How many books do you read?

Alexander Turcic · 09-03-2007, 08:45 AM

Sara Nelson of Publisher's Weekly has been digging through recent polls and she discovered that,

Quote:

27% of the 1,000 or so people its researchers [of AP-Ipsos] questioned admitted they hadn't read a single book in the past year. (The median number of books read by the remainder was nine for women and five for men, which struck me as hopeful, or, alas, inflationary.)

A simple question: On average, how many books do you read in a year?

Hadrien · 09-03-2007, 08:52 AM

Around 50-75 books every year.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 09-03-2007, 09:36 AM

It's true... I've been averaging 5 books a year, roughly. I have a lot of trouble finding more books than that, that I am interested in reading, given the current publishing system.

Most of my reading has been in magazines (30 a year, exactly) and on online news sites and forums.

DoctorBri · 09-03-2007, 09:46 AM

My reading has tripled since I received my Sony Reader and can now take advantage of the generosity of RWood, bookbinder, Dr Drib, Roy White (...etc., etc.). MR's an awesome community. Now if I could just find more time in my school schedule...

HappyMartin · 09-03-2007, 09:59 AM

For sure at least 40. If I was not so busy I would read a lot more. Chucked the TV out at the beginning of the year, that was a way smart move. No adds in my books.

Draccy · 09-03-2007, 10:01 AM

I average two to three a week. My wife falls asleep early every night, and I read on my palm pilot (until my sony application goes through). I also read before work, after work, and on my "breaks" at work. I'm voracious. Sometimes I will read the same thing several times over in a year, though that usually pertains to my "fluffy" favorites.

Arek_W · 09-03-2007, 10:18 AM

5 per year, depending how much I have to travel. Especially those 1000pages plus ones

wyldkit · 09-03-2007, 10:21 AM

I've always wanted to keep track of the books I read, and I've even signed up for the various online programs to do so, but I'm just not very good that it. But I'd guess it's around 40 a year. I go through spurts where I'll read 4 or 5 books in two weeks, and then I might wait a month before reading another book. (That especially tends to happen when I'm stuck in the middle of a book I can't finish but haven't yet given up on.) I subscribe to three p-magazine and read almost any online content I come across, but of actual books, 40 sounds right.

TadW · 09-03-2007, 10:27 AM

I read around 20 books a year... there's simply no more time in my life beside

and

.

But you guys certainly kick ass!

Nate the great · 09-03-2007, 10:29 AM

I would have to guess I finish around 25 new books each year. If I include all the scifi paperbacks I used to have sitting around, the total would be around 100. But I don't actually finish them, so I did not count them.

LaughingVulcan · 09-03-2007, 10:30 AM

Depends - does this mean individual new books read, or does it mean that copy of The Difference Engine in my bathroom that I read probably 2-3 times per year?

I put around 30 - actually it's probably between ten and twenty original works and adding re-reads puts the number into the 50-100 range.

VillageReader · 09-03-2007, 11:01 AM

I have a long drive to work, so about half are audiobooks, but I've been over 120 for the last three years. If you are completely bored, you can see this year's list here - http://jdhake.pbwiki.com/ReadingList2007

grimo1re · 09-03-2007, 11:06 AM

How can you not read a single book in a year?! I just can't fathom it. I read about a book a week, usually more.

slayda · 09-03-2007, 11:10 AM

Saw on "Good Morning America" a woman who read 52 books in a year. Apparently they thought that was a big deal. I'm a very slow reader (200 - 250 words per minute) but I learned many years ago to take advantage of every spare minute (e.g. during commercials on TV, during lunch at work, waiting in line at fast food places, in the doctor's office), so 52 is not an unreasonable number for me. In a few years when I retire, I expect that number to go up.

Mikou · 09-03-2007, 11:19 AM

I love to read. This year, so far, I can already count 40 books that I definitely read. And that doesn't take into account the comics and online short stories I read. Having ebook readers (Sony and ETI-2) definitely spurred me to read even more than I usually do, mostly because it's much easier to carry a few books around.

View Poll Results: How many books do you read in a year?
Less than 5 books	4	2.76%
5 books	6	4.14%
10 books	10	6.90%
20 books	24	16.55%
30 books	20	13.79%
40 books or more	81	55.86%
Voters: 145. You may not vote on this poll

09-03-2007, 09:59 AM	#5
HappyMartin Martin Kristiansen Posts: 1,546 Karma: 8480958 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Johannesburg Device: Kindle International Ipad 2	Lose the tv For sure at least 40. If I was not so busy I would read a lot more. Chucked the TV out at the beginning of the year, that was a way smart move. No adds in my books.

