How many books have you read in the past 12 months?

[brainshrub]

Comic books don't count.

Also, please let us know what your favorite book was in the past 12 months.

[FDRLincoln]

1. 10 books so far for 2003

I usually read about one book a month, generally non-fiction, usually involving military history or general philosophy.

Favorite book this year so far: The Generalship of Alexander the Great by J.F.C. Fuller.

[Mass_Liberal]

25. I read that!!

excellent resource on ancient military history!

[On the Road]

2. Damn! I Used to be in the 20-25 Range

but I had to honestly vote "1-5" on this poll. Too much time on the internet.

My favorite this year is probably "The Good Women of China." It's an amazing oral history.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

3. 13 or so-I had two months of unemployment and time on my hands!

[GOPFighter]

4. 30+ if you count...

...trashy novels!

[larryepke]

5. Riding the train to work...

both ways gives me lots of reading time (if I don't nap instead!).

[DebJ]

11. ooh wish I could have done that....

all the many years (15?) I commuted 2 hours and more per day. When I visited Europe this summer, using trains throughout, I was jealous of all the people reading. And I thought this is one good reason for Repubs to NOT put money into public transportation....being successful there might hinder the goal of further dumbing down America by giving people more time to read!

[jus_the_facts]

6. Ooops I voted for 5-10....should have voted 10-20....

....started lookin' at my shelves and see screwed up my total! x(

[Catfish]

7. About 3 - 4 a month

I usually have 1 fiction and 1 non-fiction going. I reread all of Jane Austen last summer and really enjoyed them. Those are probably my favorite so far this year.

[geniph]

8. I read about three-five books a week

It's my principal form of entertainment, as I don't watch TV and I don't use the computers much at home (I use the computer while I'm waiting for servers to boot, software to load, whatever, at work) and I'm a hermit. So I've probably read somewhere in the vicinity of 150 books so far this year.

[southerngirlwriter]

16. After my own heart....

The last year I owned a TV (1997) I read about ten books. It's gone up every year since I ditched the idiot box (I keep a journal of titles, authors, and brief comments). For 2003, so far, I've read 161 books.

Favorite is a tough one -- I'll give you the top 5 in no particular order.

Nonfiction:
The Bitch in the House, by various women
The First Five Pages, by Noah Lukeman
(A word the board will probably automatically censor that rhymes with blunt), by Inga Muscio
Financial Peace, by Dave Ramsey
Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them, by Al Franken

Fiction:
I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb
Middlesex, by Geoffrey Eugenides
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by JK Rowling
The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver
Empire Falls, by Richard Russo

[Speck Tater]

9. Iusually have two going at once.

Usually one SciFi and one non-fiction.

[DebJ]

12. Me and my mate do this too...why channel surf when you can book surf?

[Wolfman 11]

10. way over 30

I think I read about one a week.

My favorite one lately was "Blue Highways" by William Least Heat-Moon. A Half-Sioux English Professor from U of Missouri gets laid off, divorced, takes off for a 10,000 mile road trip around the rural back highways of the U.S. one spring and keeps a journal (circa 1978).

Also, "Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy was incredible.

[LisaM]

13. Really! There should be a 100+ category

I sometimes read two books in a day.

[DebJ]

14. "American Scoundrel" and "Alexander Hamilton, A Life"

American Scoundrel by Thomas KEneally (Author of Schindler's List), about Civel War General Dan Sickles. I've never been much into the Civil War, but Sickles is fascinating, and so are all the other characters....Francis Scott Key's family, and many side-bar characters like Lorenzo Da Ponte...the things these people did, the people they knew, the extensive travels they took when travel was so dangerous and difficult....fascinating book. I couldn't put it down. Hope they make it a movie or miniseries....would be great.

Alex Hamilton is equally fascinating. His contributions to this country are much farther ranging then generally known. A great man like we could use today....intelligent, hard working, more concerned for cause then for self.

[flamingyouth]

15. Argh, I hit the wrong one

I meant to vote "over 30"

I read about 75 books a year, on average. I'm a big reader, not so much into TV.

