100+ Books in 2025 discussion
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How the heck do you have time to read so many so fast?
Hi Katie! I just joined this group, too. I started with the 50 books this year group, but I think I can do 100. I'm really hoping to read more and watch a lot less television! I waste so much time watching bad tv. . . I hope I can keep up with reading a few books per week! I can't imagine 20-- that would be like full-time reading, all day every day. Are people really able to read that much?
I am lucky to have a lot of free time to read. I am single, I don't have kids to take care of, and don't go out that much. I spend a lot of weekends at my families vacation house-- in the winter up here I can be lazy and read all day.
Please feel free to add me as a goodreads friend if you want to chat and support each other on the goal to read 100!
Hi Katie..I feel the same way you do. I have managed to read 10 books this month but only at the expense of laundry, grocery shopping, and checking my kids' homework (bad mom!) I usually end up trying to talk my kids into going to bed early so I can go to bed and read (as a result, 5am comes waaaay to fast). Angel
I'm one of those people who's read 20 books in a week. It's called I don't sleep because I hurt to badly to sleep so I read. Also unluckly I haven't been blessed with kids yet so it's just me and my husband. With my health problems I'm not able to work so while he's at work I'm usually home or hanging out with my sister that leaves alot of time to read. I think the main thing is I've become a fast reader because I read alot with my health not being to good. I learned that a book didn't judge me like some friends did so I escaped into books. I also didn't hurt so bad when I'm in a world that reading creates. I go through stages where I read alot in a week and then when I can't read at all.
I don't have kids either and I rarely watch TV. I'm a middle school teacher and, thanks to our new reading initiative, we are adding more reading time. Of course I must be a good reading role model, so I take advantage of the time to read as well. Add in audiobooks in the car and the fact that I read almost exclusively YA lit during the school year and voila...30 books in January!
Hi Debbie, I am also a teacher (3rd-4th spec.ed.) and agree that setting a good example is important. I don't get to read much myself in the classroom (even during silent reading someone wants to read to me) but I always carry a book with me and talk to the kids about how much I love to read. One of my kids from last year still comes by my classroom everyday to show me what he's currently reading - I love it!
I've also always loved to read. It's been an escape for me - especially with fantasy I can forget the world now. But I'm sure that like everyone, I go through cycles with this. I can get really into reading and read like 10 books in a week and then I'll only read one or two.
I have the advantage of public transit for my reading time. And I read on my lunch hour.
I read 91 books last year and hope to break the 100 barrier this year. I feel like I haven't been reading as much this year as last year b/c I watch too much TV and movies and I got a wii --so I have been playing Super Mario Galaxy! so much to do -----so little time.
I used to fly through books like no one's business. I was a receptionist in an office that frankly is not very busy, so I'd be able to spend my whole day reading and answering the phone once every four or five minutes. I know I easily passed the 100 books a year mark in those days. Then I accepted a promotion and actually had to WORK to make money (damn!). Then I had a kid. So now I read on my lunch break (if I don't have errands to run) and at night after my 15 month old goes to sleep, but before his first of many night wakings :) I was sick a couple weeks ago so I took a day off work, but still sent my son to the babysitter. That was like heaven....a whole day spent with a book. I didn't even touch the computer or the television (or the dishes, or the laundry for that matter either!)
I read every spare minute I can- before classes, while waiting for an appointment, before bed, I always have a book with me, two if I "think" I might finish it before I can go back home. Plus, I count audiobooks, which I can do while walking and while at the gym and while I'm getting ready for bed. Plus, with my reading-intensive courseload, I have several books that I think qualify to be counted here (Dogs of God, for example, by James Preston, JR)
Last year I read 70 books so I'm fairly confident that I can bump that up to 100 this year. Mostly I read at night after I put my kids to bed. Instead of watcihng TV I'll stay up two or three hours reading and I average about 2 books a week that way. It also depends on what I'm reading; some books I can finish in just a few hours. I'm pretty fortunate I guess that my husband doesn't mind my insatiable reading habit. It gives him more time to play W.O.W. haha
*lol* When I was in fourth grade, I was participating in a Reading for Rewards program {similar to Book-it!} and read so much quicker than my classmates that my teacher outright accused me of cheating. She brought me up in front of the whole class and quizzed me on the books I "claimed" to have read {sorta like the trivia on here} and wouldn't ya know, I answered every single question right and without hesitation. Bitch.I work two jobs from home, make my own hours, don't have kids, choose to not have cable and honestly, I don't have much else going on. Boring? Yeah, kinda. Boring to me? Nope. I prefer a quiet and drama free life...just me and my hubby.
