How Fast Do You Read?

[Nienna]

Reading, for me, usually takes place on my way to and from work on the train. I spend about 30 minutes commuting each way, but what with changes etc. I only get about 20 minutes actually sitting down. In this time I usually read about 20 pages of a book, with lee-way for bigger/smaller pages and what have you. That's about a page a minute, which is pretty slow, really, when I look at it! It usually takes me about a month to finish a 500 pager. I know people who can finish a 300 page book on an hour plane journey. How the hell do they do it?! I love reading, but I guess I am a pretty slow reader, which is quite frustrating considering how exponentially my TBR pile is growing.

How long would it take you guys to finish a book, and am I really the slowest reader ever?

[Kell]

It takes me a lot longer these days as I have so much more going on than I used to - LOL!

 

I used to read, on average, 125 books per year (of varying length, but averaging, I'd guess, around 300-350 pages although one year I did a "Chunk Challenge" and read at least one book every month of at least 500 pages - some were much longer than that). That equates to roughly 2 1/2 books each week. Some months I'd read only a couple of books, other months I'd read as many as 9 or 10.

 

Now I read roughly a book each week. Again, of varying lengths, but they probably average 300-350 pages a piece. This is because I have an energetic toddler and am a SAHM. When I was working, I would read during my coffee break and lunch hour, and pre-Xander I would read in the bath for at least half an hour every night. Nowadays, baths are quick in-and-out jobs with no reading. I do most of my reading in bed at night for maybe half an hour or so (depending on how into the book/tired I am - sometimes it's more than an hour and then I kick myself because I know I'll not get enough sleep -LOL!).

 

I'm also an avid cross stitcher. I used to do a fair bit of reading in the evenings, but now, once Xan is in bed, I stitch instead while hubby and I watch a TV programme or film together.

 

I'd say I'm actually quite a fast reader, I just don't get as much time to read as I once did. If I didn't have Xander (Gods forbid!) and hadn't got back into stitching, I'd still be reading 125+ books every year. Personally, though, I wouldn't change how things are now for the world.

Edited April 30, 2010 by Kell

[Nienna]

Haha, sounds like a good life! Busy, but lovely.

 

I think a big part of my slow reading does come from having no time, too. I used to read a lot at bed time before I started working but now, when I get home I go to see people or have my boyfriend round or watch something on TV I've been waiting for, then dinner, shower, and anything else I need to get done usually takes me up til about 11pm and I'm ready for sleeeeep. I try to stay awake sometimes to read 'cause I get frustrated by not having the time to, but it's hard to concentrate with sore eyes, and my comfy pillow usually gets the better of me!

[pickle]

I am never quite sure how many books I read and how quickly that makes me, I have just checked my Library loans history for the last month and I have read about 20 books on top of that I have probably bought and read another 10-15, I know I am a quick reader I get very involved in a book and will read until I finish which on a wok night is fatal as I need to get some sleep not that it stops me, I am lucky (or unlucky) depending on your point of view that I live on my own and have few distractions, I read every day at some point when I get home from work, in the bath or in bed and at the weekend in the garden. They vary in size from weighty tommes to short easy read novels. It does mean that I have a very short TBR pile but a very long wish list I don't know if thats worse though as I hate not having anything to read

[Christie]

Like Kell I roughly read a book a week. However, if the book is extra special and I can't put it down it only usually takes me a day or two to read it.

[Stephanie2008]

I go through stages. At the minute, I've been so bogged down with my dissertation that I haven't read a single book in April . However, when I'm finished, I'll probably average 2-3 books a week over the summer.

[poppyshake]

I read quite fast normally, maybe two or three books a week. I'm married to a shift worker so I read to fill the time.

I never understand how people can read a book a day though .. especially a large book. When I read about people reading the Harry Potter book (the last one) in the space of a few hours, I was just amazed. It was such a tome as well. I don't see the point in speed reading though, surely there's not much enjoyment in that.

 

I could do with reading a book a day, to get my TBR down.

[Cookie]

I could do with reading a book a day, to get my TBR down.

 

Me too!

 

On average I would say I read about 2 books a week although that can go up and down. I am a fairly quick reader although there are those that can read a lot faster than me!

[Coffin Nail]

I think I average a book a week, more if I have time, or if it's a book that's really hooked me, then I'll prioritise it above the chores any time.

As long as my TBR pile is bigger than my ironing pile, TBR will always win.

 

[chesilbeach]

It depends on the book, the environment, what else is going on, etc.

 

Last month I was stuck deep in my patchwork course and I finished two books in the whole month, but this month, I've been freer, had some time off work, and found some gripping books which I couldn't put down, and I've read 19 books, but it usually averages out to about 2-3 a week.

