How do you read/how much do you read a week/do you avoid tv? Various questions

[Ed]

How much do you read a day? I'm always fascinated by people who love books...want to consume them and live in their worlds..how much time each day they are able to read? Do you go for a book a week or more or less?

[Jon]

I've been on vacation since Friday the 19th and I've read almost a book a day since then. The only time the TV has been on is when my husband and I watched a few movies (a week ago last Sunday).

I much prefer quiet, so a book is always first on my list.

[Jackie]

I do both. But I do get more reading in when there isn't much on TV. I find it's the computer that gets in the way of my reading time. I'm reading on the computer, all day long, but it does interfere with reading actual books.
I get tired of TV so I'll watch a little, go read for a while, watch something else, read more.

[Sandi]

Jon wrote: "I've been on vacation since Friday the 19th and I've read almost a book a day since then. The only time the TV has been on is when my husband and I watched a few movies (a week ago last Sunday).
..."

A book a day? In a good week, I can read two books. I've been reading some fairly long ones lately though, so I've slowed down.

I usually have two books going at once. I'll have one that I read at home and one that I read during breaks at work or when I'm waiting somewhere.

[Beth A.]

Jon wrote: "I've been on vacation since Friday the 19th and I've read almost a book a day since then."


I think I could do a book a day if I didn't have any other responsibilities. I average about two books a week and one of those is usually an audiobook. I don't watch a lot of TV, maybe 2-3 hours a week.

[Amy]

I can easily read a book a day on vacation or when I'm in the mood to ignore real life....often, though, I read books that a friend described as mental bubble-gum - easy and fun, but little to no thought required.
When I'm reading more challenging books, it takes me up to a week.
TV has not been much of an issue for me for years - the internet, more so...but lately, I seem to have a mental block keeping me from moving from one book to the next...
When I'm in the middle of a book, I have no problems continuing, but sometimes after I finish, it's strangely hard to start the next book.

[Brad]

I take a book everywhere I go. I read in line ups at the grocery store; I read at red lights or traffic james; I read on the toilet; I read when I am doing dishes; I read all day and all the way until I turn off the night for sleep. I just read. Lots. Like others here I always have a minimum of two books going -- usually more. I try to have one or two fiction books balanced by some philosophy, history, biography (rarely) or, if I am feeling the need for entertainment over substance, a travel book.

[Roger]

I don't go through books as much as when I was single. How fast I go through a particular book is a function of genre, writing style, and daily distractions. Like many of the others, I take a book or two everywhere I go and will read in all the usual and unusual places.

Today, I took my son to a used game store. It always takes a long time for him to trade in his old games and get new stuff, so I made sure I had Eon with me and read for the 45 minutes or so we were in the store.

As an example of both ends of the spectrum, I read all three of Scalzi's Old Man's War novels in four days but it took me almost 8 months to finish Legacy of Ashes, a history of the CIA, by Tim Wiener. It was a fantastic book and I recommend you all read it, but it honestly got depressing reading about how utterly incompetent our government is so I would put the book down for long periods of time and read other stuff.

[H. R.]

Two books a week on average, including re-reads. Always have a book nearby...

[Kevin]

Normally I will read a book about every two days. I almost never re-read a book I have an excellent memory and will remember the book well.

At most i need a quick reminder like reading the synopsis or maybe a chapter.

This can be a problem when reading a series I will often go back to an early book to check for inconsistencies. In most cases the my memory or the book was correct ant the new book was inconsistent with previous installments.

If the story is good I will accept these. As with enders exile. I Am glad that Mr Card owned up to the inconsistencies and gave reason to the changes.

Usually the inconsistencies annoy me.

[Danielle]

I'm with Roger on this one. "How fast I go through a particular book is a function of genre, writing style, and daily distractions."

I can read some books (regardless of page count) in a day, and other books may take me a month or more to finish.

My life has gotten much busier because I'm recently married, a new homeowner, have a higher-level job, and I recently got my Master's degree. So the past couple years have really increased my backlog of books I want to read. Now that I'm done with my Master's, I have more time for leisure reading and I've read several books in the past month.

I tend to read whenever possible because it's a hobby that I love; I try to spend at least an hour a day reading, but sometimes it's a challenge to set aside that time. I like to read on my lunch break at work and right before bed. (But if it's a great read, sometimes I can't read before bed because I have no self-control and will stay up the entire night reading.)

