The 2014 Annual Reading Challenge Discussion Thread!

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

It'll be okay! (((HUGS)))

Thank you! I've also set myself a couple of subsidiary challenges: To read all my unread bought books from 2003 and 2004 (that's 57 books) and all the books I buy in 2014 (unless series reading order interferes).

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

An "avid reader" buys 12 books a year?

Boggles the mind, doesn't it?

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

An "avid reader" buys 12 books a year? I bought less than 12 books per month only four times in 2013… and this month I bought 77!

It gets worse, apparently the American Bookseller's Association* goes as low as 10 books a year to qualify as an "avid reader".

Around here that is barely getting your foot in the water. Apparently a bunch of people who obsess over e-readers, e-books, paper books, and all things book related aren't "average" when it comes to how many books they read and buy. Who woulda thunk it?

*I didn't find a direct link to them saying this, but found a couple websites that state it. 1 2

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Apparently a bunch of people who obsess over e-readers, e-books, paper books, and all things book related aren't "average" when it comes to how many books they read and buy. Who woulda thunk it?

Well, obviously very few of us at Mobileread are average readers. But still — that someone buying just one book a month is considered an "avid" reader astonishes me.

[HomeInMyShoes]

I'm more of a rabid reader.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Well, obviously very few of us at Mobileread are average readers. But still — that someone buying just one book a month is considered an "avid" reader astonishes me.

To give the benefit of the doubt, they're probably not taking library users, used book store purchases, and book swappers into consideration.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Well, obviously very few of us at Mobileread are average readers. But still — that someone buying just one book a month is considered an "avid" reader astonishes me.

It astonishes me too, but then I look at my own purchases and realize that despite reading over 30,000 pages/86+ books this year I only purchased 12 books this year (+ a couple gifts) and therefore barely meet their definition of an avid reader. Most of my books are library books or free books (public domain or Amazon limited offers). I would love to purchase more books funds don't allow it right now.

The ABA is interested in the money side while we tend to focus on the reading side. Maybe what they call an "avid reader" should really just be a "consistent buyer" and could include someone who doesn't read at all but buys books for everyone's birthday. When we talk about an "avid reader" we tend to mean "someone who reads very regularly". For us, it doesn't really matter how much is actually consumed, just that it is being done. For them it is all about numbers.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Most of mine are library loans, but I bought what looks to be about 22 books this year as well. I probably buy around two books a month and read about five books a month.

If we count kids books, I buy my son a lot of books. Probably 30ish titles this year alone.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

When we talk about an "avid reader" we tend to mean "someone who reads very regularly". For us, it doesn't really matter how much is actually consumed, just that it is being done. For them it is all about numbers.

True, true.

[BelleZora]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

I'm more of a rabid reader.

That's a pretty good description of MobileRead people.

[jersysman]

Originally Posted by paola

nice to see I am not alone

Since I read a lot of historical non-fiction books, a lot of my reads are in the 1000 page range. That is why I switched to a page count mostly instead of a book count.

[Bookpossum]

I'm going to try to get more of my paper TBR books read this year, even though I also bought a number of e-books with all those Kobo special codes. (Maybe I should unsubscribe from the discounts thread!)

Among others, I really want to read Anthony Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time, which will count as 12 of my 60. But first, I must get read three books which are on loan from my sister. And of course the first Literary Club selection when we make it ...

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Bookpossum

I'm going to try to get more of my paper TBR books read this year, even though I also bought a number of e-books with all those Kobo special codes. (Maybe I should unsubscribe from the discounts thread!)

Among others, I really want to read Anthony Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time, which will count as 12 of my 60. But first, I must get read three books which are on loan from my sister. And of course the first Literary Club selection when we make it ...

I've vowed to eat into my paper TBRs for the past two years; the first year I had some success, not so much last year. I cherry-picked the lighter stuff the first year; now I've got a lot of doorstoppers and I hate to heft them.

I've always planned to reread the Music of Time sequence; perhaps we could do that in tandem? And I wanted to finish up the Sea of Fertility tetralogy with Paola and....

Where's that juggling emotie?

Fortunately, my litfic goal this year will accomodate both of these and most of the Lit Club picks. Phew!

[BelleZora]

Originally Posted by issybird

I've always planned to reread the Music of Time sequence; perhaps we could do that in tandem?

I read A Question of Upbringing, the first Music of Time book in 2012. Discussion while reading the series would certainly be beneficial. I'm up for a tandem read.

[Geralt]

Well. Here we go.
I updated my challenge list. More for that here.

Basically, 15000 pages to go, with 2 sub-challenges.
First is Sci-Fi. Second is the continuation of all the series I read in 2013 and liked. Other books will be mainly older fantasy and fantasy in general I guess .
Some good books there, n'est–ce pas?