How many books do you read a year?

[jool]

I always set myself a goal of reading a certain number of books each year - this year it is 40. I would love to read more, but due to my studies I'm only left with 3 months of vacations to read.

[suzy1124]

Through my entire life I've always disciplined myself no matter what, to read 2 books a week, or about 100 a year.............

now, that i'm a sr. citizen, that is just not happening..............the concentration/focus that reading necessitates is no longer there...

i suspect that " grief " has something to do w/it...following my husband's death i couldn't read ( a book ) for 10 yrs...

certain parts of the brain are effected by this type of traumatic experience...

my new goal is 1 book a week...

[Loveabull]

It's okay Suzy, my Dad went through that with being a widower...it took ten very long years and meeting a new lifetime partner for him to recuperate some...hugs...

As for me in a year...is anyone good with math?...I can write truly amazing essays but even third grade math gahhh

Let's see modestly estimate four books a week, that's 16 a month times 12 months with a variable of perhaps four additional books in the week...one of the saddest Twilight Zone episodes is the one where the guy is the last person on earth...but he has his smokes and piles of books...then he drops his glasses...I'm that guy

[shake2rawk]

When I tried to beef up the numbers - and working a job I thoroughly enjoyed- I got up to 68 books read (I was counting novelettes too); however, I could barely recall the majority of them. Now, with a more stressful job vying for my attention, I shoot for about 20 a year, write down notes on them (Szekely's The Sorbonne Method) and even have been known to put together a commentary or too just to invigorate that tome with even more life if possible; I enjoy basking in the characters and the description more, rapt in contemplation, rather than racing to the finish line in the hurriest of hurrys (See Shakespeare's "out-Heroded Herod" phrase) and not noticing a damn piece of the slimmest of passing scenery!

[Loveabull]

There is also the good point that reading is subjective. There are books that you devour each word cover to cover, then there are the books that you might skim a chapter or three, then books that you might read beginning and end n' skip around the middle for the good parts, books where you read chapters of interest but not the whole thing.

When people say they all but have to force themselves to read X number of books...perhaps you're concentrating on the wrong topics, you can be selective...even "the classics"...if you don't enjoy a book after the first few pages, I don't feel it's worth the effort, reading should be pure pleasure or at least an enjoyable learning experience. For instance, in school we had to read Salmin Rushdie. I'm glad we did because it's not an author I would have picked up on my own and I enjoyed him thoroughly...However "Things Fall Apart" didn't do anything for me, I skimmed and took enough notes to talk about it, but wouldn't force myself to read the whole thing.

[suzy1124]

Wow L.B.! a voracious reader for sure...are your kidlets following in your footsteps?

Thanks for the hugs!......very sweet........... appreciated even more cause it's from a gal whose posts I always find entertaining

A big hug back...

[Krystie]

I've read about 20 the past year.

[Loveabull]

Wow L.B.! a voracious reader for sure...are your kidlets following in your footsteps?

Thanks for the hugs!......very sweet........... appreciated even more cause it's from a gal whose posts I always find entertaining

A big hug back...

Awwww me and the pups will give ya a big hug back...watch Callie's tongue, he's a monster licker

N' yes, I can say even if some of them didn't listen to anything else I said, the kids all picked up an obsession for reading...always said if they at least grow up loving books and furry things I did my job

[jennybee]

I read about 300 a year. Give or take a few. Depends how good the book is and how fast I read them.

[AnonymousPen]

I don't set reading goals like some of the other users who have posted. I think I'll start doing that, beginning next year. I used to keep track of the books I read on GoodReads. The most books I've read in one year was 36 in 2011, an average of 3 per month.

This year I'm way below that. I've only read 10 books this year.

[A24]

Now that my girls are a bit older (no more nursing, naps, diapers or strollers!), it is easier to find time to read. So, each year my goal gets a little higher. Also, listening to books on Audio also helps me "read" a lot more books as I do this on my commutes to/from work. I had a goal of 40 books for 2013 and just reached that today! So, I up'ed my goal now to 60 books for 2013.

[Starmy]

I read around 10 a year. I know, light weight! But I am so tired these days and a book puts me to sleep regardless of how exciting it is.

[AnaF]

Hm last year I read almost 60 books but this year I think I«ll be able to read more than that. Before that I didn't really keep track of that

[darcyb123]

I'm not really sure how many books I read a year, but at least 3-4 a month. Sometimes, I may read 3-4 books a week. I especially love historical fiction. My guess would be 60 or more a year.

[AliceRose]

I've read more than I thought I would this year - 11, so far. I'm going to try and read another 9 to make it 20. Going to try and up my goal every year, so the goal for 2014 is 25.