The final countdown: How many books did you read in 2010

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Mon January 3rd, 2011, 4:04 pm

I just checked my Kindle--which I didn't get until mid-September--and found that I read 18 non-research fiction books on it. I had no idea!
It is true that people who buy an e-reader read more as a result. Here's some of the reasons why: (at least for me)
1. I can't misplace the book unless I misplace the kindle. Oddly enough. along with my cell phone, wallet and car keys, I seem to be able to keep track of the thing because it is important enough to me.
2. Ease of reading. I can adjust the page to any size type, portrait or landscape, withthe push of a button. And the surface is non-glare, non-backlit (although I have a light built into the cover for night reading) and weighs only 8 ounces.
3. ease of impulse buys. One click and you're reading.
4. Audiobooks from audible. And text-to-speech for when I'm driving (it's robot-voiced, but if you are really into a book, you quickly learn to subsitute your own voice in your head.)
5. Cheap books. Classics free. Need I say more?

CrimsonPetal · Post by **CrimsonPetal** » Tue January 4th, 2011, 5:32 am

88 books that I counted. There were a few shorter books that I didn't even count because they weren't long enough.

Kveto from Prague · Post by **Kveto from Prague** » Tue January 4th, 2011, 3:31 pm

I think I read about 20 this year. pretty low compared to most on this site. some of them were short books for young adults but others were thousand pagers so it probably balances out. I figure its more than one a month. mostly read on the journey to and from the office. If I read more, Id probably feel guilty about it.

Telynor · Post by **Telynor** » Tue January 4th, 2011, 3:39 pm

I was hoping to make it to 10 books a month last year, but came up to about 118, or so, counting the DNF's -- there were three. Total number of reviews came to around 162, but that includes things like miniseries, tea, and what have you.

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Tue January 4th, 2011, 4:54 pm

It's not how many books you have read - it's if you've enjoyed them which counts! Some people are faster readers than others, too. I have to say I don't see the point in skim reading - if you don't like it, don't bother reading it. Says me who is the queen of perseverance! I hate abandoning books but do not skim read either.

robinbird79 · Post by **robinbird79** » Tue January 4th, 2011, 5:25 pm

I think my count was 46 this year. A bit less than last year but I went through about three months of absolutely no motivation (besides laying on the couch!) to do anything. Hoping 2011 will bring more books my way!

tsjmom · Post by **tsjmom** » Tue January 11th, 2011, 1:56 pm

60. My goal was 52.

Michy · Post by **Michy** » Tue January 11th, 2011, 5:31 pm

[quote=""Vanessa""]It's not how many books you have read - it's if you've enjoyed them which counts! [/quote] That's how I feel: it's not quantity that counts, but quality. As some others have said, this year I'm going for more quality.

Life's too short (and there are too many books waiting to be read) to waste my time on duds!

chuck · Post by **chuck** » Tue January 11th, 2011, 7:22 pm

[quote=""Michy""]That's how I feel: it's not quantity that counts, but quality. As some others have said, this year I'm going for more quality.

Life's too short (and there are too many books waiting to be read) to waste my time on duds![/quote]

Like Michy.....Not interested in keeping track...I find if I really like a book I slow down to almost a snail's pace....because of the sheer enjoyment of experiencing the story....sometimes I will even re read a riveting chapter....In College I got into a very bad habit of skimming and it took me years to slow down....Book a week is about my speed....Once in a while I will have a couple of them going......Plus I have a life outside of reading books....

gyrehead · Post by **gyrehead** » Sun January 16th, 2011, 5:42 pm

Thanks to an even more excessive travel schedule the last year I might have actually read more books than days in the year. That's with helping start up a side business with a couple of friends, get within top 300 ranking in cross country skiing and having a nice little life (I manage to read and still get in twenty new Michelin starred restaurants in Germany and France). So while I live to read, I still have a life outside of it. Though after reading some of the dystopian novels this last year the notion of being a post-apocalyptic hermit in a book store or library is starting to have its appeal.

Plus no skim reading for me. I even waded through the hot messes that were The Invisible Bridge and Anthropology of an American Girl. I rarely don't finish a book. I think bad books have a quality of their own and still have something to impart to me. Even if it is do not ever read this author again. I know there were a couple of books I stopped reading but I have no idea off the top of my head what they were. When a book is bad enough for me to quit it I pretty much purge myself of the work entirely. But it takes me past the point of no return (for me) to decide whether a book is truly bad. I have plenty of great reads and fantastic authors I'd have tossed aside with less patience.

About twenty were easy reads (short novels of 200 pages or so) from Subterranean Press and PS Publishing. Only about ten percent of my overall reading was probably non-fiction. And I think I logged less than 50 books of historical fiction though it was close. Most were genre books (speculative fiction). Barring maybe a dozen, all were 2010 releases.

With three months in Dubai coming up I could double last year's count in those three months alone! No chance of skiiing to distract and I already have shipped fifty arcs I just got and hope by the time I get there to have twice that come in to send on ahead as well.

Historical Fiction Online

The final countdown: How many books did you read in 2010

Counting Books