Cover to Cover Challenge discussion
Hello everyone, and thank you for joining!
Barbsis wrote: "Unless my wallet explodes from all my book buying, this should be a very easy challenge for me. I've read 365+ so far this year with almost 2 months to go."WOW!!!! 365 + which means more than 1 a day! Way to go. I wish I could do that......it would definitely help the TBR shelf situation!!
Welcome to the group Melanie, Sara, and Fw2books. It's great to have you aboard, and I wish you luck with your goals for 2010.
Fw2books wrote: "Marilu wrote: "Crystal wrote: "I never thought about kids books, Marilu, probably because I don't have children, so I don't read kids books. I think I'll have to say no they don't count. Just becau..."LOL....I often read while waiting for things to boil! I do try to make time, but find there just isn't enough of it. My son rarely goes to bed before 10, and he wakes up again at 12.....so generally that's when I get most of my reading done. He only naps for about 45 mins in the afternoon, and I generally have to use that time for something else. I find that on most days I try to squeeze an extra 1/2 hr or so of reading in by having a bath rather than a shower, so I can read and relax at the same time!! I am guessing I usually average about 2 hrs of reading a day maximum, with some days as little as 45 mins depending on the day. That is just not enough time, but unless I give up the 5 or 6 hours of sleep I get I have to settle with that for the time being. I better learn to read a lot faster if I am going to read 144 books next year....lol!
I find any time I can to read...we have dial up for internet connection so while I wait for a site to load I read...or at night when there is nothing on TV that I am interested in I will read and when I go to bed at night I read for at least 30-45 minutes before going to sleep...read on the bus going to work and on the way home. I never thought to read while waiting for the pot to boil...will have to give that a try. I have to admit that when my kids where little I didn't read as much as I do now but always seemed to find the time to read somewhere along the line.
there is a lot of us who have commented on the 365+ books read by barbis and posed question re this i.e how she does it and how big are the books- but I can't remember a response-does anyone know her secret?
Lol
I would have to sit on my couch 24/7 ignoring my three year old and the rest of my family---I could never get it done!! Hahahaha
I've never paid attention to how many hours it takes me to read a book, but I'm pretty sure it'd take me more than 5 hours. I'm going to have to add up my reading time for the next book I read, just to see. I was curious if the rest of you do this... I read the words in my mind at the same speed that I talk. Just as if I were talking out loud, same exact speed. Does anyone who reads every word read them faster than this?
My mind tends to wander sometimes too, which slows me down. I'd really like to increase my speed, just so that I can read more books!!!!
Fw2books wrote: "Depends on the length of book and the speed at which you read, and where.I knew a woman who once read many more than that on Hqn's annual reading contest. But if you can read one in 2hrs or so,..."
while at karate?- to go in or while practicing your moves? (can't imagine the tutor was too happy!!! Lol
Kelly R wrote: "I've never paid attention to how many hours it takes me to read a book, but I'm pretty sure it'd take me more than 5 hours. I'm going to have to add up my reading time for the next book I read, ju..."Same for me. I am almost scared of checking how long I would take to read. Sometimes, I take ages, mainly because if the writer is really good, I like to lose myself in the language as well, so I would read such books real slow. Unless they are books like the Harry Potter series, which I would just read at a rapid speed!
I don't mind reading every word and I guess that makes me tend to read slower but I think speed reading just takes the pleasure out of a book. I read to relax. I don't want to try to speed through a book just to finish it. It takes the pleasure out of the story.It takes me 1-2 days to finish a book and I have a VERY active family life with my two young children (7 and 4).
I do prefer to read every word as well. I just wondered where I stood in speed compared to everyone else, but it sounds like it's all a matter of whether you read it all or "skim". I personally don't absorb anything if I skim. Still, with such a huge TBR list it'd be nice to go through books more quickly... if not by reading *faster* then just by reading more often, and not do all my reading when I can hardly hold my eyes open at night!Btw Laurie, IMPRESSIVE that you can read a book in a day or two when you have little kids!!! :)
I definitely take up to a week sometimes. But not because of slow reading, more bcoz of being busy with school. I would definitely love to read more, but I'll have to put that in the back burner for now.
