Reading habits in Brazil

Hello everyone,

Books can be your greatest companions whether you have already settled in Brazil or are now planning your move. Are you an avid or occasional reader? We would like to know more about your reading habits.

What type of reading do you enjoy? Do you read novels, comics, magazines, newspapers, etc.?

Where do you purchase or borrow books in Brazil (bookstores, online, library subscription, etc.)? Do you prefer digital reading?

Do you have an average budget devoted to reading in Brazil? Do you buy books or pay a library membership fee?  Do you spend more or less than in your country of origin?

In what languages can you find the books that you usually read?

What books or magazines would generally be found on your bedside table?

Thanks for participating,

Bhavna

Good questions.
I love to read. Fiction and non-fiction. Always bring books back from USA.
When I am finished with a book I take it to a small book store (more for student's) and trade with owner if she has any English books. Now I do buy the local newspaper and try to understand what is going on here. Also read a few magazines in the barber shop or in the doctor's office.
Most books are written in Portuguese or Spanish since we border Argentina and Paraguay.
There is no price for reading and learning. Call me "old fashion", but why waste money with apps and online. Books do not drain batteries and love the peace siting outside and not needing WiFi to read.

I've always been an avid reader, and since moving to Brazil, read even more because I watch very little TV anymore.  My husband likes to read too and is a university student, so our house is full of books.  I left most of my physical library in the US when I moved, and still arrived with at least 20 boxes of books -- just the ones I couldn't bear to part with  ;) .

As a scuba diver, I was an early adopter of eReaders.  Reading is a principal form of entertainment on a dive trip when you're not in the water, but weight is always at a premium, so a lightweight device with hundreds of books in it is perfect.  I have a Barnes & Noble Nook, a Kindle linked to my Amazon.com account, and a second Kindle linked to my Amazon.com. br account.  I read books in English, Portuguese, French, and German, and they're all available from one or more of those sources.

We spend about $20/mo. on newspapers, with online subscriptions to The Washington Post, Folha de São Paulo, Estado de São Paulo, and Journal do BrasilFolha has a particularly good podcast every weekday morning called "Café da Manhã" that focuses on one news story of the day in depth.  We listen to it every day at breakfast.

I read a lot of fiction, fantasy, especially Urban Fantasy, biography, and history.  Currently I'm working my way through Élio Gaspari's magisterial five volume Coleção Ditadura, the history of the Brazilian dictatorship from 1964 to 1985.  I lived here during the presidencies of Médici and Geisel, and visited during the presidency of Figueiredo, so some of it is familiar, but much of it is still shocking, and brilliantly researched and presented.  At a time when Brazil's current President denies that there ever WAS a dictatorship, I think that this is one of the most important books in print.

I read and read EVERYTHING! I picked up a love for Charles Dickens in the past two years.I like history and space based science as well. Like abthree said, I watch next to no TV here so I read even more than in the US. The Amazon Kindle was one of the best investments I have ever made. I have downloaded so many free books it´s mind boggling. Said Dickens....all free!!!!!

I highly recommend a Kindle or similar device.

RSG

There is no better company on a long flight than Charles Dickens.   He's seen me through many exhausting connections.  :par: