Ask HN: How much do you read in a year?
25 comments
It's been decreasing rapidly. My peak was a million words/month (mostly fiction) about 6 years ago.
Lately, a lot of consumption has been in video, because, for some reason people like to teach with videos instead of text. Also I realized that my eyes were 'glitching' -- when wearing glasses past a certain power level, words start to flicker on screens, especially short distance ones. So I got reading glasses and things are better now.
Be warned that you can read a lot faster if you skip comprehension; reading a mentally challenging book means that the bottleneck is how fast your brain can process the information. AI has been good at "predigesting" info i.e. doing summaries before the actual reading.
Some books are extremely difficult to get through without the context. Just an hour ago, I was reading Joyce Carol Oates' Heat (a poem-story), which seemed difficult because it was unfamiliar. Then it clicked when I saw that every paragraph only contained one point of information and the narration was distorted on purpose to evoke unclear memories, but it was still chronological. After that, reading was a breeze.
Other things are hard to read because of some fear of getting better after you read it; some form of regret at not doing this earlier. I still haven't completed reading The Pragmatic Programmer, despite starting it almost 10 years ago.
Anyway, to answer the question, probably 4 books/year in the last 2 years. I've been forcing myself to try to focus on a book until it's finished and it's proven very inefficient.
Lately, a lot of consumption has been in video, because, for some reason people like to teach with videos instead of text. Also I realized that my eyes were 'glitching' -- when wearing glasses past a certain power level, words start to flicker on screens, especially short distance ones. So I got reading glasses and things are better now.
Be warned that you can read a lot faster if you skip comprehension; reading a mentally challenging book means that the bottleneck is how fast your brain can process the information. AI has been good at "predigesting" info i.e. doing summaries before the actual reading.
Some books are extremely difficult to get through without the context. Just an hour ago, I was reading Joyce Carol Oates' Heat (a poem-story), which seemed difficult because it was unfamiliar. Then it clicked when I saw that every paragraph only contained one point of information and the narration was distorted on purpose to evoke unclear memories, but it was still chronological. After that, reading was a breeze.
Other things are hard to read because of some fear of getting better after you read it; some form of regret at not doing this earlier. I still haven't completed reading The Pragmatic Programmer, despite starting it almost 10 years ago.
Anyway, to answer the question, probably 4 books/year in the last 2 years. I've been forcing myself to try to focus on a book until it's finished and it's proven very inefficient.
I started a spreadsheet in June 2020. It shows the following count:
June 2020 - May 2021 30 books
June 2021 - May 2022 36 books
June 2022 - May 2023 31 books
June 2023 - now 12 books
The books range from a 1000 pages geology textbook to a 6-hour light sci-fi audiobook. I only count books I have read in full though, so the count does not include massive time I have spent going through various other textbooks.
BTW VCs and VC-funded people like to boast of crazy book counts like 100-150 / year. I think that's easy to achieve if you read the kind of books that VCs read.
> it's too slow to consume all the books I have in front of me.
I like to have a growing bookshelf of unread books. These are the most interesting (see Nassim Taleb' description of Umberto Eco's library).
June 2020 - May 2021 30 books
June 2021 - May 2022 36 books
June 2022 - May 2023 31 books
June 2023 - now 12 books
The books range from a 1000 pages geology textbook to a 6-hour light sci-fi audiobook. I only count books I have read in full though, so the count does not include massive time I have spent going through various other textbooks.
BTW VCs and VC-funded people like to boast of crazy book counts like 100-150 / year. I think that's easy to achieve if you read the kind of books that VCs read.
> it's too slow to consume all the books I have in front of me.
I like to have a growing bookshelf of unread books. These are the most interesting (see Nassim Taleb' description of Umberto Eco's library).
> see Nassim Taleb' description of Umberto Eco's library
I was reminded of this as well. I love the concept, but I am also amused by the argument: of course it is convenient for Taleb, an author and a book addict, to find an elegant justification for the overconsumption of books.
