How can you read so much?

I am often asked the question, “How can you read so much?” or “How do you have so much time read?” I often puzzle wondering, how can I not read so much?

I admit there are times when I read more than usual. This year I’m reading a lot as I nurse my newborn daughter, but won’t have quite as much time to read when I’m done with nursing. When I lived in Milwaukee, I took the “Freeway Flyer” bus to work and had a solid 45-minutes to read twice a day on my way and from work. It was so much better than fighting traffic.

I think overall though is that there is always time for me to read because I make it that way. I have read before I go to bed every night since I was about eight years old. When other people watch TV to relax, I pop open a book and read. When the kids want to watch “Bob the Builder,” I sit with them, but am reading my book instead. When I have to sit in a waiting room for any reason, I always have a book with me to read. When I’m in my car for a trip alone (which only seems to happen for work related reason these days), I listen to an audiobook. When the kids are with me, we listen to kid audiobooks. When I’m doing the dishes I listen to an audiobook. Wherever I go, I have a book with me. Even if it is for a minute, I’ll open it up and read it.

I’m good at being able to open a book and only read a bit and put it down. My husband is not, once he starts reading, he can’t stop. This is a problem. I do sometimes run into this at night when I’m really into a book and spend half the night reading it instead of sleeping.

I think I also must be a fast reader compared to most. I have no basis for this besides great reading comprehension test scores in my youth and the fact that I seem to be able to read a lot of books throughout a year. I have noticed other readers/bloggers online that put me to shame though on how many books they are able to read!

Are you ever asked the question “how can you read so many books?” What is your answer?