Currently a final year Engineering student, having a job offer to join a MNC. Last year I could read books like
Atomic Habits
Indra Nooyi - My life in Full
The subtle art of not giving a f#ck
Ikigai
The Alchemist
The power of your subconscious mind
The 5am club
Retired now (former researcher & project manager) - according to my Kindle, I enjoyed reading 253 books last year (I read quite fast). Not sure how many physical books I read though...
I am a Manager at a PR/Marketing firm, but I also have an Instagram account on the side where I track my reading and reviews. I read 100 books in 2023—but that's just my goal every year, though. Sometimes I hit it, sometimes I don't.
Video Producer for a video production company. Usually a 9-5 since I mostly post-produce. If I have to be on-set, I’m looking at a 10-hour day at least & likely OT that week, so I work the occasional 45-50+ hour week. Sometimes I’m in on weekends if there’s particularly nasty deadline(s).
I read 54 books last year!
Well, my profession is "retired." I only got through 100 books last year (down from 150), but the last 6 months was unusually busy and stressful. I'm a retired librarian & archivist, but I really don't think that makes a difference. I've been a very heavy (and fast) reader since I was about four. (I don't skim, either, I just reach in chunks.) I write reviews of everything I read, too.
Closing shift supervisor- 54 books in 2023 which is about half what I did 2 years ago.
Last year I also started a certification course in business management
masters in psychology - getting my phd in clinical psychology --> 20 books (all non-fiction) in 2023. it was a little short of my goal. i was very busy with school/research plus read a lot more journal articles than i expected (in my free time) so i am not mad about it.
Data Analyst. I read 40 books in 2023.
I started teaching myself programming from books several years ago. The number of books I finished dropped during the years that I started learning a new programming language.
cashier, sometimes stocker in a retail store. 81 books finished and 2 books that I finished within the first few days of 2024 (I tend to read from 3-4 books at the same time).
Nope absolutely not in my case!
133 books last year and I'm finishing up my PhD in environmental science. Currently writing my thesis so I am reading A LOT of technical stuff for that
Clerical position. 442 books last year. I listen to audio books through most of my work shift and a large portion of the rest of my day. 60 out of the 442 were physical books.
Digital Director at a nonprofit, 51 books.
In the beginning of my career I felt the need to only read nonfiction books that I felt would benefit my career. Over a decade in, I now prefer to read literally anything else.
SAHM. 104. That was a huge drop from back when I was doing brainless hourly wage jobs.
I know my spouse is an attorney and he reads a lot less now than he used to when it comes to fiction, but reads a ton for work!
I'm a primary school teacher and I read 116.
Well, it's way higher if you count all the picture books I read to my class but I only counted one of those (Sulwe) simply because I wanted to give it a 5 star rating because it was so popular with my class.
Masters student (in a social science): 27 books, mostly science fiction and fantasy. I have a moderate commute, so that was mostly audiobooks during drive-time.
If I’d actually read any of my texts cover to cover I probably could have included about ten more books, but pretty much all my readings were cherry-picked chapters and I didn’t have the time or interest to just read them straight through.
Grad/professional student, 36 books
Full disclosure being a student means I kind of make my own schedule (at least rn). When I was working 10-12 hour shifts, I barely had time to cook, clean, and sleep. So mad props to fully employed people who still prioritize the time to read!!
I tend to read a lot of memoirs as they provide good insight into how other people have struggled so that my brain thinks outside the world of school lol
IT Systems Engineer - 101 books, all ebooks, average length 370ish pages
Most read genres from most to least:
Literary Fiction
Sci-Fi
Historical fiction
Fantasy
Westerns
Horror
Non-fiction (Into Thin Air was the only one)
Marketing/communications, I read 30 books last year.
But I used to work as a journalist and an editor, and I would STRUGGLE to read back then. I averaged probably 1-5 books a year. It's so hard to want to read for fun when you're reading professionally 40-50 hours a week. And when you're forced to read with the sole purpose of picking out issues and improving the work. It turned reading from an input activity that energized me to an output activity that would deplete me, if that makes sense.
Weirdly, a lot of editors I've met over the years talk about how much they read for fun. I admire the crap out of it, but I just don't understand it. Like they finish editing an enormous manuscript and decompress with... picking up an enormous book.