I was reminded of this as well. I love the concept, but I am also amused by the argument: of course it is convenient for Taleb, an author and a book addict, to find an elegant justification for the overconsumption of books.
I recommend "reading challenge" from GoodReads. I like "challenges". Additionaly I set the limit higher every year - this year I set 40 books and I already read 39.
I've been doing the same since 2018 - 'reading challenge' from Goodreads.
2018 - 4 books
2019 - 26 books
2020 - 38 books
2021 - 34 books
2022 - 36 books
2023 - 26/30 books atm
I think 24/26 books per year is the sweet spot that I will target in the upcoming years.
2018 - 4 books
2019 - 26 books
2020 - 38 books
2021 - 34 books
2022 - 36 books
2023 - 26/30 books atm
I think 24/26 books per year is the sweet spot that I will target in the upcoming years.
Similar and 20-40 now as well. Sometimes I try to read a difficult book and it screws with my rhythm.
The Children of Húrin by Tolkien, was putting me to sleep very well at night for a while until the book became interesting.
Trying to read a so called evil book “The Prince” by Machiavelli. 60% done but over a month or so because I’m looking at translations for the Italian or Latin interspersed within and get bored then have other things to do.
Trying to read a so called evil book “The Prince” by Machiavelli. 60% done but over a month or so because I’m looking at translations for the Italian or Latin interspersed within and get bored then have other things to do.
We have almost the exact same reading history: I really ramped up my reading in 2019 - 2020 up to ~40 books. This year I did some nights/weekends consulting so I am down around 22 atm.
I mostly read non-fiction and I think it has been helpful for my career. I know correlation != causation, but I make about 2x what I did in 2020. The post-pandemic hiring boom didn't hurt, but I have to think reading widely and applying what I read to my work & life has also helped.
I mostly read non-fiction and I think it has been helpful for my career. I know correlation != causation, but I make about 2x what I did in 2020. The post-pandemic hiring boom didn't hurt, but I have to think reading widely and applying what I read to my work & life has also helped.
I'm self-employed and spend more time reading fiction than working. I've been averaging 80+ books for the past 8-9 years (after discovering the /r/fantasy sub). Recently crossed 1000 books read overall. My preferred genres are fantasy and sci-fi.
I've been reading between 20-40 books a year.
But to address your real concern: I think we just need to make peace with only sampling a tiny fraction of what the world has to offer (literarily and otherwise). You can't visit every town, try every food, learn every skill, or even keep up with the rate of publications within the small niche that you are most interested in.
So, rather than completing a list of all the things you "should read", I think the goal should be to try to continuously marinate your mind in the interesting ideas from books you enjoy. That is really the best we can do, but I think it could also lead to a life well lived if you find contentment in the journey rather than the destination
But to address your real concern: I think we just need to make peace with only sampling a tiny fraction of what the world has to offer (literarily and otherwise). You can't visit every town, try every food, learn every skill, or even keep up with the rate of publications within the small niche that you are most interested in.
So, rather than completing a list of all the things you "should read", I think the goal should be to try to continuously marinate your mind in the interesting ideas from books you enjoy. That is really the best we can do, but I think it could also lead to a life well lived if you find contentment in the journey rather than the destination
My own toughts on this is that it is hard to quantify. The end result of a quantity-related goal should be to spend more time reading and not necessarily reading more books. Finishing a book can take anywhere from a day to a several months. If you are too focussed on the quantity you risk selecting shorter and more shallow books to reach your quota. So my unscientific goal for the last many years has been around 12 books a year. Which I have been able to keep up for the last many years[0]. That is enough to keep me reading and not soo may that it would run the risk of impacting which book to read next.
