[wolf]

How many books do you read per year?

[Cincinnatus]

Generally, I finish a book every other week or so... Currently re-reading All Quiet on the Western Front, probably my favorite novel. I've got a copy that's pretty badly thumbed from how many times I've re-read it.

[Cookie]

I try and read a book every two weeks, but recently I've been slacking

[Goldin Boy]

I try(operative) to 1 or two every month. Working my way through Ayn Rand's works now.

[pitt]

Im impressed with the people who said they read 30-50 books per year, fuck there is even one person who claims to read more than 100 books per year. Do you guys care to share your strategies in how you are capable of reading so many books per year?

I think i tend to read 4 or 5 books per year, i definetely need to work on this, im trying to learn the habit of reading e-books because i usually just prefer to buy a hardback copy.

I have started reading how to get rich by felix Dennis before yesterday and im already on page 160 (have more 60 pages to read), im going to try finish this book tonight and move to another book. Fuck, i really need to read more often.

[Enfant_Terrible]

(02-07-2012 02:41 AM)pitt Wrote:  

Im impressed with the people who said they read 30-50 books per year, fuck there is even one person who claims to read more than 100 books per year. Do you guys care to share your strategies in how you are capable of reading so many books per year?

I think i tend to read 4 or 5 books per year, i definetely need to work on this, im trying to learn the habit of reading e-books because i usually just prefer to buy a hardback copy.

I have started reading how to get rich by felix Dennis before yesterday and im already on page 160 (have more 60 pages to read), im going to try finish this book tonight and move to another book. Fuck, i really need to read more often.

First, do not care if someone read more than you. It's not a competition. More books read doesn't necessarily mean you're better than someone and there's always someone who's read more than you. And you should read because you like it and feel like doing it, not because it's work you should do (btw, this is one of the many things American schools fuck up in--encouraging reading).

Second, with non-fiction books that give you instruction or advice you read them slower, take your time, and take notes.

If you're aiming for speed with fiction books, you don't need to get caught up too much with the "fluffy" descriptions writers put in their novels although it's part of appreciating a novel. Get the gist of the story by reading with your eyes and don't read it back to yourself verbally or mentally. I read with variable speed, I go fastest on the straight-forward story parts and scan through "fluffy" descriptions especially if they're long, but sometimes if I really like what they wrote I pause a bit to take that thought in.

There are kindle apps on iPhone, Android, PC, and MAC giving you the means to read almost anytime you're free or anywhere.

Or try making it a nightly habit before bed.

Happy reading.

[NotJoeRogan]

I try to read 1 book/week. With shorter books about 2/week. At the start of a new week I divide the pages of a book by 7 and make it a goal to read a certain minimum in a day.

[pitt]

(02-07-2012 05:42 AM)Enfant_Terrible Wrote:  

(02-07-2012 02:41 AM)pitt Wrote:  

Im impressed with the people who said they read 30-50 books per year, fuck there is even one person who claims to read more than 100 books per year. Do you guys care to share your strategies in how you are capable of reading so many books per year?

I think i tend to read 4 or 5 books per year, i definetely need to work on this, im trying to learn the habit of reading e-books because i usually just prefer to buy a hardback copy.

I have started reading how to get rich by felix Dennis before yesterday and im already on page 160 (have more 60 pages to read), im going to try finish this book tonight and move to another book. Fuck, i really need to read more often.

First, do not care if someone read more than you. It's not a competition. More books read doesn't necessarily mean you're better than someone and there's always someone who's read more than you. And you should read because you like it and feel like doing it, not because it's work you should do (btw, this is one of the many things American schools fuck up in--encouraging reading).

Who said that im thinking about being in a competition regarding who reads more? I cant even believe that you understood it like that.

I just feel that i should be reading more because i have got so many books in mind to read and i keep on postponing about when im going to read them. Im not into fictional books, most of books that i read are self help/financial books. But truly speaking i dont care if someone has read more than me, i just want to learn more and more and more. I still cant believe you wrote ''competing with others about who reads more''.

[Lemmo]

I usually read 3 books/month. I'm a lazy guy so it is easy for me to just sit around and read. I try to force myself to pursue other hobbies instead.

[Stitch]

Depends heavily on the books. If I find good nonfiction books I can tear through them pretty quick--likewise if I'm forced to read things for work, I'll assert a fast pace. Fiction is a little slower because I'm trying to relax and enjoy it, but I can blaze through those pretty quick too. Nonfiction where it's really interesting and I'm taking notes, takes a lot longer.