I generally read 2 books a week, so it is going to be difficult for me to read 144 books in a year. I read whenever I have any free time. It seems like I have less not that I am constantly checking the threads to see what everyone else has posted.
Laurie wrote: "I don't mind reading every word and I guess that makes me tend to read slower but I think speed reading just takes the pleasure out of a book. I read to relax. I don't want to try to speed throug..."I can't imagine not reading everyword-can you call just skimming reading
I read all words and when not working a book a day and half now that I am reading ad more time on computer and am tired takes me a few days-read about 2-4 books a week
Fw2books wrote: "Afsana wrote: "Laurie wrote: "I don't mind reading every word and I guess that makes me tend to read slower but I think speed reading just takes the pleasure out of a book. I read to relax. I don..."I meant skimming quickly would you not miss the nuances and miss a word that may change whole sentence
Fw2books wrote: "Afsana wrote: "Fw2books wrote: "Afsana wrote: "Laurie wrote: "I don't mind reading every word and I guess that makes me tend to read slower but I think speed reading just takes the pleasure out of ..."if i new the ending I start skipping and not just sentences but pages!!!
I only read ending if not enjoying book but still interested in knowing how it ended
But everyone has their own methods and madnesses
Fw2books wrote: "Afsana wrote: I only read ending if not enjoying book but still interested in knowing how it ended If an author cannot write a story that keeps you interested no matter how it ends... what's th..."
when i start I don't know whether good or not but when i realis not really holding interest but not atrocious i skim and read end
I also have to read everyword. And I also read the end of the book before I get there. I try not to but somehow I always find myself there.
You guys that read the end are killing me!! LOL That is the best part. I can't do that, but I do love it when I am reading a mystery and I can guess the bad guy.
Yeah, reading the ending first is not something I can imagine ever doing lol. If I'm going to quit a book, I'll skip to the end to see who the bad guy was, but that's the only exception. I remember when I was younger and was reading R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike, if I accidently saw the last page for whatever reason (checking to see how many pages the book was or whatever), then I somehow ALWAYS knew who the killer was, just from that briefest glance and noticing the name of one character or another. And when you know ahead of time, it takes SO much out of reading the book (for me). So now I do everything possible to never see a page past the first half of the book or so, until I get there by reading every previous word.
Same here Darcy & Kelly! If you read the ending first then IMO there is no point in reading the book!
yes esp with crime thrillers half the fun (or more) is working out who did the deed
I can't read the end of the book because then I would end up being disappointed.
I tend to read book word for word as well. Sometimes if the author is really long winded, and if I feel there are too many details, I'll speed read the details and fluff talk about the scenery and read the character's conversations....and really, I only do this once in a while.
For me, it depends on the book. As Crystal said, I tend to speed read through the details and little things that I think are unimportant and read the conversations between characters. I also noticed that I speed read the endings of books, not because the endings are bad.. but because I just can't wait to find out how it ends lol.
I'm a speed reader too. I read my first "real" book (a Happy Hollister's mystery) at 8. And its been onward and upward from there. My daughter learned to read at 3 (only child in a family where everyone read--a LOT) and when she started kindergarten, she was the only kid in class who'd already started 'chapter' books. Fortunately, her teacher took it in stride. When the grandkids started kindergarten (and they could read too) their teacher (they had the same one, first one, then the other the next year) she told them flat out "no WAY could they read" and that they had to have "memorized" the books. Sigh, there is a reason that they are home schooled now. They are 11 and 13--and already learning algebra. I probably read about 365 or so books a year too. How many is determined by how much quilting i'm doing. :o) If I'm in a "quilting mood" I'll do nothing but quilt for 2 or 3 weeks at a time. Then its back to reading. I don't work, and have some serious medical issues, so there really are days when I'm able to do nothing BUT read. On those days, I might get through 2--or even 3--books.
