I remember many years ago, one girl who was on the academic team with me asking me how I knew all the stuff that I did.

I said, “I read more than anyone you’ve ever met. I read two books today already.* Will probably read a couple more when I get home. I just read a lot.”

At that time, like Ian Welsh, I’d sometimes finish three or four books a day. I often was reading 10-15 books at a time. I could do this because I used my own and my sister’s library card to check out that many books, and sometimes my mom’s card, too. That’s how by the time I was 12 I’d read well over 3,000 books, and nearly every book in the library that I had access to. Seriously, there were entire 20-foot long shelves that I’d read literally every single book on it.

I don’t read at that pace anymore, or rather, I don’t read full books as much. More articles, scientific papers, and the like these days. Since the internet is getting worse, though, I find myself returning more to books. I doubt I will ever exceed the frantic pace of my youth, however, as the books I read then were mostly easier and I think more deeply now when I read. Also, I suspect I actually was smarter in many important ways then and I just could not read like that now.

*This is when I used to read books in class rather than paying attention or doing schoolwork. Could usually knock out a few books a day just in school. Sometimes, I would not even bring schoolbooks to school so I could fit more books I actually wanted to read in my bookbag.