[supernova]

17. Book a Month Club

depending on the size.

Finishing The Club Dumas. Getting ready to read Perfume by Patrick Suskind.

[childslibrarian]

18. I'm a librarian...

and I read for fun. Besides the kid's books for work I go thru at least one adult book a week.

[geniph]

19. Thank goodness for interlibrary loan

as I would otherwise quickly tire of the offerings at my local library branch. Luckily, everything's on the Internet, so I can request the books I want from another branch or even another library system. I had to quit buying books as much as I was - there's just no more room for bookcases in the house, and I was spending way too much money. I did just slip up and order about seven more, though. It's a vice.

Who else cannot sleep unless they read something, anything, first?

[eek]

26. yes to yer question about sleep/read

I too must read something/anything

I ticked the 15ish range. That may be low. Dunno.

I've liked quite a few things lately; have had good luck.

fave to the point of starting it from the beginning after I finished, being blue that it was over was
At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie ONeill

Joycey, Ian mcEwany
tale of friendhip around the turn of century in Dublin.
It slayed me.

Others:
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Death of Vishnu
Life of Pi


Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven was pretty riviting in that In Cold Blood way. About the history of Church of Mormon and some modern , grisly murders related to followers.
No offense to any Mormon DU'ers but ...magic spectacles? Sheesh!

[TrogL]

20. One or two a week

mixture of fiction and non-fiction.

Favourite book, the Cryptonomicron

[Rabrrrrrr]

27. Yes, one my favorites, too!!

Incredible book.

have you read Quicksilver yet? I started it when it came out - even have it had signed at a B&N even with Neal! - but got caught up with, I'd say, about 10 other books I've read in the meantime.

I'm halfway through Quicksilver, and I find it quite entertaining, but quite possibly the weakest thing that Stephenson has written yet. It's still good, but not up to his regular standard, and not just becuase it's in a somewhat style.

[SiobhanClancy]

21. I read 8-10 books a week..

since I've been on unemployment:( The one I've enjoyed most lately is "An Unfinished Life",Robert Dallek's book about JFK. For mind candy,I love mysteries. I've also recently re-read James Joyce's "Dubliners",and it's still grand:)

[niyad]

22. you need an over 200 category as well,since I have read about 250 in the

last 12 months (read harry potter and the order of the phoenix in 13 hours)

favourites would include that one, the red tent, divine secrets,
al franken's newest, the davinci code,

[Rabrrrrrr]

23. A good ten to fifteen a month, I'd imagine

So a lot!!

I get a lot of reading done on the subway, at the laundromat, in bed before going to sleep, on the john, etc.

24. highly recommend

"Lyric of the Circle Heart" & "The Bamboo Bed"
both by William Eastlake. The first one is about the Southwest, imagine Cormac McCarthy with the Indians trying to shut down nuclear power plants. The second one is about Vietnam and has particular pertinence these days.
Edward Abbey had this to say about Eastlake

"Although Eastlake's novels are more complex and subtle than they might first appear and therefore worthy of careful examination, they are not difficult. They are a pleasure to read, easily accessible on many levels. The wit is balanced by irony, the comedy and fantasy rooted in an honest avowal of the harshness, cruelty, and sometimes ugliness of the modern world. Eastlake tells the truth. And that truth is informed by a sympathy for the wounded, by hatred for injustice, by scorn for the powerful, by love for the good and the beautiful. In my book those qualities add up to greatness, whether in life or in art."

[toddzilla]

28. Toxic sludge is good for you.

my fave


currently i have a few going

one on the origins of marxism, it's kind of poorly written but interesting.

one on the fdr/new deal era consisting of essays and edited by howard zinn

i'm also finishing up howard zinn's Passionate declarations, a really great read on war and justice.

[Maddy McCall]

29. I'm working on 200.

Studying for doctoral comps.

[FloridaJudy]

30. Four or five books a week..

Best of the lot so far: *The Life of Pi*, *American Gods*, *Quicksilver* and *The Constant Gardener*.