How many books do you read per year?

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I did recently actually stop reading a book half way through because I wasn't enjoying it. Astonishing behaviour.

The other thing that occurred to me is that a lifetime supply of books (150 books per year * 100 years = 15,000 books) can be easily fitted on the larger SDHC cards that are now available. They'd almost certainly fit in the 16GB ones, but if not, there are now 32GB ones....

A few years ago that would have been my dream, to be able to carry around my whole library plus more besides. Now we can easily do that and more

[Curly]

I can easily read a least one average sized novel a week, probably more, but I'm not really sure as don't keep a record. I should keep my goodreads list updated. I also read about one 'chapter book' every month to my son.

[krisk]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I did recently actually stop reading a book half way through because I wasn't enjoying it. Astonishing behaviour.

....

I don't know where this guilt thing came from for many readers over NEEDING to finish all books started (and I can't help but wonder if people who hate to read weren't subject to this mentality). I always suffered incredible guilt if I quit reading a book. I mean seriously horrible anguishing guilt. about a year ago I was listening to a book review on NPR. the Seattle station has had one book reviewer for quite a few years and I really like her stuff. she addressed this topic, remarking that it was an astonishing issue for many readers. she closed her remarks with "it's OK!!! to not like a book. it's OK to just close it and walk away from it." incredibly that permission from a complete stranger did wonders for my reading mentality.

[sakura-panda]

I only just started keeping track last October (around the time I bought my Reader) and I finished 14 books in the last three months of 2008. I'm not sure what I read at the beginning of the year.

So far this year I have completed 20 books. If I'd go back to reading the shorter "fun" novels, I could easily pass 50 books for the year, but if I continue reading long books that take a whole month -- over 1500 pages each on my Sony -- I'll probably come in around 40 or so by year's end.

I have five books that I am "currently reading", but I really only read one at a time. Sometimes it takes me a few false starts to decide what type of book I'm in the mood to read.

Before my Reader, I read far fewer books because my shelves are in the basement and whenever my husband moves things around, he puts them in front of the bookcases and I can't get to my books. I might as well not even have them.

[Andybaby]

more than 50, I only count novels, check out my librarything in my sig, I am trying to read 75 books this year
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/...2B2%2540%25409

upto 38 (a book on the list without a rating= currently reading)

[birdbrainbb]

I'm over 100 books read this year so far, and I think the average page length is around 250-500 pages? That's in paper. I've read some longer ebooks that are probably 500+ paper pages.

I tend to read mostly fantasy and YA books, plus I'm a quick-ish reader, so they go fast.

[Sweetpea]

I'm not keeping track, so, I've honestly no idea...

What I do find curious though, is that graph you posted.

The Scandinavian countries, Netherlands, France, England and Ireland read a lot of books. France is the weird one here, as the others are the Northern Eruopean countries (Netherlands often falls in the same category as the Scandinavian countries in these kind of studies). The Southern European countries read a lot less. And the German fall in that same group!

I can understand that the further north you get, the more books are read. Darker and longer winter nights, and less perfect weather during the summer (more rainy days and such). But why are the German speaking countries (and Belgium for that matter) so low? And why is France so high?

[GraceKrispy]

I don't know exactly how many books I read, but I know it's at least 2-4 a week (more during school breaks). Most of them are novels, some of them are young adult books (both long and short) or children's books with a lot fewer pages. I also read probably about 15 or so nonfiction books- some of them related to my profession (education).

I recently have told myself it's ok *not* to finish the books I don't like. I still feel guilty about it though...

[Laine]

It's a rare day that I don't do several hours of reading. I don't watch television - ever and I'm retired so apart from embroidering or knitting while listening to audiobooks, reading is my leisure activity. I don't drive so I can read on the train too.
I usually read 20 Harlequin romances, at least a dozen Regency romances and some crime and some scifi every month.
O.K. - I know it's not deep and meaningful but I like it.
I get up early (3 am) every Tuesday morning to check the new releases on Fictionwise. How tragic is that?

[no.guru]

Although I'm reading more, my book count has gone down since getting the reader. I've subscribed to 4 periodicals at Fictionwise, and that's where much of my reading time goes now.

Maybe I could count each periodical as a "book," but it isn't the same because I don't read every page as I would a novel or non-fiction.

[no.guru]

Originally Posted by Laine

It's a rare day that I don't do several hours of reading. ...
I get up early (3 am) every Tuesday morning to check the new releases on Fictionwise. How tragic is that?

Tragic? Sounds wonderful to me. Also, thanks for that. Now I know what day to check!

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I'm not keeping track, so, I've honestly no idea...

What I do find curious though, is that graph you posted.

The Scandinavian countries, Netherlands, France, England and Ireland read a lot of books. France is the weird one here, as the others are the Northern Eruopean countries (Netherlands often falls in the same category as the Scandinavian countries in these kind of studies). The Southern European countries read a lot less. And the German fall in that same group!

