Books and Reading

[iff]

so the census mod writes that they encourage to start new threads on old topics when they close and archive the thread

 

so this had been one i previously did in 2017 and 2018

 

and i am aware of the question about whether audio books is reading or not, i don't know. if i include them as reading, people have complained. if i don't include them as reading, other people have complained

 

"If writing allows us to talk to ourselves, then reading and translating are very much like having a conversation"

Andres Neuman

"however books can be a great conversation starter themselves"

iff

 

----

my answers

 

1) yes i love reading

2) i did 50 books in 2017 (finished the 50th at 7pm on 31/12/2017) and i am hopefully going to do 50 again this year, although mostly short novels. maybe finish the 50 with a 750 page book?), did 54 books in 2018 and 51 books in 2019. you can see my lists in my signature (unless the links are wrong or you are on mobile)

3) mostly fiction, an odd non-fiction book. Of the 13 read so far this year, all fiction but currently reading a non fiction

4) in 2018 and 2019, all the books i've read has been actual physical books

5) my favourite fiction categories are historical fiction, comedy/satire and adventure. i do think it could be hard fitting modern novels to those categories though

6) sorry about categorising sport and occult together. these were the two least popular categories in 2017. of the two non-fiction, i read this year, one was biographical lgbtqa+ and the other was a memoir.  however i think the most popular for me is that i do read a good number of cycling books and also another category i have a historical fondness for is countries, particularly the subject of national identity and countries that no longer exist (i combine the two categories in my viewpoints). I also like sport as a non-fiction topic

7) novels and short novels are my two favourite categories. the parameter

my biggest source is book shops. i might get some online and i also do have a subscription with 2 publishers which provide some more books. Got 2 last week from & Other Books.

9) my tbr has increased this year and due to restrictions on shelf (the bear minding the shelf), i have 25 books on it but not going to buy more until I make some good space on it. (flashforward 2 weeks: i bought more books without making good space on the shelf)

10) i haven't had a chance too. I don't know why but Irish government consider accountancy an essential service so my office is still open. I was waiting to getting to a 950 page or so hardback book with lockdown but I guess not yet, which would technically mean i am not reading any books because of it (it is about 4 times longer than my average book that i read)

I am still having to brace the world each day

[weird elf]

I honestly had to guess for some. I went with roughly one book a week, but it may be more or less depending on the book (and I don't mean number of pages, that is a  factor, but not the deciding one) ... I honestly never counted. 51-60 is a rough estimate.

My current "to be read" pile consists of books a friend has lent me, I went through the first half a dozen in record time because they were amazing and I was honestly interested in them, then a bunch at a slower speed, and now I'm kind of stuck because by now it's only stuff I'm not really interested in.

[Anthracite_Impreza]

I have literally no idea what to put. Only actual book I've read from this last 12 months has been my 500th-hand 1957 trainee steam fireman book, and even then I still have to be stood next to an actual locomotive to get it. Very rarely nowadays but occasionally I read online fanfic, but that's not a "book". So yeah, I dunno, but basically zilch.

[Galactic Turtle]

I read primarily Star Wars stories so this includes novels, short stories, comics, and audio dramas.

 

Other than that I really only read Star Wars or K-pop fan fiction.

 

I enjoy physical books and audiobooks the most but read comics via online subscription. 

 

The amount of books I read depends on how many Star Wars things are released that year.

[Zagadka]

I haven't been reading much lately, I've been listening to podcasts to go to sleep. But I love reading, and miss it. College was the best time, where reading was a job and a pleasure. I love everything from sci-fi and fantasy to non-fiction history to classic novels. My favorite books are probably 19th century Slavic literature, but I also have a soft spot for sci-fi.

 

I mostly just read e-books, though, through my Kindle. It is just more convenient than having a bookshelf these days. I have boxes of books in the garage that I'm probably going to have to give away.

[thylacine]

I also like to write, too, and have four books published right now.

[Janus the Fox]

I’m almost always a non-fiction reader.  Usually ICT, Computing, programming, information systems, databasing and systems administration reference books I have most of.

 

But I have stretched a bit further from my special interest lately with books on chemistry, mathematics, space and Home Maintenance.  I’m a bit of a fan for - For Dummies books, I’ve read on Business Analysis, Criminology, Philosophy, Project Management, Psychology and UK Citizen Rights Law.

 

A lot of books on Games, most old guide books long before the Internet was as available as it is now.  I also liked to collect World Record books.  I’m getting an interest in Medieval Kings and Queens and ancient politics and war, most of those are YouTube videos though.