I also tend to have a couple books going at the same time. One book is usually bigger/heavier (physically), so I leave it at home. The other book is smaller, I can fit it in my purse and take it with me. Until I get a Kindle or other e-reader, I will probably continue with this habit.

[Annette]

Jon wrote: "I've been on vacation since Friday the 19th and I've read almost a book a day since then. ..."

I've also been on a long vacation this month (since the 10th) and have devoured about 5 books/week (many in just one day). My usual pace is a more sedate 1-2/week. I also have multiple books on the go. One stays on my nightstand for reading just before going to sleep and one travels with me wherever I go for lunchtime, queues or any other waiting time. I have a Kindle, so that tends to be the "traveller."

[Kristjan]

Sherri wrote: "The computer is far more of a distraction than then TV..."

Yep ... of course the lack of cable TV probably helps :)

I have been trying to squeeze in 3-4 books a month; unfortunately I am unable to return to my glory days of 1-2 books a day (just remember the average page count in the 70's was a lot less when you try to compare), as I have way too many responsibilities and other interests (although I can come close when I go away on vacation ... usually 4-5 / week).

[Steven]

Kristjan wrote: "just remember the average page count in the 70's was a lot less when you try to compare"

That's not entirely true. One day I did sit down and read a 10 book series in the same day (90s). All of the books were between 250-350 pages, which to me are pretty short.
When I have the time and am in a reading mood then I tend to be read 1-2 a day. Otherwise I tend to do about a dozen per month.

[Kristjan]

Steven wrote: "just remember the average page count in the 70's was a lot less when you try to compare"

That's not entirely true. One day I did sit down and read a 10 book series in the same day..."

It was for me ... my average page count for most of what I was reading in the 70's was 250 ... these days it is considered short if it is less then 500. That is a huge change.

[Jensownzoo]

I used to get a lot more reading done before I had a puppy. Now I need to invest some time each day wearing the puppy out that I used to spend reading. Looking at my book journal for this year, before I got the puppy I was averaging about 3-4 books/week. After the puppy...1 book/week...maybe. I have been finding ways to fit more reading in lately (read: neglecting housework) so I've been finishing a few more this month.

[Ed]

I need to turn the tv off and I think then my reading will increase. I hope to pick a week in January to turn the tube off. :) Let me know if anyone is interested in picking a particular week in January and we can share our thoughts.

[Deanna]

Danielle, Husband let me open my Kindle for Christmas (Finally! Have been staring at it, un-opened, for 3 months) I love it! Did not take any time at all to get used to the page turning, but you can all of a sudden find yourself 2-3 pages ahead of where you thought you were if you aren't careful so I do bookmark alot throughout the book. I would highly recommend getting one!

[[deleted user]]

Ed wrote: "I need to turn the tv off and I think then my reading will increase. I hope to pick a week in January to turn the tube off. :) Let me know if anyone is interested in picking a particular week in..."

Doesn't Adbusters organize an international day for this, or week or month I think.

I never watch tv, can't get it here, don't want to pay for satellite. I do have netflix, though. Usually I watch one movie a night. As for books, it depends on the subject matter. Heavy philosophy or other non-fiction usually takes a while and I can't read for too long. I usually switch to a reg'lar ol' sf book once my eyes start to glaze. I average a book a week. If something's particularly arresting and I'm on vacation, though, I'll get through it in a day.

[Danielle]

There's a "turnoff week", but it's not in January this year. Turnoff Weeks 2009: April 20th - 26th and September 20th - 26th tvturnoff.org

Between the crappy tv that's on now, the continuing writers strike (I think they're still striking?) and my (until recently) insane amount of homework, I've just gradually stopped watching tv. I still watch some, but it's just not the draw for me it used to be.

@Deanna - thanks for the comment! I've been debating about whether or not to sign up for a Kindle now (they're sold out) or try and wait it out until Kindle 2 (there's no release date yet). I'm hoping they'll solve some issues I've heard about (such as the too-easy page turning), but I also don't want to wait 2 more years to get one!

[[deleted user]]

Thanks for the info on the turnoff week. I knew there was something. Re: the Kindle, There's so many people wanting one, I doubt they'll wait very long to start issuing them again.

