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Read On! Are You A Speed Reader?

April 30, 2019

Photo by Joy Deb from Pexels

 

The world’s speed reading champion clocks in at 4,700 words per minute, speed readers average between 1,000 and 1,500 words per minute, and the average American reads around 300 words per minute. Your Pryor Library Director falls behind the national average at about 230-240 words per minute depending on the test I take. My comprehension is off the charts, I’ll have you know, but my speed is not super stellar.

I’m not particularly interested in increasing my reading speed since the vast majority of my reading is for pleasure, not for profit. That said, being a slow reader makes me a choosier reader. I won’t spend that amount of time with just ANY old book. It’s got to be a good one.

To put it into perspective, the average reader can read the entire published “Game of Thrones” series in 98 hours. It would take me 127 hours. I’m not ready to commit to that kind of time investment.

My reading speed could have easily made me a reluctant reader – someone who can read but, for whatever reason, doesn’t. What saved me a life without books as a teen was sharing a love of thrillers with my older sister. At one point, we had read every R.L. Stine book we could lay hands on.

Today, in my busier adult life, having books in any format I want is what has kept me choosing to spend my time reading. Adjusting the font on an ebook can make it easier and faster to read. Plus, ereaders make bulky books less daunting. Audiobooks are truly a performance, so even though it takes me a little longer to listen to an audio (they’re narrated at about 150 words per minute), it’s often a delightful time.

Whatever your reading speed, we’re bound to have something that will make reading worth your time. If you’re a reluctant reader like I almost was, come talk to us. We’ll see if we can change your mind.