I can understand that the further north you get, the more books are read. Darker and longer winter nights, and less perfect weather during the summer (more rainy days and such). But why are the German speaking countries (and Belgium for that matter) so low? And why is France so high?

hm, those are interesting points about the daylight / weather being a factor in reading. i would say that for france it only partially holds true (or rather, it is perhaps a less important factor than some others) because while the northern half of the country does tend to have pretty terrible weather (and short days, in winter) even though the southern half tends to have a lot of sun and nice weather, we also have a very strong culture of reading here, books are still a really important part of life to almost everyone (i might know a few people who don't read any "heavy" litterature and only read "light" books, but i don't know anyone who doesn't read at all). books are discussed in all media (even the frivolous women's magazines have a book section) including television, and the "rentrée littéraire" is always a topic of discussion every year ("la rentrée" is in septembre, when everyone returns from summer holidays, kids go back to school, adults go back to work, and everyone has to be "serious" and it's quite an annual milestone even if you don't have any school kids or go to school yourself and even if you don't go away for the summer ; it's a change in tone from lighthearted summer. many things are planned for this period including a lot of new books coming out, thus "rentrée littéraire"). and we hold writers generally in high esteem, both the old dead ones and the new ones ; writers can easily be stars here just like a musician or actor. also i think television is perhaps a bit less universal here ; most people do have one, but i know a lot of people who don't, whereas i get the impression that in many other places a television is an expected fixture of life like having a telephone or a stove in the kitchen.

as for germany, all the germans i have known are really sporty outdoors types and are often going camping or hiking or bicycling or skiing, and they travel for the holidays (and go camping, etc. there ) so it makes sense to me that with this very active lifestyle they have less time for reading (i think reading on skis is a recipe for disaster !).

of course, these are all generalisations, but i think they are nonetheless relatively true...

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

hm, those are interesting points about the daylight / weather being a factor in reading. i would say that for france it only partially holds true (or rather, it is perhaps a less important factor than some others) because while the northern half of the country does tend to have pretty terrible weather (and short days, in winter) even though the southern half tends to have a lot of sun and nice weather,
<snip>

as for germany, all the germans i have known are really sporty outdoors types and are often going camping or hiking or bicycling or skiing, and they travel for the holidays (and go camping, etc. there ) so it makes sense to me that with this very active lifestyle they have less time for reading (i think reading on skis is a recipe for disaster !).

of course, these are all generalisations, but i think they are nonetheless relatively true...

Hmm, I wonder, would the northern part raed more than the southern part? I know I generally read less during those hot summer days (my eyes tend to close very quickly during those days)...

It might be that Germany doesn't have a book culture (Ravenne!). I do know it's always very hard to find a bookstore in Germany. And if you I do find one, it's mostly stocked with magazines and only a few German books (and it's almost impossible to find any English books!) (another reason to always bring my PDA for book reading there, I won't run out of books!).

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Hmm, I wonder, would the northern part raed more than the southern part? I know I generally read less during those hot summer days (my eyes tend to close very quickly during those days)...

hm, that i couldn't tell you. although, many parts of the north are more or less industrial areas with a high working class population, who probably have less disposable income for books and less time for reading. then again, there are also big cities like Lille and Strasbourg with a lot of students (who probably read a lot, although many might be reading for school mainly). and it's true, the stereotype of the south is hot, sunny weather and people sitting around drinking apéritifs or playing boules. harder to concetrate on a book when you are drunk and heatstruck.

It might be that Germany doesn't have a book culture (Ravenne!). I do know it's always very hard to find a bookstore in Germany. And if you I do find one, it's mostly stocked with magazines and only a few German books (and it's almost impossible to find any English books!) (another reason to always bring my PDA for book reading there, I won't run out of books!).

hm, here bookstores are EVERYWHERE. in my neighborhood (which is not particularly central) there are three or four at least (that i know of) although sadly, my favorite one (a used bookstore focusing on mysteries) has recently closed and the owner is now conentrating on ebay sales (the rent is lower). since the shop was open at odd and unpredictable hours already (and closed more often than not) this makes sense, but nonetheless, i will miss it. there are tons of used bookshops as well ; a large portion of my current paper library was culled from the huge boxes of unsorted paperbacks they usually have at crazy low prices in front of the shop (i've got plenty which i bought at 5francs each or 3 for 10francs ; 10francs is about 1.50€ !! that makes 0.50€ / book !).

then again, although i always linger in front of the windows on my way past the bookshops (particularly the one which is between my house and the grocery store), i try to avoid buying paper books now, so i rarely enter.

[krisk]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

as for germany, all the germans i have known are really sporty outdoors types and are often going camping or hiking or bicycling or skiing, and they travel for the holidays (and go camping, etc. there ) so it makes sense to me that with this very active lifestyle they have less time for reading (i think reading on skis is a recipe for disaster !).

of course, these are all generalisations, but i think they are nonetheless relatively true...

of course you don't read on skis! you read on the lift!