I always take two books with me - in my purse, to appointments, in the car, to visit the parents, to the pool, to the beach...I'd read at red lights if I didn't think I'd get in trouble! :)
My hubby is just as voracious a reader as I am, and there are many nights we'll fall asleep in the recliners in our media room with books in our hands and Dachshunds in our laps.
I wouldn't have it any other way!
What a great thread, because I've often wondered how people find the time to read so much. I would read all day if I could.Peach, I also bring books with me in the car and to appointments, pool, and would read at red lights!
Do any of you become sort of obsessed with the act of getting another book (buying or borrowing) and putting it on your list of books you've read as opposed to actually reading the book and enjoying it? I just wonder if that's what I'm doing because I absolutely adore bookstores and libraries and I wonder if it's the finding and obtaining rather than the reading (although I do love to read). I just feel like browsing through the books is sometimes the best part!
Anyone else feel like that?
I simply read whenever I get the chance. I am NEVER without at least one book on my person. I am also lucky in that I have an online business where I can set my own hours, so if I want to read more than work in a day, I can. I also can read very quickly (about three pages a minute, with retention) which helps.Oh, I can also read and watch TV at the same time although I try not to.
I'm almost at 90 for the year, but I only got to read 8 this month (I moved and did some traveling). I read very quickly, and to make it even easier I have my Sony Reader, which is always in my purse (and usually has around 60-70 unread books on it). I would be able to read a lot more if I didn't hop on the computer and watch TV when I get home! I went to the Bahamas in March and read the entire time, it was the most fabulous vacation ever!
It's so weird - I used to think I was a fast reader, until I came into this group and now I think I'm average or below! :)Lynne, personally I don't feel that way - but I just joined goodreads a few days ago, so maybe I haven't been here long enough to feel that way?
I only list books on my "read" list that I have read from January 1 of this year and since then - so even though I have tons of books on my shelves that I have read, I'm not counting any of them until I read them again!
Roseann - so funny about the watching tv/reading a book item! My husband can read a book while listening to music, watching tv, wherever...whenever. I, on the other hand, have trouble reading anywhere that isn't totally quiet! The other day, I was sitting next to him while he was playing a video game and I was trying to read "Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression" by Mildred Armstrong Kalish and read the same page 3 times because the video game was so distracting I kept forgetting what I had read!
He promised that in our next house I can have a library {broom closet size is just fine!} on the complete other side of the house from the media/video room. *ahhhh promises....*
:)
Hi, Katie. I used to read lots of books, but AC (after children), I really did not have as much time. But ever since I started to listen to audiobooks, I am back to reading 100 + books a year. I load the books onto my ipod, so not only do I listen to books in the car, but also when I run, walk the dog, fold the laundry, wash dishes, etc. I can easily listen to 3 books a week that way. And the narrations are so good. There are some books that I much prefer to listen to than read in print. Give it a try - it's a great way to pamper yourself (and finish that list of books!)
Hello Everyone!I have enjoyed reading the responses to this topic on how do you read so many books so fast? Fortunately I have a great deal of time on my hands. I work part-time mornings M-F 12 months a year and afternoons M-R 10 months a year. This leaves me quite a bit of time on my hands. I have decided a constructive way to fill it is with reading, reading, reading. I consider myself a pretty fast reader so that helps. I keep several books going at the same time too. I have books I read at home, at the health club and at Borders (my favorite book store) Often times I end up finishing them all within one week. Some of books are YA fiction and graphic novels which account for quick reads too. I am most fortunate to live in the Suburbs of Chicago which allows me access to a wonderful library system where I have been getting all these fabulous books to read! (Many of which I have found out about from friends on goodreads! ) Happy Reading!
Hi everyone!I have lots of time to read now because my husband and I gave up cable about 1.5 years ago because of the cost... we buy and rent dvds and only tune in to live tv to see Lost when it's airing. I also don't read newspapers (I pick and choose the news I read online instead of trying to page through the whole print copy). I work in a Borders, so work is where I spend the least amount of time reading but the most amount of time around books!
Probably the biggest chunk of time that I spend that could be better spent reading is poking around on GoodReads ^_^ but I'm not giving that up.
We listen to audiobooks too, I walk and take the bus around our town so I have lots of opportunity for "reading" while doing something else. This is also convenient for when I am doing something that occupies my hands (like knitting or painting) when I'd otherwise rather be holding a book!
We are leaving on a trip to the Philippines tomorrow and so far the hardest part of packing has been deciding which books to bring to read (apart from the ones I'm bringing as gifts). I'm trying to limit myself to 2, knowing there are lots more books where I'm going, but it's so hard to choose!!!
