SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

So, I've been reading posts and such on here for a couple of years now and have yet to find a day where I am not amazed with you all. Some of you have mentioned reading a hundred+ books in a year whereas I am lucky if I finish one a month. How do you find the time to read so much?, or is it just a speed thing? I have been reading all my life, although the people I've known have never been interested in it for the most part.

Is part of your ability the fact that you were raised with it, or do you just sit at home reading all day long? Do you all have full time jobs? I am extremely curious. I have a to-read list of something like 300 books that I'm not sure I'll ever get to if I don't pick up the pace.

Any suggestions?

I read as much as possible, whenever possible. Goodreads has cut into my reading time quite a bit, while oddly increasing the amount that I actually read. I blame the social aspect for both. :P Finally here's a place where people love to read as much as I do, so I can talk to people about what I read, and in turn it makes me want to read more...

I do have a full time job, but no kids. I don't speed read, though I think I read at a relatively fast pace. I would say that I read at a slightly-faster-than-my-normal-speaking-pace, which is a good pace for me in terms of speed and retention.

I learned to read well before kindergarten, and was reading the newspaper by 5. I've always been a reader. I read everything, cereal boxes, shampoo bottles, everything. I don't stick to a certain genre of books, and try to read a wide variety. Having an e-reader has helped a LOT... now I can carry hundreds of books with me in one 8 oz "book" rather than lugging pounds and pounds of bulk around. And if I get in the mood to read something different, I have it available, instantly. :) Audiobooks also help. I like to listen to audiobooks in the car, or while I'm working (about 1/2 of my job is data entry, and reporting), and while I'm cleaning the house or running errands, etc.

My current goal is to read 150 books this year, although in reality, due to a challenge I'm doing in a group, it would be more like 172 books, if I was to finish. We'll see how that goes.

I think I read about 80 to 90 books a year (I just joined Goodreads a few months ago, so I haven't really kept track in the past). I work full time, but I usually can find at least a little time to read each day. I get most of my reading done on the weekends. My dad reads 150 to 200 books in a year (that was even before he retired), so those large totals don't really amaze me. It depends on the length of the books (I tend to read a lot more books in the 700+ pages range than he does). I tend to be a fast reader, and it's not unheard of for me to read over 400 pages in a day.

My goal for this year is 120 books. I'm fairly well ahead of the goal, though. I never pressure myself into reading, and I don't read terribly fast. That is, I read devilishly fast for someone with my issues - I'm legally blind - but on the absolute scale, my tempo is normal.

I am a full-time (plus, yegods) student, so for the meantime, I get, so to speak, to read for a living. I count my school curricula among the books I read per year and those same curricula give me the opportunity to read books I'd not get to otherwise.

I, too, started reading very young. There's a story round our house how, when I was three and a half year old (and apparently already a cocky pain in the neck) I'd humiliated a seven-year-old girl on the bus by reading her mother's newspaper. Sadly, I don't remember this, so any smugness I may derive is vicarious.

I think my luck is that I can read on buses (trains, planes, in cars) and I can't drive. It forces me to use public transport to get anywhere, and that gives me a couple hours to read in. Most people seem to get nauseous if they read on a bus; I feel for them. I also read for pleasure at home, and I often have an electronic book open as a window on my computer while browsing or working. The ability to read on transport and on computer monitors is huge in terms of time management. It can't be good for me but, eh, my eyes already hurt. Might as well enjoy it.

I'm on target for 50 books this year, which is a surprise considering that it usually takes me a couple of weeks to get through a book, but since I've had my Kindle I've been reading quite a bit more. I read during my breaks at work and then after the kids go to bed, and sometimes I'll have a good deal of time over a weekend where I can sit down and plow through a book if it's really good. I'm amazed when I see someone reading 100+ books in a year, I just don't have the time for that. As it is, I cut into my bass playing time on a few occasions to finish a novel. I'm such a bad boy lol!

I average around 100+ books a year. I own a small business in a small, quiet town, so I get lots of time to read while at work. Reading has more or less replaced TV for me.

I don't speed read or do anything special to read more books. I read what I enjoy because I enjoy it and that seems to be enough incentive.