With regards to having too many books to read then consider two facts. One is that there is no price or gain from having read a book if only for the fact of having to say so. Reading is not the same as understanding or learning. Second, interests change what you want to read today is not the same as you want to read in a month or year. So perhaps your list of books you want to read today is 100 books or more, but perhaps that list is reduced to 20 books by just waiting a year or two - who knows.
Don't stress about it - there is nothing to gain from that.
[0]: https://jesperreiche.com/books/
With regards to having too many books to read then consider two facts. One is that there is no price or gain from having read a book if only for the fact of having to say so. Reading is not the same as understanding or learning. Second, interests change what you want to read today is not the same as you want to read in a month or year. So perhaps your list of books you want to read today is 100 books or more, but perhaps that list is reduced to 20 books by just waiting a year or two - who knows.
Don't stress about it - there is nothing to gain from that.
[0]: https://jesperreiche.com/books/
I’ve read 106 books so far this year. Last year was 84 and I wanted to see what would happen if I put a more directed effort into reading this year. I think it’s like 65% fiction, 35% non-fiction.
Obviously my reading speed is pretty fast but I also try to commit to reading at least 45 minutes a day on the weekdays and usually a couple hours a day on the weekends. Even if I feel bad I’ll read a few pages just to keep the streak alive. I’ve been reading quickly since I was a kid and remember my mom going through 3 or 4 paperback thrillers each weekend.
I read entirely on my Kindle and buy a ton of ebooks. Wouldn’t surprise me if I’ve spent $1,500 or $2,000 this year on books. But it’s a cost that’s worth it to me because I always have something to read or something to look forward to reading.
A few days a week, I like to stop at a coffeeshop on the way home from work to read and relax. That’s a little treat for myself. Get a cookie and a cold brew and get my reading in for the day.
Obviously my reading speed is pretty fast but I also try to commit to reading at least 45 minutes a day on the weekdays and usually a couple hours a day on the weekends. Even if I feel bad I’ll read a few pages just to keep the streak alive. I’ve been reading quickly since I was a kid and remember my mom going through 3 or 4 paperback thrillers each weekend.
I read entirely on my Kindle and buy a ton of ebooks. Wouldn’t surprise me if I’ve spent $1,500 or $2,000 this year on books. But it’s a cost that’s worth it to me because I always have something to read or something to look forward to reading.
A few days a week, I like to stop at a coffeeshop on the way home from work to read and relax. That’s a little treat for myself. Get a cookie and a cold brew and get my reading in for the day.
I used to read this fast until I realized how little information I retained and how little wisdom I generated. I'd even oversell how much I was getting out of what I read, which was really just pure cope. Wasn't getting much out of reading that fast. I read far fewer books per year now, but I really digest them and get so much more out of what I read.
It's just fun for me like watching movies. I don't need to retain a ton from the 70 detective and mystery novels I read. It's the ride that's enjoyable.
I am more studious w/ the 30 non-fiction books I read and notate and review pretty heavily. Maybe 3-5 I'll write a detailed summary of what I liked to share with people at work (reserved for the more business-y books).
I am more studious w/ the 30 non-fiction books I read and notate and review pretty heavily. Maybe 3-5 I'll write a detailed summary of what I liked to share with people at work (reserved for the more business-y books).
I used to read a lot less, now I'm reading way more, and I'm using Reading as a way to tone down reddit/youtube/doomscrolling time. This is helping me restore my attention and focus, which I kinda had lost during the last few years. I am now more productive at work because of that.
Unfortunately I buy more books than I can read, and this gives me anxiety. I think it will probably take me at least 3 years to finish everything I have now. Anyway, youtube watching is down and I don't spend as much time doomscrolling reddit, so that's good.
By the way, I read hundreds of books per year, but that's because I have small kids and read to them every night. I'm extremely grateful to the fact that there's an amazing public library in my city.
Unfortunately I buy more books than I can read, and this gives me anxiety. I think it will probably take me at least 3 years to finish everything I have now. Anyway, youtube watching is down and I don't spend as much time doomscrolling reddit, so that's good.
