If you read 50+ books a year, how do you do it?

[Pigtailsandall]

I admit, this is just me being nosy, but I'm hugely impressed and astounded by people who get through 50+ books a year. I'm interested in how people do it- during what gaps in your day do you read, do you have many books on the go at once, do you have time for other hobbies? In other words, what does your reading day/week look like? Are you a fast reader? Do you read evenly throughout the year?

My goal is to read 24-26 books this year, essentially one every two weeks or so, and I know come summer months I'll struggle to keep that pace as life will get busy.

I typically manage 52 books a year (not including set texts for my Eng. Lit. degree) and usually have 3 on the go at any given time: an audiobook for driving, walking, and running, a Kindle book for reading on my phone or Kindle when I find myself with time to kill, and a physical book. I read quite quickly but also need to really take in what I'm reading - I know lots of people who skim read (their words) 200 books a year, but I'd feel like I wasn't quite absorbing the story.

I have a Kindle and Kindle Unlimited. I go to bed at about 8pm and read for a few hours before sleep. I usually wake up about 5-6am and so have a read for an hour before getting up. I don’t really watch TV though. I prefer a good read in my cosy bed. I’m not a book snob though - I’ll read any old crap. I’m current in my sub-Bridgerton dirty Regency romance novel era. Mr Pinion is reaping the benefits of all the sauciness 😁

Time alone with my thoughts is exactly what I'm trying to avoid 🤣
I don't count but probably 60-70? Kindle app says over 50 but I also read on Libby and occasionally physical books.

It's not a virtuous choice that I'm making in place of TikTok or something though. I'm a reader because I'm addicted to it. The feeling of having a good book on the go - and ideally another lined up - is reassuring and soothing to me. Without knowing that that escapism is available, I feel anxious and cross.

What works for me is a deadline. Join a book club and that will increase your annual count by 12 assuming they meet monthly. I read quite quickly. I thought I would read more with more time but I have reduced my work hours this year and I'm not reading as much as I hoped.

Ah. This is where I’m going wrong. I’m not really into TV either but am into piano and crafts instead. Eg I will play piano before bed up til about midnight (I have a silent acoustic). I don’t have a commute. I have had a certain book on my ‘must read’ list for a decade! And it would really help me to read the info in it. I keep meaning to put the audiobook on but to me that is not reading and I much prefer podcasts.

I think the people who read a lot simply prioritise reading over other things. We all have so many hours in a day. Many of them are already allocate to necessities (work, childcaring, personal hygiene, meal eating, sleeping etc). We can then choose to read, sit with our thoughts, play the piano, see friends etc. There is no right or wrong.

This is a particularly hot topic for me because I made a New Year's resolution to read more, and I've managed to achieve this. And whilst some of this I see as a good thing (reading rather than mindlessly scrolling), some of it is not necessarily so (I'm getting into the books to the point I don't want to put them down so I'm exercising less). I still need to find my ideal balance; I know I want it to include some reading so I will prioritise that, but some other things are important too, so I won't get hung up on how many books I manage to finish.

I get so anxious if I don't have a couple of books lined up to read after whatever I'm currently reading. Back in covid times, when I figured lockdown was coming soon, I went to the library and took out a massive stack of books to ease my anxiety.

I read between 50 and 60 books per year. I work full time and have three DC (one away at uni and two teens at secondary school).

Every evening I leave my phone charging downstairs and read for a while before I go to sleep. By doing that, I will usually be able to read a book a week if it's an average length book or shorter. Some books take me longer to finish, but then I read more when I'm on holiday and I also listen to some audio books (not many - a few each year), so it ends up averaging out at roughly one book per week.

DH isn't a reader - he usually listens to a podcast while I'm reading.

I read so much more now i have a kindle. I never kept a record of how much I read until I found a thread on here, now I have a spreadsheet with what ive read, and the date I finished the book. Its interesting to go back and have a look at how many ive read in a month, you can see when ive been on holiday as its usually a book every couple of days. Last year I think it was 86 books I read.

I tend to find a book I like the sound of, see what else the author has written and then read the series or a few of their stand alone. was late to the Peter James Roy Grace series so i have about 15 books lined up to go. I read pretty much anything, sometimes if ive done a few heavy thriller/crime books then I change it up with some chick lit stuff

I have an hour for lunch so I tend to read then or in the evenings, plus im generally a quick reader. I take the kindle with me most places so I can read a bit if im waiting for an appointment etc. I also have periods where ive read alot (on holiday) and then when I get back i won't pick the kindle up for weeks.

I think as long as you are enjoying your reading the dont get too caught up in numbers, and if you cant get on with a book then its perfectly ok to bin it off and start something new.

If you've done a literary degree like me (mfl) you're trained to read a lot and fast. I've read 4+ this week so far ( biography GB Shaw, 2 Maigret, Fungi, Wild Flowers of Europe, part History of Ireland, part Gibbon on Christianity plus newspapers etc. I inherited books from dm ( teacher) and uncle ( Head of English ) so saved me the bother of seeking them out.
I read most mornings/evenings in bed, travel a lot by coach/train. I also discard books easily, can't be bothered if I find them boring. On the other hand I've read some many times.

I aim for 100 books a year. I read every day, usually in the evening for an hour or so and sometimes during the day if weather is bad. 100 is just 2 books a week. Sometimes it is paperbacks, library books, kindle or audio. I usually have 2 on the go at any time. I have other hobbies and go out a lot plus watch TV, play the piano, go to the gym but I am retired.