Before I got my Kindle, I only read about 25 books per year. It wasn't so much that I didn't have time to read, it was driving to the book store or waiting for the book to ship that was the problem. After purchasing my Kindle, i'm already up to 81 books this year alone.

I'm a full-time student so my hours are pretty limited, but I make it my goal to read in-between classes and whenever I have more than 5-mins to myself. I'm also in a long-distance relationship so reading definitely plays a big part in keeping my mind busy.

I've been reading books from a very young age, Fantasy automatically became my absolute favorite genre. My family moved so much that it became a form of escapism for me, especially since I couldn't hold on to friendships that much. I don't speed read, but I do read rather fast compared to most of my friends and family. If i'm reading a book that I really enjoy, I will go through it in a day or two.

I try not to make a goal of how many books I read in a given year. I'll read as many as I get to and am not concerned if I don't get above 50 or 100 or whatever.

That said I'm a fast reader and if I am enjoying a book I'll finish it in a day or two. I try and devote at least a couple hours a day to reading but also have a full-time job as well as doing photography field trips most days off, as well as being an avid gamer and movie fan.

My story is very similar to everyone else's. I have been an avid reader from an early age and it is fair to say that I can devour a book in a couple of hours, depending on its size and the subject matter. I have set my goal as 100 books for the year but as I only joined Goodreads in April it says I am falling behind on my target. I am fairly confident I will catch up :)

I dont read as much as I used to. Back when I first discovered reading for fun, back in grade 3, up until about 4 years ago I was reading 150 to 200 books a year most years. Of course all that time I was either a student or working part time to support my art career. For the past 4 years however I have been working full time + I am married and own a house now, so that cuts into the reading time. I am also a gamer, so that takes a good chunk of free time as well.
Nowadays I'm lucky if I read 50 books a year

I average 50-60 books per year, last year I got in 62, but that won't happen this year. ;) I have a full time job, and I take quite a few dance classes in my off hours, so I simply don't have time for more if I still want to spend time with friends and family. As a kid I used to read 150+ in a year (voracious reader), but I had more time back then, and read in my native tongue, whereas 95% of all I read these days is written in English.

Thanks a ton for the input! It seems like making time for it is the biggest factor. I am also an avid gamer and movie watcher. I'm lucky if I get half an hour in to read every day. When looking at it though, books are always more fulfilling than movies and the stories more inventive. I think I'll start making more time for the books. Quite a few of you seem to own the Kindle as well. Honestly, I've been pretty against those simply because you lose the feel of the book and the smell. I guess if you're still reading normal books as well it wouldn't make such a big deal. Perhaps I will invest. :)

I actually have the B&N Nook, not the Kindle, and I love it. I like the flexibility of being able to read books from lots of sources, rather than only Amazon purchased books.

But everyone I know with a Kindle loves it, too. :) I would definitely look at your options before buying, Sharon. :)

Sharon wrote: "I am also an avid gamer"

Me too - I'd probably read more if I spent less time gaming! As it is, these past couple of years, I've cut down on my TV watching as something had to give.

I've got a target of 34 this year to read (GoodReads is spurring me on!) but usually tend to average around 25-30 a year.

Becky wrote: "I actually have the B&N Nook, not the Kindle, and I love it. I like the flexibility of being able to read books from lots of sources, rather than only Amazon purchased books.

Actually, that's a huge misconception. I only buy about half my kindle book from Amazon. There are plenty of other sites where you can buy books from.

♥Meagan♥ wrote: "Becky wrote: "I actually have the B&N Nook, not the Kindle, and I love it. I like the flexibility of being able to read books from lots of sources, rather than only Amazon purchased books.

Actual..."

I'm sure you're right. When I was researching which to buy, I went with the Nook because to me it offered more flexibility, among other reasons. I don't generally look for Kindle formats when searching for ebooks now, because I don't own one. And of course Kindle is adding (or has added?) the capability of borrowing library books too, which is a big plus. :)

Like a lot of people on this discussion I learnt to read fairly early. I read all sorts of books from various genres.
Not sure how many books a year I read but it is a lot, I do have a full time job and an old house to do up.
Goodreads is great because it introduces me to other readers, and there's a lot of books being discussed here.