WOW - People like me 8>)I read at different rates depending on the types of books. I work at a school with fourth graders - so I do read some YA books along with the Magic Treehouse Books that so many of my lower readers LOVE! I have forced myself to balance my reading - One "fluffier" novel to one "meater" novel. I also belong to two reading groups to help me find different books out of my comfort zone. I have no children and live alone. The cats don't mind as long as they can still have room on my lap. All my friends are readers and until I joined this (and Facebook to see my greats) I did not spend a lot of time on line LOL.
I think 100 might be a challenge but it is something to shoot for. Especially since I have the summers off.
I always have books to read. It is hard to choose which one to read next!
Reading a lot for me is simple: No kids + husband in grad school not bothering me + I don't watch TV. I do work full time so I can't read as much as I like, but I can usually do about 2-3 hours a night before bed. All the time that the "normal" American spends in front of a TV, I spend in front of a book.
I figure this is also my last hurrah year. I'm hoping to get pregnant soon so next year may be a bit more busy. :)
I have always had a book of some kind in my hands...can't remember a time even when I was a kid that I didn't have a book with me. Now that the kids are all grown and my grandson is old enough to pretty much take care of himself I have even more time to read. I am not able to work because of health problems so reading is my only vice at this point. I can usually read one or two books a week depending on how thick they are and how much I get involved in them. I have been known to let all of the house work go in order to finish a book. When I was working I would read on the bus commuting to and from work...on my lunch breaks and before I went to bed at night.
Now that I am no longer working I am able to read whenever I want. I still read when we go anywhere (husbands driving drives me crazy)...instead of watching TV and in the evenings before I go to bed at night. If it has really been hot during the day I have been known to go outside in the shade and read just to try to cool off with a glass of ice water.
Also we have dial up internet connection so I keep a book handy when I go online to read while I am waiting for a site to load. I have accomplished to read several books this way.
I love reading how people find time to squeeze in a few chapters. 8-)I am a readaholic. I love long lines at the grocery store or having to wait for a train to pass while driving, because it gives me a moment to read a little more. I tend to soak in a hot bath every night to soothe my very tired muscles, and I always have a book ready (and a towel to make sure I can dry my hands!).
It's easier to fly through a good book. I find I get bogged down when it's a book I'm not really enjoying.
Peach wrote: "*lol* When I was in fourth grade, I was participating in a Reading for Rewards program {similar to Book-it!} and read so much quicker than my classmates that my teacher outright accused me of cheat..."Gee that sounds awfully familiar. After the quiz and I answered all the questions right, I still didn't win the prize because I must have cheated in some way they couldn't catch. And my teachers wondered why I didn't want to go into public education.
But I have a very bad habit of letting reading supersede other things - like appointments or sleep. ( I heard that "5 am comes too early"!)
I always wanted to run a marathon, but didn't want to give up my reading time to put the training mileage in. Now I've discovered (for me) the perfect compromise: I am training to walk a marathon and I read while I am walking on my treadmill. I get a lot of dedicated read time and although I am reading mostly magazines on the treadmill, I can also read books or listen to audiobooks. I was able to complete the 100 book challenge (with a month to go) by watching very little television and reading whenever and wherever I can get a spare moment. Very boring, I know, but it's my passion, so I'm happy!
I will have to get a disc reader so that I can "read" audio books while doing the treadmill or stationary bike.
Doris, if you have an mp3 player (iPod or something similar) most libraries offer free downloads of audiobooks. They just disappear off your player when the 21 days are up.
I'm a drop-out, so what else it here for me to do? I could never accomplish 20 books a week, however, unless they were compromised of mostly children's books.
Most don't like to admit it, but university undergrads (especially in the humanities) have a ridiculous amount of spare time on their hands. Some need this time for part time jobs, others party all the time. I mostly read.
Dolly wrote: "I always wanted to run a marathon, but didn't want to give up my reading time to put the training mileage in. Now I've discovered (for me) the perfect compromise: I am training to walk a marathon..."And TV is so junk-filled anymore that you're not missing a thing Dolly! I'm thinking even less TV in 2010. The only TV I watch now is football-related.
I don't miss it, but my hubby watches a lot and so our girls want to watch too. I'm forever turning it off (for dinner, for homework, for bed, for peace and quiet...)
I don't blame you one bit. Shame hubby won't read like you! Maybe the girls would too...?
They are learning, but they are only 5 and 7 so we mostly read together at bedtime. 
I asked the same question in another group haha it's all about time management and bringing a book with you everywhere you go!
