How many books do you read in a year?

[Posey]

Roughly. I know it varies and depends on how thick they are etc...

I keep a list of what I've read (anal maybe, but I like it) and realise that I'm reading fewer books these days (although I always have something on the go).

So, to answer my own question, I read 20 - 25 books a year.

I wish I read that many - I probably manage 12 - 15 per year.

I read loads, always have but have never kept a list. Why do you do that? And where? On the compute? I'm curious. If it's so you can help recommend books, then please let me have a peek.

I started keeping a list for 2 reasons. Firstly because I had a habit of reading lots of books by the same author and it helped me remember which ones I'd read (specifically at the time it was Ruth Rendell).
And secondly I was given a really lovely notebook and didn't have anything better to put in it!

Its quite intersting looking back, you can see when you had your chick-lit phase or when you first read a particular author.

Funnily enough the year dd was born was my biggest reading year. I had nearly 10 weeks off work before she was even born but couldn't do much so read a lot, and then again after she was born when she spent 22 hours a day breastfeeding!

a lot.

no lists, though.

When I was 14 my English teacher suggested we keep a list of the books we read and give them a rating. I've done it now for 24 years - its better than a diary which I would never get round to writing.

When i look back I can remember where I was and who i was with when i read each book.

And to answer your question I read about 2 books a month on average.

My best ever books - which got A+++++ were Gone with the Wind, Secret History (Donna Tart)and The Kite Runner

Ooh I've never thought of rating them.
What't the lowest score you've ever given anything?

Do you list everything? Even something you read quite quickly or picked up on holiday? I can see that it would be an interesting record of a life, probably as telling as a diary in some ways.

I'm quite a generous rater so not much gets below a B- or a C+. If a start something but don't finish it I give it a U. (Harry Potter got a C - it didn't do anything for me)
I list everything that counts as a novel - not text books. I list the date I finished it, the author, title and rating. It's interesting to see what I rated something when i've read it twice - like Adrian Mole - I thought it was brilliant when I read it in 1986 but then just it was ok when i picked it up 10 years later.

Yes I list everything!
Funny what you said about Adrian Mole. I read a book called The Barren Patch when I was in my early 20s. Loved it. Re-read it a couple of years ago and didn't have the same impact at all. I guess it depends on what stage in your life you are at.

Yes I list everything!
Funny what you said about Adrian Mole. I read a book called The Barren Patch when I was in my early 20s. Loved it. Re-read it a couple of years ago and didn't have the same impact at all. I guess it depends on what stage in your life you are at.

Posey - what is your best ever read?

I'm always going on about the fact that I wish I'd kept a list of all the books I've read. On average I get through at least one and sometimes two or even three a week; a mixture of fiction (some of it teenage though) and non-fiction (hisotory books and Bill Bryson books) - some of these are re-reads though. As you see, I read extremely quickly but then forget most of what I read, hence some re-reads and hence the wishing that I'd kept a list.

Oh I reckon about 100-150 which is a lot really

Sometimes 2 or 3 a week. SOmetimes 2 or 3 a month, depends on how much sleep I am getting.

I love to read.

I like re-reading books though.

I probably read 15-20 books now. Although it took me nearly 4 months to read my last library book (serves me right for wanting to keep my German going!). Can't imagine being disciplined enough to keep a list.

Blimey Quattrocento that is a lot!

Mumjoanne - will ponder your question and get back to you

And another quick question, do you buy (new or secondhand) or borrow (from library or friend/family)? Just curious. I have a terrible buying habit, but do then lend out.

pre-dd 2 or 3 a week

post-dd 2 or 3 a year

I buy the ones I'm desperate for (ie: new Bill Brysons and Stephen Kings) plus ones I'm really keen on reading that are on three for two or special offer, or in the charity shop but I am an avid library user too and we also have an informal book swapping group at work. Once I've read bought ones, unless I know I'll read them again, I pass them onto the work swap group or to the charity shop, rather than hoarding them all.

oh god, no idea.....a HUGE amount tho me thinks.

I go thro at least one book a week, if not two....and if ill then sometimes three!

altho, since re-discovering MN, I have read maybe three in a month. (DH and me blaming all that goes wrong at home on MN at the mo, as I becoming rather too addicted, and so neglecting the family and my books........)

altho......DH normally complains about the amount of books I read but me thinks he wants the book-reading-me back as he came home today with three (!!) new books for me that he knows I don't have.....to say I am stunned would be an understatement, but I also think he is dropping hints about MN...

hey ho.....will carry on if it means new books

Oh bloody hell I have no idea but well over 100. I read very very fast (used to drive my mother insane when I was little) and happily reread favourites/ just about anything. When I moved into our current house I bought the cheapest bed possible and spent £600 on book cases, and they are full to overflowing with mountains of books on top of them as well. There must be around 2000 books in the house, not counting stuff that is/.was for sale... At least have access to local library, 9 books at a time, generally last a week to a fortnight (a week if more than 2 books are not worth finishing).

about 1 a week

never read during the day for some strange guilt reason

actually......am much like madamez on the book front going on her post!

I have just done a rough count of books in my bedroom, and there are more than 300 (counted one shelf worth the did the math......rather proud of my math skills in fact, I do have a brain)......I then have have two books shelves on the stair landing containg well over 1000 books, then shelves in the downstairs cloakroom.....two shelves worth in the conservatory.....pllus there are bookshleves full of kiddies books in each of the kiddies rooms!

ye gods....could open a library.

Plus, if I have the time and my 'reading head' on, I can do a book in a day.....as big as Harry Potter ones too. In fact, when the last HP book came out, I re-read the 6 previous books in 6 days. Of course, I did indeed neglect my family then, raising only for getting them sorted for school, feeding them, doing the school runs and ballet/drama/scouts/beavers runs, and sod all else (oh, except for coffee's for me). DH did all else, altho that was only the washing up and bedtimes....(he had agreed BTW[wink}.

housework kindly waited till I could give in attention again....and then book 7 came out, and I ignored again and read that book twice!!!!

have to admit tho.......reading is the one thing I need to do for my soul......last year after my car accident I couldn't read, and it really did have a detrimental effect on me. I had no idea how much I needed it as an escape valve.

One thing tho I do make sure of is that any and ALL handbags I buy has room for a book. If it is not big enough, it isn't got....even certain eveing bags.

the car even has at least two books in it for if I get stuck anywhere!....I just need to know that I always have a book on me/around me/near me.

Psychomum - what a lovely post. Reading for the soul - you are so right. And I love the idea of judging a bag on its book appropriateness rather than its eye appeal etc! I also read the 7th HP book twice in the first weekend - and the housework waited, the children were still fed etc. I have a friend who says she doesn't have time to read but without reading, I wouldn't feel like me, so time wouldn't be worth a great deal anyway.