How long does it take you to read a book?

[Whateveralot]

Would take me about 3 years. Not continuously reading, of course. I just hate reading so much that I'll even procastinate on books I want to / need to read.

 

[Raognerrrm]

It'd take me about 3 hours to read a 500 page novel.
Note this is on average. If it's really good (like Ian Irvine or David Eddings), maybe 90 minutes. If it's really bad (like Jane Austen), around 5 hours.
According to the test I got 1054 wpm and 100%.
So I guess you could say I read fast.
But then I'm not really a normal person, so that's not really a good indicator of what is.

LOL

Alright Sheldon.

The average wps and comprehension is somewhere around 250 with 70%.

The World Championship Speed Reading Competition stresses reading comprehension as critical, and that the top contestants typically read around 1,000 to 2,000 words per minute with approximately 50% comprehension or above, the world champion is Anne Jones with 4,700 words per minute with 67% comprehension. The 10,000 word/min claimants have yet to reach this level.

So yea, get yourself down to one of those tests. With a comp of 100% at that speed. You'd surely be granted a spot in the Guinness book of world records.

.... Seriously, what is it about the internet that makes people want to lie so much. About the most pointless things too.

I believe the phrase, pics or it didn't happen is somewhat fitting?

Now I'm confused.
It's hardly a a complex test, and by no means completely accurate (what with having to click the stop button and all. And I did guess a question).
If you bothered to read (and comprehend) the subject matter on the site, one of the questions was the percentile of people who could read 1000 wpm. The answer was 1%, with an average of 85% comprehension. Seeing as I guessed a question, that's only 0.5 more questions correct for my range. Hardly a reason to call me a liar.

Those tests you mentioned would be completely different, probably much longer, about a more random topic, and much more specific questions. Comparing them to an easy test like this that isn't long at all, and already a topic I know a bit about, and questions that you'd know the answer for if you just skim-read it, just doesn't work.
For example, if someone gets full marks on a high-school maths exam, that does not mean they are automatically qualified to do well in the maths olympiad.

As for pictures...
I've closed the tabs that held the subject matter, and if I were to do it again, I'd already know the material and answers. Not exactly the most accurate.

 

[spartan231490]

I read a 500 page novel in a day. If it's slow going, I might have to finish it the next morning. According to your little test, I read a 273 wpm, with a 82% comprehension rate. I think that the comprehension rate is higher when I read novels because that test sequence was boring, and because I rarely forget much of anything that's happened in a book, even if I read it years ago.

This is exactly why I try to find books that are almost 1000 pages long, and that are part of a series, that way I can be entertained for a while. Still, it never takes me long, I read a book series that was over 10,000 pages long in less than 2 weeks.

To answer your question, yes this happens because I sit down to read the book for hours at a time and actually read the book for that entire time(most of it, I occasionally stop to think about the book). If this isn't just some bad joke, and you really read like that, you either need to find a better book, or you need to go get checked out for ADD or ADHD.

No need to be a dick about it. Some people just read at different speeds.

I'm not being a dick, did you read the OP? If you can't even sit still and focus long enough to read more than a handful of pages of a book, without zoning out and losing your place several times, either the book is incredibly boring, or you have some kind of attention problem. I suspect he was likely exaggerating, in which case: whatever, but if he was serious, then he should probably go talk to a doctor. But what do I know, I'm just a dick.

Wise words.

ADHD is the most bogus diagnosis out there. I could probably go and get diagnosed with it.

'Hmm, he's not paying as much attention to this boring subject as I'd like him to..... ADHD. Here's a vat of Ritalin. Go shove it down his throat and live a stress free life not engaging with your child like a real parent because he's been tranquilised. But don't worry, you have a diagnosis, so no one can call you a bad parent.'

Believe it or not, not everybody is suited to reading. A lot of people like to be more active and sedentary activity such as reading bores them. Even if they're interested in the book they probably think of the activity as a waste of time. Even if only subconsciously. Some may grow into it, others probably never will. It's not a character defect, it's not a lack of attention span. It's just that specific activity isn't for them.

