Super Readers
I Tried to Join an Exclusive Club - Epic Fail!
We all know the expression “Pride goes before the fall.” Well, in my case, I took “the fall” big time this Fall season
It began last January when I set a loosey-goosey goal of reading “a lot” of books in 2024. It started when I saw an article about Super Readers, which sounded super impressive. I didn’t bother actually to read the article, but on the spot, I decided I would become one too. It wasn’t prudent of me. The devil — and the pride — is always in the details!
I vaingloriously thought, “I read a lot. Surely, I can step up the pace and achieve the ranks of Super Readerdom just like that.
The Super Readers Race Begins
And just like that, I was plowing through books like a farmer racing to harvest his crop before an unexpected early frost!
In rapid order, I raced through Remarkably Bright Creatures, Covenant of Water, Tom Lake, For This We Left Egypt, Why Fonts Matter, Martyr, Big Swiss, A Short History of Nearly Everything … and on and on and on.
I had books on my nightstand, on the coffee table, in the car, and in my tote bag. Fiction, non-fiction, art books, science books, books for “dummies” and all sorts of books on how to become a smartie!
Now, with the year coming to an end, I did a tally of the number of books I’ve read (or skimmed) ((or tried to finish but gave up on)). Drum roll, please.
The total as of November 20: 39 books!
Tally tallied, I was, I admit, impressed with myself.
I figure I can probably get through at least five more books before midnight January 1. Fingers and eyes crossed.
Super Reader Epic Fail!
Then, I researched the definition of a Super Reader. That’s where the proverbial “Pride goes before the fall” kicker kicked in.
I am no Super Reader! Not even close! The Washington Post story I skimmed last year identified Super Readers as people who read books in the hundreds! Be still, my aching brain and bifocaled eyeballs!
Among the champs listed:
- Paul Scott, retired in Los Altos, Calif., 388, in 2023, (and 350 the year before),
- Vivian Taylor, book blogger in Charleston, W.Va., 365 books a year,
- Olivia Ambrogio, science communications trainer in Silver Spring, Md., 200 per year, and
- Rachel Dawson, social media manager in Richmond, between 150 and 200 books a year.
For his part, Paul Scott says he reads about 350 to 400 pages a day, logging three to four hours in the morning and then a couple hours later in the day or evening. Again, he’s retired but reading that much sounds like a career — or an obsession — to me.
Now, it hardly comes as news that Americans are reading fewer books than they used to. According to a Gallup report, Americans read about 12 books a year, the smallest number that Gallup has recorded since 1990.
A New Plan
As for my self-imposed 2024 book-a-thon, I have a confession.
It hasn’t been an uplifting intellectual experience. It wasn’t even fun. It felt like a breakneck, breathless mandatory exercise that didn’t flex my mind, my memory, or my imagination. I raced through tome after tome, not pausing to savor them, not lingering over passages I liked nor pondering ideas I found meaningful. No. I raced like there was a timebomb ticking.
Next year, I may maintain continue tracking the books I read, but it won’t be for a boastful “count” or bragging rights. It will simply be for the pleasure of looking back on the ones I liked. That’s a much better idea. No pride. Just joy.
📗 📚 📕
Meanwhile, I’d love to know what you’re reading and enjoying. Please share!
This blog brought back a standard test for reading that we all took an elementary school. It was a passage, maybe two paragraphs long that we were to read and then answer multiple questions regarding the article. The one that showed up every year was some books are meant for skimming some are for reflection some are for going back and forth for your favorite passages, and others are there for you to treasure.
Reading your blog brought that standard test into my brain so I had taken it yesterday.
But this time, maybe cause of age and reflection, I applied its language to your blog. I saw instantly what you concluded, reading for quantity deprives one of the joy of reading. It becomes another task to be completed as opposed to an escape to many interesting ways of thinking.
Oh, the days of standardized tests. That is indeed a memory!
Love this! I am in a Book Club ( isn’t everyone now a days), it feels more social than intellectual. However , I love it because I at least read those 9 books a year plus about 10 more. Sometimes I struggle getting thru the books and put them aside. I was very surprised to find out that others have that problem, so they do Audio books! I think a kindle is cheating but what about audio books? In the car, in the house while you are vacuuming, cooking dinner, shopping etc. ! I say unfair , is it the same? What do you think?
I know lots of people who enjoy/love Audio books. I say go for it. Why do you think a kindle is cheating?
And what are you reading now?
I just finished “The Women” by Kristin Hannah. Being a nurse and being just a little younger than the Viet Nam veterans, OI do remember a lot of what was being reported. Great book
Sounds interesting.