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Super Readers Share Their Best Tips to Read More Books
As we head into New Year's resolutions season, we'd like to make the case for our favorite and most fun resolution: Making more time for reading. To help you out, we thought we'd reach out to some Goodreads members who manage to read an impressive number of books each year and ask them for their best advice. You can also see their up-to-date reading for 2019 under their names!
We want to hear your tips and tricks as well! Let us know how you carve out time to read!
See Miranda's Year in Books
How many books did you expect to read in 2019?
My reading goal for this year was 240 books.
What advice do you have for people who want to read more in 2020?
Audiobooks! More specifically—free audiobooks. As someone who loves to read, it can be hard to find the time—especially once I enrolled in graduate school. The first few months were so jarring—I loved the academic challenge and the rigorous coursework, but all of my free time was suddenly gone. And as someone who used to average a book every two days, I really missed reading.
My local librarian came up with the solution. She told me to try downloading audiobooks (or ebooks) from my state's digital library. My state had thousands of books available in their digital format, ready to be downloaded right to my phone! I was hooked—speeding my way through The Raven Boys, Harry Potter, Michelle Obama's Becoming, and so many more.
Now, whenever I'm in the car, doing chores about the house, walking from place to place, etc., I always have a book playing. I've laughed and cried my way though (no exaggeration) hundreds of audiobooks within the last few years and will likely go through hundreds more in the future.
Roughly 60 percent of the books I read are audiobooks and the best part is I never have to shift my schedule or try to squeeze in more reading time when the book is really good. I just continue working on my instrument, taking data or editing my figures—all while finding out if Mia will survive the Nevernight Chronicles (don't tell me—I have six hours of the audiobook remaining!).
Melanie Parker/Meltotheany
See Melanie Parker/Meltotheany's Year in Books
How many books did you expect to read in 2019?
100
What advice do you have for people who want to read more in 2020?
I know it’s cliché, but my greatest advice for reading more is just to make time for reading. I don’t go anywhere without a book, whether that is a physical book, my iPad, or an audiobook on my iPhone. Reading before bed is also just a part of my nightly routine now, and I really cherish that downtime and look forward to it each day!
Also, never forget your love for reading. I think sometimes we get so caught up with numbers (and reviews) that it’s easy to forget how amazing it is to escape into stories and then be able to share that experience with friends here on Goodreads!
Jennifer Tar Heel Reader
See Jennifer Tar Heel Reader's Year in Books
How many books did you expect to read in 2019?
I expect to read 250 books this year
What advice do you have for people who want to read more in 2020?
I take a book, my Kindle, and the Kindle app on my phone with me everywhere, and I read any chance I get. I’ve also recently gotten back into audiobooks and have the libro.fm app on my phone to sneak in audiobooks on my commute or during household chores.
Lastly, I watch very little TV. The less TV I watch, the more I read, and the more I read, the more relaxed I am!
Jessica
See Jessica's Year in Books
How many books did you expect to read in 2019?
I am on track for hitting 365 books read for my second year in a row. While there are many contributing factors in my personal life that allow me to read as much as I do (which may not be applicable to other readers), it really can be summed up in one statement—I read what I enjoy.
What advice do you have for people who want to read more in 2020?
This may seem like common sense, but I cannot stress how important it is to read books that interest you. I can get through 400 pages of fantasy in a day, but 75 pages on socioeconomic growth would take me weeks to read.
Additionally, if you aren’t enjoying a book, don’t force yourself to finish it. It’s not quitting or a failure to set a book aside if you hate it. Duds happen. So rather than struggling, wouldn’t you rather be spending that time reading something you do enjoy? Once I personally accepted that it’s okay to not finish a book, my reading experience improved significantly.
In short, read what you love and love what you read. Do this and, if you’re anything like me, you will be reading more books than you can probably manage.
Kai
See Kai's Year in Books
How many books did you expect to read in 2019?
Since I've already reached my goal of 75 books this year, I might try and aim for the big 100. It's ambitious, but I might just make it.
What advice do you have for people who want to read more in 2020?
Here are a few things that totally count as reading:
1. Audiobooks
2. Graphic Novels
3. Fanfiction
4. And yes, even picture books. 100 percent valid.
Still, there are a few things that help me read more. I try not to read more than two books at a time. Granted, I usually fail at doing that. One book for pleasure and one for pain—often something I have to read for class. And then there's a third option: a buddy read, a poetry collection that I will pick up occasionally, or a graphic novel that simply reads much quicker.