Katie wrote: "Hello all! OK, so I joined this group because I think this is a fantastic goal to have...and I'm all for making a resolution that I think I can actually keep!! I love to read and wish I could squ..." I just LOVE to read, and do it whenever I can. I even read during meals!!! Its a compulsion! I do not have 20 this month so far but hope to have at least 12 by Feb.
e-readers are great inventions, you are never bookless, and they are easier to conceal. I can sit at my desk and prop it up and read when I have no work, and no one can see that I'm doing it, it blends in to the computer.Audiobooks are also great. Don't be fooled, they take a lot of concentration, there is no such thing as passivley listening to an audiobook. If you miss something, you can really get lost. I love audiobooks when I'm cleaning, right before bed, and standing on a crowded subway where holding a book would be impossible.
Other than that, just what everyone else is saying, read during all your spare time, you'd be surprised how it adds up (waiting on line, waiting at the doctor....)
Katie wrote: "Hello all! OK, so I joined this group because I think this is a fantastic goal to have...and I'm all for making a resolution that I think I can actually keep!! I love to read and wish I could squ..."I know, I thought I was reading fairly quickly, often going through 8-10 books in a good week, but some of the posts are unbelievable. There's no way I have the time to get through 20-25 books in a week. (Besides, with some books, I almost wish I could read more slowly, savor the book even more
Simple answer--I'm retired--the greatest thing to ever happen to man or woman-kind. I never read when I was wasting my life with my hideous job, but now that that torturous ordeal is done, I can try to make up for lost time! Just keep adding books to your "To Read" list and keep breathing--you'll make it.
I'm lucky to have an easy enough job (even though it makes my brain feel like mush) where i can read about 4 books a week.. I'm not a fast reader but I'm going to reach this goal this year!! I give props to the people that can read 20 books a week and comprehend them!! I'm your biggest fan!! lol!!PS. I keep an Excel spread sheet with all the books that I have read and what year and even my rating!! I'm a little obsessed!!
I pretty much don't go anywhere without a book. I read in the mornings before work, and often after. And during, but don't let my boss know. Actually he probably knows, although surfing the internet cuts into my reading time a lot. My job has the possibility of a good bit of downtime, and we can do what we want, just so long as all of our "core responsibilities" have been met for the shift. I read when I'm not doing the Shockwave Jigsaw Puzzle of the Day.I have an amazon Kindle1, which makes it a lot easier to switch to a new book when I'm done with one, but I can't blame that beast for my reading habits, not entirely anyway.
Danielle wrote: "PS. I keep an Excel spread sheet with all the books that I have read and what year and even my rating!! I'm a little obsessed!! "Don't feel bad!! I have a recipe box and I make a notecard with title, author, #pages, a short review/plot summary, and my rating for every book I read. I even made page dividers so I could sort them alphabetically easier. I like your idea of writing the year on them. I'll have to start doing that, hehe
20 books a week??? Come on, people. Reading them and enjoying them and retaining the information cannot be done while speed reading. I was shocked when I finished my 20th book of THE YEAR, and I've been doing a LOT of reading at night because I can't sleep. 20 a week, real reading --not skimming-- is just unbelievable to me. But its a self challenge, so you go...
Like Michelle, I've hit 20 books for this year. But I don't have kids and I do not watch TV. I do work full time and read on my lunch. Even if I had nothing to do I can't imagine doing 20 books in a week and I am definitely a fast reader (NOT a skimmer).
I'm also a fast reader and never skim. That's why I can't see someone reading 20 books a week, unless they are children's picture books. Even if reading was your full-time job, 20 books a week? Nah.
I took a speedreading class and highly recommend them. They teach you how to read fast but also retain all the information you just read. The only problem is it takes a good about of time and practice before you can get good at it.
Wild for Wilde wrote: "I took a speedreading class and highly recommend them. They teach you how to read fast but also retain all the information you just read. The only problem is it takes a good about of time and pract..."I like to hear the character's voices in my head, to perfectly pace it all. This is my only complaint to the concept of speed reading. I don't see how it can be as enjoyable-- unless you were reading nonfiction.
Once you get it down it's like your not reading fast, it feels natural and doesn't seem like your speed reading.
When I joined this group, I thought it would be so fun to be able to read more than 100 books in a year. But as I'm doing it, I realize that I don't have that much time to be spent for reading.
I'm a high school student, facing my final exam in March.
I just hope I could read a lot more. :(
However as I was checking out to see how people were doing I was blown away by how many books some of you have already read in the first month of the year...some people had read like 20 books in a week! That simply cannot be possible, even if you work at the library!! I'm thrilled if I can get some reading done during my lunch break, at the gym & before I fall asleep at night. If I could read while driving, then I'd really be making some headway, but unfortunately that's not possible.
How do you all do it with work, commuting, errands/chores, & the other business of ever day life? Just curious...I'm also open to any new authors or reading suggestions...I plan to give my library card a real workout this year! Thanks in advance & happy reading!! ~KT