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Poll: On average, how many books do you read?
Autor de la hebra: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
PERSONAL DEL SITIO
Aug 30, 2016

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "On average, how many books do you read?".

This poll was originally submitted by Anne-Sophie Cardinal. View the poll results »



 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
Estados Unidos
Local time: 00:29
Miembro 2003
español al inglés
+ ...
It depends on my work flow Aug 30, 2016

I'm guessing that I average a book a month, but sometimes I don't have that much time. I always feel a little guilty when I take the time to read.

 
Yasutomo Kanazawa
Yasutomo Kanazawa  Identity Verified
Japón
Local time: 16:29
Miembro 2005
inglés al japonés
+ ...
Depends on the book(s) available Aug 30, 2016

In my case, it all depends on the book(s) available at that moment.
I always buy them, new or second-hand, whichever, in paper format.
So, if there are books which I'd like to read, I'll spare some time for them, but no if there are not.
But I read the newspaper everyday, though.


 
Annamaria Amik
Annamaria Amik  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:29
rumano al inglés
+ ...
Statistically, one and a half per week Aug 30, 2016

Reading is a necessity for my mind, so I normally make it a priority to read whenever I can. Of course, sometimes I physically don't have the time, but even then I do a few pages. What I don't do is blogging, facebooking, other time-consuming forms of net surfing, or watching movies, so I guess that saves me time for reading.

David Mitchell (the author) said: books don't offer real escape, but they can stop a mind scratching itself raw. I find that it is really so.


 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
Reino Unido
Miembro 2011
sueco al inglés
+ ...
Other? Aug 30, 2016

What, 17% can't read?

Interesting (worrying?) how few books the majority of people here read.

I would have expected all translators to have an innate cultural and/or scientific curiosity that would drive them to read loads of fiction and/or non-fiction.

Or is it just a case of people reading stuff online instead?


 
Sophie Dzhygir
Sophie Dzhygir  Identity Verified
Francia
Local time: 09:29
alemán al francés
+ ...
wow Aug 30, 2016

Same as you, Chris, I'm stunned! Well, the poll still has very few respondents, let's see if this changes over time.
I also expected translators to be eager readers.

I am an eager reader, there were some times in my life when I was too busy with other stuff to read much, but I still continued reading at a very slow pace. At the moment, I've returned to a higher pace and I read about one book a week - of course it all depends on the book, some take longer to read, some are done
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Same as you, Chris, I'm stunned! Well, the poll still has very few respondents, let's see if this changes over time.
I also expected translators to be eager readers.

I am an eager reader, there were some times in my life when I was too busy with other stuff to read much, but I still continued reading at a very slow pace. At the moment, I've returned to a higher pace and I read about one book a week - of course it all depends on the book, some take longer to read, some are done within one or two days.
I'm very busy during the day, but I hardly ever go to sleep without reading a couple of pages in my bed (and sometimes up to one hour or two, unreasonably late at night, if the book is captivating).
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writeaway
writeaway  Identity Verified
francés al inglés
+ ...
Books or die? Aug 30, 2016

Chris S wrote:

What, 17% can't read?

Interesting (worrying?) how few books the majority of people here read.

I would have expected all translators to have an innate cultural and/or scientific curiosity that would drive them to read loads of fiction and/or non-fiction.

Or is it just a case of people reading stuff online instead?


Books aren't the only way/place to learn things or increase one's knowledge.


 
neilmac
neilmac
España
Local time: 09:29
español al inglés
+ ...
Other Aug 30, 2016

I don't have MUCH time to read books. In fact, I haven't been able to take a break this summer due to workload and helping a friend to move house. However, it's not an issue.

PS: I feel I've read sufficient books in my lifetime so as not to have to lament not being able to do so as frequently nowadays. And since one of my favourite authors, Ian M Banks, passed away a couple of years ago, I'm now re-reading some of his (when I get the chance).

[Edited at 2016-08-30 09:58 GMT]


 
John Cutler
John Cutler  Identity Verified
España
Local time: 09:29
español al inglés
+ ...
Other Aug 30, 2016

I can't put an exact number on it, but I read some book or another nearly everyday. If I find one I really like, I may read it 2 or 3 times. A truly good book is like a diamond. You can hold it up to the light and turn it and it will reflect differently every time.

 
Annamaria Amik
Annamaria Amik  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:29
rumano al inglés
+ ...
Like a diamond or like a good wine :) Aug 30, 2016

John Cutler wrote:

A truly good book is like a diamond. You can hold it up to the light and turn it and it will reflect differently every time.


And a truly good book gets better with age.


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 08:29
Miembro 2007
inglés al portugués
+ ...
Other (Honestly, I don't know!) Aug 30, 2016

On average? Honestly, I don’t know! It depends on the book and on what else is going on in my life. I always read before going to sleep, sometimes just a few pages, others the whole book…

 
Bora Taşdemir
Bora Taşdemir  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:29
Miembro 2012
inglés al turco
+ ...
We Already Read A Lot! Aug 30, 2016

We must already read a lot within a day... And it is "serious reading"! Thus, my eyes are often tired and can't read so much. I can only read one book in a couple of months. That's better than nothing though!

 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 03:29
inglés al español
+ ...
No, we can't read Aug 30, 2016

Chris S wrote:

What, 17% can't read?

Interesting (worrying?) how few books the majority of people here read.

I would have expected all translators to have an innate cultural and/or scientific curiosity that would drive them to read loads of fiction and/or non-fiction.

Or is it just a case of people reading stuff online instead?


What did you say? Oh, yeah, I just remembered I can't read.



 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 03:29
inglés al español
+ ...
I am reading all the time, and not just work stuff Aug 30, 2016

I was reading asiduously even before learning a second language and even before becoming a translator: pharma prospects, newspaper clippings, comic strips, abridged novels (The Invisible Man, Dr Jekill and Mr Hyde are two examples), magazines, Popular Mechanics and other printed material.

True, books aren't the only source of knowledge, but the well-made ones beat magazines, Wikipedia and newspapers any day, all day long.

Back to the question and the questioner: I don't
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I was reading asiduously even before learning a second language and even before becoming a translator: pharma prospects, newspaper clippings, comic strips, abridged novels (The Invisible Man, Dr Jekill and Mr Hyde are two examples), magazines, Popular Mechanics and other printed material.

True, books aren't the only source of knowledge, but the well-made ones beat magazines, Wikipedia and newspapers any day, all day long.

Back to the question and the questioner: I don't read books to meet a quota, win a competition or fill out empty hours. I doubt that my way of reading a book will find many adherents or similarities with the way other responders read books, but that doesn't matter. I read books not just to gain knowledge, clarify doubts, answer a question or find entertainment. I have many reasons to pick a book.
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Andrea Diaz
Andrea Diaz
México
Local time: 01:29
inglés al español
+ ...
So much time. Aug 30, 2016

When I was in college, I did nothing but read during the Spring break. I remember going to sleep at 4 am because I was engrossed with my book. In the course of 2 and a half weeks, I read The Pillars of the Earth, The Name of the Wind, and Wise Man's Fear. Three completely marvelous and long books. Those were the days.

 
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Poll: On average, how many books do you read?






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