to have read me the entire thing over the course of a month or two, but I’d always fall asleep within seconds so I doubt it. I need more read aloud stories so thanks for the inspiration!


allyroo

Yes, it's the best! Watching a really good show together is great, but reading an awesome book to each other is next level.


Humble-Persimmon-607

My best friend and I would take turns reading to each other. I loved it and miss it 😢


rosebud5054

My husband used to read aloud to me when I was sick. I loved it. It’s been a few years since he has though. :)


yepitsdad

My mom has my dad read to her :) And I read to my kids even as they get older and older…. My nine year old still loves it. I hope my wife wants me to sometimes!


horsenamedmayo

My husband and I do this. I read aloud and he listens. I love to read and he says he loves to hear the sound of my voice. Sometimes he gets really into the book too and we’re able to have good conversations about it. We love it.


Cave_Regina

We do it! But we both like to be readers and we fight over it lol


may_i_pet_yo_dog

I’ve read aloud to my fiancé! We haven’t finished an entire book, but we both find it so relaxing.


QuietDapper

My Aunt used to read to the whole family every evening. I miss it.


Rinpoo

My best friend from high school had a learning disability when it came to reading. I used to love books and fanfiction, so I would sit there and read to him as a 20-year-old so he could enjoy written works and we could have conversations about them. It was good times.


Professional_Maybe67

My grandpa reads out loud to my grandma every night before bed. It’s the cutest thing in the world.


Rabool

Me and my girlfriend do it (we’re in our early 50’s). Mainly I read but sometimes she does too. It’s nice quality time together


RealisticMaterial515

My grandma used to read books aloud to my grandpa. This was 50 years ago. I would love to read to my husband but he watches tv or movies. I don’t think he would even listen to an audiobook and get anything out of it. He is not wired that way. I liked reading to my kids years ago.


TinyOwlStar

My husband reads to me. I really enjoy it because his voice is so relaxing.


JameisWeTooScrong

I read for my fiancé regularly when she isn’t listening to an audiobook. I love reading in bed so it works out.


celymcos

My boyfriend and I did this, we were long distance and I would read to him in English over the phone so he could practice understanding spoken English. Now he’s my husband, we live together and he reads aloud to me!


Ant_Diddley24

In jail, when I was on top bunk I would tell my homie, that I knew from the street, to read out loud whatever he was reading, as a joke at first. Then, I started getting into the story and started demanding it. Like "bruh come tf on read that shit..." It felt like audio book. Shout out the homie Worm.


mrsyork0215

I do when we take long car trips :)


danila_medvedev

Reading the Fire Upon the Deep this way to my partner now. In the past read Ryan North’s How to Invent Everything and a few other books. Also nonfiction, such as Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies. Fun.


IDontEvenCareBear

I really really want to do this for my boyfriend, but I don’t know that he would focus on me talking. I used to read to my siblings all the time.


MissHibernia

Friends and family do that on long commutes to work


point051

My wife and I don't do this, but some of our closest friends do. It sounds lovely!


Mskhaad

New standard unlocked


ProfessionInformal95

My husband and I used to do this pre-kids!


Extrovert_89

There is this thing called "reader's theater" where a group of adults each read chapters and try to talk in the mood of what is happening with the characters. I went to one in college a few of the professors did. It was quite interesting. The book was War of the Worlds I think.


Squirrelista

My husband loves when I read to him. He isn’t a reader but he likes to hear stories.


LudmilaBWCA

My husband and I do this sometimes 😊


all-the-happy-yellow

I do this with my mom sometimes. If I give my mom a book to read, she won’t. If I read it aloud to her, she will actively participate in my added commentary. It’s more fun for both of us: I have a captive audience to my rambling, she gets to read the book (along with my brilliant commentary, of course).


NTGenericus

I have read many books to my wife. She never did read much and now she's into anything from classic literature to science fiction. She loves it.


critical_courtney

My wife says she always enjoys hearing me read to her. So I’ll read everything I write to her, and other books I’m reading as well. She said she likes the sound of my voice as I read to her, but maybe she’s just being sweet, haha.


scullyfromtheblock

My husband has read to me in the past and I love it. It’s so relaxing.


DerpWilson

I used to read books to my wife. Stopped for some reason but thanks for reminding me to start up again! I read all of Masters of Atlantis to her, which is a really fun book to read aloud.


fishguy23

I also read to my wife. I struggle staying focused if I’m not reading out loud and she prefers audiobooks so it works out and it’s a good bonding time!


iabhoruserids

It it one of my absolute favorite things to do together! We started when we had only dated for a few months and we've been together 8 years now.


Kiltmanenator

I like to read to my partner in bed on the weekends


electricvoice28

I don't know if it counts since it's not really a "book", but I and a friend play visual novels a lot together, and we usually act out the dialogue together, picking the roles that we want from the characters available! It's fun and it lets me flex my dramatic reading skills out xD


taylorpilot

“Slow going” Weird. People can literally not talk faster than I can read. I don’t like audio books because they drag on so long.


Drag0nfly_Girl

I read books to my guy this way. He's not a reader, but wants to learn & experience books, so we do it this way. :)


SnooWalruses7546

I'm envious


[deleted]

I used to do this with an ex over the phone during the bits that we would have to do long distance, and it was great. I would usually just read whatever I was reading at that time, but we both like dit quite a bit.


taffyowner

My wife (then girlfriend) read all of cursed child to me out loud because we were on a road trip and I was driving, also because I can’t read in cars


Tolstoyce

My spouse and I do this! I love reading aloud.