And while we're at it: comics and graphic novels do read themselves much faster than novels. And YA reads itself faster than adult fiction. And 300 pages take much less time than any George R.R. Martin book ever. If on the last day of the year you're one book away from making the finish line, Rupi Kaur is your woman. Or Dean Atta. Even the Rainbow Fish.
Something else that helps me is to go all Marie Kondo on books that don't bring me joy. It's boring? Bye. Can't connect? Sashay away. It's problematic? Well...I'll probably finish it just so I can write a scathing review. But feel free to throw it out with the trash.
A few last words: Don't forget that reading should be fun. Fast readers usually a) have a lot of free time b) work in publishing c) study literature or d) have a devilish talent to devour books in mere hours.
Don't put yourself under pressure just to lose the joy of reading. Breathe, pick up that book you've been dying to read, and forget the world around you. That's all that matters.
Sam Shove
See Sam Shove's Year in Books
How many books did you expect to read in 2019?
I'm probably going to manage 250 books this year but normally average between 175 and 200, depending on what I read.
What advice do you have for people who want to read more in 2020?
For me, I find reading more than one book at a time helps me read more. I make sure the books I'm reading are from different genres so I always have something to read that suits my mood and alternatives for when I hit a slow spot in one book. For example, at the moment I'm reading a fantasy novel and a crime thriller and will probably be starting a non-fiction that I picked up on the weekend this evening. It seems counterintuitive but seems to work for me.
Chaima
See Chaima's Year in Books
How many books did you expect to read in 2019?
I'm hoping to read 200 books this year I've read 173 so far, and quite reassuringly, Goodreads tells me that I'm 7 books ahead of schedule!
What advice do you have for people who want to read more in 2020?
Keep a book on you all the time. Sometimes, right before you leave the house, you’ll halt on the threshold and hear a voice saying, “Maybe you don’t need to take a book with you to the grocery store...” That’s the devil talking. Always have a book on deck. Trust me, I learned that lesson the hard way, but you don’t have to!
It’s okay to DNF a book. It’s okay to be picky about how you spend your reading time. I used to feel so bad about not finishing books, but I learned that once you find yourself crawling across every sentence with the peak of each hard-won page unveiling yet another page beyond, the words floating under your gaze, incomprehensible, and the boredom of it all almost bleeding your brain front to back—it’s time to stop. Give it to a friend or move onto the next title—but don’t read books you don’t enjoy.
Also, don’t shy away from reading books concurrently. I love to mix up multiple books from different genres across multiple mediums (happily switching between physical copies, e-books and audiobooks), or juggle both required reading and pleasure reading. This really helped me—someone with ADHD who has the attention span of a commercial break—plow through my TBR pile faster.
Join the Goodreads’ Reading Challenge! I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by a community dedicated to books, filled with those who feel just as giddy with enthusiasm as I do about setting reading goals, who will encourage you and remind you that “you got this!” and also help stir your motivation when you see how much they’re reading. It’s a really fun challenge, but it also helps you hold yourself accountable because Goodreads lets you know if you’re ahead, behind, or right on track to meet the reading goal you set.
Last but not least, you can’t just find time for reading, you have to determinedly carve out time in your schedule to read. Setting a dedicated reading time will help make reading a habit, and ensure that you’re reading at least an hour every day. I like to read in the mornings, so I wake up a little bit earlier and set aside 20-30 minutes to read my book—it’s a great way to start your day!—or sometimes at night, when I can’t marshal my tired eyes to the task of squinting at the pages after a particularly wearying day, nothing gladdens my heart more than listening to an audiobook while cocooned in a warm blanket.
I also claw hungrily at any spare moment to read—you’d be amazed at the number of intervals throughout the day in which you can pursue the joy of reading!
Lola
See Lola's Year in Books
How many books did you expect to read in 2019?
I am hoping to read 200 books even if I set my Goodreads goal to 220.
What advice do you have for people who want to read more in 2020?
