How Quickly Would You Read War and Peace?

[HoopyFrood]

I know these pop up now and then but this breaks it down, including how quickly you'd read War and Peace, and how many books you'd be able to read before having to recharge your ereader.

I took it a few times and seem to be averaging between 690-750 words a minute. And I got all three questions right on each one -- the reason I sound smug about that is because No One doesn't believe I can be taking in much information at the speed I read. Though it must be largely subconscious as it felt more like "that answer looks right" rather than actually remembering it.

You can use the settings to extend the length of the extract for a more accurate result. At ten paragraphs I'm around the same word per minute average.

Have a go! https://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/mar...rch-centers/ereaders/speed-reader/iframe.html

 

[Jo Zebedee]

371 words without skimming and I got all three questions right. I can't see how to extend it, though, but the pace felt about right for me. Hoops, you are Super-Reader!

 

[HoopyFrood]

How I read is probably considered skimming so I stuck my tongue out at the whole "no skimming!" Maybe I should try again and see what happens then...

EDIT: OK, reading all the words takes me to 418 and that felt clunky to do.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Oops, just realised that you asked a question (kinda), Springs.

To extend the piece, click the little settings cog in the corner. You can also change the font size.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Umm I got 976 words - all 3 questions right but I have read it before. I get accused of skim reading but I don't - I read every word.

I think it took me an afternoon to read War and Peace as a teen. It didn't take me anything like 10 hours. These days children, reality and my ME usually get in the way but I don't have any of the three for an hour or two.

 

[Mouse]

Takes me forever to read a book as I just don't have time. I got 401 words a minute, all three questions right, and apparently could read War and Peace in 24 hours.

 

[Grunkins]

604, but I barely read it, and guessed (correctly) at the three questions.

I'm not a very fast reader in general.

 

[monsterchic]

1,071 words/minute. 328% faster than normal Could read it in 9 hours 8 minutes. Sounds about right to me, I've always been a hugely fast reader. And yes, I do read every word.

 

[Connavar]

To me im not a fast reader or a slow reader, it depends how interesting the book is and how serious,slow it is. I have read a fast paced noir book of 200 pages in little more than 1 hour. Also slow,dense books like War and Peace(if they are good to me) i can usually read 50 pages in a hour or 100 pages in 2 hours.

I dont see the point of counting words since i let my pace be decided by how interesting the book is to me.

 

[monsterchic]

Took it a second time and scored even higher, 1,226 words/minute. Something about school, perhaps?

 

[The Ace]

700 and all three correct.

The crazy thing is that I read faster than anyone I know - Mum used to hate it because every time she questioned me on a book I'd read (looking for a reason to get angry) I answered her questions.

It didn't stop the explosion (the worst thing you could do was prove her wrong), but it took her ages to work out a reason afterwards.

 

[Darkchild130]

621 words a minute, all questions correct.

 

[Bick]

325 words/minute. Questions correct. This is the speed you read at if you read at 'normal' speed such as we naturally speak. Any faster is, I guess, the definition of speed reading. I asked a friend of mine recently if he was a 'speed reader' at all. After explaining what I meant (he looked nonplussed at first), he replied that no, he 'read properly'. I tend to hold the same view.

 

[Vince W]

538 wpm. Meh.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I tried a few times, and averaged about 655 at a bit more conscientious a pace than my normal reading -- I do tend to skim, normally, but jump around on the page and miss things and have to go back. (It's not a great style for a mystery reader.) When I know there will be questions, I make an effort to see all the words in the right order and everything.

 

[Munch]

816 words per minute and all 3 questions correct Well the faster I read the more books I can enjoy

 

[JoanDrake]

About 350 words a minute. Questions correct. What surprised me very much was the fact that even at this snail's pace I should be able to read many books I should have but haven't in a very few hours


I'm off to Project Gutenberg at this very minute.


Also, I was gladdened to see that even the great classic "Alice in Wonderland" freely used all caps for emphasis. I'm always getting shouted at for that on many boards.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

You know, Joan, I thought that, myself! That list made me feel less on-the-downhill about all the books I haven't read, and the time I have in which to read them.

Of course, my kids weren't poking at me, the dog wasn't here to want out, and the TV wasn't blaring.

 

[tinkerdan]

I seem to be about average at 321 wpm which is about right because I plod through while my wife goes speeding onward. I'll finish my book and say oh are you still reading and she'll say, "This is the third book today.'

 

[Lady of Winterfell]

Mine was 416 words per minute, which is 66% faster than the average. I could read War and Peace in 23 1/2 hours. Seems slow compared to other Chronners.