I was wondering something similar from a different perspective. I love to read, but I'm actually terrible at it. My eyes don't track well and I jump lines constantly, get confused about where I am, and have to start whole pages over sometimes. My mind also wanders, and I can go several pages before realizing I haven't really been reading. It takes me twice as long to finish a book as it does my friends, but I still enjoy reading and love books.
> My mind also wanders, and I can go several pages before realizing I haven't really been reading.
I think this is an under-rated benefit of reading. Would you feel like you failed if your mind wandered during a guided meditation? Can reading serve a similar function?
This is one reason why I gave up trying to significantly increase my reading speed. Blazing through a nonfiction book at 700 WPM might make you feel like you've learned a lot, but you probably haven't really digested anything. Do you really want to uncritically ingest a nonfiction book? I've listened to enough episodes of If Books Could Kill (amazing podcast, btw) to no longer have any desire to quickly "absorb knowledge" from a book, with how likely it is that that "knowledge" is flawed in myriad ways. I now think it's much better to go slowly, ponder what you read, take time to let your mind wander (it's connecting the rest of your life to what you've just read), and be critical and questioning of everything you read. If a book isn't worth taking this time on, it's not worth reading.
And for novels or reading for fun, why would you want to rush through it? It's for pleasure: go at whatever speed gives you the most pleasure. It's not a contest.