If you want to read more, try to read between tasks or events happening in your daily life. Like if you need to take a 15-minute bus ride to get to your workplace and back, read then! If after washing the dishes for 30 minutes you need to sit down and relax for 5 minutes, read then! If you're attending a salsa class and you're feeling awkward while waiting for the class to start, read then! You might fall off your chair discovering how many opportunities to read you actually have…and then read while getting back on your feet.
Emily Fox
See Emily Fox's Year in Books
How many books did you expect to read in 2019?
Hoping to make it to 100 (but 90 would be nice!)
What advice do you have for people who want to read more in 2020?
Audiobooks! They're a lifesaver for whenever life gets crazy. I can listen to one in the shower, on the bus, while cleaning, cooking, walking, getting ready... Even when I don't have time to sit down and read, I end up finishing a couple books a month that way.
We want to hear your tips and tricks as well! Let's talk books in the comments!
Check out more recent articles:
Goodreads Staffers' Top Three Books of the Year
Very Short, 4-Star Books for Your Reading Challenge
The Most Popular Books About Books for Avid Readers
Check out more recent articles:
Goodreads Staffers' Top Three Books of the Year
Very Short, 4-Star Books for Your Reading Challenge
The Most Popular Books About Books for Avid Readers
Comments Showing 101-150 of 241 (241 new)
message 101:
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Tammy
(new)
Dec 30, 2019 08:07PM
I listen to non-fiction audiobooks. I absorb the material better. Also listening to audiobooks on my commute cuts down on road rage.
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Michael wrote: "If listening to a story is "reading", then is watching a movie of the book also reading? Where do you draw the line? And who gets to draw that line? All I know is that if one of my students claimed..."What about your dyslexic students? And there are no images fed to a reader in an audio book like there are in a movie.
I made 366 and the secret is...no television, no smart phone, no social life..just me and my computer, my kindle and my personal wall to wall bookcase and a sense that time is running out on my chance to reread all of them. I confess that as the year got close to an end and I found myself reading a 600 page book over three days that I dug out smaller books from the library that I could read two or three in a day to catch up. I do not plan to challenge myself like that next year...I never want reading to be a job, a chore or something I find myself procrastinating over. I also finished every book I started but confess there were a few I skimmed quickly without a pencil in hand. What I especially love is looking at all those lovely covers and remembering each one and marking them off my TBR list. My Kindle has 700 new unread books and I found myself rereading entire series from my book shelves and buying the latest in each series as I got close to the end of the pile.
Valentina wrote: "250 books? 365 books? Honestly, these numbers are hard to believe..."My goal was 275. I actually read 322. Only one of those was an audiobook. I don't watch tv. So it's possible.
Valentina wrote: "250 books? 365 books? Honestly, these numbers are hard to believe..."reading does not mean comprehending
I don't understand when did the quantity of reading become more important than the quality of reading? If you red 100/200/300+ books in the year I wonder whether any of them really had a chance to make any impact on you?
Nada wrote: "I don't understand when did the quantity of reading become more important than the quality of reading? If you red 100/200/300+ books in the year I wonder whether any of them really had a chance to ..." yes most of them had an impact on me, some were just crappy books
Michael wrote: "If listening to a story is "reading", then is watching a movie of the book also reading? Where do you draw the line? And who gets to draw that line? All I know is that if one of my students claimed..."Watching a movie of a book does not count as reading. The line could be drawn imho between words and images. Reading or listening to audio is a matter of words and sentences and occasionaly an illustration which make up the story.
Watching movies is all about images. Maybe the content is the same, but the way the story is transferred into your brain is way different.
This year I read about 67 books. It does not matter if you read 10 or 100 or more. Read what you like and like what you read.
The books don't have to be literature or meaningful, just enjoy them.
Nicola wrote: "Audio is listening not reading. Children four years old can listen but he doesn't read. I really don't understand how is possible to say: I listen to the audiobook so i read a book. It's not true."I agree. Listening to books is not reading them.
I've written a bit on how to kick-start that reading habit here:https://medium.com/@adam.markakis/the...
Melissa wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Audio is listening not reading. Children four years old can listen but he doesn't read. I really don't understand how is possible to say: I listen to the audiobook so i read a book. ..."To learn is not equal to read, you can learn in differents way, with audiobook you learn listening not reading. It's good but calls the things with correct name.
Dawnlouise1987 wrote: "Jessica obviously doesn't have a job...or leaves the house...or stops reading EVER" .......or sleeps.
