Is Reading 100 Books a Year a Lot? What It Really Takes and Who Does It

Reading 100 books a year sounds like something only superhumans or retired librarians can pull off. But is it really that extreme? Or are people already doing it without making a big deal out of it?

Let’s cut through the noise. If you read one book every 3.6 days, you hit 100 books in a year. That’s less than one book every four days. Sounds doable? Maybe. But here’s the real question: what kind of books are you reading? And how much time do you actually have?

What does reading 100 books a year actually look like?

It’s not about speed-reading every page. It’s about consistency. People who hit 100 books a year aren’t reading 300-page academic texts nonstop. They’re mixing it up. Short memoirs. Quick business guides. Novellas. Thrillers that hook you in one sitting. Picture this: you finish a 150-page book on your commute, another 200-page novel before bed, and a 120-page self-help book during lunch breaks. That’s 470 pages in three days. Over a year, that adds up.

According to a 2024 survey by the UK Reading Association, the average adult reads about 12 books a year. That’s one every month. The top 10%-the real book devourers-read 50 or more. And within that top 10%, a solid chunk hits 100. They’re not geniuses. They’re just better at fitting reading into cracks in their day.

It’s not about quantity-it’s about habits

People who read 100 books a year don’t wait for "free time." They build reading into routines. They read while waiting for coffee. They read during commercial breaks. They read instead of scrolling TikTok for 20 minutes. One woman in Bristol told me she reads 10 pages every morning before her kid wakes up. Ten pages. That’s 3,650 pages a year. That’s about 15 to 20 books, just from those 10-minute chunks.

It’s not about reading faster. It’s about reading more often. A 300-page book takes about 6 hours to read at an average pace. If you spend 15 minutes a day reading, that’s 91 hours a year. Enough for 15 books. Double that to 30 minutes, and you’re at 30 books. Add weekend reading, and you’re halfway to 100.

There’s no magic formula. Just repetition. You don’t need to read like a machine. You just need to show up.

What kind of books do 100-book readers pick?

Not every book is the same. If you’re trying to read 100 books a year, you can’t spend 10 days on a 600-page historical epic every time. You need variety.

Here’s what works:

• Short nonfiction (150-250 pages): Books like Atomic Habits, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, or Deep Work. Easy to finish in a few sittings.
• Novellas and short novels: Think Of Mice and Men, The Old Man and the Sea, or Station Eleven. Often under 200 pages.
• Fast-paced fiction: Thrillers, mysteries, and YA novels. Books like The Girl on the Train or Project Hail Mary are page-turners.
• Audiobooks: 50% of top readers use them. You can listen while walking, driving, or doing chores. A 10-hour audiobook is 10 hours of reading time-no extra effort needed.
• Nonlinear reading: Juggling 3-5 books at once. Switch between genres to avoid burnout.

One reader I spoke to reads a heavy history book on weekends, a thriller on the train, and a poetry collection in bed. He doesn’t force himself to finish one before starting another. That’s the secret: flexibility.

Who actually reads 100 books a year?

It’s not just writers, teachers, or librarians. It’s nurses on night shifts. Parents with toddlers. Remote workers with flexible hours. People who treat reading like brushing their teeth-non-negotiable.

Take Sarah, a nurse in Manchester. She works 12-hour shifts three times a week. On her days off, she reads. On her shifts, she listens to audiobooks during quiet moments. Last year, she read 117 books. Half were audiobooks. She didn’t have more time than you. She just used hers differently.

Or David, a software developer in Leeds. He reads 30 minutes before bed, 15 minutes during lunch, and 20 minutes on his commute. That’s 65 minutes a day. He reads mostly sci-fi and tech memoirs. He finished 98 books last year. Missed two because he was on vacation.

These aren’t outliers. They’re ordinary people with ordinary schedules. They just made reading a priority-not a hobby.

Is it worth it? The real benefits

Some people chase 100 books to brag. But the real payoff isn’t the number. It’s what happens when you read that much.

• Better focus: Your brain gets used to deep attention. You stop needing constant stimulation.
• Bigger vocabulary: You absorb words naturally. Not through flashcards-through context.
• More empathy: Reading fiction, especially, helps you understand different perspectives. A 2023 study from the University of Cambridge found that people who read fiction regularly scored 23% higher on empathy tests.
• Less anxiety: Reading for just six minutes cuts stress by 68%, according to the University of Sussex. Reading 100 books a year means you’re doing that 100 times over.
• More ideas: You start connecting dots between books. A business book triggers a thought from a novel you read last month. That’s how creativity happens.

It’s not about becoming a walking library. It’s about becoming a more thoughtful, calm, and curious person.

What if you can’t read 100 books?

Here’s the truth: you don’t have to. Reading 100 books a year isn’t a requirement for a good life. It’s just one path.

If you’re reading 20 books a year? That’s more than most. If you’re reading 5? You’re ahead of the average. What matters is that you read books that change you-not just books you finish.

One woman in Bristol told me she reads one book a month. But she rereads it. She takes notes. She talks about it with friends. She remembers every chapter. That’s deeper than reading 100 books and forgetting them all.

Quality beats quantity every time. But if you want to try 100, it’s possible. You just need to stop thinking of it as a challenge and start thinking of it as a rhythm.

How to start if you want to try

If you’re curious, here’s how to test it without burning out:

1. Track your current reading. Use a free app like Goodreads or just a notebook. How many books are you reading now?
2. Add one extra book. Pick something short. 150 pages or less. Read it in a week.
3. Use dead time. Keep a book in your bag. Use audiobooks while cooking or walking.
4. Try a 30-day sprint. Read 5 books in 30 days. That’s one every 6 days. See how it feels.
5. Don’t force it. If you hate a book after 50 pages, put it down. Life’s too short.

You don’t need to hit 100 to benefit. But if you do? You’ll be surprised how much space it opens up in your mind.

Final thought: It’s not about the number

Reading 100 books a year isn’t a competition. It’s not a trophy. It’s just a way some people choose to live-with curiosity as their compass.

Some people read 100 books and remember three. Others read 10 and remember every word. One isn’t better than the other. What matters is whether reading makes you feel more alive.

So ask yourself: do you want to read more? Not because it’s impressive. But because you like it? Then start small. Stay consistent. And let the number take care of itself.