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Kelyn wrote: ↑02 Aug 2019, 00:23

briellejee wrote: ↑01 Aug 2019, 23:54

Kelyn wrote: ↑31 Jul 2019, 22:39 I have a background as an army medic, where I worked for several years in the ER, so most of the medical terminology wasn't' a problem for me. However, I do understand how dragging it makes reading a book when terminology is used that you don't understand (or need to understand actually). Look at almost any Asimov book. Paragraphs upon paragraphs of how the technology works. Uuuggghhh! Using technical language a bit more sparingly would have helped many readers with this book.

Wow, my dream job is to be an army medic at some point. I, too, having enough knowledge about the medical world, didn't find the terminology exhausting. Instead, I find it quite stimulating by reading it. I agree with your frustrations about Asimov hahaha I tried reading it but end up frustrated because it's too much information all at once.

Well, it was certainly an interesting job. Working in the ER there was, to coin a phrase, never a dull moment. It can be stressful, too, though, as you might imagine. The outcomes are not always as positive as one might wish for. // I found Tolkien challenging to read as well with the copious detail that I often found unnecessary to the actual story. His storylines were so compelling though that it didn't stop me reading the way it did with Asimov.

briellejee wrote: ↑02 Aug 2019, 00:47
I can believe that. Where were you assigned? That profession is hard for the mental and emotional health of the workers. Not to mention physical too.

Speaking of Tolkien, even I am a fan (as noted on my signature), I find it the same as well. But I enjoy his words or his phrases, I think they were interesting enough even if it wasn't part of the storyline. I read the Fellowship twice before understanding all of it. hahaha. Asimov, on the other hand, is just too literal and too academic that my head spins when I read it. hahaha

Kelyn wrote: ↑02 Aug 2019, 01:00

briellejee wrote: ↑02 Aug 2019, 00:47
I can believe that. Where were you assigned? That profession is hard for the mental and emotional health of the workers. Not to mention physical too.

Speaking of Tolkien, even I am a fan (as noted on my signature), I find it the same as well. But I enjoy his words or his phrases, I think they were interesting enough even if it wasn't part of the storyline. I read the Fellowship twice before understanding all of it. hahaha. Asimov, on the other hand, is just too literal and too academic that my head spins when I read it. hahaha

I was in Hanau, Germany at Pioneer Cassern (Station). I lived off base "on the economy" and had a small apartment with my then-husband right next to the German hospital. Loved every minute of it except that it was still snowing in April! I'm from Louisiana so that was a major culture shock. I found it still being bright daylight at 9 PM during the 'summer' time odd but enjoyable as well. (It never really became summer temps to me. Mid 70's at it's highest.)

As far as Tolkien and Asimov, I found both of them a challenge in different ways but at least Tolkien made it worth the effort. Another book I had to read multiple times was Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein. I was still running across details I hadn't caught before on my third read through!

briellejee wrote: ↑02 Aug 2019, 01:12
Wow, you were so far away from home. I would be shocked if you didn't get a culture shock So do you speak a bit of German or are you fluent?


I have to second that. Tolkien's "unnecessary" details are enjoyable and intriguing than Asimov. hahaha Ooooh I haven't heard of the one before. What genre is it?

Kelyn wrote: ↑02 Aug 2019, 01:27

briellejee wrote: ↑02 Aug 2019, 01:12
Wow, you were so far away from home. I would be shocked if you didn't get a culture shock So do you speak a bit of German or are you fluent?


I have to second that. Tolkien's "unnecessary" details are enjoyable and intriguing than Asimov. hahaha Ooooh I haven't heard of the one before. What genre is it?

I speak only a little. I'm definitely not fluent. Fortunately, we were provided with an elementary course in German when we arrived, and many of them speak fluent English. It's actually an easier language to understand that it is to speak, oddly enough. Often I was able to get the gist of what was being said to me but unable to respond in German!! Talk about frustrating! It did raise my desire to learn the language though I've forgotten most of what I learned. That was many years ago.

Stranger in a Strange Land is sci-fi. Heinlein is one of the sterling writers of the genre. I'm surprised you haven't heard of him although if that's not a genre, you read much I suppose it's not that startling. He's much easier to read than Tolkien or Asimov. With him, it's catching all the intricacies of the story that's interesting and challenging.

Czolly23 wrote: ↑27 Jul 2019, 07:36 I really enjoyed reading Dr. Douglas’s autobiography and found him to be very inspirational. I struggled, however, with the plethora of medical and scientific terminology. When the intricacies of medications and diagnoses were discussed, I found it difficult to follow, and that it distracted from his main theme.

I agree, all the medical terms made it hard to follow sometimes. Thank heaven for the dictionary app on kindle!

What do you think? Did it add to the book and your understanding? Did you also find it distracting and at times a bit tedious?

briellejee wrote: ↑01 Aug 2019, 23:39

Lunastella wrote: ↑01 Aug 2019, 19:43 I think whenever an author uses specific terminology that most people aren't familiar with, a glossary or footnotes are necessary. Sometimes the terminology is related to a profession, like in this case, or to a different culture or religion, etc. The same happens for instances of words in another language. I understand that they can be necessary and the author doesn't want to interrupt the plot flow with an explanation but footnotes are a great resource for the reader.

I agree, recently, I have read this book with lots of footnotes, which I am thankful for because it really helped during reading, especially because the kindle format highlights it and you have to click it so you don't have to go to the end of the book to check it. I wished the author did this.

Lunastella wrote: ↑02 Aug 2019, 19:02

briellejee wrote: ↑01 Aug 2019, 23:39

Lunastella wrote: ↑01 Aug 2019, 19:43 I think whenever an author uses specific terminology that most people aren't familiar with, a glossary or footnotes are necessary. Sometimes the terminology is related to a profession, like in this case, or to a different culture or religion, etc. The same happens for instances of words in another language. I understand that they can be necessary and the author doesn't want to interrupt the plot flow with an explanation but footnotes are a great resource for the reader.

I agree, recently, I have read this book with lots of footnotes, which I am thankful for because it really helped during reading, especially because the kindle format highlights it and you have to click it so you don't have to go to the end of the book to check it. I wished the author did this.

The Kindle functions make it so much easier! I love paperbacks but when it comes to consulting terminology, glossaries, etc. it's way easier in Kindle.

lucia_kizas wrote: ↑04 Aug 2019, 05:35 Unless the author intended to have his book read mainly by people in the same field, with the knowledge of terminology, it would have been great if he used simple words to explain the terminology.