Bookworm Report, January 2005

I live in Wisconsin. You'd think that people would know that it gets cold during the winter, yet I hear, again and again, "I can't believe how cold it is." Get a life. Go skiing or something. Wimps. For the month of January, I read 2,714 pages or 8 books. In 2001, I read 8,006 pages/25 books; 2002, 3,995 pages/12 books; 2003, 887 pages/2 books; 2004, 1,654/5 books. The Time-Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie Maerilon the Magican by Patricia C. Wrede Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson No Plot, No Problem by Chris Baty Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine The Beauty Bride by Claire Delacroix If the Shoe Fits by Jennifer Weiner For the year, I've read 8 books, or 2,714 pages, which averages to 8 books a month, or 2,714 pages per month, and an average book length of 339 pages. Someone asked me how I manage to read so much with work, kids, my blog, my other writing and the general craziness that consumes everyone's life. Here's my secret: I read really fast. No, it's true. I read about 100 pages an hour for the types of books I read. When I was in school it was quite a bit less for my text books -- maybe 30-50, depending on subject. If you think about it, I spent 27 hours reading in January. Or 60 minutes a day. I bet you watched more television than that this month. I really need to get a life and stop playing with my Excel-powered book list.