By the way, I read hundreds of books per year, but that's because I have small kids and read to them every night. I'm extremely grateful to the fact that there's an amazing public library in my city.
Love this perspective. It is all about the "mental environment" we carry, and one figures out how much polluted the "mental space" gets when one consumes ~1h+ on the screen scrolling everyday.
As a child I read anything I could get my hands on. That ended as I grew through high school, college, and the first few years of my career. But recently a few of my friends and I started a book club and I'm on track to read more books this year (start to finish, for fun, not like "you have to read this section for class") than I have in probably a decade.
The first few months were truly challenging, we found we struggled to read more than a few pages at a time. But it got easier.
The first few months were truly challenging, we found we struggled to read more than a few pages at a time. But it got easier.
Depends on the format. I've never particularly cared much for fiction, so my pre internet reading was mostly text books, encyclopedias, biographies, books on philosophy, etc.
That's kinda been replaced outright by reading similar stuff on the internet, albeit more skewed towards the tech side due to my job and current hobbies.
So stuff read online? Probably hundreds of thousands or millions of words worth a month. Stuff read in physical formats like books and magazines? Virtually nothing, since I just can't get invested in the format anymore.
That's kinda been replaced outright by reading similar stuff on the internet, albeit more skewed towards the tech side due to my job and current hobbies.
So stuff read online? Probably hundreds of thousands or millions of words worth a month. Stuff read in physical formats like books and magazines? Virtually nothing, since I just can't get invested in the format anymore.
For some reason I seem to struggle with reading more and more with age. As someone says people seem more keen to make video or interactive content for learning, which is a factor. Re-reading books like Dune more recently has made me wonder why it was so much easier when I was younger. Less distractions I guess would be a major reason.
However reading to my children (currently Fellowship of the Ring) has been a real pleasure, so I do still enjoy it in the right circumstances!
However reading to my children (currently Fellowship of the Ring) has been a real pleasure, so I do still enjoy it in the right circumstances!
20-40 books a year, keeping a page tally is important too if you really want to quantify your reading. This is all on about 30 minutes a night, with some longer spells on the weekend.
I keep a little index of the books I read every year, along with a rating, how many pages the book was and the completed date.
I wish I started writing down what I read a long time ago, I've twice recently started reading books only to realise that I had read them in years prior.
I keep a little index of the books I read every year, along with a rating, how many pages the book was and the completed date.
I wish I started writing down what I read a long time ago, I've twice recently started reading books only to realise that I had read them in years prior.
My peak was 100+ books a year. Large or small.. mostly biography related. It was a crazy year. It works out to a book every 3 days. Sugar Barons was the best book. I read a book on the tricks of Disney World which was interesting. Read so many wrestling bios many people overlapped especially in the Hart Family house.
I used to consistently read a book a week. Then I had kids and now I feel pretty lucky to get through 10 or 12 a year. I'm consistently amazed by folks with young children who are still able to read a ton. My time management skills aren't that good.
I think this year I have achieved less reading than last probs 9-10 books.
Depends a little on the time of year. I don't read for leisure very much. During a study semester, I will read 30+ journal articles a week (20-40 minutes per paper), but very few books, maybe just one or two chapters a week - usually boring textbook stuff.
However this year for leisure I have read a few books including Teo Te Ching, Meditations, The Art of War, Civilizations and Discontent, Confucius, The Communist Manifesto, Utopia, The Prince, The Art of Being Persuasive and How to Win an Argument, Beyond Good and Evil, The Game of Life and How to Play it, Big Panda and Little Dragon, Utopia, Determined: A science of life without free will.
Next i'm going to tackle my first graphic novel and read V for Vendetta - I don't even like fiction, or graphic novels, but V for Vendetta is one of my fave movies, so I decided to have a crack at it.
I should read more, but sometimes I just can't be bothered.
What about you? How much do you read?