How long will it take you to read a book?

[SunnyShadows]

I like to spend a good while reading a book, since I find if I read a lot at once, I get sick of reading and don't go back for ages. XD

 

I generally read for maybe about an hour or so a day, but it varies on what I feel like.

 

I also think it depends on the book. Looking at that list, it took me longer to read The Great Gatsby than The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. That was probably because I wasn't a big fan of Gatsby, and therefore took longer breaks when reading it.

[willoyd]

But I consider myself a really slow reader, so I find this rather doubtful!

 

 

I think you probably underestimate the speed you read.  You may be slow in your mind, but regular readers tend to read faster than average.

 

I came out at 448 wpm, which is pretty close to other tests I've done in the past (ranging between 400 and 460).  These tests all tend to use fairly middle of the road language, so obviously one slows down reading things that are less familiar.  I know that whilst I'm slower reading classics than something more mainstream modern,  I read classics a lot faster now than I did some years ago, but that's because I read half a dozen or so most years now. 

 

I don't regard myself as a superfast reader either, but I do tend to read quicker than most people round me.  I was only prepared to commit an average of 30 minutes per day, which is roughly what I tend to manage in real life overall, although the actual figures in a day can vary wildly!  That came out at 48 books per year.  My actual figure has been, for the past 7 years, between 50 and 60, but that's usually been dependent on a big injection of reading over Christmas.  Otherwise, it would be about right (although not many, if any, average length bestsellers tend to feature!). 

 

Game of Thrones came in at 138 days, but the chances of my actually reading it are close to zero - I can't think of a series/genre I would be much less interested in.  But then, if I'm tackling something big, I tend to only do so if I'm in a part of the year when I can commit rather more than 30 minutes, so the figures are close to meaningless, even if nonetheless fascinating.

Edited November 8, 2014 by willoyd

[Sophie McNeill]

It really depends on whether or not I like the book! It took me two weeks, not straight obviously, to read Before I Go To Sleep but I read Twilight A lot faster! I actually got Twilight for a two hour car journey, just so I had something to do but I was hooked by it! My mom had bought me the series just because they were all there and from anout two o'clock friday afternoon to four o'clock Saturday afternoon I had finished all four! I pretty much stayed up all night reading! :-)

[Ellie West]

For me, it depends on how tired I am. Some days I read faster then others.

I a like that too. It also depends, for me, how into the book I am. If it is a really good book that I read it pretty fast, it not than I struggle to get through it, but I don't like to stop reading a book in the middle because I am not hooked. 

[Nollaig]

On average I read a page a minute if I'm not tearing through. So, a 250 page book takes just over 4 hours, and a 400 page book takes 6 hours 40 mins. If I'm excited to find out what happens,I might skim a bit more or power-read bits, and lessen that time. However, I also take a lot of short breaks, to reply to messages, check social media, etc, so that factors into the time as well.

[Anna Faversham]

It takes me ages to read a book, unless I'm on holiday and the book is good. I try to read a little every night (in bed) and I often don't get beyond half a chapter before I drop off. Nice way to fall asleep but not very helpful in finishing a book quickly.

 

I mostly read from my Kindle now - all my bookshelves are stuffed full.

 

There's been a lot of articles in my newspaper about how some of the books which are best sellers are only half read, if that. Technology shows up even some of the #1 chart-toppers as being abandoned and never finished. Really surprising.