The 2013 Annual Reading Challenge - Discussion Thread!

[Geralt]

Originally Posted by HarryT

How do you count the number of pages?

Goodreads has a year challenge widget and you can see some statistics there, including total page number.
Of course key thing is to input the correct edition of the books as you read along, otherwise page number gets really incorrect.

[Yapyap]

I'm now at 114 books out of my goal of 120, so I think it's pretty safe to say I'm going to make that goal.

Ten of these books have been short stories, but on the other hand, I've read a few books that were rather longer than average, so I'm not really fussed about whether I should count each story as a book or not, especially since I'm more likely than not going to pass my goal by quite a few books anyway.

I gave up on my secondary, personal goal of not buying more than 120 new books this year months ago, and I'm not going to chastise myself for it. I like buying books; it makes me happy and it makes sure I have enough reading material to last me for years, should something happen that requires me to curb any spending on new books in the future.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Yapyap

I gave up on my secondary, personal goal of not buying more than 120 new books this year months ago, and I'm not going to chastise myself for it. I like buying books; it makes me happy and it makes sure I have enough reading material to last me for years, should something happen that requires me to curb any spending on new books in the future.

Totally agree; I've bought 29 books this week . Primarily due to some exceptional series deals made by Sainsbury's, and price-matched by Amazon.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

A book every 1.6 days would be very hard. I've averaged one every 1.75 days this year, and that's more than usual for me.

Originally Posted by HarryT

How do you count the number of pages?

Goodreads and my spreadsheet that I use for tracking things I potentially want to read. Right now next year's challenge list stands at about 12835 pages, but that's just an estimate. :P

[sun surfer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

How do you count the number of pages?

I've realised in the last year or so that deciding how to count pages for reading goals can be quite a philosophical task. If one reads a book that is 600 pages, is it really 600 pages? What if another version of it comes to 400 pages because of a different paper or font size or e-reader counting scheme, yet they are each the exact same amount of words? If a book is sitting in a forest and no one is around to count its pages, does it have a page count?

[Geralt]

Originally Posted by sun surfer

I've realised in the last year or so that deciding how to count pages for reading goals can be quite a philosophical task. If one reads a book that is 600 pages, is it really 600 pages? What if another version of it comes to 400 pages because of a different paper or font size or e-reader counting scheme, yet they are each the exact same amount of words? If a book is sitting in a forest and no one is around to count its pages, does it have a page count?

By that logic you could write same book on a stone, so how many stone tablets would you need? Or you could write it in parchment. How many parchments would you need?
Cut the complicating and just input the edition you're reading. That will suffice.
Until Goodreads decides to count words number as part of their statistics (which will be never) page count is the best you can do.

[DrNefario]

A page is no more arbitrary than a book, though, is it? They have different numbers of words in them, too.

[Dazrin]

I have mentioned it before, but I normally use the mass market paperback version as my guide for how many pages a book is if one exists. Not because I want the edition with the longest page count, but because I am more familiar with how long it takes me to read a MMPB book than other sizes of bound books. If a MMPB doesn't exist (in english), I just take whichever version I actually read or the one that appears closest to it. In the end, it doesn't really matter a lot.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

A page is no more arbitrary than a book, though, is it? They have different numbers of words in them, too.

But words are arbitrary, too. Sartre or Seuss? It's why your only benchmark can be yourself. Assuming there's no great change in your reading tastes, words/pages/books will be consistent enough over time to serve as a measuring stick.

It's also why I see no point in the perennial threads along the lines of, "How many books do YOU read?" Comparisons are meaningless, but I guess it's all entertainment.

[Geralt]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

In the end, it doesn't really matter a lot.

Exactly. It all comes to practicality or what serves you the best all things considered.

[HomeInMyShoes]

It is all just entertainment. 518 pages of Elkin is probably about 1,000 pages of Duane for me and 200 pages of Wells can seem forever. For me it is just entertainment now. I could probably hit 100 books some year, but it wouldn't be based on my reading selections right now. Although I think I 'm done with Elkin now.

Really starting to enjoy The Sisters Brothers now.

[Rev. Bob]

I'm solidly on track to break 150 books read this year. I'm 71% of the way through my current novel, which I should finish tonight. That'll leave me with 133 books finished this year, giving me 17 to get through in just over two months. That shouldn't pose a problem, and I'm reasonably confident that I can break last year's count of 155. In fact, I wouldn't be terribly shocked to end up somewhere between 165-170 for the year, assuming I don't switch over to catching up on movies.

As for my other 2013 reading challenge, which was to read a dozen books that've been on my shelves for at least a year, that's a little more complicated. That challenge involved naming the 12 books in advance, plus three alternates. I didn't differentiate, simply putting 15 books on that list, of which I've read 13. So, although the list hasn't been exhausted, the challenge has been met. (Besides, those other two books are Right Here - they just haven't called to me yet.) I've also read several other "dusty" books, so I feel justified in saying I've met the spirit of the challenge, too.

[jbcohen]

Wow Bob you must read exceptionally fast, I don't think that I could go through 133 books in a year. As for me I am going to start setting my goals with the number of pages read rather than the number of books, because some of the books that I read can be exceptionally long, something that I understand are called Door Stopper books, because if you took the printed version and put it against a door it would make an excellent door stopper.

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

Wow Bob you must read exceptionally fast, I don't think that I could go through 133 books in a year. As for me I am going to start setting my goals with the number of pages read rather than the number of books, because some of the books that I read can be exceptionally long, something that I understand are called Door Stopper books, because if you took the printed version and put it against a door it would make an excellent door stopper.

I still remember the first time I read Stephen King's It. I was in high school when the 1,138-page hardback came out, and I read it in six days.

On the seventh, I rested.

[HomeInMyShoes]

^Lol. I think it took me three weeks to read It (in high school as well.)

I just finished book number 63. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt. A good read. Not too long.