 

Im also reading into the LGBT and Asexuality like the book The Invisible Orientation.

 

Ive also got a few self help books in The Facts by the Oxford Press on Autism, Tourettes, Dyslexia, Depression, ADHD, OCD and Schizophrenia.  Things that I’ve been in formal discussion in or diagnosed with by doctors.

 

Theres only one series of fiction I might be interesting in and that’s the 2001: A Space Odyssey series.

 

Im not able to read too much too quickly so I keep it to about reading 2 books at a time, a few pages at a time one day a week.  The Coronavirus Lockdown will not change that though.

[Blaiddmelyn]

I read a *lot*. I can usually get through 2 - 4 books in a week, depending on length (very long books will obviously take me longer and can take me a week in and of themselves). I mostly read on my commute which obviously isn't viable now but I've been reading at lunch and in the evenings. I've never counted how many books I read in a year but assuming an average of 2-4 books a week, and taking into account that some may be longer than others etc, I'd guess over 80.

[Skycaptain]

Whilst currently I only read 6-10 books a year, AVEN is ironically responsible for the that, before then it was 50+. They're a mix, slightly more non-fiction because I like War history, travel, real crime, sports including biographies and medical textbooks. My fiction reading is generally crash and bash novels, comedy and scifi. I only read paper books. I've about a dozen to read, but thanks to C-19 I've read a weighty tome on the Spanish Civil War and a sports autobiography in the last four days 

[daveb]

Some years I read quite a bit (but not in the hundreds). This year, for some reason I haven't read much at all. I like a variety of books, fiction and nonfiction, sci-fi and fantasy, mysteries, history, science, biographies, humor, comic strip collections by my favorite artists, books about words and linguistics, and whatever else catches my fancy. I have too many unread books.  

[Ella Joy]

I read really ridiculously fast, but I've been finding less time to read lately because life is so hectic. Quarantine hasn't made it better; online school starts on Monday and there's a ton of "optional" work that I've had to do. But honestly, I probably still make it through upwards of 200 books a year. Granted, the vast majority of those are rereads. 

 

YA fiction is fantastic, even when I'm a full-fledged adult I will keep reading YA fiction.

[kiaroskuro]

Popular fiction, as in 'genre fiction'? I'm not a native English speaker, so forgive me if that's a stupid question.

I wasn't sure whether to tick that box or not, because the novels and other works of fiction I read usually don't fit into any the popular genres.

 

"over 200 books - there is no shelf now, it has broken. it is gone" The number of books on my Goodreads TBR bookshelf is slowly approaching 2000. Thank God it's a virtual shelf.

[iff]

57 minutes ago, kiaroskuro said:

Popular fiction, as in 'genre fiction'? I'm not a native English speaker, so forgive me if that's a stupid question.

That would be it, yes

 

[everywhere and nowhere]

I have probably about 3000 books of my own. However, as for new books, I mostly borrow them from libraries. I just can't afford buying books more than once in a while. The coronavirus epidemic has mostly affected the fact that now I only read previously unread books of my own - all libraries are closed. I'm simply addicted to Literature and at all times I read a lot, I read fluently since the age of five and around the age of 7-8 I was already usually happy to stay at home and read.

I read, on average, probably slightly over 100 books each year. Mostly physical books, some e-books, no audiobooks.

It also, to some extent, affects my other habits. For example: I also greatly like adventure games. I prefer retro games anyway, hand-painted graphics, no ugly 3D... But modern games - also retro ones - usually have spoken dialogue and I... just don't like it very much, I prefer turning it off and only reading the dialogue. It probably has something to do with the facts that: I'm addicted to Literature, I'm quite a loner, I don't watch TV at all... altogether, I absorb much more knowledge through reading than in any other way and reading simply feels more natural for me than listening.

I would also estimate that of all possible activities I have done in my life, I have spent the most time reading.

[A-Panda]

Seeing the results of the poll so far, I feel even happier to have found this community. 🙂 I love to see that many people prefer real physical books and getting them from bookshops. This said, <preaching mode> please don't forget your local bookstore when you need to get more reading material during this time - most have their own online shops these days where you can order and support them, and many will see to it that you get your book(s) asap, cycling them to you personally or offering pick-up spots and what not. Especially the small indie bookshops need you now if you are in a situation where you can buy books still.</preaching mode>

 

As for the poll:

Yes, I do read.

I've read over 40 books/p.a. in the last years on average, aiming for 52 this year - finished 13 so far. I have specific numbers on that thanks to that goodreads thing that was mentioned here already.

