“I read it in one sitting” ...really?!

[Offred2]

I often see claims like this in the blurb on the cover of books or in book reviews. And every time I wonder - is this the truth? Is it even possible?

I’d say I’m an average speed reader and I read approx 25 pages an hour. So let’s be very generous and say someone can read twice as fast as me, so 50 pages an hour. I saw this claim on a novel that is 400 pages long. That would equate to 8 hours of solid reading time. Is that really possible in one sitting, even getting through it in one day works be a push wouldn’t it? Plus I think your reading speed would slow down over the course of that many hours.

Probably I’m being overly pedantic and it’s just an easy way of expressing how much you loved reading a book, but for some reason it always irks me! Anyone else ever thought this?

I've read several books in one sitting if I've had nothing else to do that day. I am a very quick reader though.

I’m sure I’ve done so a few times. Over a weekend. Very late nights. Partner that didn’t mind cooking or I ate toast and NO children . Tbh I miss being able to do that.

As in one book per sitting, several times. Not several books in one day.... even I'm not that quick

I read a book in one day before I had the dc.
I got up early, started reading, then carried on reading until I finished the book. Then I went to the pub, oh they were good days.

I read quickly and I’ve certainly read a book in a day

I bought "Rebecca" in Glasgow airport years ago - read it solidly through the whole trip back to London, airport waiting time, flight, tube home etc and finished by the time I got home - it can be done - If it's a compelling page turner and you've nothing better to do! although I do think I skim read a fair bit!

I genuinely often do read a book in one sitting - I am in a book club and we often share copies, I am a quick reader, so can read a 300 page novel in 2 1/2 hours. This month's book was a bit more complicated, three different versions of the same story with the same central characters so I had to slow down quite a bit, but still read it in one sitting Sunday afternoon to early evening.

I've done it a few times, depends how strongly the book pulls me in. If I'm that absorbed into the story not a lot pulls me out. My dp has been known to throw cushions at me to get my attention after talking at me with no reply 😳

I've done it several times. I am quite a quick reader.

Including Tolstoy's 'War and Peace'. Which is very long. I stayed up all night. Years ago, at Uni.

Why do you suspect people are not telling the truth?

Actually just read a new book in one sitting today. I am a fast reader though, it took 4 hours to read just under 400 pages.

It was a very engrossing book and I do find that helps

The bit about book club is relevant - I often get passed a book on the Sunday which I need to have read for the Monday night. I can get home about 2.30 pm, do a few jobs, then read the book with time to share to cook tea etc before book group that night!

I've done it, though not with a 400 word book. Something like an Agatha Christie I could easily read in an afternoon.

400 pages i can read in between an hour and two depending how focused i am on it. Very quick reader

Fair enough - it is possible for some people then, just not for me! I think my slower reading pace plus forgetting what life was like pre-young children must both be factors. I’m very jealous of the people who can achieve this!

I love reading a book in one sitting at the weekend. Home Fire was the last one I did that with.

I've got a small child and if I get a few hours in the bath or in bed I can finish a book. Before kids I could have sat on the sofa or in a cafe/pub and manage that. Now I need to hide!

It’s only since having a child that I’ve started reading novels over multiple days rather than always all in one go. As a student I could easily get through 3 novels in a day if I wasn’t doing anything else.

Pre children I regularly used to read a book or two a day on holiday. The only one I’ve read recently in one sitting was an amazing book written by the wife of a friend of mine who I hadn’t idea was an author. They left after dinner about 9ish after DH finished toddler bedtime and I looked up one of her books out of interest. I finished it sometime between 1 and 2am (I regretted that the next day but just couldn’t leave it!). My kindle says typical time to read is 6 hours 53 minutes so I guess I do tend to read quite fast.

Yes, I’ve done it, especially when I was younger. Last one was many years ago, The Hunter by Julia Leigh.

Another quick reader here, it would take me a couple of hours to read a 400 page book which is perfectly doable in an evening.

If you try to talk to me while I'm reading I'll be totally oblivious though, can't hear or see anything else when I'm deep into a book, and can only be interrupted by being touched.

I can easily get through 100 or so pages an hour, so quite often read a book in one sitting!

I read at about 100 pages an hour - faster for a lighter book or one I’m re-reading. Wild Swans did have me up until 4am, though - it’s gripping but really long!

I have (pre-children) often read a book in one sitting. That's the only thing I miss of my old life - the time to read! I am a very quick reader though, it's my super power :)

Read Lord of the Rings in one sitting when I was 13, didn’t sleep for three nights.

Regularly used to read solidly for a whole weekend before the children, no time now sadly

I read Eleanor Oliphant in one evening. That’s rare for me now though, I’ve lost my reading mojo a bit.

As a teen I read The Shining in a night because I couldn’t sleep until I got to the end. And I would frequently spend every spare minute reading a few paragraphs up until recently if it was a book that had sucked me in.

I’m struggling to even finish books these days though.