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HappyDude20

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jul 13, 2008
3,666
1,447
Los Angeles, Ca
Just wondering how quickly people read certain books?'s is a depend on the topic? Or how dense, the book maybe?

I love reading and have recently began to read books on an almost daily basis. I tackle about 70 pages a day, so I'm wanting to finish a book a day. If that's possible. Which I'm sure it certainly is.

Any advice? Aside from the speed reading methodologies that are out there. I sometimes find myself reading a book extraordinarily quickly, only because I know there are so many books out there. I feel as If there is not enough time to read all the great books out there.
 

Mito

macrumors regular
Jun 17, 2012
102
0
About 500 pages in a few days (maybe 4-5). It depends on how much book has "eaten" me. This morning I have finished Looking for Alaska (230 pages, but using iBooks on iPhone) and it took me about a week (or just 2 evenings).

I don´t like to rush it. Sometimes you need a time to process an information.
 

velocityg4

macrumors 604
Dec 19, 2004
7,329
4,717
Georgia
It all depends. If a book is really engrossing and I have the free time I can finish a 500 page book in two or three days. Otherwise it usually will take be a week for a book that size.

If it's a book that isn't particularly great. Yet I feel it is a literary work that I should read, such as notable works of Charles Dickens it will take me two or three weeks.

If it is something really boring. Such as basically any nonfiction topic. Then it can take months or never. The only times I can get through these quicker is when it is compulsory reading.
 

eternlgladiator

macrumors 68000
Jun 20, 2010
1,766
104
Twin Cities
It really depends on the book. I've had books take weeks and some take less than 24 hours. It's not about how fast I read. It's about how often I pick it back up.
 

Mr. McMac

Suspended
Dec 21, 2009
2,968
363
Far away from liberals
Took me about a week to read this book. All 32 pages!
 

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Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,935
46,399
In a coffee shop.
It depends on the book. If it is fiction - especially straightforward fiction (such as fantasy) - one can (well, I can) race through it. History books, much the same, as I love history, so I fly through them. Likewise, pretty much anything that contains many, many facts.

However, something that requires careful thought, and understanding, (such as philosophy) demands to be read slowly and mulled over, (and understood) before proceeding to the next page or chapter.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,447
43,358
I can read anywhere from 70 to 150 pages a day but generally speaking if its an engrossing book I slow down.

Take the Lord of the rings or the Hobbit.I slowed down for both of them because Tolkien was extremely detailed oriented in those books and I didn't want to miss anything
 

m00min

macrumors 6502
Jul 17, 2012
419
90
I read a lot. I've been on a mission this past decade to read every Star Trek book, which I'll intersperse with other sci-fi books. Technical books relating to my work are separate. I find an average 400 pager might take me three or four days, reading on average for two to three hours a day.
 

Apple Hobo

macrumors 6502a
Mar 19, 2004
796
0
A series of tubes
I recently read a 492 page paperback over the span of a weekend. If the book is interesting and I have enough time, I can get through a big book in a matter of days; I can easily read 100+ pages a day with a really good book. If the material is boring (e.g. a marketing textbook), it can take me hours to read though a chapter or two because my mind starts to wander, and I use any little distraction as an excuse to stop reading.

In the past couple of weeks, I've read for pleasure about 1,000 pages. I have several books in my reading queue that I've neglected, and I'm quickly plowing though them since I finally have the time and motivation to do so (it also helps that they're good books).
 

Jessica Lares

macrumors G3
Oct 31, 2009
9,612
1,056
Near Dallas, Texas, USA
I read by chapter. Sometimes I read one chapter a day, sometimes I read five. Sometimes I just read the whole thing in one sitting. It depends on how much the book grabs my attention by the end of that last sentence.

Read books that interest you, and don't worry too much about what everyone else is reading. What everyone else thinks is a classic, can be a complete yawn fest for you.
 

Tsuchiya

macrumors 68020
Jun 7, 2008
2,310
372
If I'm genuinely interested then I could easily demolish a 400-500 page book in a day. Especially in ebook format where I can dip in wherever I am.
 

pagansoul

macrumors 65816
Aug 10, 2006
1,040
42
Earth
I have converted most my collection to ebooks that I carry around with me via my ipad every day. I'm always reading several things at a time, ebooks, e-magazines and e-comics. How many books, pages, words, I have no idea. I simply read whenever I have a break.
 

Mousse

macrumors 68040
Apr 7, 2008
3,486
6,705
Flea Bottom, King's Landing
Just wondering how quickly people read certain books?'s is a depend on the topic? Or how dense, the book maybe?

For me it's all about the author's writing style. My favorite authors have writing style that I go through quicker than Mexican water through a first time tourist. I can finish anything written by Terry Pratchett or Kurt Vonnegut, Jr in under 3 hours. Other writers whose style I don't like, takes A LOT longer. I takes me months to grind through anything JRR Tolkien or Stephen King. Heck, I've been reading Pet Sematary for the past 5 years and I've only gotten to the part where they bury "Church."

Most novels takes me about 8-12 hours to finish. War and Peace took me a month to finish reading. My brother is a fast reader. It took him a week to finish War and Peace.
 

ultra7k

macrumors 6502
Nov 9, 2012
261
40
When I was in school doing my History/English Lit degree in my 4th year I had to read in excess of 400 pages per week...Needless to say, despite working in a bookstore I wasn't doing any personal reading during that semester...or for a few weeks afterwards.

For me, it all depends on the book I am reading. If I'm really into it, I can just plow through a book in no time. Otherwise I'll take my time with it and read when I can.

That being said, I find reading on my iPhone makes it seem like you are reading 'more'. I think it has to do with smaller amounts per page, sort of like how the Da Vinci code has really short chapters. It certainly makes it feel like you are making more progress, even more so if you turn off the total page count and you aren't burdened by the weight of the un-read pages on a physical book.
 
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