[Deanna]

I was very fortunate indeed to actually get my Kindle several months ago but having to look at it on the shelf sucked...lol. I find that is has re-Kindled...lol...my hunger for reading...with so many available titles out there and especially with some of the classics at less than a buck, I am finding myself reading a lot more.

[Esther]

At one point in my life I hardly watched TV for 2 1/2 years (poor programing and communal living with 1 TV between 2-3 dozen people)
Unfortunately I didn't read much either.
I did turn into a total party animal, though. And when I got bored with that I began to embroider!

[Bethany (chunkymonkey8)]

I watch almost no TV, so I spend the evenings reading instead. However, I'm going back to school and I have a feeling my reading time is going to be adversely affected.

[Richard]

My reading rate depends heavily on what I'm reading -- I can tell I'm reading lightweight stuff if I finish the book in a day or so. Most "literature" slows me down, sometimes for good reasons (staring unfocused and thinking...) or poor (stylistic conventions I'm not used to, plentiful foreign or otherwise strange names and terms, etc).

Because there's only so much time, I try to stick mostly to "meaningful" stuff, which means I don't read as fast as I could.

I still read some fluff -- science fiction/fantasy, mysteries, espionage, etc. -- but only to lighten up. For example, I'm currently plowing slowly through Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children, but swept through Jim Butcher's Grave Peril one evening just to blow out the somewhat clogged pipes.

If I try to read too much serious stuff in a row, I tend to lose steam and stop reading, so it's a matter of balance.

TV doesn't compete: I've never owned a television, and haven't really watched any since about 1999. I used to watch with housemates or girlfriends, but the last time was back when West Wing was in its first season.

My big competitor for reading is the large number of podcasts I listen to. But the two split my time quite politely: podcasts when I'm walking, cooking, or on a crowded bus.

[[deleted user]]

Esther wrote: "
I did turn into a total party animal, though. And when I got bored with that I began to embroider! "

Now that's an odd path, eh.

[Andrew]

Depending on the size of the book, I read a book every day or two. I usually wind up finishing about 3-4 a week, though that number goes up when work is slow and I can get away with reading at my desk. Otherwise, it's wherever, whenever. I read while sitting in the bathroom while my daughter plays, I read on lunch at work, I read at bedtime, sometimes well into the night. I find when I am not reading something, anything, after a while I start to get depressed, so I try to keep something on hand no matter what.

[Esther]

I'm nothing if not odd :0)

Sue wrote: "Esther wrote: "
I did turn into a total party animal, though. And when I got bored with that I began to embroider! "

Now that's an odd path, eh.

"

[Laurel]

No dissing embroidery - I happily make quilts for all of my family and friends. My family has a tradition, that everyone must have some type of hand craft; woodworkiing, knitting, carving, crochet. It makes me feel like my grandmother is still with me.

Go Esther!

[Jerrod]

I try to read at least 3+ hours a day, and I, like many here, have at least 2+ books that I'm reading. The TV is a non distraction for me [no cable:]; if I actually hear of a program of interest, the Internet sets me up with what I need. The PC can be a distraction, but not as big as my son. He is generally the reason why I don't get as much reading time. But generally playing with him is more fun than reading books, watching TV or playing on my PC or any other hobby I posses.

[[deleted user]]

Laurel wrote: "My family has a tradition, that everyone must have some type of hand craft; woodworkiing, knitting, carving, crochet..."

What a great tradition. As life becomes more and more virtual, I wonder if people will turn more to this type of thing, just to make sure they don't lose touch with reality.

[Paul]

I tend to read for an hour every morning and an hour every evening - in bed before I turn out the light. Tends to annoy my wife. Since there is seldom anything I want to watch on TV (the occasional good film perhaps or Doctor Who), I probably will squeeze in another hour or so, when I'm not actually writing. I usually read about 100 pages an hour, so that's 3 or 4 of today's mega books per week, lots more if they're older and shorter.

Like Kevinalbee I remember most of what I read, but unlike Kevin I do reread books, the second and subsequent times looking more closely at style and plot structure. The first time is just for fun :-)

Oh, and if I have a quiet half hour at work, I go to www.gutenberg.org and read some of the stuff from the 60s or earlier - SF and horror mostly.

And yes, I have a book I take to work and read at lunchtimes, and a downstairs book, and a book on the bedside table!