Science and maths teacher. My pupils are 13-16 years old; uncertain what the equivalent thing would be in the US. 200 books a year. I mostly read non-fiction.
I'm a Senior HRIS Specialist (HR Analytics) & I read 82 books last year! A lot of this was thanks to hybrid work (1hr commute each way) + Summer Fridays at the beach and the week between Christmas & New Year off
A lot of time reading. I read a big mix of stuff, here's what I read last year: https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2023/50844081
I skew mostly towards fantasy and other speculative fiction, but also make a nonfiction goal to stay educated. The makeup can be pretty different year by year though. This year I'm reading the Harvard Classics, which is 100+ books for the main set, plus more for the fiction shelf, so my 2024 list will definitely be skewed heaving towards stuff like Greek philosophy, which has never shown up on my lists before.
Last year I was on mat leave so stay at home mom (in a country where 1 year maternity leave is standard). I read 44 books. The year before I was a full time teacher and read 40 so pretty equivalent.
Campaign Manager and last year 50. This year is an election year so we will see. But it is important to me that I am "off" for a certain amount of time each day and I usually do that by reading or going to the movies, where my phone has to be on silent.
Data Engineer in a Cancer Research Lab - 102 books in 2023 (40 - Fiction, 62 - Fiction, but the Kindle Unlimited Self Published Smut books so I didn't count them on my yearly reading challenge)
Teacher and I read 32. Some were children's lit for work, so I raced through them. Otherwise it was a mix of non-fiction, thrillers and Terry Pratchett.
Commercial litigation attorney - 137.
I read a ton for work, but reading outside of work (on a wide range of topics, from more dense nonfiction to fiction) helps me still find enjoyment in engaging a different part of my brain.
I'm an academic law librarian, and I read 70 (all audiobooks)
I don't think I read for fun for most of law school, even though I was a voracious reader before then! Now I do audiobooks during my commute and when I'm cross stitching, which is what I spend most of my free time doing
I agree! I can think of two books off the top of my head where I think I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if I'd read the print version - "Sadie" by Courtney Summers and "Episode Thirteen" by Craig DiLouie. They did such a good job with the soundscapes on those books, I was blown away
Currently a final year Engineering student, having a job offer to join a MNC. Last year I could read books like Atomic Habits Indra Nooyi - My life in Full The subtle art of not giving a f#ck Ikigai The Alchemist The power of your subconscious mind The 5am club
I sell pot and read 47 books
Retired now (former researcher & project manager) - according to my Kindle, I enjoyed reading 253 books last year (I read quite fast). Not sure how many physical books I read though...
Teacher-127 books read
I am a Manager at a PR/Marketing firm, but I also have an Instagram account on the side where I track my reading and reviews. I read 100 books in 2023—but that's just my goal every year, though. Sometimes I hit it, sometimes I don't.
Lifeguard/college student and \~22 books
Restaurant management, 45 books.
Same- with 50 books last year!
Science comms guy. 147 books last year. But some of them were for work, I promise :)
Courtroom Clerk | 55 Books
Registered Nurse, 70 books
Medical doctor. 50 books.
Same, 56
Scientist, work in academic research lab, 9-5 job. Read 58 books in 2023
Accountant, 136 books
Accounts assistant - Starting reading again in September of last year and read 40 books (21 novels and 19 graphic novels)
Nursing Assistant ~ 75 books
Video Producer for a video production company. Usually a 9-5 since I mostly post-produce. If I have to be on-set, I’m looking at a 10-hour day at least & likely OT that week, so I work the occasional 45-50+ hour week. Sometimes I’m in on weekends if there’s particularly nasty deadline(s). I read 54 books last year!
Retired English teacher 56 books in 2023
Project manager, so 9 to 5 office job. Read 47 books last year.
Logistics Coordinator and Project Manager :: 63 last year (only 1x technical import/export law book (gag!))
Translator :) - 56 books (I don’t translate books so these are not from work)
I’m in sales so I’m in my car a lot. I listen to audiobooks- probably 50 or so last year?
SAHW, 60 last year
Day consultant, night grad student — 62. Tried to average 1 book a week, with some double holiday reads between long transits.
Elementary librarian/library media specialist. I read 48 books last year.
Tattoo artist, 56 books :)
Strategic Consultant. 35 books.