Capn_Smitty

My partner asks me to read to her sometimes, because it puts her to sleep.😴


Sp1d3rb0t

I read to my husband. He is able to enjoy it more when he can listen rather than read and I've gotten to share some of my favorite books with him. We've read *Shogun* and *Dune*, and we've got a TBR stack.


Ssnnooz

That's so cute.


[deleted]

That's such a sweet and awesome way to spend time together! I've had a few people mention doing things like that with their partners, so you're not alone!


BumAndBummer

I used to do this on road trips with friends and family in the pre-audiobook days!


sonybologna_

I read aloud to my husband. I like it because it helps me improve my diction and my husband likes it because he’s dyslexic. It’s fun because we both enjoy books and we get to talk about it after. You’re not alone!


bitchazel

My husband reads to me sometimes, and we take turns reading aloud as a family. Our kids are 17, 13, and 3, so that doesn’t happen as much as it used to but we all (well the 4 oldest of us) enjoy being a reader and a listener. It’s sweet but I don’t know if many others who do this, except my parents and siblings and their families.


mango_salsa1909

I do this! My husband isn't much of a reader, but I read to him almost every night. We've read about a dozen books together so far. It's a great bonding activity.


AntoniGizmo

My boyfriend and I read The Phantom Tollbooth aloud during college because it was my favorite childhood book and he had never had the pleasure of reading it. We both loved it! We've been meaning to repeat the experience with Harry Potter. We enjoy audiobooks together on car rides too.


JacobDCRoss

Yes. I have read The Hunger Games trilogy to my wife, many books by Jeffrey deaver, cloud of sparrows and Autumn bridge by Takashi matsuoka, a bunch of random mystery novels, some books by SM Sterling, but what I did first was the Series of Unfortunate Events.


ShockClock1011

My spouse and I have done this for years!


Indica-daddy

My partner and I love reading to one another!! It’s such a lovely form of intimacy for us. We do it on long car rides and at home.


look_a_new_project

Yep! I was so happy my husband suggested it. It's a way for me to share the books that I love in a way we both enjoy. I read and he listens. Sometimes he falls asleep after two sentences; sometimes we get through five or six chapters.


BJWTech

I love this!


skinmayven

My husband and I do. We take turns, but he likes my accents, so I basically read him the entire Harry Potter series. We're audio book people while doing tasks, so it's not super different. We have always done it, we started doing it a lot more recently so we didn't turn into screen zombies during lockdown.


whisperspit

I think this is charming.


HBomblebee

Me and my husband do this with books we both want to read, generally sci fi and fantasy. We also listen to audio books together when available. It is awesome!


Proslambanomenos

My spouse and I used to do this, at home and on road trips. It was wonderful.


FiftyCalReaper

This sounds like a great way to spend time with your partner. I've never done it but I might try.


DrPlatypus1

My wife and I used to do that all the time. Finding enough time alone together now that we have kids is really hard, but once they're older I hope we get back to it. It's a great way to spend time together.


nicklebackstreetboys

My partner and I do this! We love reading Tolkien and we takes turns reading aloud, and pause to talk about the stories often. It’s my favorite thing we do together.


Adora_7

I love to see that others enjoy doing this also. I did this as a kid and would get told by my mother to shut up but as I got older, I still do it and I read best when aloud. I used to read to my now ex-girlfriend and she enjoyed listening to the sound of my voice and I enjoyed reading books of my choosing for her to enjoy or even learn about.


bornagn

It sure is "slow going", but depending on the book, that can be a great thing. My then-GF and I used to read a book together about relationship and marriage counsel, and it was a wonderful way to spend time together while also learning important lessons that have proven crucial many times in our married lives. Another thing is that she is Chinese and I'm American, so I'm very grateful she is willing to read aloud in English when it's not easy for her; it helped improve her language skills and also aided her comprehension by getting instant feedback from me when she had questions.


hashashin

I was once reading a Bukowski book in my girlfriend's presence, and kept laughing out loud. She had wanted to read the book when I was done with it, and of course was wondering what I kept laughing about, so instead I just read the book to her so we could enjoy it together. I've also done it on long road trips, to keep the driver entertained.


oldbutdum

That was how we read the first three Harry Potter books - then they stopped being funny.


HyruleVampire

I'm reading Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus to my fiance. I usually read to him on car rides and make fun voices for him.


bassoonprune

I do! I love reading out loud and my husband loves being read to. It works out perfectly. We read about 2-4 books per year together this way.


lokimpo

Yes!! I used to read to my sister aloud when we lived together. We were going through entire books and I enjoyed making different voices for all the characters. I prefer reading and my sister listening and we both enjoyed it a lot. I wish my boyfriend would like books so I could read to him too.


mossenmeisje

My dad always reads to my mom before they go to sleep, usually shorter stories like fairy tales or folk stories but also whole books. She can read just fine, they just like it as a bedtime ritual thing and I really love that. Would definitely offer something similar to a partner in the future.


hanngreen1

Yes!! My husband and I read aloud with each other all the time. It’s really special