I've known people who've never read a book in their life, but can sit for 5 or 6 hours putting an engine back together, gluing and painting hand crafted models or solving number puzzles. Hardly indicative of someone who can't focus.

Different strokes for different blokes.

Foolish words. Yes, ADHD and ADD are overdiagnosed, but some people really do have them. I know a kid who literally couldn't sit still for more than 5 minutes, he was failing all his classes, he couldn't read more than a page of text, and that would take him an hour. He was diagnosed and treated and now, he can pay attention at school, he's a solid B student, he loves reading almost as much as I do, and he can actually talk to you and have a conversation without being distracted by the color of paint on the wall. Now he had it about as bad as you can get, but there are a lot of people who really do need treatment to function properly. Most, if not all, minor cases are actually just shitty parenting, but the moderate and severe cases, like where you can't even read 5 pages of text without being distracted by nothing, need treatment.

As for some people being bored by sedentary activities: I have yet to see a kid who couldn't sit through their favorite movie. and the OP didn't say he disliked reading, in fact I got the opposite impression from the fact that he tries so hard, he described how hard it was for him to focus on it for even a full page. That's not a lack of interest, or even a dislike of being sedentary(if such a thing even exists), that is a lack of the ability to focus.

I dislike some movies and some books, I can still sit through them if I try, and i'm not distracted and staring into space every paragraph. I can watch an entire shitty movie, or read a chapter of a shitty book in one sitting. Am I super? able to focus well beyond and above what the average person can? I think not, just ask any guy who's ever been to a movie he can't stand with is GF. It's not that hard to focus, it's just not entertaining.

Once again, just to be extra clear: The OP never said he disliked reading, he said he was physically incapable of focusing on it like most people. That's a problem. If he just dislikes reading and was exaggerating about the details of how hard it was for him to focus, then yeah, he probably just doesn't like reading. If he was being serious, then he described the second worst case of ADD/ADHD I have ever heard of, and more than half-a-dozen of my family work in the medical industry, and a close family friend of mine(Not the kid I talked about earlier) has moderate to severe ADHD.

 

[Instinct Blues]

It all depends on how interested in the book I am because if its a book I need to read for school it could take weeks. If its a book that I'm reading for pleasure it can only take me a few days to read through it all. If that site you provided is to be believed I read at about 223 wpm (right around average) with 91% comprehension (which is way above average for my wpm)so I'm about right in the same boat with you OP.

 

[Korolev]

How long does it usually take me to finish a book? Depends on the book!

Most of the books I get are about 300-400 pages long and they are non-fiction. If the book is written well and I find the subject very interesting, then I'll probably manage to finish it within 3 or 4 days. I can spend many hours just reading, and I read fast.

If the book is written poorly or I find it uninteresting it can take up to a year as I just can't bring myself to read it for long stretches of time. I have managed to read a 350~ book within about a day - I was stuck on a plane and in an airport for most of that time and I had little time to do anything else, and I was really interested in it (It's Rubicon by Tom Holland by the way. Brilliant book for fans of ancient history). Then again, I have had similarly sized books that I have NEVER finished because they were horribly written.

I have downed a Discworld novel in a day and I finished the first book of Hitch hiker's guide to the galaxy in about a day as well (again, pretty much reading any chance I could get).

 

[LiraelG]

It depends on a number of things... The length of the book (obviously), the time I have to read it, how interesting the book is, how challenging/intellectual it is...

For example, a long children's book with a good story can take me a matter of hours, but these hours will span across several days as I find it difficult to sit still for hours on end. I like to be active. An adult's book of the same length with a good story but complex language can take slightly longer; it takes time to get my head around what's being said

 

[Jonluw]

I don't think it has anything to do with reading speed. If this: http://www.readingsoft.com is to be believed, I read at slightly above average speed (263 wpm) with above average reading comprehension (82%).

I'll also note that a website trying to sell reading comprehension software might be a little biased in making sure that you feel compelled to try their product.

Indeed.
I only included that there to make the point that I'm not dyslexic or anything, so I figured it wasn't horribly important how accurate it was. I didn't exactly go out of my way to find the best test out there. I googled 'reading speed test' and clicked the first link that appeared.