[Enfant_Terrible]

(02-07-2012 07:24 AM)pitt Wrote:  

(02-07-2012 05:42 AM)Enfant_Terrible Wrote:  

(02-07-2012 02:41 AM)pitt Wrote:  

Im impressed with the people who said they read 30-50 books per year, fuck there is even one person who claims to read more than 100 books per year. Do you guys care to share your strategies in how you are capable of reading so many books per year?

I think i tend to read 4 or 5 books per year, i definetely need to work on this, im trying to learn the habit of reading e-books because i usually just prefer to buy a hardback copy.

I have started reading how to get rich by felix Dennis before yesterday and im already on page 160 (have more 60 pages to read), im going to try finish this book tonight and move to another book. Fuck, i really need to read more often.

First, do not care if someone read more than you. It's not a competition. More books read doesn't necessarily mean you're better than someone and there's always someone who's read more than you. And you should read because you like it and feel like doing it, not because it's work you should do (btw, this is one of the many things American schools fuck up in--encouraging reading).

Who said that im thinking about being in a competition regarding who reads more? I cant even believe that you understood it like that.

I just feel that i should be reading more because i have got so many books in mind to read and i keep on postponing about when im going to read them. Im not into fictional books, most of books that i read are self help/financial books. But truly speaking i dont care if someone has read more than me, i just want to learn more and more and more. I still cant believe you wrote ''competing with others about who reads more''.

Relax.

Apologies that I interpreted it that way and didn't mean to insult you, but when you write that you're "impressed" with people who read X amount of books per year, mention big numbers, wanting to improve on your 4-5 books a year streak, and try to get strategies on reading more books per year don't be surprised that someone might infer that a large quantity of books read is important to you and that you "care" about people reading more than you.

A focus on quantities, numbers, and comparing yourself to other people's quantitative results with any given hobby will likely put the words "competition," "envy," and "popularity contest" and other associated words in my head. If that's not you, then awesome.

Again, happy reading.

[pitt]

Envy, competition, popularity contest? Dude Wtf? I dont think anybody on here understood it the way you did. Are you over the age of 25? Oh i thought so, conversation done.

[Enfant_Terrible]

(02-07-2012 09:09 AM)pitt Wrote:  

Envy, competition, popularity contest? Dude Wtf? I dont think anybody on here understood it the way you did. Are you over the age of 25? Oh i thought so, conversation done.

When your past work involved teaching reading to kids with overbearing, competitive parents who make them read for the wrong reasons then come to my classroom still not understanding what they read while having superiority complexes that make them bully other kids you would understand.

[SimonRierdon]

I'm a natural speed reader and have been since I was a kid. I can read more than a 100 pages an hour which makes it necessary when I'm on an airline flight that I carry two books with me minimum. Hell, I read the Steig Larsson "girl who played with fire" at 753 pages on one 11 hour flight from Dusseldorf to Atlanta and that was taking breaks for drinks and meals. That's why I haven't bought a Kindle, the battery doesn't last long enough for me to read what I want to.

[mofo]

You're quite lucky that you have this natural speed reading skill.

[Tuthmosis]

(02-07-2012 02:41 AM)pitt Wrote:  

Im impressed with the people who said they read 30-50 books per year, fuck there is even one person who claims to read more than 100 books per year. Do you guys care to share your strategies in how you are capable of reading so many books per year?

I think i tend to read 4 or 5 books per year, i definetely need to work on this, im trying to learn the habit of reading e-books because i usually just prefer to buy a hardback copy.

I have started reading how to get rich by felix Dennis before yesterday and im already on page 160 (have more 60 pages to read), im going to try finish this book tonight and move to another book. Fuck, i really need to read more often.

I read a shit-ton of books. I probably read 3-5 per week. That's no exaggeration: it's a part of my "business," so to speak. One of the keys is to understand the contours and "lilt" in a book. There are, in other words, denser parts of the logic and lighter parts. You have to read at different cadences.

[FretDancer]

I love to read alot, but I'm having a hard time finding time for it. Started Treasure of Khan by Clive Cussler on January, haven't read much of it

[Parlay44]

My job entails 8 hours of super concentration per day. I'm kinda burned out by the time I get home. I like to unplug and wind down.
I do a have a respectable collection of books I've read but I do admit I'm slacking in this category lately. If I can find a tablet I like with
8 hours of battery time or more I'll do that and do the ebook thing.

[Jackhammer]

Probably between 20-30 books per year. This is counting everything from massive epics to short stories. Getting a Kindle has drastically increased the amount of books I read

[germanico]

Just finished Jung's Man And His Symbols. One of the best books ive read so far.

