# Poll: How many books have you read so far in your life? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747 "2005-11-19T01:24:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/81 "2005-11-20T03:02:31Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > What I hate is when you’re sitting comfortably with your book, totally engrossed in the story, and someone plops down next to you and tries to engage you in conversation. I’m not an anti-social bitch, it’s just that - why are people so drawn to someone sitting with a book? Why the need to bother them? Just happened to me today. It was my turn to do the laundry and I had my book out and was reading it at the laundramat. Sure enough, “What’s the book about?” I told her and went back to reading. “Good book?” I told her and went back to reading. “Must be good if you can’t make conversation,” and she stormed off. I didn’t mean to be rude, but I was in the middle of reading and I am not good at small talk (and I am happily married). ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/82 "2005-11-20T03:14:10Z")
> [@TV time](#): > > Just happened to me today. It was my turn to do the laundry and I had my book out and was reading it at the laundramat. Sure enough, “What’s the book about?” I told her and went back to reading. “Good book?” I told her and went back to reading. “Must be good if you can’t make conversation,” and she stormed off. > > I didn’t mean to be rude, but I was in the middle of reading and I am not good at small talk (and I am happily married). Imagine that–you thought you’d gone to do the laundry, and she thought you were there to entertain her. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/83 "2005-11-20T03:50:34Z")
E, without a doubt. I am a book-a-holic. I knew that my hometown library had a thirty book limit–and spent a lot of time AT that limit. To be fair, though, I’m only 22, so I’m probably on the lower end of E. And, as for the 25 book thing. . .I’m fairly sure that I have more than 25 books _in my car_. I probably own a few hundred books. I know that I own more books than CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, etc combined. ---
**Author:** ![AdmiralCrunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@AdmiralCrunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdmiralCrunch)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/84 "2005-11-20T04:09:21Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally Posted by: **adhemar** _ > I figure based on 4 books a year since I was 8 (I remember reading at tthat age and checking out books fromt he school library a huge stack at a time) I have read over 8000 books. _Eagerly awaits the “Ask the Immortal Doper” thread_ I’m probably a High C/Low D, but I’m 19. I also haven’t read that much since I started college because I don’t find myself bored or waiting around as much. The no-reading crowd scares me, but the 1 a day crowd scares me as well. How do you have 3+ hours a day of free time? How do you find that many good books that often? Are they mostly sci-fi/romance/fantasy? ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/85 "2005-11-20T04:50:37Z")
> [@AdmiralCrunch](#): > > _Eagerly awaits the “Ask the Immortal Doper” thread_ > > I’m probably a High C/Low D, but I’m 19. I also haven’t read that much since I started college because I don’t find myself bored or waiting around as much. The no-reading crowd scares me, but the 1 a day crowd scares me as well. How do you have 3+ hours a day of free time? How do you find that many good books that often? Are they mostly sci-fi/romance/fantasy? Are you trying to imply that sci-fi and fantasy books aren’t good? I’ll concede the point on romance, but not the other two genres. ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/86 "2005-11-20T06:00:11Z")
Ok, I’ll be the low guy here. I figure that I’ve read in the neighborhood of 1,000 books. I will admit though that I’ve read quite a few of them multiple times. For example, I’m reading the newest Don Quixote translation as I type this…Earlier today I was reading ‘Breakfast of Champions’ by ‘Vonnegut’ again. I guess that I’m partial to what I like…but also partly voracious…especially when Amrose Bierce is included! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/87 "2005-11-20T06:04:19Z")
> [@Kaotic Newtral](#): > > Ok, I’ll be the low guy here. I figure that I’ve read in the neighborhood of 1,000 books. I will admit though that I’ve read quite a few of them multiple times. For example, I’m reading the newest Don Quixote translation as I type this…Earlier today I was reading ‘Breakfast of Champions’ by ‘Vonnegut’ again. I guess that I’m partial to what I like…but also partly voracious…especially when Amrose Bierce is included! 🙂 Dammit!!! Ambrose! Need to read another book…sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![AdmiralCrunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@AdmiralCrunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdmiralCrunch)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/88 "2005-11-20T06:08:57Z")
> [@Harimad-sol](#): > > Are you trying to imply that sci-fi and fantasy books aren’t good? I’ll concede the point on romance, but not the other two genres. Not at all. It seems that there are more sequels/series in those genres, so it’s much easier to find similar books to satisfy that _craving for more_ that you get when you finish a book. I’ve got a mental list of books I need to read, but I don’t have good book recommendations pouring in. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/89 "2005-11-20T06:19:18Z")