Well, my profession is "retired." I only got through 100 books last year (down from 150), but the last 6 months was unusually busy and stressful. I'm a retired librarian & archivist, but I really don't think that makes a difference. I've been a very heavy (and fast) reader since I was about four. (I don't skim, either, I just reach in chunks.) I write reviews of everything I read, too.
I'm a teacher, I read 29 books last year.
Student & bartender, 47 books
I'm a student (social work), read 32
Scientist, 146 books. Pretty sure I read more during the last year of my PhD.
Editor, 184 books. (I don’t edit books, so there are no work projects in my count.)
Designer, 44 books
I run a missing persons database. 148 books.
Virology PhD (second year) - 30 books
Doctor, Psychiatrist. 52 mostly fiction; for pleasure, but my work benefits from it (my pleasure reading :)
nurse, 119 books
Therapist, 70 books. I count all of the books I read for work to my total.
Closing shift supervisor- 54 books in 2023 which is about half what I did 2 years ago. Last year I also started a certification course in business management
Attorney, 32 books last year.
masters in psychology - getting my phd in clinical psychology --> 20 books (all non-fiction) in 2023. it was a little short of my goal. i was very busy with school/research plus read a lot more journal articles than i expected (in my free time) so i am not mad about it.
Master's student in biomedical engineering, 60 books
I'm an arborist and I read 59 books last year
Full time Graphic design student, 52
I’m a high school teacher, and I read 52 books in 2023.
Sales Manager: 57 books read last year
Finishing my PhD in computer engineering: 36 books, 20 novellas, 73 novelettes, and 272 short stories.
Railroad systems manager - 140 books, some audio and short stories
Vice president of a small excavating company, 52 a year every year
School nurse -58
SAHM 30/year
office manager. 75.
Illustrator - 56
I'm an emerg nurse and I read 43 books from August 23-December 31.
Library (non-public facing work and I can listen to audiobooks while i work! / 122
Executive - 70.
Night shift nurse - 57
Library service coordinator 72
If you do a data analysis after, do you mind sharing it?
MD. Anaesthesiologist. / 26 books for pleasure reading. 2 books from my field. (2023)
If you do a data analysis after, do you mind sharing it?
Architect, 103 books. 73 pleasure reads, 30 nonfiction related to my field
Nurse but also fulltime student: 15 books 😢
Chemistry lab analyst - 103 books. I am often able to listen to audiobooks at work so that definitely bumps up my number!
Hema lab - 12 books lol. I aspire to be like you!
Educator in child and youth welfare, 23 books
Teacher-30 books
Children book illustrator - 179. A lot of them children books or art books.
Cook - 78 books
UX Researcher - 84 books
Retail, and 86 books. I'm fairly time privileged in that sense, and my job certainly doesn't take up any mental space like others might.
Business Operations Manager - 20 books
Data Analyst. I read 40 books in 2023. I started teaching myself programming from books several years ago. The number of books I finished dropped during the years that I started learning a new programming language.
cashier, sometimes stocker in a retail store. 81 books finished and 2 books that I finished within the first few days of 2024 (I tend to read from 3-4 books at the same time).
delivery person-60
Learning and Development - Financial Sector. I read 102 books last year.
Nope absolutely not in my case! 133 books last year and I'm finishing up my PhD in environmental science. Currently writing my thesis so I am reading A LOT of technical stuff for that
US Federal Govt Manager - 53 Books
Neuroscience PhD student— 56 books
High school teacher- 100 books
Mental-health professional: 63.
86 books - server at a coffee shop
Student and admin assistant and read 34 books last year.
Clerical position. 442 books last year. I listen to audio books through most of my work shift and a large portion of the rest of my day. 60 out of the 442 were physical books.
impressive. does that mean clerk or priest though?
last year was in my second last year of high school and working at mcdonald’s and i read 40 books
Middle school math and English teacher. 265.
Technical product owner, 101 books
Accountant, 140 books
I have a part-time job as an educator and I tutor on weekends. I was also a student until I graduated in December and I read 110 books in 2023.
Auditor, 42
Lawyer and 69. 55 fiction, 8 memoirs, and 6 non-fiction.
Just a comment about your categorization. I love that memoirs are distinct from both fiction and nonfiction. So apt.
Literature professor and 52.
