Whether it's the Goodreads Reading Challenge, StoryGraph Reading Goals or some other personal reader tracker, bibliophiles are often compelled to keep an eye on the number of books they read monthly and yearly.
As such, it's become a thing of pride for many to show off the number of books they read. This practice continues to be met by mixed reactions from readers and non-readers.
Here are a few honest thoughts on the matter.
Some people, non-readers in particular, find it difficult to believe it when readers flaunt their read shelves, with their bewilderment growing when the quantity of books enters the domain of the hundreds.
But, believe it or not, there are readers who manage to read several hundred books in a year. Reading speeds differ, and while most avid readers can maintain decent speeds, a few, truly gifted bibliophiles have the nearly superhuman ability to cover even more pages in a go.
Considering that reading is usually the primary, and sometimes only, hobby of such people, it's no surprise that they're able to complete several books in a year.
Apart from reading speed, various other factors determine how many books readers are able to complete in a year.
For one, it's obviously easier to complete a small novella than a full-sized fantasy tome. Therefore, while a reader might only be able to finish a handful of books in a year, they may, in reality, have read more words than another reader who's read more books.
The choice of genre also matters, with readers finding certain books easier to read than others, especially with authors with writing styles perceived as "complex". Then, of course, the sheer amount of time one has on their hands, and how they're able to manage that time, also matters.
Regardless, book lovers are often able to create time even where there's barely any. In transit, during toilet visits, and right in the middle of the daily hustle and bustle, bibliophiles can whip out physical books or e-readers and get in a few hundred words at a time.
It's not about having the time for it. It's about creating the time for reading and setting priorities.
Reading is a fun habit that anyone should enjoy without pressure or expectations. However, it's also important to note that reading is a social activity. This places it well within the realm of competition, comparison, and subjective opinion, all of which should be indulged in without judgment or unhealthy conflict.
Readers are often compelled to seek out other readers when they complete books, to share thoughts on plot, character, setting and other story elements. Even before reading, it is the norm to check out the reviews of others before deciding on a book.
Why, then, does a line have to be drawn at flaunting the number of books read?
While reading doesn't actively have to be a competition, it, passively, is a competition, at least among avid readers. Being the social activity it is, competition inevitably arises.
If readers can pit books, authors, and genres against each other in book club discussions, then it is reasonably expected that there will be some form of competition regarding the number of books read.
Such rivalry can even be healthy, helping to push readers to achieve reading goals. And of course, they are very much valid goals!
In a world where the use of digital devices is slowly eroding the average attention span, making it tough for people to stare at literary text for hours, it's essential that readers push each other to read more books.
The problem with flaunting the number of books read is that it creates an avenue for book snobbery from readers and non-readers alike.
Some readers can be dismissive of the reading tastes of others, sceptical or even disbelieving of the numbers on show, attributing them to skimming. While it is indeed true that certain readers jump on reading trends only to show off inflated, untrue numbers of books they've read, this shouldn't automatically become a problem for others.
Where it should be seen as an issue is during book discussions, where such fake readers are inevitably shown up.
With non-readers, it's a different case. Bibliophiles who read hundreds of books yearly are often called out for a perceived lack of seriousness in their lives. The average non-reader simply cannot imagine how a person can dedicate so much time to the hobby.
This, however, is a function of ignorance and should not be taken with any seriousness. The more enlightened one gets, the more value is placed on reading literature, whether one is an avid reader or not.
Ultimately, showing off the number of books you've read is a social act crucial to the growth of reading communities. It's a conversation starter, and while the very quality of those conversations is up for debate, the social impact of sharing books in this manner cannot be denied.
Whether or not you choose to lie about the number of books you've read is very much your business. However, if you get shown up when it's time to talk about said books, you shouldn't complain.
You asked for it, after all.
