Anonymous
Post 10/09/2025 14:10     Subject: What’s your cut off for counting a book as “read”?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This whole idea of what "counts" and doesn't count is interesting. I guess people keep track of their read books for different reasons. The principal reason I keep a list is because it is crucial information for my future reading. If I love a book, I make a note to look up more by the same author, or to find similar books. If I didn't finish, I mark DNF to make sure I stay away. And most importantly, I want to avoid accidentally picking up a book for a second time years later and thinking I am so clever and so prescient until I realize that I have already read the book before. Anyway this doesn't feel like an ethical dilemma to me, just a practical one.

As for audiobooks, I really don't understand the sense of superiority some people attach to the written word. Sure, the experience of listening to a book is different from decoding words on a page. For example, an audiobook is slower for me, so I like them for literary fiction or a dense narrative - I like how I process when listening. My natural reading rhythm is much faster so I definitely read if I pick up a fun detective title. Anyway, my point is that we all engage with stories differently and focusing on this one is a little arbitrary. Our experiences might also be different because you read more than I do or because I have a PhD in literature or because a genre is new to me. Anyway, reading or listening or using braille -- they all count.


Yeah, the people who are furious that anyone would count a DNF book must be keeping track for some other reason. If a friend asks "have you read X" about a book that I've read 50% of and then decided to quit, I'm not going to say no. That strikes me as bizarre at best, and a lie at worst. But I'm not trying to earn any "Best Reader" badge, I'm just trying to keep track of my reading history. Which includes books that I've intentionally decided to stop reading!

Also, LOL to the italicized. I have absolutely done that.


It's bizarre to me that you can't answer, "I read part of it, and decided not to finish" or "I lost interest." It's a lie to say you read something that you don't even know the climax or the ending. Admitting that you didn't finish, or that you skimmed opens up the conversation for more discussion.
Anonymous
Post 10/09/2025 14:02     Subject: What’s your cut off for counting a book as “read”?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:An audiobook is "read" as you have consumed all of the content. No one cares if its with your eye or ears.



I care. I will die on the hill that reading a book is not the same activity as listening to a book while you do chores around the house or whatever other multi-tasking you're taking care of.

If the listener has a visual impairment I will relax my viewpoint. Otherwise, you cannot convince me the brain is engaging in similar activities no matter how hard you try.


I don't care enough to die on a hill for it, but I mostly agree. I walk my dog about 3 hours/day and primarily listen to books throughout. I don't keep track, but I probably listen to 100 books/year. I used to actually read about 50/year.

The narrator makes so many choices that build character and setting that I would otherwise do on my own. It's absolutely a less-personal experience and often a more distracted one as it's easy to lose focus and proceed, which I would struggle with if actually reading. I still consider the books "read" as I've consumed their content, but it's a lesser experience.
Anonymous
Post 10/09/2025 12:19     Subject: Re:What’s your cut off for counting a book as “read”?
100% completion.

I do listen to audiobooks sometimes. But I only count them if I finish them.

Anonymous
Post 10/09/2025 12:01     Subject: What’s your cut off for counting a book as “read”?
Only if I persevere to the very end. I may skim read repetitive paragraphs but never full pages.
Anonymous
Post 10/08/2025 20:42     Subject: What’s your cut off for counting a book as “read”?
I have a shelf on Goodreads called "Abandoned" I mark the book as read, but shelve it there.
Anonymous
Post 10/08/2025 16:28     Subject: What’s your cut off for counting a book as “read”?
Anonymous wrote:This whole idea of what "counts" and doesn't count is interesting. I guess people keep track of their read books for different reasons. The principal reason I keep a list is because it is crucial information for my future reading. If I love a book, I make a note to look up more by the same author, or to find similar books. If I didn't finish, I mark DNF to make sure I stay away. And most importantly, I want to avoid accidentally picking up a book for a second time years later and thinking I am so clever and so prescient until I realize that I have already read the book before. Anyway this doesn't feel like an ethical dilemma to me, just a practical one.

As for audiobooks, I really don't understand the sense of superiority some people attach to the written word. Sure, the experience of listening to a book is different from decoding words on a page. For example, an audiobook is slower for me, so I like them for literary fiction or a dense narrative - I like how I process when listening. My natural reading rhythm is much faster so I definitely read if I pick up a fun detective title. Anyway, my point is that we all engage with stories differently and focusing on this one is a little arbitrary. Our experiences might also be different because you read more than I do or because I have a PhD in literature or because a genre is new to me. Anyway, reading or listening or using braille -- they all count.


Yeah, the people who are furious that anyone would count a DNF book must be keeping track for some other reason. If a friend asks "have you read X" about a book that I've read 50% of and then decided to quit, I'm not going to say no. That strikes me as bizarre at best, and a lie at worst. But I'm not trying to earn any "Best Reader" badge, I'm just trying to keep track of my reading history. Which includes books that I've intentionally decided to stop reading!

Also, LOL to the italicized. I have absolutely done that.
Anonymous
Post 10/01/2025 17:23     Subject: Re:What’s your cut off for counting a book as “read”?
I wish Goodreads let you mark DNF for some of the same reasons that an OP mentioned.
Anonymous
Post 10/01/2025 16:42     Subject: What’s your cut off for counting a book as “read”?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:An audiobook is "read" as you have consumed all of the content. No one cares if its with your eye or ears.



I care. I will die on the hill that reading a book is not the same activity as listening to a book while you do chores around the house or whatever other multi-tasking you're taking care of.

If the listener has a visual impairment I will relax my viewpoint. Otherwise, you cannot convince me the brain is engaging in similar activities no matter how hard you try.

What an odd hangup.
Anonymous
Post 10/01/2025 16:41     Subject: What’s your cut off for counting a book as “read”?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:skimming isn't reading

I don't rate DNF and I don't mark them as read.

Audiobooks count if you listen to the whole thing


I think it is, it's like watching a movie while sitting on your phone. I still watched it, I think.

I don't consider listening to audiobooks as "reading a book".

I powered through a VERY popular book, once I was 100 pages in, I thought it would get better. I kept telling myself it would get better. It was so long. It didn't get better. I stopped at 80% and still considered it read, I mean I read like 400/600 pages.


You read part of the book, you did not finish the book.


And who is going to stop me from saying I read it? Just like you claim you read books when you listen to them. We're both lying to ourselves.
Anonymous
Post 09/30/2025 11:31     Subject: What’s your cut off for counting a book as “read”?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:skimming isn't reading

I don't rate DNF and I don't mark them as read.

Audiobooks count if you listen to the whole thing


I think it is, it's like watching a movie while sitting on your phone. I still watched it, I think.

I don't consider listening to audiobooks as "reading a book".

I powered through a VERY popular book, once I was 100 pages in, I thought it would get better. I kept telling myself it would get better. It was so long. It didn't get better. I stopped at 80% and still considered it read, I mean I read like 400/600 pages.


You read part of the book, you did not finish the book.
Anonymous
Post 09/30/2025 11:10     Subject: What’s your cut off for counting a book as “read”?

PP here - Meant to say I don’t get the hate for audiobooks or superiority around physical books.

Anonymous wrote:For me, I count it as “Read” if I read the book till the end. Not just skimmed.

Audiobooks are equal, first class citizens in my world and I will die on that hill. Others can F off.

I will say that I “react” differently to books vs audiobooks. When I read words with my eyes certain words may catch/move me. However there has been many cases where I would have not read or DNFed a book but for the audiobook that truly elevated the experience.

I don’t get the hate or superiority for audiobooks.