Wow, that's amazing Ann. :O They must be brilliant. I learned to read at a fairly young age.. probably around 3 or 4 years old and have been reading like crazy since then. Within the last year I think I've begun reading more though! :)
Ann wrote: "I'm a speed reader too. I read my first "real" book (a Happy Hollister's mystery) at 8. And its been onward and upward from there. My daughter learned to read at 3 (only child in a family where ..."can I ask why the teacher did not test them by giving them a book of her choice!!1
Teacher is unbelievable!!
if the same teacher as your daughters then she should be used to the idea of a young reader!! How much could they have possiblt memorised!lol
No, the teacher wasn't the same. They were in Ohio at the time. And Ohio has some truely weird ideas about boys and school. They didn't want to allow #2 grandson to start Kindergarten when he was supposed to (he turned 5 3 days before the cut off date) because "boys aren't as mature as girls and they really NEED that extra year to mature." That was a direct quote from when Daughter went in to enroll him for school and they tried to talk her out of it. THEN they pointed out that grandson #1 hadn't started school til he was almost 6--conveniently ignoring that 1) older grandson's birthday was 19 days PAST the cut off for starting school, and 2) even if he HADN'T been past the cut off date, he wouldn't have been allowed to start by his doctors. He was going through chemo and radiation at the time. Wilms cancer--and his immune system was seriously compromised from the treatments.
Ann wrote: "No, the teacher wasn't the same. They were in Ohio at the time. And Ohio has some truely weird ideas about boys and school. They didn't want to allow #2 grandson to start Kindergarten when he wa..."Sounds like everyone had a tough time
But you are now through it
Sometimes u wonder what is going through peoples heads!!!
Ann wrote: "I'm a speed reader too. I read my first "real" book (a Happy Hollister's mystery) at 8. And its been onward and upward from there. My daughter learned to read at 3 (only child in a family where ..."I learned to read at 3 too. My entire family always had their heads buried in books - we would fight over reading the ceral box! My mother put me in school at 4 & they had me read & accused me of memorizing. My mother had the principal pull a book out of his shelf & I read that to them.
I like to read every word - unless the book is losing me. Then I might speed read a little (or a lot). I can only remember one book I entirely gave up on - & that was a Patricia Cornwell book, believe it or not. "Isle of Dogs." I just did not like it.
I agree that cornwalls books were good at first and then got repetative and if i remember right it was round hornets nest and isle of dogJust read at risk-one of her latest just to check her out again and was not impressed
Afsana wrote: "I agree that cornwalls books were good at first and then got repetative and if i remember right it was round hornets nest and isle of dogJust read at risk-one of her latest just to check her o..."
I stopped buying them in hardback after Isle of Dogs. She used to be one of the one's I couldn't wait for the paperback to read. I try to contain myself - but cannot when it comes to Michael Connelly and Brian Freeman. I love the early Scarpetta books by Cornwall
Julie wrote: "Afsana wrote: "I agree that cornwalls books were good at first and then got repetative and if i remember right it was round hornets nest and isle of dogJust read at risk-one of her latest just..."
You know on new books on the back or fron or inside they have a phrase extolling the praise of the writer and the book- one had she is like cornwall in her prime
This was from reviewer for a newspaper. Now for someone to mention "in her prime" suggest she is no longer there.
I don't really remember what age I started reading but I know I have loved reading for as long as I can remember. Unfortunatly I'm the only one in my family that reads. I was hoping my kids would inherit it from me but it didn't happen. Well not really, my son is reading some but he is dislexic (spelling?),so he reads mostly Monga. My husband hates it and tries to fuss about it, but as long as he just sits and watches tv I'm gonna read. Does anyone else have this problem?
my ex didn't like me reading couldn't do it when he was there-so i came to a haltBut if he is watching tv then you are not really taking time away from being together by reading!!
But maybe he wants you to watch and enjoy together
suggest you sit against him and read while he is watcing tv he might like that
Hi Lisa. My family does read and love books, fortunately. I'm not married, and no kids, but my parents and my brother and several aunts love to read. BUT, I really don't have anyone in the family to discuss books with b/c no one is quite as enthusiastic about it as I am. My parents stick to the same 4 or 5 authors. My dad has read stuff I've recommended to him and has loved it, but my mom doesn't like to try new stuff. Also, she thinks I should be spending my time and thoughts on something other than books lol (you know how moms always have an opinion about everything lol).
