The reading speed conundrum

I’ve been reading a lot lately. Through practice, I’m now at a point where I can finish a 400-page book in 10 days. That theoretically translates to 36 books in a calendar year. Bill Gates reads roughly 50 books per year. So, you see, I’m not too far behind.

But I’m no speed reader. In fact, as per most speed reading websites I am a below-average reader. At 170-200 words per minute, I am substantially short of the average reading speed of 250 WPM. Should I be ashamed of myself? Not in a billion years! I shun the concept of speed reading, especially when applied to books.

Ask a speed reader how much they remember from, say, a Walter Isaacson book that they finished in 2 days. I’ve personally met people unable to recall even the most critical lessons or story points.

So, no, I am not into speed reading nor do I aspire to be. But I do aspire to be consistent with my reading, comprehend more, take lots of notes, and read above my level every now and then.