How Fast Do You Read?

[Nienna]

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?

 

I mostly read classics, too. I wonder if this contributes... I guess they tend to be a bit more verbose, so it could generally take longer to parse older-language books, although because I'm so used to 19th Century writing now I'm not sure it would phase me much. I probably just like taking my time!

 

Also, for those who mentioned Twilight: this is probably the quickest I have ever got through a book. Painfully boring writing (in my opinion with a sort of heart-quickening teenage romance plot, which was really it's only hook. Once I finished it my main thought was, "Er... what was the point of that, then?" I don't get it!

[KarenMac]

I am also about a book a week on average - however it can be 2 in a week or with some it can take me up to 2-3 weeks. I guess it just depends on the book, and whatever else is going on.

I do read a lot more now that I did say 10 years ago, when it would have been only 1 book every couple of months!

[Book Fiend]

I read really slowly in comparison to most people on here. I aim for a book a month, but at the minute I'm struggling to even do that! In my defense, my books this year have all been over 500 pages, but still it's taking a long time!!

 

I just can't read any quicker, I have to absorb every single word and will read some passages two or three times. Also, I can't read when I'm tired (which is a lot of the time!) or when there is any noise or distractions.

[Nienna]

Book Fiend, don't feel like you're alone! I'm the same. 500+ pages takes me forever! If I feel like I haven't read a paragraph properly it nags at me until I have to go over it again to make sure I've taken in every bit of it. D: And nope, I can't read with distractions either, although a background murmer (like on the train, for instance) helps! I'm very picky. :s

[BookJumper]

When I was younger, so much younger than today I used to read a 200pp book a day with one or two 500pp+ books going along the side; right now - what with lack of time/concentration and presence of stress, I'm lucky to read a 200pp book in a month... it'll often take me a lot longer than that *hangs head in shame*.

[Kylie]

When I was younger, so much younger than today

 

Nice.

[FlewtheCuckoosNest]

Well, I am dyslexic so even though I read fairly quick, I never understand what I have read the first time, so I have to read a novel about 4 to 5 times over to understand what was ment to be understood.

[c_mob]

Usually read about 150 pages a day due to working 2.00pm to 10.30pm.Nothing else better to do in the morning.Usually average about 2 books a week.

[MountainGirl]

I'm not a quick reader. I am more the type to enjoy a book over time, than really read fast. Unless it is a really intense book, that I absolutely cannot put down, I rarely read a book within a day - though I've done it before. I usually like to drag it out, and really develop the characters in my mind over time. I like to get used to them, and think about them when I put the book down for a while.. and break from reading.

 

I look at people who read very fast with a huge amount of books as their goal for the year.. and I will never read that many! I sometimes feel like I'm super slow!

[Pixie]

As fast as I can without compromising my understanding of what I am reading.

[emelee]

I wish I read a bit faster than I do. I can read faster, but then I lose the whole point of the experience and joy. So I only hurry through literature for courses in school.

 

I don

[CornflowerBlue]

I read fairly quickly. Given the chance, I could finish a decent novel a day and still find time to cook, eat, shower and check my emails etc. I have a two hour commute twice a week, and regularly finish a teen book each way.

[punk sheep]

It varies. I have ADD and sometimes I just blast through a book and sometimes I'm too scatterbrained. I can read over 500 pages of fiction in a good day. I try to read an entire book on Saturdays if I'm not in the middle of a book already (like right now).

[Alder]

I've been reading a lot less than I used to of late (trouble with my neck, so sitting with my head down is a bad idea) but I still seem to be pretty quick when I get down to it. I saw a book mentioned in a thread yesterday morning, had a notion to read it again, and finished it late last night (318 pages) but I'm not certain exactly how much time I spent on it, and I *know* I skipped a descriptive section...

[Nienna]

What?! How can you just SKIP a whole section?! That would just irritate me sooo much until I had to go back over it again - I have to explore every single corner of a book or I feel like I haven't even read it.

[jankensan]

Slooooooooow. For me it's quality over quantity.

[Pixie]

I read as fast as I can without having to compromise my understanding of what I am reading.

[Mitch_Carter]

I finished a 700 page book I started before breakfast this morning just after lunch time. I did spend most of that time reading, however, I spent some time doing other things (walking around my local town, mainly). I'm a very quick reader, and have to admit sometimes I miss out small details the first time round that is why 9 times out of 10 I will re-read the book.

 

Mitch

[Scoopalicious]

Wow! This thread is really interesting; although I do have one question for those people who have admitted skipping parts, how can do you do such a thing? I'm really anal when it comes to reading. I have to read every single word, even the acknowledgments and 'about the author' pages. If I don't I feel like i've missed parts out!

 

Anyway to answer the question, I think I'm probably about average when it comes to how fast I read. It actually depends on a few different factors including the genre, author, style of writing, subject matter, where I'm reading etc. I don't like to rush through books and tend to take my time with them. I probably average out at about a book and a half per week depending on length etc, but again this can vary depending on what else is happening in my life.

[lopeanha]

I tend to need one hour for 50 pages in general. It always depends on the size of the writing and if I can fully concentrate on the book, of course.

[Jessi]

I aim to read 100 pages a day if I can. It varies though.

[Guest Eliza1]

I have to read every single word, even the acknowledgments and 'about the author' pages. If I don't I feel like i've missed parts out!

 

 

I'm the same, I have to read a book cover to cover. And sometimes that's not fun, especially when there is loads of study notes as with some copies of the classics etc. But I wouldn't feel right unless I did

[no-1-book-fan]

I'm a relatively slow reader. I read around 40 pages a day and that's when at I'm at my best. On that average I can read one book every 1 - 2 weeks.

[Hal76]

I seem to average one book a week, regardless of length, over time.

I try not to race through things. I'm not much of a one for re-reading so try to absorb everything. There's nothing worse than coming away feeling like you've not read a book properly.

[Brida]

I'm a pretty slow reader, imo.

But my problem is mainly that I usually don't read every day, unless the book is fantastic and I want to know what happens next Which is why it takes me a lohong time to finish a book I might probably read in a day or two.

I think it takes me an hour to read 50 pages, like lopeanha.

 

Though when I was practising rapid reading before, I read a 400 page book in an hour and a half, which was actually pretty slow compared to other people...

What can I say, I don't practice

Edited August 17, 2010 by Brida