I have never kept track until kast year but I read around 115 a year so this will be a good dtretch for me.
lol, my poor daughter was the ONLY kid who started Kindergarten with a working knowledge of Shakespeare. Mainly because my Dad was a rabid fan, and that was what he read to her as "bedtime" stories when she was visiting them. Me? I read her more "normal" books. You know, The Little Princess, The Secret Garden, all of the Sta'ar Kat books by Andre Norton, the first couple of Dragonrider books by Anne MacCaffrey. . . YOU know, the kinds of books that you are supposed to read to 3 and 4 year olds. :oPBut everyone in the family read constantly. Me, hubby, both sets of her grandparents. Hubby has pretty much stopped most reading, but that's because he comes home so exhausted, he turns on the tv and takes a nap so he has the energy to get up and go to bed. (Shaking head) Poor baby--he only has another 2 years or so til he can retire--IF that is, there isn't another stock market crash to finish wiping out our savings.
You must wear him out in bed if he needs a nap first! 
Yes, 144 is probably a higher number than I normally read. In the past year, I think I've made it to 65? Maybe 75.However, I want to be more diligent about reading more (instead of spending too much time online...umm...). Also, I will be unemployed during the spring semester, as we are moving to a new state, and I won't be looking for a teaching job right away. So I'm hoping to put that down time to good use!
Hey Crystal, thanks for the invite! 144 is more than I set myself up for in 2009 but i didn't start until part way through February and I've never kept track before, so I wasn't sure what I could do. I'm up for a good challenge and any excuse to fill a bookshelf doesn't hurt either!
I admit that this is probably going to be a struggle for me. It is 3 times the amount I read this year. But I will love trying! And I intend to give it my all! I think it is an awesome challenge! Thank you Crystal for the invite! I look forward to testing myself!
Crystal wrote: "Thank you for joining everyone! You are probably all wondering, why 144? I was thinking there are usually groups for 50, 75, 100, 150, 200 books a year. And I didn't want to have the same group as ..."144 is about double what id expect myself to read. this year i have read 80 and thats a huge number. my highest was 75.
i have some of my books planned for next year already, but my plans dont always work.
if i can stop reading other peoples posts and just stick to my own tbr pile, it might help!!!
if i ever read 144 id be a super hero to all my friends. or a really really big dork!!!!! <3
i usually take 3 days to read a book but even if i took four that is 91 books . 1 per 3 days is 121 reads. hmmm...
Lolita wrote: "if i can stop reading other peoples posts and just stick to my own tbr pile, it might help!!! "LOL Lolita, I have the same problem. I am forever adding books. There's almost like a "grass is greener" effect of seeing what other people are reading, isn't there?!? I have 200 books on my shelves at home, but I'm not reading them because I always want something I don't already have haha.
What kind of plans do you make? Do you make a list for each coming month of what you're going to read?
Lolita wrote: "Crystal wrote: "Thank you for joining everyone! You are probably all wondering, why 144? I was thinking there are usually groups for 50, 75, 100, 150, 200 books a year. And I didn't want to have th..."O ma spending way too muc time doing the same-cutting into my reading time -on my 10th book this month- I was hoping to average a 12 to keep in line with next yrs challenge!!
Afsana wrote: "Lolita wrote: "Crystal wrote: "Thank you for joining everyone! You are probably all wondering, why 144? I was thinking there are usually groups for 50, 75, 100, 150, 200 books a year. And I didn't ..."the year isnt over!! just keep reading...... and eating and breathing but nothing else
Lolita wrote: "Afsana wrote: "Lolita wrote: "Crystal wrote: "Thank you for joining everyone! You are probably all wondering, why 144? I was thinking there are usually groups for 50, 75, 100, 150, 200 books a year..."thanks
I seem to be slowing down
I had 18 in sept, 12 in october and 10 now (may hit 11)
I started new job september and more am working tirder i am getting and GR takes up time and applying for permanant job as am a tmp
Cover to Cover Challenge
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Ok. Well I am thinking 144 will be impossible for me then. I don't have a lot of spare time, and with my 2 kids (and being a SAHM) I don't ever really get a day off! LOL! I am hoping once I move back "home" I will occasionally have even a few hours off as my family will be close by, but until then I ALWAYS have at least one child with me, as he is not in school yet, he just turned 1!