I mostly read fiction, but also some non-fiction now and again.

It's only physical books for me - the only exception being beta-reading for others now and again.

My favourite fiction genres are fantasy, scifi, and classics.

My non-fic picks are either political, philosophical, "scientific", travel-themed or concerning history (people/places/etc.).

I enjoy (epic) novels, short stories and also poetry - but none of that is a necessity for me to enjoy a book.

My primary source for book is bookshops (I'm a bookseller, so...). But I also like to peek in at the local Oxfam now and again. And I get gifted books now and again. 🙂

My physical TBR pile is well over 200 books. But I do have the shelves for that, don't worry. And I still have more read than unread books in my flat. Being really meticulous/monomanic with my "personal library" (I wish), I can say precisely that, as of today, I have 727 unread books at home, and 1090 read ones.

Where I am, bookshops aren't considered suppliers of basic necessities, so I'm home a lot more than usual, and so far I've only been reading a bit more, having been very busy as part of the workers' council for basically up until this very week due to covid19 and the closures.

 

[MerePeasant]

Great poll idea!

 

These days I write down all the books I have read, and counting for this poll it was interesting to see just how many I read last year: about 24. Mostly fiction, and always a physical book. I like quite a few genres, such as the classics, fantasy, historical, and so on. My 'to read' piles are currently on the floor and it never seems to go down because I keep getting even more... I guess the temptation to look for books is out of the way whilst I can't go to town. I'm reading a little more than usual due to the virus.

[fuzzipueo]

2 hours ago, Greypan.da said:

I love to see that many people prefer real physical books and getting them from bookshops.

Much as I love physical books, my eyesight finds reading from ereaders easier - thanks to back lighting, etc. =0) However, I really do like hardcopy books - as my poor, groaning, shelves can attest. LOL

 

That said, I love to read and listen to books and have since I was a 4th grader when, instead of doing English, the teacher would read books to us. She read King Arthur, Robin Hood, a book about pirates abducting a young man on his 13th birthday, and a variety of other books.

 

Currently, I'm listening to two books on my Kindle, and just finished reading another book this morning. I'm currently up to 46 books for this year, mainly because that's my main past time.

[J. van Deijck]

1. Do you read books?
Yes. I can't imagine my life without books.

 

2. How many books do you read in an average year? If not sure, estimate:
About 50 or more, but often I come back to the books I've already read as if they are my friends.

 

3. Fiction or Non-Fiction:
Anything. I just love books.

 

4. What format do you read:
Mostly paper books. If i can't find a paper book, but I find an ebook, then I read an ebook. But I only choose ebooks if there's no other possibility. I don't listen to audiobooks.

 

5. Favourite fiction genres:
Science fiction. But I enjoy young adult and fantasy books as well.

 

6. Favourite non-fiction genres:
Biography, nature, travel, science.

 

7. Types of Books/stories you prefer and format:
Novels or short novels.

 

8. Where do you primarily get your books:
Bookstores, second hand shops, charity shops, or from my family. Sometimes I order by internet, using Amazon or eBay.

 

9. Have you a TBR pile/shelf (TBR = To Be Read) and how does it look?
Yeah, around 100 books there I have most of the books I want to read, they just wait for their time.

 

10. With the covid19 lockdown, how has it affected your reading:
I read much more because I finally have time.

[iff]

2 hours ago, Jelle van der Lee said:

I come back to the books I've already read as if they are my friends

❤️

[Phantasmal Fingers]

Yes. 

 

The last three years I have read 113 books, 86 books and 90 books respectively. 

 

I don't read fiction. 

 

Physical books. 

 

As above, I don't read fiction. 

 

Religion and philosophy. But plenty of other things as well. 

 

As above, I don't read fiction. 

 

Amazon/book dep, library, bookshops. 

 

Usually 10 to 15. 

 

I do seem to have read a lot more just recently. 9 in the past fortnight, some quite long. 

[Morgenrot]

Uh, short question... Does fanfiction count into the number of books we read per year? I didn't count them and put down 90-100 books/year, but including fanfiction with 40.000+ words I would get to 200+ for sure.

[iff]

@iff

 

This poll is being locked and moved to the read only Census archive for it's respective year. As part of ongoing Census organisation, and in an attempt to keep the demographics of the polls current with the active user base at the time, the polls will last for one year from now on. However, members are allowed and even encouraged to restart new polls similar to the archived ones if they like them.

  

iff, Census Forum Moderator