Last year I read 371 books. That’s a lot of books. There have been a lot of comments about the number of books I read, and I know it’s a privilege that I get to be able to read so much. But here’s how, and to some extent, why.
1 – Audiobooks
I have ADHD. I’m easily distracted. I don’t take my medication as I should, and oh, how I wish it was addictive as people claim it is. So sitting down and physically reading a book is painful. Unless I fall into Hyperfocus, when I will read a whole book in one sitting and forget everything else exists, like needing to eat or even forgetting to go to the toilet.
So I listen to a lot of audiobooks, which allow me to do other things at the same time. I can crochet, knit, scroll my phone, go out walking. I can do things as well as consuming a book. And I listen at 1.7x normal speed, as listening at standard speed is frustrating. So at that speed, I can listen to about a book a day. Throw in some shorter books or short stories and that bumps up the number of books I can consume.
I’m also singled-sided deaf, with very little hearing on my left side. What I DO have on the left is constant tinnitus, so playing something in that ear causes my brain to use what little hearing I do have there to focus on the voice playing in my ear and not the whistles and beeps.
2 – How can you remember everything?
How can you possibly remember everything you’ve read? Are you even taking it all in? See point 1. ADHD. I forget endings. I could take a month to read a book, and still forget what happens. I forget what I’ve had to eat an hour ago.
When I physically read books, I always read at the speed of the action in the book. Where the ending is tense, I speed up and probably miss paragraphs and get frustrated because I don’t know what’s going on. I end up having to read the same thing over and over until it sinks in.
At least with audiobooks, the books are read to me at a constant pace. And yes, I don’t always remember the endings. Which means I get to re-read books over and over again and never tire of them.
3 – You’re just showing off
I don’t intend to. It’s not an “I’m better than you because I’ve read more books”. I just log what I’m reading for my own records, and post about them to share what I’ve read.
There are authors putting months and years and decades into books I’ve devoured in a day. It feels disrespectful almost, but I can shout about the great reads in the hope others pick them up.
Read at your own pace. Enjoy what you read. It doesn’t matter how much you read or how quickly you read or how slowly.
I haven’t read every book on a prize long list or shortlist. If that’s what you enjoy doing, go for it! I haven’t read a lot of “Classics” either, which can be heavier going.
Everyone should read how they want to read, no one should have to explain their reading habits, or feel bad for reading too much, or not reading enough. You read the right amount for you.
Challenge yourself, if you want to or feel able to. And it’s OK if you want to stay in your reading comfort zone – the world is a shitty place right now, it’s great to be able to cocoon ourselves in books that make us feel safe.
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