> [@AdmiralCrunch](#): > > Not at all. It seems that there are more sequels/series in those genres, so it’s much easier to find similar books to satisfy that _craving for more_ that you get when you finish a book. I’ve got a mental list of books I need to read, but I don’t have good book recommendations pouring in. Ah. You are quite correct, on both counts. Sorry if I misinterpreted. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/90 "2005-11-20T06:24:56Z")
I simply don’t read books all that much. When I was a kid, say, 6 years ago, I basically ate books like munchies. But, since then, I only really read nonfiction and I am also almost always too busy to pick up a book. Also, I read online constantly, which would be equal to probably hundreds of books. Adding to everything above, I almost only read nonfiction textbooks, so it takes me a lot longer to get through them. That leads us to about a mid C, I think. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/91 "2005-11-20T06:34:57Z")
4,000 - 5,000 maybe, who knows When we moved from a 4,000 sq ft house to a 2,100 ft house I took a pickup load to a local good-will type place. This was after the garage sale. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/92 "2005-11-20T09:32:28Z")
I’m truly amazed that anyone on these boards would be _less_ than “E” (except for the occasional teenager). At the ripe old age of 42 (no, I _do not_ know what The Question is, OK!?), I’d have to have read less than 25 books a year since the age of 12 (and I was reading real books before that…) in order to NOT be in the “E” category. That’s two a month. And while I admit that in recent months I _haven’t_ been meeting that quota :(, I most certainly must have read well in excess of 1000 books in my life (and I’m being conservative, here) ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/93 "2005-11-20T12:12:39Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > I figure based on **4 books a year since I was 8** I have read over 8000 books. Just how old are you? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/94 "2005-11-20T13:35:38Z")
Many thousands. My brother and his family have hundreds that I have passed on to them. The library at work (really a legal/government library) has several dozen books of mine I have dropped off there. When I first left home I left over 1000 books at home. many are still there. Every library that I am a member of has dozens of books I have given them. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/95 "2005-11-20T17:06:45Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > I figure, based on 4 books a year since I was 8, I have read over 8000 books. I’m not great at math, but the way I figure it…you’re about 2008 years old, right? ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/96 "2005-11-20T22:15:47Z")
Thousands and thousands and thousands! Right now in my tiny 700sf house I have well over 105 linear feet of bookshelves, so if you figure one book per inch that’s over twelve hundred just here in the house. Of course, this isn’t counting the PILES of books here and there, the BOXES of books in the shed, the boxes of books I’ve sold, donated and given to friends just to get the sheer volume down a bit, and doesn’t even begin to address my library addiction. Oh, and there are e-books too, right? Those count I suppose… Oh, forget it, I read a LOT! Always have, always will, and I buy books way too much as well, although since my grandchild shares my tastes in books and I can dump my excess all over him and let my daughter worry about it! Heh heh… of course, she has her own issues with storage for all of her reading matter to deal with too–yeah, we’re a literate family, what of it? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/97 "2005-11-21T00:25:55Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Right now in my tiny 700sf house I have well over 105 linear feet of bookshelves, so if you figure one book per inch that’s over twelve hundred just here in the house. Of course, this isn’t counting the PILES of books here and there, the BOXES of books in the shed, … Can I come play at your house? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/98 "2005-11-21T03:13:19Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > Can I come play at your house? > 😉 Good luck finding room to play–there’s pretty much only room to read, cook, sleep or play on the computers… Of course, I guess it would very much depend on one’s definition of “play,” wouldn’t it? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bogeyman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3e96dc/32.png) [@Bogeyman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bogeyman)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/99 "2005-11-21T15:58:49Z")
Here’s another one for E+ - I’ve read thousands of books, but don’t know how many exactly. And quite a number of the ones I have read I have read several times. I currently own somewhere between 2000 and 3000 volumes, and the idea of getting rid of any of them makes me shudder. ---
**Author:** ![JerH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@JerH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerH)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747/100 "2005-11-21T16:09:05Z")
For a couple years I kept track of all the books I read - I was at around 60-70 per year. Even if you just count the books I’ve read since college, I’d probably be in category E. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-books-have-you-read-so-far-in-your-life/331747.md?page=6)