Hi,

I don’t understand you.

I love reading. I love listening to music. I don’t love doing them at the same time. It doesn’t make sense to me. How can you possibly pay attention to what you’re reading when there are so many things happening at the same time? How can you possibly appreciate written words when you’re simultaneously listening to sung words?

Personally, the only time I wear my headphones while reading is to block out external noise, but I never put music on. It helps me focus when there’s too much ambient noise. When reading in public, it’s an excellent way to block out blaring music or loud people. Or perhaps most importantly, it’s a way to avoid conversation. (You don’t need to explain the book you’re reading if you have an excuse to totally ignore someone’s question!)

I always regret finishing a book and forgetting the particulars. When I read, I always try to remember as much as I possibly can. I want to fully immerse myself into my book without external distractions because I fear that they will prevent me from remembering and understanding the text.

Sure, there are people who listen to music without words when reading. I understand there’s something calming about classical music. I’m sure that this type of music helps soothe people and it might even help them focus on their reading.

But to people who listen to music and read -- you are bold. How can you handle it? How can you process reading and listening at the same time? Do you have an amazing attention that lets you simultaneously enjoy both of these things? Do you think that reading and listening to music helps you understand your book or music better?

Is your music selection in any way thematic? Like do you listen to the Beatles when you read “The Girls,” a novel set in California during the 1960s? Do you listen to Dominican music when you read novels by Junot Díaz? Or is there no method to your listening? Do you listen to Drake when you read Dickens, Orwell and Austen? Do your listening patterns change when you read fiction and non-fiction?

I want to finish this letter by saying that I admire your attention span. I know that I can’t read and listen to music at the same time. It isn’t in me.