I rediscovered my goodreads account after 6 years of inactivity this month so the goal I set for this year is very conservative. For me audiobooks really help me read more. I usually listen to 2x the speed, especially with non-fiction because I got used to it with all the podcasts I listen to. I tend to slow the speed down for fiction because I like to immerse myself in the book's universe. One thing that is slowing me down with regular books is that I'm trying to improve my Japanese reading skills (my greatest weakness) so these take forever.
Most of these numbers are riduculous to me. Not because they're impossible, but just because I can't imagine retaining anything when going through books at that speed.I don't do audiobooks, and I don't do single issue comics to boost my numbers. I also do have other hobbies, although I'd say that reading definitely takes up most of my free time. I used to easily get to 60+ books per year, but since I've started writing detailed reviews (I've noticed that it helps me digest what I've read - and remember it better), I've toned it down to 52. A book a week, that's realistic and perfectly fine. I don't appreciate this trend of turning reading into a competition to get to the highest numbers. I love reading as much as anyone on this site, but I've noticed that the popular book bloggers on here seem to think that "loving to read" is a personality. There are other things in life.
Tanya wrote: I love reading as much as anyone on this site, but I've noticed that the popular book bloggers on here seem to think that "loving to read" is a personality. There are other things in life. Couldn't agree more.
Tanya wrote: "Most of these numbers are riduculous to me. Not because they're impossible, but just because I can't imagine retaining anything when going through books at that speed.I don't do audiobooks, and I..."
Just because you can't imagine it, doesn't make it not real. A one hundred books is hardly difficult if you devote a bit of time to reading each day. You need to spend maybe two to two-and-a-half hours a day reading; and that's reading at a normal rate; so your comprehension is completely fine. Given the average American watches something like four to five hours of TV a day, there seems that most people have time to read if they wish to. It's really a question of what you want to do with your time.
Everyone’s experience is different. The great thing about this article is that it does not pass judgement. It just shares ideas, tools and techniques that people use to feed their hunger for the written word. I definitely do not read as much as I would like. However, I cherish each moment when I can read. And, for me, reading is the key. I have not embraced audiobooks, but I applaud those who can enjoy them.
Be true to yourself. No two realities are the same so no worries if you only read a handful of books in the course of a year. And, no worries if you read 200+. Either way you have expanded your breadth of knowledge.
I am so happy that Kai mentioned fanfiction! That's really all I've read this year as I've had some mental health issues basically all year, so I've been just reading all the time on my phone. I have felt bad that I haven't picked up any of my physical books that I've been wanting to read for ages, but I haven't been in a good mental state. If there was a way to add fanfics to my "Read" shelf, I'd have read so many!
Krista wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Have to say, as much as the reading challenge has helped me immensely in getting back into reading after going through a pretty serious reading funk for about 7 years (went from readi..."I don't know about Kindle, but I have a Kobo and it does track your reading speed. It can tell you how long it will take you to finish a book (or the chapter you're currently on), and it's usually pretty accurate! It's a very nice tool for me in helping me decide whether or not to complete a book I'm not really enjoying - if I've got an hour or two left I'll push through, but if it's significantly more than that, then I move on to another book.
Such a fun experience! Thank you for thinking of me!
Elizabeth wrote: "I am so happy that Kai mentioned fanfiction! That's really all I've read this year as I've had some mental health issues basically all year, so I've been just reading all the time on my phone. I ha..."Two years ago, I read 200 fan fiction zines, I posted them to my Goodreads challenge, I put covers on everything, I wrote reviews and without warning so I could download to Excel and keep the list...all of those zines were wiped off Goodreads and my challenge because according to Goodreads they don't qualify as books and yet comics do. Many of those zines were novels of some length and as well written as any published novel. It wasn't even that they didn't have a ISBN number...I felt it was because Amazon had purchased Goodreads and since they could not profit by selling zines...they didn't want them on the site.
Ellen wrote: "I don't know about Kindle, but I have a Kobo and it does track your reading speed. It can tell you how long it will take you to finish a book (or the chapter you're currently on), and it's usually pretty accurate! It's a very nice tool for me in helping me decide whether or not to complete a book I'm not really enjoying - if I've got an hour or two left I'll push through, but if it's significantly more than that, then I move on to another book."Kindle does this as well, and I love it. I use it the same way, to see if the remaining time meshes with my level of interest or enjoyment. LOL There have been times when I'm literally watching that count-down like a hawk waiting for the pain to be over. The Catcher in the Rye was one of those for me. Bleh.
