With my review last week of Brian’s Return by Gary Paulsen (1999), I’ve reached yet another milestone on this blog: 1,200 book reviews! I’ve been at this for 15 years now, and I’d like to put that number in perspective.
According to WordsRated.com, “Americans read 12.6 books per year“—but get this, they only finish reading 5.4 books per year! That means that Americans finish less than half the books they pick up, and they only pick up one book a month! Do those numbers shock anyone else, or is it just me?
At the American rate, it would have taken me 95 years to read these 1,200 books—or 223 years at the rate Americans are finishing their books.
Sure, I might be an outlier, but these numbers are a little depressing. America needs to do better. Books like The Read-Aloud Handbook and even Battle for the American Mind can help parents make the turn, for their own household first and then for the nation.
Simple Stats for This Blog
I enjoy tracking the kinds for books I read, so here’s a quick breakdown of what you’ll find on my blog:
Nonfiction – 565 or 47%
- Christian – 347
- “Secular” – 202
- Children – 16
Fiction – 635 or 53%
- Christian – 66
- “Secular” – 330
- Children – 239
So What’s Left to Read?
I recall reading somewhere that a person can hope to read about 10,000 books in his lifetime—of course, if that person were an average American, he’d also live to be 1,859 years old, so…perks!
Missed Books
I haven’t reviewed every book I’ve ever read—namely those I read before 2010. In fact, I have a huge list of “missed books” in my files that need a re-read, incredible books like Through Gates of Splendor and The Perfect Storm.
Publication Years
I’ve also had a goal to read at least one book that’s been published in each year since 1900. Remaining on my list are books published in the following seven years: 1901, 1914, 1916, 1924, 1925, 1928, and 1930. If you’ve got a favorite I should look up, comment below.
Next in Line
I also long to continue reading series I’ve started—like James Bond for myself or The 39 Clues with my kids—or to keep reading specific authors, like K.J. Parker, Robert Van Gulik, and David Grann.
Conclusion
My many travels often prevent me from writing reviews consistently, but I never stop reading. What I post is what I read, an eclectic hodgepodge, as the chart above indicates.
Incidentally, I also write the occasion article on this blog—and this post is my 50th!
If you like what you see, I invite you to SUBSCRIBE and follow. If you know of others who’d enjoy my reviews, always feel free to share.
Until the next 100—or 1200—keep reading!
©2025 E.T.
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