[Greyweather]

I read for a couple hours each day, and average about one book a week. Depending on the book, I could finish it in either a day or two, or a month or two. I prefer to only read one book at a time. Sometimes I'll start reading a second book if it is a short story collection or non-fiction, but I don't read multiple novels at once if I can help it.

I pretty much quit watching TV a couple years ago, so now my primary distractions are the internet and video games.

[Carolyn]

I read anywhere from a book a day to a book a week, depending on the genre, subject, and what else is going on in my life. Most nights, the kids are in bed by 8 and my DH watches TV while I either read or my other hobby - cross stitching - so most nights my dilemma is stitch or read?

Unless it is a program I really want to watch, for me TV is just background noise, doesn't interrupt my concentration at all. Actually, it's funny, we have a rule in our house that if I'm reading, my DH has to say my name, then wait a couple of seconds before starting to talk to me, to give me some time to come up 'out' of the book - otherwise he just ends up having to repeat himself. = ) For me, the best books are ones that I can totally immerse in.

Like many of you, I keep a book on hand to read on lines, in waiting rooms, at red lights and on my lunch break at work every day. I prefer to read one book at a time, but if a book is too large to fit in the purse, I leave it for reading at home and take a smaller book with me.

We do a lot of traveling for the holidays, so I read a lot in the car on the long drives, and often don't have good enough light to see well enough to stitch by at places we go, so reading is the travel pastime of choice.

[Kristen]

Carolyn, I envy your ability to tune out the TV! I live alone, so it's not generally a problem. If I don't want to watch TV, then it just stays off. But sometimes if I'm at my mom's or if there is something on I actually want to watch, I can't even concentrate enough to read during commercials. But mostly my TV stays off, unless NCIS is on. I don't like missing my Mark Harmon fix. LOL!

But in general, I average about a book a week. Some take me longer than others, though. And I haven't had a chance to read much because of the holidays. *thud*

[Ed]

For those who read a book a day...how do you read so fast?

[Kevin]

When I am uninterupted for about 10 minutes I almost enter a trance like state. I no longer se the word on the page. I often get frustrated that i cant turn pages fast enough (especally if they are slick or very thin)

I feel like I am seeing a movie in my mind.

MY wife says when I get like that it is scary. I will read about 110 pages an hour. A 200 page book is a snack.

Some books take more time. Complex themes or many characters I slow down as I try to keep track. Some books are actualy 3 or 4 storys told concurrently that lead to some end point where all the stories converge. These I read much more slowly ( about 50-60 pages an hour)

The longest I have ever take to read a book is 6-7 days. (reading at least 3 hours a day) These are very long complicated books.

It also helps that I sleep only 3-4 hours a night

[Illyria]

My reading speed varies with the pull of the book itself. A good book has the power to make me stay up all night, forgetting everything, TV, shower--not meals, fortunately. :) It took me two weeks to read The Fellowship of The Ring, five days for The Two Towers, and sixteen hours for The Return of The King. I read Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire (yes, there was a time when I was addicted to Harry *hangs head*) in twenty hours, and HP and the Halfblood Prince in sixteen. I started reading Lois McMaster Bujold's The Curse of Chalion on December 30, finished it early morning on the first day of 2009, and on the same day started on the second book, Paladin of Soul, which I finished at five in the morning of January 2. That sort of thing.

That said, if you look at my shelves. you can see some examples of books that I started to read but (as yet) am unable to finish. Books that didn't quite grab me strongly enough, that I welcomed other books that come in the way. :) I think it's pretty telling that I read fewer and fewer books every year. I barely managed forty last year. So my burst of reading speed is pretty much that, paroxysmal.

I tend to read slower when I reread, too, savoring the detail and twists more than hurrying to satisfy my curiosity.

[Annette]

Carolyn wrote: "...so most nights my dilemma is stitch or read? "

I am in the same boat! LOL If my current book is absorbing and there's nothing I must watch on TV, I will read. Otherwise, I will stitch with either TV or music in the background (or not so background if it's Heroes, House or Leverage). I must read before going to sleep, so eventually I will crack open my current bedside book.

[Steven]

Like many others I do tend to get hooked to a book and stay up until I finish it.
I honestly don't know why I read fast. I know that my dad and two of my brothers are the same way, but my other brother and mom isn't. It is not something that we actively worked on.

[Robin]

I read at least 2 hours - I have a 1 hour commute to and from work and read during it - then usually another hour or two during the week then the weekend really depends on what is going on.

