December 17, 2009

BTT-Speedy Gonzales

What do you think of speed-reading? Is it a good way to get through a lot of books, or does the speed-reader miss depth and nuance? Do you speed-read? Is some material better suited to speed-reading than others?

The average person reads 250-300 words per minute. I read 100 words a minute. When I concentrate on speed I can make it to 150 wpm but I worry about missing something. This means I can read about 25 pages in an hour if I work at it. No, I am not a speed reader. But my son is. I haven't tested his speed but he can make it through a 1000 page book in 3 days. Then he can spend half a day telling you everything about the story. He has lost nothing in the reading just because he has done it quickly. In fact, I sometimes think I lose something along the way because it takes so long for me to get from cover to cover. But my speed has improved with practice. The more I read the faster I read. I didn't know that was possible until it happened to me. It takes time but it does work.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've always been a fast reader, but I wouldn't say it's anything like actual speed reading. I always say it's a darn good thing I am fast, because I can't put a book down once I've picked it up. If it took me more than a day or two to read a book, I'd be in trouble.

I wouldn't be surprised to find that the speed at which one can read and retain would improve with practice. You've certainly gotten LOOOOOTS of practice in recent years!! ;)

Jeane said...

I have no idea how fast I read. I go through an average 200 page book in a day, maybe two- but I'm not sure how many hours a day I read, it's so scattered. I do know when I start reading faster, it's not nearly as enjoyable and I don't absorb as much. So I don't do it unless I'm getting tired of a book and want to just skip through and see what happens later, to decide if I'm going to finish it or not!

bermudaonion said...

I think I'm an average reader. I wish I could read faster and retain what I read, but I can't.

pussreboots said...

At my fastest I can read about 240 pages an hour (or roughly 4 pages per minute). That doesn't mean I read every book at that pace. On average I do more like 150 to 180 pages per hour. Rarely though do I get a full hour uninterrupted for reading. My post is here.

gautami tripathy said...

I read fast but speeding reading, no!

Booking through speeding

Petunia said...

Aimee-It's incredible to think that 10 years ago I was lucky to read 1 book in a year.

Jeane-200 pages a day would be heavenly.

Bermuda Onion-I think we all wish we could read faster and had more time to do it.

PussReboots-That is...wow! How awesome to be able to read like that.

Gautami Tripathy-Yeah, I don't know why I'd want to speed read. I enjoy the words too much to disrespect them that way.

Marie Cloutier said...

Wow, that's pretty impressive! :-)