How many books have you read?

[FelicityBeedle]

I’m not a goodreads user, so I’m now trying to estimate and don’t really know where to start… as a kid I got out 20 a week from the library but I don’t know if they count since they’re kids books and some repeats too. Currently just rotting up the series for an easy start to working this out.

Do you know how many you’ve read?

As a child I used to read 2 chapter books a week. Now I read about 2 books a year. But my consumption of audible books and podcasts is massive now. I just switched media.

In my life? No idea. I know it was eight a week from age 10 to 22 because that's how many I could get from the library. After that, life got in the way.

Probably about 1500 books.

I’ve got 221 from just listing some series (chalet school helped a lot in that total )

261, I forgot the Pratchett’s how could I!

I counted one month and read 52. That did include a holiday.

Normally 4-5 a week.

Thousands. Easily. Already read 12 this year, and it's been more of a boxset month than a reading month.

My issue is probably I’m a chronic re reader so the unique total isn’t as high as it could be

But having listed 300 with not much effort I’m going to guess at least 2 thousand from age 8

Probably thousands. I currently average 2-6 a week, depending on how long they are. I can't sleep unless I read and I've always been like that.

A couple of thousand at least

263 since 2013. If we assume another 200 between 2003-2013; 1993-2003 maybe slightly less as a teen so 150 plus books as a kid, another 100. About 700 as a guess.

No idea many thousands. I'm a gulper of a reader tendency to insomnia, my work involves reading fiction, I read very fast and with absolutely no self-control, in that if I am gripped I will keep reading and suddenly it's 3 am.

Goodreads tells me it's over 1400. But that's only the ones I could remember when I joined plus ones I've read since. It's way more than that, probably well into many thousands.

13 so far this year. Probably thousands over my lifetime. I was a prolific reader as a child.

No idea. Last year i read 140. So a lot I would imagine.

Thousands. I re-read a lot though, so it's not as many as if I only read new ones.

I used to get through masses when I was working as I had a long commute involving 2 hours sitting on a train every day.

I read much less now I'm retired. I'm only on my fourth book so far this year, but two of them are huge two volume Dickens novels so do take a bit of time to get through.

It must be thousands. I read loads as a child, less as a young mum, and now I have more time again, I average about seventy a year.

What bothers me is how many I still want to read! And reread .. will there be time in my life??

@Fifthtimelucky, which Dickens novels are you reading? I love a big fat Victorian novel.

@highlandcoo So do I. They are not quick reads though!

In December 2019 I re-read a Christmas Carol and enjoyed it so much that I decided to re-read all of Dickens (not necessarily everything, but his novels and short stories anyway).

I read about 7 of the novels last year plus the Christmas books, and plan to finish the rest this year. I am currently about 3/4 of the way through Dombey and Son.

I'll then move onto something more modern before going back to Dickens. I haven't decided what yet but I shall finish with my two favourites: A Tale of Two Cities and Bleak House.

It's many years since I read most of them but even so it's depressing how much I'd forgotten. I plan to re-read lots of other stuff next year (will probably start with George Eliot) as well as filling some gaps (I'd like to read some more Wilkie Collins, for example).

What's on your list?

I think it would be very difficult to estimate how many books you've read in your entire life if you haven't kept a record, unless you are very consistent (which most people aren't due to life's ups and downs and periods of having more or less time).

I wouldn't have a clue other than to say "a lot".

I also don't like competitive book reading though. I know someone in a book group and they all tend to show off about the number of books they've read, I think it's really unpleasant because books should be about enjoyment and learning.

When people above are saying they read 8 books a week or whatever I'm just like Are they actual books and are they actually absorbing the information in them?

Wow that is a lot of Dickens @Fifthtimelucky! There are still a few I haven't read: A Tale of Two Cities and Dombey and Son spring to mind, but I think there must be others.
Our Mutual Friend used to be my favourite and I have a soft spot for Great Expectations too. I'm less fond of The Old Curiosity Shop.

I love Middlemarch - more than Mill on the Floss - and over the last year or so I've read the six novels in the Barchester series, which I really enjoyed. I plan to read the Pallisers series at some point too. I like Mrs Gaskell and Arnold Bennet; less so the Brontes, and I've read a lot of Hardy but not for ages, so I'm not sure how I'd feel about him now.

I agree that it's amazing how much you forget, however I've recently discovered how much I enjoy rereading old favourites, partly because I've often been disappointed by some over-hyped modern novels, and also I think you view certain characters and themes with a different perspective when you're a bit older. The humour and sharp observational quality of Jane Austen's writing was lost on me as a teenager but absolutely love it now.

Another project for the future is to read Zola's Rougon Macquart series. I've only read Germinal and The Ladies' Paradise so far and hadn't realised at first that they formed part of a series. I think there are thirteen. I haven't started yet ..

On goodreadsi could remember 200 odd but there will be loads more I've forgotten.

@highlandcoo oh yes. I definitely recommend the Palliser novels. Indeed I'd recommend any Trollope (and I think I've read them all) but the Barsetshire ones are definitely my favourites, especially the last.

I agree about Jane Austen. I first read Pride and Prejudice aged about 11 and thought it was the dullest book ever. When I heard that Persuasion was going to be one of my A level English set works I remember warning a friend how boring it was likely to be! I started reading, was immediately hooked and read all the rest back to back. I regularly re-read them.

I also read Silas Marner too young and found that very dull too (I confess that I still find the beginning so). Adam Bede is my favourite Eliot. I can't remember much about Daniel Deronda or Romola, which is partly why I want to reread them.

I'm not keen on the Brontës either (The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is my favourite), but I do love Hardy.

Like many here I used to be a great reader as a child and younger person. If I was awake I was reading something, had books in different rooms, read in bed, in the bath, watching television so I know I have read a lot. But now I hardly read books at all, partly due to poor eyesight now, the old paperbacks I have kept are impossible even with strong reading glasses so reading is neither a pleasure nor relaxing. But what surprise me most is how much I have forgotten for example pps mention Trollope and Eliot and I know I read them all 20 odd years ago in my intense Victoriana period. I can only remember plots characters etc when I hear or see dramatisations or films of the books. I cannot think how I did an Eng Lit degree and remembered so much for the exams.
I did order myself 15 books for Christmas ( inc a set of five Muriel Sparks ) and have read 2 so far. Was Heathcliffe a Murderer by John Sutherland - never imagined that was in question but there you go and Collected Letters of Iris Murdoch which was revealing and compulsive and 600 pages long with 200 pages of explanatory notes . It's a hardback and I would not mind passing it on to anyone who would be interested. I don't think I will ever reread it.

At least 4000 as a conservative estimate, based on 40 years of reading. I only have a record of my reading from 2009 (book nerd!) as it's consistently been over 125 books a year. I feel like I've read a fairly similar amount over my life, although with more re-reading when young. I'm certainly not claim they were all of a high literary standard....