Welcome to Booking Through Thursday, a weekly bookish meme about books and reading for everyone who loves both. Booking Through Thursday was first hosted by Deb. With permission, I’ve restarted it in 2026.
This week’s prompt:
Do you deliberately choose to listen to music while you read? Prefer peace and quiet? Music, yes, but lyrics no? Whatever your preference, let us know.
Words and music. Do you like listening to music while reading, or does it distract you?
How to play:
- On your blog: Copy the question/image for your blog, answer it there, and post a quick comment here with a link or trackback to your post so we can read it.
- On social media: Copy the image, answer the prompt, and post a quick comment here with a link.
- Right here: Answer in the comments and start the discussion here. No need to have a blog to play.
Note: If it’s your first time here, your comment may end up in moderation. (My spam filter is aggressive.) I’ll be in after my writing sprints to set it free.
P.S. The prompt is always open, and you don’t have to play on Thursday. Comment whenever you like!
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Great question. It’s hard for me to read and listen to music with words. I get distracted easily, and I really love music! Music without words, classical or Miles Davis or Max Richter type modern pieces, I can totally do.
The same with writing. I can’t write to anything with words. However, I like to listen to specific songs before tackling certain scenes or revisions. It inspires and puts me in the right head space.
Thanks for stopping by Von! I’m right there with you. I like quiet or music without lyrics.
Very much like Von, I can’t listen to music with lyrics when I read. Classical works best for me, when I do listen to music when reading (often, I don’t).
Same with the writing. I really like the quiet, and I really like morning quiet. Things sound different in the morning, the light is hopeful, and it’s the best time of day to write.
I’m definitely in the “reading/writing in silence” camp, too! Sometimes I think there’s too much pattern in music, and for me it’s very distracting, makes it hard to attend to whatever text I’m trying to understand or thoughts I’m trying to work out. The irregular murmur of cafe conversations, though? Now that seems soothing, sometimes even inspiring!
Your comment made me realize that when I listen to music, I make up a story in my head about the music, and that distracts me from what I’m reading or writing. So, generally speaking, no music for me. (Even though I love music.)
When I read I don’t hear the music – or anything else, to my husband’s dismay.
I love this response. I’m thinking that focus is your superpower! Thanks for stopping by!