Before Goodreads and challenges, I normally read approximately 200-250 books in any given year simply as a lifestyle and an addiction. I often picture myself like Scrooge McDuck swimming in his pool of gold coins, only I am surrounded by mountains of books that I am handling and skimming and stroking and sorting and listing and just generally kvelling over. I do admit that challenging myself to 365 was a mistake, the last three months of the year as I became more conscious of my goal rather than just reading catch as catch can became stressful and stress is not what I associate with reading. I do love that every book I read in the year is shown from the first to the last and I can revisit them. At my age, it is the last visit for most of them as I try to keep on track and read new purchases from my TBR pile and reread series and authors from my 60 year old personal library collection at least once more before I shuffle off. That is the true goal, to reread every single book in the apartment at least once more. I made good progress this year in my science fiction section and then ran out of steam before I finished and ended up in the political section (damn Trump) looking for reassurance that the world will go back to normal one of these days..that these things have happened before. Goodness but I do love books.
Karen-Leigh wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I am so happy that Kai mentioned fanfiction! That's really all I've read this year as I've had some mental health issues basically all year, so I've been just reading all the time..."Fanfiction can be fantastic! I really wish there was a way to include "unpublished literature" or something to that effect (even if it was just "unofficially" and didn't count towards your public statistics). This year for one of my classes I had to read a statistics textbook that was written by one of the professors at my school and kept unpublished so he could provide it as a free pdf. It was 400 pages and such a slog to get through, I wish I could count it lol. I've also read some amazing novel-length-and-quality fanfiction over the years (though none this year - just haven't been feeling it lately) and it would be fantastic if it could be counted somehow, just to track what I've read and when.
Thank you for thinking of me for this article! Made it to 100 books just in time to end 2019 too!
Audiobooks are a definite must. I love the immersive experience it provides and for those of us with low vision it's a real godsend. I listen while I walk, exercise, garden, sew, do household chores, basically anything I can autopilot so I can give the necessary attention to listening to the story. Also, if I read more than one book at a time I read them from very different genres. Otherwise I may get confused and have to reorient myself to whatever book I'm reading. It also helps if the formats are different too. This year I was listening to "Outlander" on audio and reading "The Walking Dead" digital comics at the same time.
My reading challenge this year was 50 and I read 59. This was a slow year for me, too.
This article is about super-readers. I wouldn't expect them to read less than 100 books a year. They devote their life to books and nothing else.If you watch tv, you can't be surprised you don't get as much reading time in. I mean, whatever you do to spend your time away from reading is minus to reading.
Best tips for reading more, than you already do, is read what you like and carry a book with you at all times. What format it's in, isn't the topic here. Reading ebooks works today for many people and, personally, I prefer people to read than going through some useless insta-account that has no purpose.
The thing that bothers me is the same that others have mentioned. Reading quick, short or easy books just to read more. That's not the advice I'd give. To read more books you need to find the stuff that you like or are interested in. I like reading a lot of non-fiction, but only on topics I'm interested in, I don't want it to be like school.
I like reading classics because I enjoy reading about past times but also reading that kind of writing style which has already died in certain sense. Hence, it takes me longer to read those books. But that's what I enjoy and after reading something like Zola it's just life-sucking to read a quick, easy, fast something about nothing that has no meaning and no insight, no feeling and no thought and most importantly, written in the style that anyone can manage.
Ugh.
Reading is the way I relax. I am a teacher so I have summer vacations and Christmas vacations to read. I take my eBook to the dentist. I take my Kindle to the doctor, eye examinations, and the hair salon. Most people are on their phones playing games, I choose to read. I try to read 300 books a year but I don't let the number stress me out. I begin with 100 books as my challenge. When I reach 150, I click the edit button and change it to 200. When I reach 250, I leave it and hope for the best. I don't count the books I read with my ninth graders or tenth graders because I read parts of those books daily with the students and we may not complete them for 2 or 3 weeks. So some days I read a complete romance novel along with 10 pages of "Of Mice and Men and 7-10 pages of "To Kill a Mockingbird" at the same time. I don't watch a lot of TV so I can read 3-4 hours easily. It's the cooking, dusting, mopping and other housework that get in the way! lol!!!!
