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Ask HN: How many books do you read a year?

5 pointsby misframerover 7 years ago

7 comments

mabub24over 7 years ago
A kindle has made me read vastly more non-fiction than I used to. I still get in some fiction, but when I was a kid I read a novel a week. Alas, I do not get out to the library enough.<p>I&#x27;d say I finish 50+ books a year, with a ratio of 60:40 the majority being non-fiction. Anything around 300 pages can easily be read in a week or less. Longer stuff (600-900 pages) I take more time on but approach episodically. I read multiple books at a time and I dip in and out of books to take short breaks from the density and to enjoy serendipity when ideas between different books overlap.<p>The quality of the prose effects novels more because I feel like I can overlook non-fiction prose quality for the most part (however, there are standouts, like David McCullough, where their prose is as fascinating as their topic). I&#x27;m working to get more fiction in again. Recently, I&#x27;ve found there are more novels on my radar than non-fiction books.
sotojuanover 7 years ago
20-30. I read for fun and to learn about things I like. Never understood the HN&#x2F;blogger obsession with cramming 100 self help&#x2F;business books into their brain every year.
mindcrimeover 7 years ago
It varies depending on what I&#x27;m reading and how busy I am. I&#x27;ve had years where I read 50+ books, but mostly novels. This year I set a goal of 75 books, but I&#x27;ve been reading mostly denser, slower-going stuff, and I&#x27;m only at about 20 for the year so far.
demygaleover 7 years ago
20-30 mostly poetry, novels, and light non-fiction. I don&#x27;t &quot;count&quot; a book as read unless I read the whole thing cover to cover. There are probably another 10-15 books I graze but never finish.
serenover 7 years ago
I used to hover around 30-40, now I am more busy or wasting my time, so I am around 15.<p>Which made me think that, assuming that live another 50 years, at that rate, that is only 750 books left. Which is kinda sad.
owebmasterover 7 years ago
Usually around 30-40, but this year after I discovered chinese novels I think I already doubled it.
ajeet_dhaliwalover 7 years ago
Approximately 20. Usually 1-2 a month on Kindle, all non-fiction.