Reading is my favorite activity. You wouldn't think that a lot of practice has to go into it before you can master it.
It used to be my favorite activity too! I cut back a bit once I went to college, but I'm getting back into it now. 
Yes, I don't have much time now either due to kids. It is so complex, there are many interpretations while reading that it is hard for it to be controllable.
That is true. I have definitely struggled with that in academia. What kind of books do you like?
I like the classics, and some modern day fiction. It is a little harder to read the classics because of the interaction of the text and the reader. It has to be shaped by the reader's previous knowledge and experiences.
I agree with that. I always enjoyed the classics, but I find myself reading more Sci Fi true crime now. 
Yes I prefer novels, long stories. Still published as books, just a little bit longer.
I quite enjoy those as well!