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.

....thankyou janeite.

reading is my soulfood....has been since very small, and according to family I have been reading since I was 3 (not a prodigey(sp?) I must add, amd not exceedingly bright (think I am about average, and 'would try harder'), tis just that I need to read, and so 'so the family says', I kind of taught myself).

I must have been ones of those 'worn to read' types...altho now also filling my need with MN too!

and really don't understand those women who go for bag cos of who made it, or fashion-wise etc.....as long as my book can fit, it is good enough for me!!!!

psychomum5, thank the goddess that you've posted...are you my long lost twin? Reading is my passion and my addiction!

I'll read almost anything (except the Daily Mail and it's ilk!)and would panic immediately if I didn't have a book at hand in any situation.

Were you brought up in a reading family? I was not and depended on a mobile library. Ageed 10 I was reading romances (my nanna), cowboy stories(my bampa), Ian Fleming (my uncle), Woman's Weekly (my mother}, Anne of Green Gables, Chalet School, all the classics,(the librarian), and anything else I could find.

I worked in libraries for many years and got a good degree because of my ability to speedread and evaluate that I really owe to my eclectic reading.

I live in dread of not being able to read through accident or illness...my goodness, I feel like I'm in the confessional, as in Rl I find people a litte suspicious of all this reading!!

I like to think I read at least a book a week but am not prepared to put money on that figure. I've kept a list of all I read (in a scruffy note book that cost about 50p from WHS) for a number of years but I don't rate what I read. I don't even update the note book regularly, just when I remember.

PS love reading for the soul...and both my children, my partner, my grandson all read avidly.....and the babies received about 15 books each at Christmas.

I'm reading a Sheri Tepper that was in my stocking so will leave you now, to snuggle up in bed with my book!

I've making a 7hour train journey tomorrow but I'll be fine.

earthymama...quite possibly!

I was not really brought up in a reading family. I had an unusual upbringing anyway as was raised by my aunt as my mother is schizophrenic so it may be that I needed to read as my escape from an odd family situation.....plus as my aunts children were 11 and 14yrs older than me I was also an only child-type....and my aunt was 40 when I came to her so not young (I NOW know of course that 40 also is in no way old, but she is/was very old in her ways and manner too)....i really truly think that my reading was my only way of coping!

I never had a new books when small....all were old battered and given to me instead of charity or loaned from the library. I can distinctly remember the very best ever xmas present from another aunt that I received (at 7!!), was a box set of the Narnia books. I was sooooooooooooooooo thrilled....and the set was sooooooooooooooo precious. (in fact, I still have the set, altho they are all very very battered and well read now!). I distinctly remember reading the entire set befoer I returned back to school after that xmas and telling my teacher all about the wonderful land of narnia.....has fostered a love ever since and I have seen the new film several times. In fact, the little girl who plays Lucy is the spitting image of my DD2, so the film touches me in other ways too.

in fact, am counting the days until the next narnia film (it is due out on May 16th.altho for the wait!)

as for now.....most of my books are new. (am so very lucky that I can afford to!), altho am not averse to second hand, tis just that I am unable to wait when a new one is released my any of my fave authors.

fave reads at the moment are...

jodi picoult
tory hayden
patricia cornwell
kathy reichs
jeffery deaver
james patterson
sarah paretensky
both the kellermans
mark billingham

At a rough estimate - probably about 60+

Probably about a 100 or so. Not as many as I'd like ...... and not as many as I used to, which would have been 3-4 a week. I can get through a book in a day if it really grabs me, isn't too big and no-one bothers me but that's rare (having me time I mean).

I usually read very late at night .... between midnight and 1.30am. No matter how tired I feel I usually can't relax into sleep without reading at least a couple of pages of something. I'd much prefer to be able to read during the day but as most of you appreciate stuff like kids and jobs gets in the way. However on rare occasions when I have no other obligations and DP & DCs are out of the way, then reading would be my number one treat for myself (preferably outside, in the sun, but then you can't have everything).

psychomum and earthymama what great posts. Thanks!

Any tips on reading more quickly but not missing important stuff. I have so many books to read, could do with being a faster reader.
Or tips on needing less sleep so I don't fall asleep after a couple of pages each night!

tips on fast reading....no idea, just that i can (and do!)....altho that said, should there be a lot going on around me and it isn't a book that absorbs me, I do find that I have read/scanned it so quickly that i am lost and have to go back a few pages.

now, if a book does absorb me, well......the house could burn around me and I would not notice.

and as for staying awake to read......that is why they invented coffee isn't it???!!!

and to add to my ealier post to earthymama....

no readers in my family growing up, but am fostering a love in my children....

DD3 especially loves to read, and is now on the very same narnia books that were the ones I got when I was 7. she is 9 tho, so probably a bit more age appropriate. she and I often curl up together in bed with books.....tis lovely.

DS2 is harbouring a love for charlie and lola ooks, which I am rather addicted to too! in fact, he received 6 for xmas along with a cd story, and tonight we snuggled along with DS1 and read 2.

DD1 is a book fan, aas is DD2, altho DD2 is struggling more as she is dyslexic. we are getting her into the flower/dance/color fairy books at the moment tho, and altho aimed at younger girls, she is managing and is so proud...[proud emoticon].

in fact, am waiting for them to discover "malory towers" and "the twins at st. clares"....have bought them for them (and I read them too before handing them over), but so far no joy. maybe they are to 'old' now.....they seem to like jaqueline wilson more....hey ho, can't force em.