 

[newdarkcloud]

I can go through interesting and entertaining books relatively quickly. It may take between 1-7 days depending on my schedule.

If it's a boring book that I'm only reading because I have to, it may take a little longer (2-3 weeks). Even then, it's mostly working up the willpower to actually read the book.

 

[FinalHeart95]

Depends. Huck Finn took me extraordinarily long to read, and I eventually even gave up and went to sparknotes. And I NEVER do sparknotes except as supplemental stuff.

Of course, that's a book for school. When I'm really enthralled in a book, I can finish it in a day or two. For examples of this, see the last Harry Potter or Odd Thomas. Unfortunately, right now, my gaming habit is getting in the way of my reading, so I'm reading about 0 books every month...

 

[Fleischer]

Months. I'm still reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy, I'm been trying to finish it since late June. The book is like, 230 something pages long.

Most books take me a few days, if not weeks, but I ripped right through The Road. I was cover to cover in less than two days. But I definitely was in need of cheering up after getting through that masterpiece.

 

[Fozza]

It really depends on what book it is. Took me like half a year to read Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne because I forgot it so often. However I think my record is 1.5 days, lay in the sofa for like 10 horus and read the last 4/5 of "the subtle knife". Otherwise two weeks is a pretty average time for me.

 

[Amberella]

Depends on what type of book it is. I'm a huge bookworm, and when I find a book I really get into it can take me just one day to finish. Although, you're talking to a girl who read 36 books in one summer. I used to get a new book every week.

 

[Connor Lonske]

Months. I'm still reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy, I'm been trying to finish it since late June. The book is like, 230 something pages long.

Most books take me a few days, if not weeks, but I ripped right through The Road. I was cover to cover in less than two days. But I definitely was in need of cheering up after getting through that masterpiece.

Spoiler

All the parts about them talking about the good guys makes me want to cry, 'cause there aren't any. ;_;

Great book, gonna finish it now.

 

[DSEZ]

i had really bad insomnia one time and i finished IT by stephen king in like 8 hours

 

[kickassfrog]

388 wpm 100% comprehension!!

Suck on that bitches!

P.S. Sorry if this sounds rude and like me being total superiority complex, but I'm 3x above average. YEAH!


OT: I can read 400 pages in less than 8 hours, but I normally get distracted and play games or such, so maybe like 1000 pages a week.

 

[Lunar Shadow]

I read the last Harry Potter in one sitting that was about 7 hours long. I think that was the last time I sat down and straight up read for extended periods of time. Normally I just ride on the bus when I head to class, am waiting for class, etc or when I am on the can or in the tub. I did learn from the many extended sessions of reading to never lie on your stomach, you will cramp something fierce when you get up several hours later.

 

[basedg0d_a0s]

if i really get into a book then i can read it quite fast. i rarely sit down and take the time out to read a long book though. at the same time i think that if i started reading more books i could get more into it.

 

[elvor0]

I could read a 500 page book in 2 days maybe if I was really engrossed, I could do it in one day, but I tend to read when I go to bed, so I go to sleep purely out of going "blimy it's 6am!"
While we're on the wpm count, I took a test with this professor once and got 483 wpm with about 80% comprehension so that's pretty good.

I've already read pretty fast, but I think my ability to do it these days comes from playing guitar hero, expert songs that are blazingly fast require you to do it without thinking about what you're playing, so I guess my ability to speed "read" comes from GH. Good for teaching one thing I guess

I don't really read that many books these days though, I read all the time when I was younger, so I think I just burned out a bit, I mainly read comics, if I read a book it'll be an autobiography.

 

[James Joseph Emerald]

According to the test I got 1054 wpm and 100%.
So I guess you could say I read fast.
But then I'm not really a normal person, so that's not really a good indicator of what is.

Wow, you should become an editor. You would make a killing. With 1000+ wpm and 100% comprehension, you could probably do a month's worth of editing work in a day!

 

[mrdude2010]

a 500 pager? assuming it has roughly the same complexity and word density as a 500 page book should, probably a few days. i read really quickly though. i got a 780 on the reading portion of the SAT back in HS so my reading comprehension is pretty good