Sharon wrote: "Thanks a ton for the input! It seems like making time for it is the biggest factor. "

E-readers help with this a lot. You can take it with you and read it throughout the day at work on breaks, lunch, or commuting. If you drive a lot, you can toss in a couple of audiobooks as well.

Basically any time you have a few minutes to kill you could be spending reading.

I probably read about two books a week, so that's about 100 a year. But as someone else said, I don't make numbers a big goal. I'm thinking of trying those Game of Thrones books that are about 800 pages each, and I don't think I'll get through two of those in a week!

Interesting to hear about the Kindle vs Nook debate. I've been wondering if I should try one or the other--I'm a big book fan, not so much an electronics geek--but I never even knew that, for example, you can only use Kindle with Amazon stuff but Nook is okay with multiple sources. That seems like a major difference to keep in mind. Then again, I've looked at books on Smashwords and they make the Kindle format available, so maybe there's not such a difference? Aaaagh--I'm confused again!

I went Nook Color because I wanted to use it for comics as well and it was cheaper than an iPad.

I try to read a book a day-(within 300 pages-500 or more usually take a day and 1/2.) I not a big TV fan-love to read for an hour or more when I get up and read in the evening. I have a habit of staying up to finish my book (2 or 3 in the morning sometimes). Just can't sleep until I know the ending!!! :D

I have a habit of falling in love with an author/or series and following it thru until the end. And I love almost topic in print!!!

It depends on what I read. I read all of the Star Wars novels in about 6 months (~175 books). The better a book, the slower I generally read. Quantity per se is not something I'm concerned with.

Kernos wrote: "It depends on what I read. I read all of the Star Wars novels in about 6 months (~175 books). The better a book, the slower I generally read. Quantity per se is not something I'm concerned with."

Very true. Although some good books can be quick reads too, I'll go through a Pratchett or something like The Hunger Games in a day (and enjoy both), but I think I spent little over a month each on Rushdie's The Satanic Verses and Eco's Foucault's Pendulum (both worth the effort).

Quality definitely has an effect. I was recently reading Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey. The book flows very well, and when I'd get into it, I'd read for a couple of hours. That being said, it still took me a month to finish simply because I only picked it up a few times a week.
I've always been a little scared of audio books. My boyfriend listens to them a lot so there are a few laying around here.
Guess I need to learn to sit still for a bit more each day. :)

Audiobooks are great. I listen to them at work and in the car and while cleaning etc. They make me feel productive. I'm getting in my reading, and getting stuff done! :)

I have read book since I was little. Though it took me a long time to learn to read according to my mother. I am a very slow reader, but I am at my fastest as I have gotten older. I can usually read a 300 page novel in a week. I do work a full time job. I probably spend about 5 to 10 hours a day reading if I can.

I have never reached 50 books a year, I can usually hit around 40 if I am lucky. This is due to the nature of the material I read. I read very technical books, I will sit and read an entire text book and those can take me a month or two depending on the subject matter and what I need to learn for work. I average only about 5 or so text books a year unfortunately. I am also going to be a graduate student starting in the fall.

I am currently unemployed, but that only makes it easier to read as much as I want to.

I just logged my 90th book for this year.

You folks probably do a lot more dusting and vacuuming than I.

I read while the coffee maker is running, while I'm doing the laundry, while I'm waiting for meetings to start, in line at the grocery store, after I wake up, before I go to bed, while I'm watching TV, both during commercials, as well as during the show if the book is more interesting. I even leave a book in the special reading room with the porcelain seating.

Those sound like my habits, Stormhawk!

My reading goes in spurts. Last month, I read every night and finished 24 books including the audiobook of Pride and Predjudice. This month I haven't finished a single book as I have been doing more gaming, watching DVDs, and reading magazines (although I am listening to the audiobook of Roots).

I can usually finish an average-size novel in 4-6 hours depending on the writing style. BUT, one of the side effects of reading fast is that I don't retain as much. Now, I consider this an advantage because I can re-read books that I like fairly frequently and enjoy them almost as much as the first time, but it can be a disadvantage if you want to discuss the book later.

I enjoy reading as my first and primary hobby, so I spend a lot of free time on it. I read about 240 books a year (based on the last couple of years), which is about 3-5 books a week.

Lady Danielle wrote:" I read about 240 books a year..."

Wow!