The compulsion to finish a book, then the next one...

[Miriam]

Do you think there's a growing pressure now to finish a book, then the next one, and the next one?

Has the emphasis moved from quality reading to quantity reading?

Has the focus moved from considering the meaning of what you've just read to zipping on to another opening chapter?

Book reviews, reading challenges, data on reading habits, competitions for the number of books read per annum - all can push you to read more. That's good. But do you find yourself galloping to finish a book just so you can get along to the next one; picking short books over long ones; choosing easy reads over complicated ones?

Has the race for The End come to dominate your reading habits? What do you think?

[karlis_library]

I think that wit covid maybe people had more time? However in general I think so, although not me. I only get to read before sleep or a little on the weekend. my problem once finished a really good book is finding the next one and then sticking to it. it doesn't bother me how long it takes bit I have to be invested, if I'm not I just move to the next one. For example I finished Devotion by Hannah Kent last week and it took me a good 4 days to actually start another book. Even still, I feel like I'm cheating on devotion and Hannah Kent.
So many books are published and there are so many we want to read that maybe we don't concentrate on the actual enjoyment of reading?

[Jenna]

I find that people are seeing the direction of our world becoming more technological, and they are looking for something more tangible to connect to and escape with other than, say, their phones. Now that we are all so interconnected it naturally creates competition among people on apps like GoodReads. (How many book has Sally read this year? THIRTEEN? I better step my game up…) Before this time perhaps it was more of an independent hobby that couldn’t be scaled as readily. Either way. I always say life’s too short to finish books I don’t enjoy, and when I find a book I do enjoy I try and take my time with it. I’m about to start The Secret History by Donna Tartt! It’s going to be a longer one for me but I’m excited to take my time with it. :) thanks for the awesome question

[May]

Jenna, that is why I won’t set reading goals. I read as time & mood allow / encourage. Some books I simply inhale. Others I plod through. Some I choose to not finish. An artificial goal misses the point … in my opinion.

[Donna]

You have an excellent point but, for me, I like seeing all the books that I have read through the year. My challenge is for me and honestly I could care what someone else's challenge is. Great question.

[Donna]

I could care less.

[Lisa]

I don’t find it necessary to jump right into the next book for the sake of having another notch in my reading buckle. I do it because of enjoyment. Since I was young I’ve loved to read and this love has not lost its teeth. I read the same before I kept tallies of books as when I track them. I don’t see others reading more either. I think it would be good to motivate some people but just like exercise and eating well, it takes all different ways to encouraging reading for the enjoyment.

[Miriam]

Hi Karli
I need to take a breath between books, too. Also, even if I've absolutely loved a book, I will not read immediately another book by the same author. Sure, I'll read that favorite author again in a few weeks, but right away sometimes diminishes the impact of both the book I've just read as well as the one I've just started.

[Rachel]

I just finished a book yesterday and today started a new one. I do think about how many books I can before the end of the year. That doesn’t mean I don’t take my time and actually understand what I am reading. I LOVE to read and having books lined up to read next is motivation to finish my current book. 🖤

[Rachel]

Also I hardly ever think about picking an easy read or hard. I go off of what I like and if it happens to be a harder read then good for me because it’s a challenge.

[Christy]

I’ll admit that I picked some easy books to read over the past week because I am a few books behind in my reading goal for the year. However, I often love those easy, YA books as much or more than my more difficult reads. As a high school teacher, I like to read a little ( a lot) of many different genres and reading levels so I have something to offer every reader. I love my challenge, and if I hit it, great. If not, that’s ok too. I’ve never actually finished an entire challenge, and this may be the year!