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09-03-2007, 08:52 AM	#2
Hadrien Feedbooks.com Co-Founder Posts: 2,263 Karma: 145123 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Paris, France Device: Sony PRS-t-1/350/300/500/505/600/700, Nexus S, iPad	Around 50-75 books every year.

09-03-2007, 09:36 AM	#3
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	It's true... I've been averaging 5 books a year, roughly. I have a lot of trouble finding more books than that, that I am interested in reading, given the current publishing system. Most of my reading has been in magazines (30 a year, exactly) and on online news sites and forums.

09-03-2007, 09:46 AM	#4
DoctorBri Member Posts: 24 Karma: 31 Join Date: Aug 2004 Device: Treo 680, Sony Reader	My reading has tripled since I received my Sony Reader and can now take advantage of the generosity of RWood, bookbinder, Dr Drib, Roy White (...etc., etc.). MR's an awesome community. Now if I could just find more time in my school schedule...

09-03-2007, 10:01 AM	#6
Draccy SciFi E-Book Fanatic Posts: 28 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Worcester, MA Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle 2	I average two to three a week. My wife falls asleep early every night, and I read on my palm pilot (until my sony application goes through). I also read before work, after work, and on my "breaks" at work. I'm voracious. Sometimes I will read the same thing several times over in a year, though that usually pertains to my "fluffy" favorites.

09-03-2007, 10:18 AM	#7
Arek_W Connoisseur Posts: 76 Karma: 24 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Wroclaw, Poland Device: PRS-505, ASUS N636	5 per year, depending how much I have to travel. Especially those 1000pages plus ones

09-03-2007, 10:21 AM	#8
wyldkit Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 2162 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Sony PRS-500 (until I have enough Sony Rewards points for the PRS-300)	I've always wanted to keep track of the books I read, and I've even signed up for the various online programs to do so, but I'm just not very good that it. But I'd guess it's around 40 a year. I go through spurts where I'll read 4 or 5 books in two weeks, and then I might wait a month before reading another book. (That especially tends to happen when I'm stuck in the middle of a book I can't finish but haven't yet given up on.) I subscribe to three p-magazine and read almost any online content I come across, but of actual books, 40 sounds right.

09-03-2007, 10:27 AM	#9
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	I read around 20 books a year... there's simply no more time in my life beside and . But you guys certainly kick ass!

09-03-2007, 10:29 AM	#10
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	I would have to guess I finish around 25 new books each year. If I include all the scifi paperbacks I used to have sitting around, the total would be around 100. But I don't actually finish them, so I did not count them.

09-03-2007, 10:30 AM	#11
LaughingVulcan Technophile Posts: 206 Karma: 617 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Land of Lincoln Device: Kobo Sage. Ex Sony (PRS-500, -600, -650 and Nook)	Depends - does this mean individual new books read, or does it mean that copy of The Difference Engine in my bathroom that I read probably 2-3 times per year? I put around 30 - actually it's probably between ten and twenty original works and adding re-reads puts the number into the 50-100 range.

09-03-2007, 11:01 AM	#12
VillageReader Evangelist Posts: 430 Karma: 2718 Join Date: May 2006 Device: Iliad	I have a long drive to work, so about half are audiobooks, but I've been over 120 for the last three years. If you are completely bored, you can see this year's list here - http://jdhake.pbwiki.com/ReadingList2007

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09-03-2007, 11:06 AM	#13
grimo1re Geekette Posts: 435 Karma: 3335 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NSW, Australia Device: Sony Reader PRS500, PocketBook 360	How can you not read a single book in a year?! I just can't fathom it. I read about a book a week, usually more.

09-03-2007, 11:10 AM	#14
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	Saw on "Good Morning America" a woman who read 52 books in a year. Apparently they thought that was a big deal. I'm a very slow reader (200 - 250 words per minute) but I learned many years ago to take advantage of every spare minute (e.g. during commercials on TV, during lunch at work, waiting in line at fast food places, in the doctor's office), so 52 is not an unreasonable number for me. In a few years when I retire, I expect that number to go up.

09-03-2007, 11:19 AM	#15
Mikou Zealot Posts: 148 Karma: 5052779 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Device: Kobo Libra, Amazon Fire 10, Kobo Clara, Kobo Aura One	I love to read. This year, so far, I can already count 40 books that I definitely read. And that doesn't take into account the comics and online short stories I read. Having ebook readers (Sony and ETI-2) definitely spurred me to read even more than I usually do, mostly because it's much easier to carry a few books around.