You want to read more but the evenings keep vanishing. Learning how to read more books is mostly about small, repeatable habits: always have a book within reach, pick titles you want to finish, and protect a regular slot.
This guide is one of our reading lists companions, written for readers who want a realistic plan rather than a heroic one.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| US adults who read a book in the past 12 months (2021 survey) | 75% |
| Typical (median) books read in 12 months | 5 books |
| Average (mean) books read in 12 months | roughly 14 books |
| Share reading e-books, 2019 to 2021 | 25% to 30% |
| US adults reading one to five books in the past year (October 2025) | 38% |
Figures come from Pew Research Center’s report on e-books and its later update. Survey numbers can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
What does a “normal” amount of reading look like?
Before setting a target, it helps to know where you stand. In Pew’s 2021 survey, Americans read an average (mean) of roughly 14 books over the previous 12 months, but the typical (median) American read five.
The gap exists because a small group of very heavy readers pulls the average up. So if you finish a handful of books a year, you are right in the middle of the pack, not failing.
A later Pew survey, published in April 2026 from an October 2025 poll, found little change in the overall share of Americans who read books since 2021. As of that October 2025 survey, 38% of US adults said they read one to five books in the past year, 13% read six to 10, 10% read 11 to 20 and 14% read more than 20.
Another 25% read none. The useful lesson is that moving from a few books a year to a dozen puts you in a small and very happy minority, and it does not require a dramatic life change.
Numbers like these are a mirror, not a scoreboard. Compare yourself with your own last year rather than with the heaviest readers you know.
How to read more books by setting a goal you can keep
A goal works when it is specific and small enough to survive a bad week. “Read more” is vague; “read before sleep on weeknights” is a plan.
Think in habits, not totals. A yearly number is a result, while a daily routine is something you can control. For more on building routines, see our guide to reading habits.
- Pick a fixed trigger, such as the morning coffee or the commute.
- Start with a short session you would be embarrassed to skip.
- Track it on a calendar or in a notebook, not just in an app.
- Raise the target only after a few steady weeks.
Be honest about your energy, too. A person who is exhausted at night may read far more over a year by using a lunch break or an early morning, because the same minutes feel easier at a different time of day.
Experiment for a couple of weeks, notice which slot you actually look forward to, and then defend it the way you would defend any appointment.
Make books easy to reach
Friction is the quiet enemy. If your book is on a shelf in another room and your phone is in your hand, the phone wins most nights.
Keep a book in every place you wait: the bag, the bedside table, the kitchen counter. Put the phone to charge across the room so the book is the nearest object.
Choose books you want to finish
Most stalled readers are not short of time; they are stuck in a book they feel obliged to read. Give yourself permission to quit when a title is not working.
A sensible rule is to give a book a fair opening stretch, then move on without guilt. Reading something you enjoy builds momentum far better than grinding through a worthy title.
- Alternate heavy and light books so one dense read does not stall the year.
- Try shorter books, novellas and essay collections when your energy is low.
- Keep a short list of next reads so you never stand paralysed between books.
- Ask staff at an independent bookshop what they are enjoying; a personal pick is often a good one.
Use every format that suits your day
Print is still the most common format, but it is not the only way to read. Pew found e-book reading rose from 25% in 2019 to 30% in 2021, and its later survey noted that print remains the only format used by a majority of Americans.
Audiobooks turn chores, walks and commutes into reading time, and an e-reader fits a pocket. Mixing formats lets you read in moments that print cannot reach, and many readers find listening counts as reading for their purposes.
Plan for the weeks that go wrong
Every reader has slumps: a busy month, a bad book, a stretch of screens. The aim is not to avoid them but to make the return easy.
When you fall off, do not try to catch up. Simply open the nearest book at the next trigger moment and read a few pages, as if nothing happened.
- Keep one short, gripping book as your slump-breaker.
- Re-read a favourite chapter if a new book feels like too much effort.
- Visit a local library or independent bookshop to browse; physical shelves often restart curiosity.
- Forgive missed days and measure by the month, not the day.
Over a year, steady and forgiving beats intense and brittle. Readers who bounce back quickly end up finishing more than those who aim high and quit.
Add other people to the habit
Company creates deadlines and conversation, both of which keep pages turning. Swapping recommendations with a friend costs nothing and often surfaces books you would not have picked.
If you want something more structured, our guide on how to start a book club walks through the basics. Pew’s 2026 analysis noted that few Americans are in book clubs, so a small group of friends can be a refreshingly rare thing.
Frequently asked questions
How many books should I aim to read in a year?
Show answer
There is no correct number. In Pew’s 2021 survey the typical American read five books in the previous 12 months, so beating that is a perfectly good goal.
Do audiobooks and e-books count as reading?
Show answer
Yes for most readers. Pew’s survey counted books in any format, whether read completely or part way through, so counting audio and e-books is consistent with how researchers measure it.
What if I keep losing interest in my book?
Show answer
Stop and switch. A book you abandon costs you little, while forcing yourself through it can make you avoid reading altogether.
How do I find time to read?
Show answer
Attach reading to something you already do daily, keep a book where you wait, and put the phone out of reach. Small, regular sessions add up more reliably than rare long ones.
