How Many Books?

[Barrett]

It's been claimed that the internet reduces reading but "studies have shown" that netsters tend to be literate and somewhat conservative. Therefore, an informal poll:
How many books do you read annually? I'm talking about cover to cover, not some or most of the content. Obviously this group reads a lot of history but how much biography/autobio (OK, it crosses over), fiction/sci-fi, current events, poetry, cookbooks, etc.
I probably average 1.5 books a month cover to cover plus A LOT of reference material on top of that. The Books Read breakdown:
50% history
30% fiction
20% bio/autobio

I read relatively few magazines a month because most are bimonthly or quarterly: all are aviation/naval/guns (Hey, that's what I write for those same magazines!). I've not subscribed to a newspaper in years & years--I have a journalism degree and know how worthless much reporting actually is.

[Richard_Schrader]

Barrett;
100% history, I must be a very shallow person!
Richard

I read about 1 book every 1 1/2-2 weeks, so that makes 26+ per year cover-to-cover. My breakdown is about 75% history (including biographies), and 25% fiction.

[WFS]

I used to read 1-3 books a month, about 50/50 fiction and non-fiction. Also, I read the Bible, encyclopedia articles and various magazines. Then, I stumbled across this Forum.......

Regards,
Wayne

[Brad]

I read about 5-10 books per month... (depends on how busy I am... I read a bit EVERY night before I sleep.) Almost all science fiction (or military fiction) and not much of any real substance. I also read several magazines monthly.

I went through high school reading almost a book a week (but they were books of my own choosing...military history/fiction mostly, and nothing that'd bring up my grades!)

I'd fallen-off to about 1 a month or less BUT then I last year I gave myself a present of a 9 ft Brunswick pool table and now......well, I've read 4 books this year and just started #5.

[gregoire]

I read about 4/5 book a week
70% fiction
30% history

[leo]

Now, that I am mostly retired, I have a lot more time to read than I once did. I read mostly non-fiction history, sprinkled with magazines and an occaisional mystery novel.

[mike_baram]

I usually read 5-6 books a year. Mostly history, historical fiction, or bios (I kind of drifted away from science fiction a few years ago.)
Outside of a couple of gun magazines, I don't get periodicals.
Right now, working only part time, there are no books in my immediate future. Hopefully the economic situation will improve soon.
In the meantime I have the forum....

[Lufbery]

I'm mostly like Rex. I'll read a book every 1 to 1.5 weeks. The thing is, I've often got several books going at once. For instance, right now, I'm reading:

• Small Wonder by Walter Henry Nelson. It's the story of the VW bug. Non fiction.
• Tides of War by Steven Pressfield. It a novel of the Peloponnesian War. Historical fiction.
• Aircraft Versus Aircraft : The Illustrated Story of Fighter Pilot Combat Since 1914 to the Present Day by Norman Franks. Non-fiction.

I'm also reading a bunch of stuff for school. But I graduate in two weeks (after ten years). so I won't have to read assignments again for a while. (YAY!!!)

Although I don't always do this, right now, the VW book is my "at work book. I read it during lunch and when I'm ...ah...using the facilities. The Franks book is my at home "powder room" book. Since that one is divided pretty easily by time frame, it's not hard to put it down for a while and still know where I am the next time I pick it up. The Pressfield book is my main read, and I expect to finish it this week. I read it pretty much any chance I get, so I?m going through it pretty quickly.

Overall, I read a lot of sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, police/detective novels, and non-fiction (Keegan's [). I read a few magazines, mostly Flight Journal and Air & Space.

Wayne mentioned reading the Bible; I don?t like the translation my church uses (the New Revised Standard Version), so I tend to stick to my old Revised Standard Version from my grade school days. My fiancé and I often compare translations of different versus and talk about them. I tend to bring a historian?s sensibility to our bible study. That sometimes drives my girl nuts. *

-Drew