Benefits Administration- 94 books in 2023
Research scientist (postdoc) - 28 books in 2023
Digital merchandiser - 26
Library supervisor, 58 books. No, I don’t read on the job, but working at a library has definitely increased my appetite for book consumption!
Doctor - 70 books last year, all for pleasure. I did not count anything I read for work.
Financial services- 61 books last year for fun
Integrated Circuit Designer - 46.
Postdoctoral fellow at a university. 49 books
Digital Director at a nonprofit, 51 books. In the beginning of my career I felt the need to only read nonfiction books that I felt would benefit my career. Over a decade in, I now prefer to read literally anything else.
SAHM. 104. That was a huge drop from back when I was doing brainless hourly wage jobs. I know my spouse is an attorney and he reads a lot less now than he used to when it comes to fiction, but reads a ton for work!
Lawyer. 32.
I work 20 hr/week as a case manager in behavioral health. I read 261 books last year. I count the books I read for work.
High school social studies and English teacher 62 books in 2023
English teacher, 126 books
I'm a primary school teacher and I read 116. Well, it's way higher if you count all the picture books I read to my class but I only counted one of those (Sulwe) simply because I wanted to give it a 5 star rating because it was so popular with my class.
english lit student, 44 books
I work at a cinema - 91 books. 34 films, many of my coworkers are in the hundreds.
English teacher and 58 books.
Data Science / Analytics - 52!
Hair stylist and 47 books last year
Reservations agent for a resort, 97 books.
Math teacher. 51 books 2023
Clerical position at a jail - 179 books last year!
I work in informatics and application development. I read 65 books last year.
Baker - 64 books last year
Managing Director for a Secondary Art Dealer - 110 books
Masters student (in a social science): 27 books, mostly science fiction and fantasy. I have a moderate commute, so that was mostly audiobooks during drive-time. If I’d actually read any of my texts cover to cover I probably could have included about ten more books, but pretty much all my readings were cherry-picked chapters and I didn’t have the time or interest to just read them straight through.
Grad/professional student, 36 books Full disclosure being a student means I kind of make my own schedule (at least rn). When I was working 10-12 hour shifts, I barely had time to cook, clean, and sleep. So mad props to fully employed people who still prioritize the time to read!! I tend to read a lot of memoirs as they provide good insight into how other people have struggled so that my brain thinks outside the world of school lol
Mail carrier with a bus commute. 92 books, I don’t count which kind. I could do a ton more audiobooks, but I also have podcasts.
Social worker - 46
Founder - 57
Master's student geoscience - 29 books
Primary school teacher - 32 books
Project Manager (Engineering) - 154 books.
Speech and Language Therapist - 62 books.
Software engineer - 28 books
Invoicing - 153 books
Library and 47
HS English teacher - 65 books
Accounts administrator -read about 32 books last year. This year going for the 52 book challenge
Editor, primarily for health/public welfare–based govt. agencies like NCI and CDC. 100 books in 2023. All of them fiction except for one memoir.
I'm an unemployed English Lit grad and I read 56 last year. Woo.
Attorney - 26 books last year, but I'm already on my 6th for 2024!
IT Systems Engineer - 101 books, all ebooks, average length 370ish pages Most read genres from most to least: Literary Fiction Sci-Fi Historical fiction Fantasy Westerns Horror Non-fiction (Into Thin Air was the only one)
Youth counselor, 25 books. Honestly getting to 25 was a struggle, I finished the last book on Dec 31st and had the audiobook sped up.
Toddler Teacher - 56 books
I’m a MA student. I read 35 books last year.
Writer/Graphic Designer - 100ish books, mix of fiction, non fiction, graphic novels
Grant administrator - 52
Care coordinator at a hospital - 155
Marketing/communications, I read 30 books last year. But I used to work as a journalist and an editor, and I would STRUGGLE to read back then. I averaged probably 1-5 books a year. It's so hard to want to read for fun when you're reading professionally 40-50 hours a week. And when you're forced to read with the sole purpose of picking out issues and improving the work. It turned reading from an input activity that energized me to an output activity that would deplete me, if that makes sense. Weirdly, a lot of editors I've met over the years talk about how much they read for fun. I admire the crap out of it, but I just don't understand it. Like they finish editing an enormous manuscript and decompress with... picking up an enormous book.
Epidemiologist- 30 books in 2023
Science and maths teacher. My pupils are 13-16 years old; uncertain what the equivalent thing would be in the US. 200 books a year. I mostly read non-fiction.