 

One thing I would say is that I read adventure/thriller type plot heavy books much quicker than character led books. I love a good story, and the more exciting the story, the more quickly I read, as I'm desperate to find out what happens, but with a story that's more contemplative I want to immerse myself in it and find out the depths of the people and characters.

[Ooshie]

I probably usually read one long book (800 - 1,000 pages) or two or three shorter ones per week. But it does vary, and occasionally I will just read one shorter book in a week.

[Kylie]

My reading rate has picked up a lot this year. I used to read about 1 book per week but now I'm averaging about 3 books per week. I guess it's because I'm single again and have more time on my hands.

[Kreader]

I'm a quick reader but I was quicker in my late teens and early 20s. A book of 250 pages would take me an hour now it takes a little longer. I have a 2 hour commute each way 3 times a week so I use this for reading but I take longer doing this as I have to watch where I am since I have one change and if it is crowded enought to affect my comfort, reading will be slower. I have bed time read too which are fast and if there's a holiday or bank holiday when I home I might spoil myself and read all day since I've no children to see to and I get to flexibly arrange all my chores and my other hobbies to my liking. Then a 500 page book will take me 3 to 4 hours, if its coming to lunchtime I'll skip lunch and read on a hungry belly even if I feel it rumbling but the book has to be really good for me to go to those extremes.

[joe]

The book I have just read took me 3 days but other books have taken 3 weeks, it really depends on the book and what other things I have to do

[Lucybird]

On average I read about a book a week but easy books I can read in a couple of days and harder books take me longer, the length doesn't seem to matter so much. Like you I do most off my reading travelling (spend about 2 hours on the bus a day), and I read in my lunch break at work too.

[iamnotreal]

I read painstakingly slowly; generally I don't mind because I can appreciate the story more, and it means that I don't miss out on so many details. If it's a 'popcorn book', it takes a few days to get through (Skulduggery Pleasant only took about 6 hours, though). Most books take me at least a week, mostly due to the fact that school work takes up almost all of my spare time. I'll be so glad when the summer holidays are here.

[Bemii]

It varies with me. The Time Traveler's Wife is taking me ages, I'm not sure why. I think I've now been reading it for three months, but I keep stopping to read other books. However, I read The Hunger Games in about five hours two nights ago..

[Heffalumpi]

Usually a book a week, that is the target that I have set for myself this year and so far so good. If I am off work I can usually manage 2 - 3 books easily depending on size.

[Emmaline]

I guess I am another painfully slow reader. I generally only read books from the 1800s, and it takes me a bit to get into the language of the author. The Wizard of Oz took only a few hours, while Catch-22 took me over a month. Granted I teach preschool, so most of my time is spent coloring, cutting, creating materials to use the next day.

 

I wonder if I made myself read for say an hour a day if I would speed up some?

[wmarshall81]

I have been a lot more focussed with my book reading lately and am down to a book every 2 weeks.

[Zakarum]

Just started on A Clash of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire// George RR Martin).

Took me two hours to read 132 pages, and I'll probably finish it within the next 4 days or so.

 

However, I've been reading Moby Dick for about 3 years now, lol.

 

Put aside Dostoyevski's Crime and Punishment as well; took me six hours to read just 50 pages.

The monologues can be boring and my mind wanders off rather fast, so I have to reread stuff. Meh.

[Skírnir]

It depends on the book, the time and place and the language as well.

 

Took me a big part of last night and this morning to finish only a 200 pages' book because it's written in Danish. I've also read it before and I'm not particularly interested in it.

 

I "ran" through all of Twilight in very short time however, a very easy-read, and I was sitting in front of the television with loads of people around me the whole time as well...

 

I think I read fastest in Icelandic though, of course. Even though there's maybe not that big of a difference between Icelandic and English for me.

[StephenKingman]

For me it really varies according to what else im doing, the type of book etc. In general i try not to race through a book as i might miss some of the more subtle details that the author intended.

 

As for speed, well, i read Stephen Kings' The Stand which is over 1000 pages in 2 weeks and i read Duma Key, which is 500 pages long, in <ahem> 3 months :blush:

 

Hey, life gets in the way!

[Nollaig]

My pace varies hugely, sometimes I can get through two or three books in a week, other times I'd be reading the same book for two weeks.

[Univerze]

Depends for me too, mostly on how much time I have, how tired I am (unfortunately I am tired a lot after all the that's happened to me in the last years), and how much I like the book. Oh, and the language counts too, reading in english is just a tiny bit slower than reading in dutch. Contemporary english reads a lot faster too. But generally, I am a fast reader. If I have the time and like the book, then I'll finish a three to five-hundred page book in a few hours.