George Vanderbilt, a late 19th century heir to the family fortune and builder of the Biltmore Estate, reportedly read 3,159 books during his lifetime (approximately 80 books per year). He kept a list of the books he had read in a diary; his last book was Henry Adams’ third U.S. history volume.
Most of us wish we could amass the knowledge that represents. Books give us insights into the perceptions and perspectives of foreign minds. They widen our horizons, and foster our understanding of beauty. But few of us will surpass Vanderbilt’s reading achievements (unless we inherit large fortunes and thus become able to amass and devour the contents of a 10,000-book library). We lack the time available to Vanderbilt; he had neither work nor Twitter to distract him from his reading.
Oh, come on, quit the whining. I have read 1,227 books since moving to Canada in 1998 (I keep a list, too). And that’s not counting articles and chapters I read for my research. I didn’t inherit anything and instead of a distracting Twitter I have a blog.
Those who want to read just go ahead and read. Those who want to make excuses complain that Twitter ate their library.
Clarissa's Blog 
That’s very impressive! I only manage about 30-40 books a year. You’re averaging more than 80!
BTW, have you tried goodreads yet?
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I don’t know, I write so many reviews for Amazon that I haven’t considered joining another book review website. Do you recommend?
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I really like Goodreads, more for lists of books than for reviews. I’ve gotten lots of ideas of books to read next from it. I’ve also won a few books through the giveaway program, although I’ve never participated in Amazon’s program so I can’t say how they compare.
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I am impressed that you keep track. I don’t keep track. My reading rate is also affected by my partial reading of a variety of reference books. Current insane project, dwarfing Richardson’s “Clarissa”: The Mahabharata. Unabridged and only 45% published University of Chicago translation (van Buitenen and multiple successors). I am at mid-book 3 of 18. Should I worry? It is said to be bad luck to read the whole thing. I’d think it would be worse luck to try to tweet the whole 8,000 page work at 140 characters a pop.
The only Tweets I notice come from actual birds.
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I’ve read Richardson’s “Clarissa” for obvious reasons but The Mahabharata sounds way too ambitious for me. I admire you, though!
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Well, it is a combination of religion/philosophy, Indian knights-in-armor adventure and war story, folk tales, and propaganda (short version: be generous to brahmins). The story dates to approximately the same time as Homer. An excellent, entertaining, and short (250 page) rendition is that of William Buck, who chose to give a condensed narrative and skip most of the philosophy. I admit that it took me two times reading the Buck rendition to be able to be entirely clear about the relationships between the extended kindreds and their various allies in this tale of a dynastic cousins’ war. (I suppose that if I had started out keeping a family tree for the characters, I would have been clearer the first time.) I have also read a few books on Indian mythology, religion (history of religion), and art (Wendy Doniger o’Flaherty, Heinrich Zimmer) and am reading some archaeology. The attraction is that this is, along with the other and shorter major epic the Ramayana (William Buck also did an excellent short retelling of R.), the founding mythos from a very alien civilization, with persistence into the cultural and religious life of modern India. We Westerners often take Biblical influence on modern Western society for granted, but don’t reflect on how different life was for ancient Jews and for the first Christians. I think that it is good for the reader’s mind and heart to dive into major works from unfamiliar cultures. A few years ago, I read a translation of Lady Murasaki Shikibu’s Tale of Genji and some associated historical works about ancient Japan. Genji Monogatari is said to be the first “novel” in the world, and written by a court lady-in-waiting at approximately 1000 AD.
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Oh yes, 10K book personal library. That would not be unusual nowadays, what with inexpensive paperbacks and the glories of the used book sales. I have not counted my books, but I store about 80% in cardboard file boxes stacked on industrial wire shelving in a storage area of the flat.
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Predetermined reality ate my head
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I agree. Just read. OK, so I’m only averaging around 40 books a year, but that’s way more than most people who read 0.something, some 0.0something. 😛
Sites like Goodreads are a big help, as well. If you’re into social media, combine it with reading! 🙂
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Yup, just read is the best advice, never mind counting books! I put book reviews on amazon or goodreads now and then, only if I feel the book is worth the effort. I read far fewer books now than when I was a teenager, but then I had no social life. I’d read about 4 books a week (not counting school books) and I went through every work of fiction in the nearby branch library (no teenager wants to read recipe books!) – had to sign up for the main library in town to get more books!
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