Sophie wrote: "Paul wrote: "I really don't the pressure these articles put on readers. Honestly, just read what you want to read at a pace that suits you. Not everyone has the time. My 64 books I've read this yea..."I dont count the books i read am i missing something ?
Radiantflux wrote: "Tanya wrote: "Most of these numbers are riduculous to me. Not because they're impossible, but just because I can't imagine retaining anything when going through books at that speed.I don't do aud..."
Where did I say I don't think they're real? I'm sure they are. And the "ridiculous" numbers aren't the 100 books to me - if I cut Netflix time and blogging I could easily do that too - but anything upwards of 200. That's definitely not 200 books read, not while holding down serious studies or a steady job. Everyone draws the line differently, and I draw it at fanfiction, magazines, zines, and single-issue comics. I mean... I've seen people shelf dozens of recipe books?! Anyway, to each their own, if having high numbers is someone's ambition over the content of what they read, then go for it. It's just not for me, and that's what I said this trend is ridiculous to *me*.
There are an awful lot of assumptions about readers being made in this thread. Every person is different - their reading interests, available time, responsibilities, goals and intentions... Just because something seems unreasonable or unlikely to us doesn't mean it is for another person. I work full time, in a quite complex job, with someone who can finish romance novels daily. Daily. She has 2 teens with full schedules, 2 dogs, a husband, a TV and a life, but she loves to read and she's able to fit it in. That's how she unwinds. Granted they aren't academic or cerebral books, but she reads more than enough technical and complex material at work.
I can't even do that, and I have nowhere near the obligation load she does.
Let people read what they like or want. It isn't hurting anyone to claim comics or cookbooks or children's books in their goal if that's what they enjoy. Just like it's not hurting anyone else if someone only wants to get thru the works of James Joyce. There's no trophy at the end.
färbe mich rot wrote: "I really need to get on this audiobook trend."Me too. It would be just the thing for me while I'm at the gym.
Suzy wrote: "Some of the best books I have ever read are middle grades. They are often shorter and easier to finish a bunch of them in a year. I stagger my longer adult reads with quick middle grade reads. "Agreed! Roald Dahl is one of my childhood favourites and every so often I re-read his books, especially if I need a quick read.
A book I read so many times when I was between the ages 10 and 12 was "Blubber" by Judy Blume. I should re-read that, at some point. Too bad I no longer have the book...
Kim wrote: "Maybe I'm a purist or something, but listening to an audiobook is not the same as reading a book."I haven't tried audio books yet, so I can't comment on this. But I think for me it would be very different than reading -- my mind is more likely wander if I am listening to something, rather than reading -- I think listening to an audio book would be easy for me to tune out and not pay attention. However, I could see it working for me while I am at the gym.
färbe mich rot wrote: "I really need to get on this audiobook trend."Trust me, that would be the best thing to start this new year. I started with audiobooks in 2019 and I finished almost half of my reading list just with the help of audiobooks.
What really helped for me was activating "Voice Over" so that at times when I'm not able to sit down and read (driving, house chores, sports etc.) I can still continue with the same book by just listening to it.Also, I started adding all the childrens' books I read to my son - most of which I read for my own pleasure as well, so why not include them in my reading progress?
Furthermore, I settled with a similar reading goal for a couple years now which I know I can comfortably manage, instead of setting higher stakes each time. My new challenge is to raise my page count instead.
To all the disbelievers. If you schedule it right, have the right job, and how you read, you can absolutely read a ridiculous amount of books. I hit 160 this year, with 2 kids & a full time job Jan-Aug. I listened to audiobooks while I vacuumed at work (3-4 hrs a night) I listened to 2.5 audiobooks a week on average. I also take a book with me EVERYWHERE. Stuck at a train? Drs office? Early meeting a friend for coffee or lunch? Get to work early and not ready to go in yet? Guess what? Those pages add up.
Guys, let me tell you a secret that most of us who manage to finish an audiobook per day, know very well, but are usually not that bold to let out: BLINKIST!
Mattis wrote: "I don't have time to read - too busy watching YouTube five hours every night."Watch less youtube..?