Im getting a Kindle soon.

[chyamor]

The only book I ever read was the hobbit in 8th grade.

[Diomedes]

(02-07-2012 02:41 AM)pitt Wrote:  

Im impressed with the people who said they read 30-50 books per year, fuck there is even one person who claims to read more than 100 books per year. Do you guys care to share your strategies in how you are capable of reading so many books per year?

1. Daily consistency is the key. Reading just 30 minutes every day will have you finishing a book every ten days.

2. Read a fiction and a non-fiction at the same time. Reading a lot of books concurrently will get you bogged down and progress will be limited. Having a fiction and a non-fiction on the go gives you something for different moods. If you have no interest in fiction, read history as an alternative.

3. Read what interests you. If you do you'll be looking forward to every page turn.

4. Know when to pull the plug on books. There are some you will not enjoy, you'll put off reading and they'll be left gathering dust. It's during this time that least of your reading will be done. Set a cut off point. If you decide it to be shit, bin it. If you are not connecting with it, put it on the shelf and revisit later.

5. Listen to audio books. Especially if you make long drives.

[scotian]

I read a lot at work when I have downtime, which can be quite often, last year I think I read about 50 books.

One of my favorite new authors I discovered last year was Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers, Blink, Tipping Point, What The Dog Saw), I think many forum readers would also enjoy his work.

Another was Mordechai Richeler, a famous Canadian author from Montreal whose books include Barney's Version and the Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (both made into movies).

My all time favorite author is Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting), I wish he would hurry up and write something new!

[Enfant_Terrible]

(02-07-2012 07:36 PM)scotian Wrote:  

My all time favorite author is Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting), I wish he would hurry up and write something new!

One of my favorite movies too, when I mention it to younger people and have no clue about it I feel old. Heard the book's more awesome than the movie.

[basil]

As someone in the 100+ club I agree with most suggestions allready up.

Last year I set a goal to read 100 books, pushing myself. I got 108. Year before was 81, 49 before that and in the years before i averaged 10-15 since I was 18 (now 26). (I can give you the numbers because I use Goodreads to track my reading). This year I'm aiming for 100 again, pushing beyond that will be too much for me though and I think next year I will cut back to around 60-80.

I read that much because I trully enjoy it - for a variety of reasons, pure enjoyment first of all, learning and self improvement, because I'm a writer and working on being a novelist and for me reading is homework. Even just for an escape and to broaden my mind. I read quite widely, fiction, non-fiction - its all good.

Getting a kindle in late 2010 was the real tipping point in my reading (2010 was the 81 book year - year before with 49 I really made a commitment to read more and had lot more spare time). The kindle just makes things SO much easier to read more. I also sync my kindle with kindle app on my phone so I can read absolutely anywhere. If I have just a spare minute I'll be reading. My dad only reads a book when he is taking a dump, but that bit of time every day means he reads probably more than the average person.

Beyond that, I tear through most non-fiction using the same method Tuthmosis mentions, looking for what is the filler. Even some fiction you can just recognise ok, this bit is shit, excess descriptions or fluff - speed read or just skip through it to dialog or action that is driving the story forward.
I can speed read to a degree, but I dont get the same level of comprehension and knowledge retention. My hat goes off to those who can speed read and still achieve good levels of both. The basics are just scanning each line rapidly, resisting the urge to pause - then just building your speed.

I always have at least 2 books that I'm reading at the same time. Usually one fiction, one non. I alternate depending mainly on mood and energy. If a book is boring me I will leave it for a while, come back and try again, if its still shitting me - bin it. Even before my kindle I had a second smaller bookshelf filled with on average 10 books that I wanted to read. So if I felt like reading some action I coulf, if I wanted to learn there was a few options, if I wanted some sweet inspiration there was always a bio there as well. That way there was no excuse not to start reading that next book as soon as I finished. Kindle makes this SO much easier, I often have like 40 samples downloaded to my kindle allowing me to make a start, read the first ten percent of whatever catches my attention and then buy it if I'm enjoying it then continue reading. It's like having your own huge public library to browse.

For me audio books are too damn slow, my usual reading speed is often double the readers speaking pace and it pisses me off knowing I'm flushing that extra time down the drain. However downloading them to my computer and speeding up the pace (easy done even in WMP) produces good results. Now I use the kindles read out loud a fair bit as well if im working out, cleaning, cooking, etc. I rarely listen when I'm driving though - personal choice, I like driving to my tunes and find I dont pay enough attention.