Oh blimey Psycho, yet again we are too similar. I knew you loved books and I knew you knew I loved books (if you can understand that ) but I too will become incredibly absorbed in a book and feel totally lost without a book to read (which is atm) I need to go to bed and because I don't have a book to read, I don't want to!! I'm sure I can hunt one out somewhere!

We will have to book swap.

In answer to the question, at least one a week, if not more.

I could read before I was 3 too nd taught myself using my older bro's reading books. He must have hated me! DS1 could read at nearly 3 too and is often seen with a book in hand!

I would say at least 50

must defintiley avergae 1 a week but often do a couple per week

squirdle!

you are who I think you are aren't you.....

someone who I need to see very very soon maybe....(I am driving again.....woohooo), and flame too will drag herself along

Like physcomum5 I would say about 100 and I'm also a speed reader. Holidays are a nightmare as I take at least 7 books and then buy a couple extra at the airport. Without fail I end up finishing them before the holiday ends and am then a lost soul

My ideal hotel has a book swap/library.

hmm about 40 i think. used to be 100+ pc but i am more discerning and have less time now. also i pick longer ones.
i only buy cookery books or second hand, although ahve a lovely friend who works for a publisher so i often get proofs.

i do love second hand bookshops and am going to a couple for my birthday next week as am usually not allowed (mumeeeeeeeee sob wail + dh are you going to be MUCH LONGER?)

have you all discovered online library catalogues? mine has linked up with about 7 other london boroughs and i can order them free.

am doing a little dance......

mr psycho just handed me money for a book and coffee, so on tuesday 9first day back at school) I can go to waterstones, buy a new book, and sit in the coffee shop and read to my hearts content (or till they kick me out/school run time, which ever is earliest)....

tis my 'thing', and one not done for a while cos of the car accident and my lack of driving ability. am driving again now tho, so.......woooooohoooooo

BOOKS HERE I COME

Like Posey and MumJoanne, I have kept a list since 1981 (but not rated them after the first year). I got through 66 that year, but subsequently 40-45 most years. I include GRANTA as a book, but not Slightly Foxed (both quarterly publications).

Keeping a list has the unfortunate effect of putting me off long books (as my annual total would suffer), even though it does not matter a damn! My other excuse is that long books are too heavy for the underground.

Psycho, yes I am who you think I am Fab for the driving news! And yes we need to catch up very soon. A and C been back since Thursday and D goes back tomorrow....3 mornings to myself now..hoorah!

My waterstones doesn't have a coffee shop...at least I don't think it has. We have 2 waterstones...strange for a small town like ours...or I should say city! We have 2 superdrugs too, but that has nothing whatsoever to do with this

Right best stop yabbering, school run to do and if I don't get a move on it will be a school run!

Probably 100+, will usualyy make one trip a month to local Watrestones and spend shed loads on books, will buy for DH so he doesn't mutter too much but lucky you Psycho for haveing such a nice Mr Psycho. Otherwise do a book club in RL and do the MN one and just joined a circle on MN so AMazon helps a bit. Like some others very early reader and have to take a book everywhere with me.

I would say around 100 or so.

I do re-read books, so I don't buy 100!

Dh reads about as many, and dd is catching up!

probably about 80 - 100 in a year.

The idea of a list is very good, i iwll start that.

I do have a liost of books that i want to read, but I odn't a;lways carry it around. My friend and I used to alwasy carry the Times top 100 books list to buy from.

DH despairs of my books, as we have lots.
But I do rread them frequently.

Dd1 has my book habit too, and reads all of the time.

ReadItSwapIt is fab for swapping.

got to add that he is not doing it to be nice......

he has a day off tomorrow, and has booked to play golf......told me that the house will finally look 'normal' again tho as at least the children go back tomorrow and he will leave me in peace too and not annoy me by demanding my attention.......he said it like he was doind me a favour......

oooh nooooo replied me.......you wanna play golf, you give me money to go do my thing to (waterstones)......he clearly felt I had a point (not that I was tantruming or anything.....I would never do that).

house work can wait, tis not like we gonna all drop dead just cos of a shed load little amount of dust is it??.

soooooo......please do not think him all wonderful (he can be, not this time tho), this is bribery time.....

It varies, as someone said earlier, depending on LIFE getting in the way! Read a lot more when ds was small as he was a poor sleeper and I read whilst trying to get him to sleep. When dd came along, no chance!

I keep lists, though I only rate the best book of the year, right at the end. Last year was 30 books.

It's fun looking back and remembering what you read on what holiday etc.

Wish I had lists going back to my teenage years though. I read almost the entire contents of our small local libary and some really stick with me but I can't remember the authors!

I average about 2 a week so 100 - 120 a year?

I usually have several on the go at once in different rooms etc but if I dont have any to hand I will read anything that is lying around, magazines, adverts, bills, labels on packets and bottles, even some godawful book I found in desperation in a cupboard at PIL's house (who dont read ).

I persuaded DH to turn the master bedroom into a library so I have a comfortable sofa, 10 bookcases and some toys for my daughter in there. DH not a big reader but very understanding, he knows when my amazon orders etc arrive he isnt to disturb me.

I recently joined bookmooch in an attempt to get rid of some of the books I will never ever read. I have sent out 6....and got 7 in return .

Good to see I am not alone!