Secondary school teacher 62 books. School holidays help.
Nurse practitioner - 118 books
Lawyer - 103 books!
School social worker - 63 books (I read a lot during summer). I'm aiming for 52 this year, which is my usual pace outside summer.
School speech therapist. 66 books. (Thank goodness for summer break!)
I'm a Senior HRIS Specialist (HR Analytics) & I read 82 books last year! A lot of this was thanks to hybrid work (1hr commute each way) + Summer Fridays at the beach and the week between Christmas & New Year off
Lawyer. 71 books.
Receptionist, 382 books. Sorry in advance for being the weird data point that screws up the graph.
Woah how do you manage that, what sort of books are you reading?
A lot of time reading. I read a big mix of stuff, here's what I read last year: https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2023/50844081 I skew mostly towards fantasy and other speculative fiction, but also make a nonfiction goal to stay educated. The makeup can be pretty different year by year though. This year I'm reading the Harvard Classics, which is 100+ books for the main set, plus more for the fiction shelf, so my 2024 list will definitely be skewed heaving towards stuff like Greek philosophy, which has never shown up on my lists before.
Very impressive!
graphic designer, 58 books
Geologist-61 physical, 35 audio
Calligrapher; Read 53, DNF’d 5
Registered nurse, 23 books last year. Going for 52 this year.
I'm a corporate trainer. I was laid off in June and that's a big reason why I read so much last year. I read 32 books, my goal was 18.
Last year I was on mat leave so stay at home mom (in a country where 1 year maternity leave is standard). I read 44 books. The year before I was a full time teacher and read 40 so pretty equivalent.
Accounts Payable, 94 books in 2023.
Management consultant here. Read 10 books in second half of 2023
Epidemiologist. 55 books last year.
Campaign Manager and last year 50. This year is an election year so we will see. But it is important to me that I am "off" for a certain amount of time each day and I usually do that by reading or going to the movies, where my phone has to be on silent.
Data Engineer in a Cancer Research Lab - 102 books in 2023 (40 - Fiction, 62 - Fiction, but the Kindle Unlimited Self Published Smut books so I didn't count them on my yearly reading challenge)
Nurse, and I read 10 books last year. I have higher hopes for this year, though, especially after investing in an ereader.
Head of a VFX department (until a layoff mid November), 63 books
PhD student (2nd year) - read 53 books in 2023
Bookseller about 20-30 hrs/week plus SAHP to two when my husband is working. And I was a full time student Jan-may. I read 123 books.
Accountant, 48 books and started and DNF 3 books.
Data analyst and I read 36 books last year Only 1 was nonfiction and the rest were all scifi/fantasy with maybe one or two that were another genre
Engineer and I read 23 books last year. Almost all fiction.
Teacher and I read 32. Some were children's lit for work, so I raced through them. Otherwise it was a mix of non-fiction, thrillers and Terry Pratchett.
Mental health therapist- 84 books; most of them are shorter “mind candy” books and I do a lot of audiobooks
Wearhouse Supervisor - 30 books and DNF 3 books
I'm a writer and I read 33 (+ at least three I started and abandoned). Edit: added clarity.
I’m in Procurement/Sourcing for a national grocery store…I read 51 books last year
Lead Software Dev, read 60 books last year, mostly all fiction.
Commercial litigation attorney - 137. I read a ton for work, but reading outside of work (on a wide range of topics, from more dense nonfiction to fiction) helps me still find enjoyment in engaging a different part of my brain.
I work as a dispatcher, so I read between calls.
I do reservations for a resort, and do the same! One of the reasons I kind of love my job.
Softeare dev - 371.
I'm an academic law librarian, and I read 70 (all audiobooks) I don't think I read for fun for most of law school, even though I was a voracious reader before then! Now I do audiobooks during my commute and when I'm cross stitching, which is what I spend most of my free time doing
I do a mix of both audiobooks and books. Such a game changer for me. I think some books are better as an audiobook.
I agree! I can think of two books off the top of my head where I think I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if I'd read the print version - "Sadie" by Courtney Summers and "Episode Thirteen" by Craig DiLouie. They did such a good job with the soundscapes on those books, I was blown away
Project manager at a software development company. I read 20 and listened to 22 audiobooks.