How long does it take you to read a book?

[The Shade]

Depends on the book.

Most novels I read, I just read 1-2 chapters/night and get through it that way.

Any book by William Gibson, however, I follow a very specific pattern. When I first get the book (usually the day it comes out) I sit down and read the first two or three chapters. Then I ignore the book completely for about 4-6 months, at which point I will pick it up and start from the beginning again and read the whole book in about two days.

I don't know why this happens, but 9 books in and I've always followed this mysterious system, whether I like it or not.

 

[Danny Ocean]

So what I'm wondering is this: Is other people finishing books in days just a product of my imagination, or is that how normal people read? How long does it take you to read an average 500 page novel?

See that's interesting. According to that site, I read at just under 400wpm, and I have 91% comprehension [footnote](Only because I didn't think their software was the best way to improve it)[/footnote]; however, I, too, kept on reading lines, then skipping back to take a look at key words, and so on.

I normally manage about a book a day, unless I turn on the computer, which eats up all my time.

 

[Royta]

I'm not that big a reader when it comes to books, I'm more of a comicbook guy (batman, walking dead, etc). But when I read a book, it usually takes me around 2-3 months to get it done due to comicbook interruptions.

 

[MrGseff]

I like to take my time with books, I would read a chapter of my book every night, its relaxing and helps me sleep, this also means it can take me months to get through large books.

 

[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!

Editors are the play-testers of the literature world. You wouldn't want a play-tester to race through a level and say basic things about it; you'd want lots and lots of detailed comments.
Editing!=basic comprehension.

I thought the idea is that if you can do it with 100% comprehension, you could give lots and lots of detailed comments.

If not editing, I'm sure there's some way to make money / a living off your insane reading abilities.

 

[lunam-kardas]

If the book is engaging enough? About a day. Something like the Merrimack Series by R.M. Meluch, or the Sten Series.

The only books I find myself having to work through are the ones that become too bogged down with detail, a book's rate of flow is important.

 

[Outright Villainy]

Right now I'm reading a 1200 page novel, it's been a couple of weeks. Generally if I'm going to read it, it'll be several hundred pages at a time. If it were 500 pages I'd be done in 2 days usually, but this is far denser, so I've spaced it out a bit.

 

[game-lover]

Nope, it's not a product of your imagination. But I wouldn't call it normal. I think it depends on the reader.

The 6th Harry Potter book for example, I recall reading in 3 days.

But it also depends on what you do in between. When I read, I tend to take the book with me everywhere. I eat while I read, I read and watch TV. Hell, I even do that funny little cliche thing and read walking around. I've yet to crash into anything or fall but yeah. I've even taken a book with me to the bathroom.

When you do things like that, it's no wonder you find a way to finish a book quickly.

 

[Raognerrrm]

I thought the idea is that if you can do it with 100% comprehension, you could give lots and lots of detailed comments.

If not editing, I'm sure there's some way to make money / a living off your insane reading abilities.

100% comprehension on a topic I already knew about, and with very easy, basic questions.
But I'm sure some publishers who wouldn't mind someone who could, say... read and decide which books are good enough to publish.
Except there'd be a lot of terrible stuff out there D:
Thanks for the idea, though

 

[DoctorFrankenStein]

If it's a good novel; I can finish a 200 pager in 4-5 hours. Speculation books I read a little more slowly for better detail retention. [Specifically occult manuals and books on the paranormal. I don't feel like they belong in the fiction OR non-fiction categories.]

 

[Total LOLige]

It seems the more I get into a book the slower I read. Takes me about 2 weeks to finish a 250 page book.

 

[gyroscopeboy]

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.

I'm still trying to finish watching the film, it was a snore-fest

 

[Krinku]

Hmm...the test says I read at 467 WPM and have 91 % comprehension.

I usually can get through a 500 book(that I like) in about a day. For 1000 page book(E.G. IT by Stephen King) took me a whole frikkin' week.

 

[Saulkar]

I read a 500 word book in about two to three days with a total reading time of about twelve hours. When I start reading I cannot put it back down.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

I got 584 wpm and 73% comprehension during a skype call. So...

 

[marcus75]

Totally depends on the book, although I tend to purposely take longer to read novels than I "have" to.

371wpm @ 100% comprehension. I can't make myself actually "speed-read" although I know how; I just don't like skimming.

 

[nklshaz]

If I'm actually sitting down to read a book, and I start to enjoy it, chances are good that my ass isn't voluntarily moving until it's done or I need food.
There have been instances where I've gone through a 500ish page book in a day, though they're somewhat rare, as interruptions are always around. Most of the time, a book will take me 2 days to read with my normal schedule.

I think you and I were separated at birth, because that is exactly how I go about reading.

 

[Cowabungaa]

According to the test I read 295 words per minute and have a reading comprehension of 73%. In my defence though, I just left my bed and am not wearing my glasses. I say that sorta effects my result a bit.

As for real life reading speed, last week I finished an almost 500 pages book, the latest Dresden Files novel, in about 3-ish days. Probably a total reading time of 15-ish hours I think. I usually try to slow my reading pace a bit, imagine a voice for every character, imagine the environments in my head. Basically try to make it live in my head.