This morning I read a BBC article about how the judges of the Booker Prize are faced with the daunting task of reading 110 books in a little more than four months - which works out at around a book a day. Well, I say I read the article; I actually scanned it and focussed on the important bits.
One of which was Many of us have read a novel in a day. Maybe a Marian Keyes or a Michael Crichton on a long journey. My first thought was Marian Keyes? Her books are way too long to be read in a day! Until I remembered that I read Anybody Out There in one go on a flight to Canada.
The BBC article suggests that, in this age of information, we all need to learn to read quicker. I don't. I read plenty fast enough, thanks. I have to, since I review three books per week for Trashionista. Last year (before starting at Trashi) I set myself a challenge to read 52 books in a year - I ended up reading 129.
When my former co-ed, Diane, wrote about reading as a competitive sport for The Guardian blog, the ever-pompous Guardian blog commenters questioned whether she actually retains much of what she reads. I don't. But I don't care. With books I particularly love, I remember certain details of character and plot and, often, the feeling it gave me when I read it, but books I either didn't enjoy or didn't feel that strongly about? Well who cares if I don't remember them? It just allows more space in my brain for the books I *do* love (I share Homer Simpson's theory that in order to remember something new you need to forget something old).
So what about you? What's the fastest you've read a book? Do you feel the need, the need for speed? Or do you prefer to lounge about in a book?
In other words: speed reading - Yay or Nay and Why?
[Don't forget it's Yay or Nay day at Hippyshopper, Bridalwave, Dollymix, Corrie Blog, Catwalk Queen, Kiss and Makeup, The Bag Lady, Shoewawa and Shiny Shiny, too!]