-- Wife of GR author Michael J. Sullivan: The Crown Conspiracy (10/08) | Avempartha (04/09)

[Jim]

Robin wrote: "I read at least 2 hours - I have a 1 hour commute to and from work and read during it - ..."

When I lived in Maryland, I used to take the Light Rail & got a 15 min nap plus plenty of reading in. The system was so poor & took so long that I eventually gave it up & started driving - I got there at least 30 minutes quicker. I used to listen to a lot of audio books on the commute. Somehow I've gotten out of that habit. I still have a 45 min drive each way.

[Steven]

I don't know how you can stand having the commute that you do. I've got a round trip commute of 15 minutes.

[Jon]

Steven wrote: "I don't know how you can stand having the commute that you do. I've got a round trip commute of 15 minutes. "

I also have a 35-45 minute commute. It's not bad, though, since it's mostly 75-80 mph highway driving, except for the last 2-3 miles of in-town driving.

I carpool so it goes fast because all of us (there are three in my carpool) have many interests in common and enough not in common to have good conversations.

[Robin]

Steven wrote: "I don't know how you can stand having the commute that you do. I've got a round trip commute of 15 minutes. "

I enjoy my commute - because I don't have to do antyhing but sit there - I like having "dedicated" reading time.

[Illyria]

Jon wrote: "Steven wrote: "I don't know how you can stand having the commute that you do. I've got a round trip commute of 15 minutes. "

I also have a 35-45 minute commute. It's not bad, though, since it's m..."

Then I win in the commuting department. :)

It takes me at least two hours to go to the office, three if the traffic's raelly bad, four if there are lots of rallies and marches, plus another two hours to go home. Plenty of opportunity to catch up on my sleep, or read, since I take intercity buses or trains. The only problem is that the buses are almost always badly lit, so I always have a flashlight ready, in case I can't put down a book I'm reading. And oh, there is almost always a busker (or two, or more) in the bus. When they sing well, their presence is just tolerable. When they screech and roar and basically butcher whatever song they are supposedly crooning...well, sleeping is out of the question, let alone reading.

My bathroom is standard Indonesian: a tall tub of water in one corner where you scoop water with a dipper to sluice your body (so it's neither a shower nor a bath). And the toilet is not the kind where you sit to do your business. Hence, no bathroom reading for me.

And I guess this becomes a deeply inculcated habit, because once when I stayed in a hotel that boasts a huge luxurious bathtub and a toilet with a seat, I tried reading while relaxing in a tub of bubbles, and another time when I couldn't sleep and, not wishing to disturb my roommate, I tried reading under the bathroom light, sitting on the toilet. Neither experiment worked. The bathroom is simply not a place to read for me.

[Esther]

I'm so jealous of all those who can read while travelling. I am so travel sick I spend most of my travelling time just trying to cope. Reading is out of the question and most of the time even music through earphones is too much for my brain to handle so audio books are also out.

And the toilet is not the kind where you sit to do your business
I'm such a devoted 'smallest room' reader I've actually read while using one of these toilets.

[Brooke]

I used to have a bus commute that took 30-60 minutes, depending on the time of day, and I never minded it because I could read. Now that I'm driving, my dream is to have the shortest commute possible, even though mine is only 20-30 minutes, depending on whether it's rush hour or not.

The past two years I've been averaging about two books a week. When I was still in school, it was much less. I definitely do not avoid TV - I watch about two episodes a night (and I worship Tivo). There are too many good stories being told on it to avoid it! The one thing that seems to cut into my reading time more than anything these days is the internet, I'll go around in circles thinking I should check up on this or that site before picking up my book, and 45 minutes later I'm kicking myself.

[Christopher]

It's been kind of a challenge for me since I've been married. My wife, despite being blisteringly intelligent, is not a reader, and pretty much exclusively relaxes in the evenings by watching TV.

So, I've learned to squish the reading in where I can, on my way to work on the T in the morning and at my lunch hour are the two most regular times.

[Cameron]

I do not watch nearly as much TV as I used to. The only time the TV is really on for me is if I am watching a sports game or an occasional movie. That's it.

Now, the amount of time I spend reading each day usually varies from just an hour or so up to 4 or 5 hours, if I am not too busy. A lot of the time I get so caught up here on GR, and instead I should probably be reading.