Wow so many bitter bitter people on here who feel the need to bash audiobooks. Why? Because let me tell you, listening to an audiobook is HARD. You have to FOCUS. It's a skill, and it takes some work to become good at it. Plus, audiobooks are LONG. I can finish an ebook or hardcopy book so much faster than I can finish an audiobook.
But I love audiobooks! Audiobooks allow me to enjoy a book while I'm driving. I obviously can't consume a hardcopy book while driving. Where is the downside??? Why are people bitter about this?
Nermin wrote: "Guys, let me tell you a secret that most of us who manage to finish an audiobook per day, know very well, but are usually not that bold to let out: BLINKIST!"Not for me. I want the author's work, not what someone else thinks is relevant from it. I don't read abridged versions and especially not a 15 minute summary.
I read 23 books last year - it took a lot of time. I can’t imagine how much someone could learn reading 365 books! I’ve set a goal of 52 this year, one a week. If I could ever get the 1 a day, that would be incredible! Jessica, I am jealous! I need to focus my time more, clearly!
Numbers don’t matter. Among my books this year were Brothers Karamazov, Crime and Punishment, Atlas Shrugged, and the entire Bible. If I had replaced those 4 books with 150 picture books, would I actually be better off, or just feel better about the number others would see on my goodreads profile?
stop subvocalizing and it will eventually increase your reading speed. For the last 4 years I've read about 150-160 books, this year I'm increasing the number to 200
Jasmine wrote: "I haven't tried audio books yet, so I can't comment on this. But I think for me it would be very different than reading -- my mind is more likely wander if I am listening to something, rather than reading -- I think listening to an audio book would be easy for me to tune out and not pay attention. However, I could see it working for me while I am at the gym. ."I think that's exactly right. I find walking (esp. in places without too many distractions, like in parks etc) good, as well as doing simple manual tasks (washing dishes; vacuuming—noise cancelling headphones are useful) very good at holding my attention on audiobooks. I thought that was just me, but then I saw a thread on Reddit where lots of other people were doing the similar things. Apparently knitting is popular when listening to audiobooks; somehow it keeps your mind occupied enough to stop it wandering elsewhere.
I liked the tips. I have learned through my reading that reading is a quite personal adventure and is 'not a one size fits all'
The basics for me are:
Read what you enjoy
It's totally okay NOT to finish a book
For me it works to also read a few titles concurrently... especially of different types (fiction, history, business etc.)
I do think I have to try some audio books... I have not experienced but it seems like something that would be of interest.
But at the end... read what you enjoy and HAVE FUN.
It is not all about the numbers but about the satisfaction of finding that book that entertains, perhaps teaches... and that simply stays with you after you turn that last page!
Whenever I see these giant numbers, I’m curious as to the size of the books. I tend to read 600-900 page books, and I always have to reorient myself to the fact that people reading 100+ books probably aren’t cranking out 100+ 600 page books (if you are- that’s really impressive!)
But, you cannot read an audio book. I do not consider listening to a someone else reading a book the same as reading. As an oral storyteller, I know that my intonation, change of voice, and facial expressions (when I am in front of an audience) impact. Most of that is true for audio books. So, I am not in any de-valuating audio books, they should not count as reading a book because the experience is minus the sense of vision. One is eliminating a crucial part of the reading experience when listening to audio books. I think there should be two categories here: reading and listening to books if one wants a truer accounting. I actually read 30-35 books a year, i.e., I focus on the reading experience. I do not drive, cook, shop, et al while listening to someone else read. I actually dedicate my complete attention to reading.
I am expanding on a thought I wrote earlier. I do not count audio books listened to the same as reading a book. As an oral storyteller, I know that my intonation, change of voice, and facial expressions (when I am in front of an audience) impact. Most of that is true for audio books. So, while I am not in any de-valuating audio books, they should not count as reading a book because the experience is minus the sense of vision. One is eliminating a crucial part of the reading experience when listening to audio books. I think there should be two categories here: reading and listening to books if one wants a truer accounting. I actually read 30-35 books a year, i.e., I focus on the reading experience. I do not drive, cook, shop, et al while listening to someone else read. I actually dedicate my complete attention to reading. Reading and listening are two different learning methods. One is as important as the other but the two should never be interchangeable because they involve two different sensory experiences.
