Does Page Count Affect Your Decision To Read A Book Or Not?

hazelk · Post by **hazelk** » 19 Apr 2013, 17:35

lady_charlie wrote:
MandiKenendy wrote:It all depends on my mood. Sometimes, if I want to read a book in an evening then I pick a reasonably short one so I can get it done. I don't think it effects the quality of a book. Sometimes you read a short book and wish it was longer and sometimes a long book drags on.

Yes!
I think you said that better than anyone.

Yes yes yes, I like to read a slimish novel, anything over 250 pages I stay clear, I have comited myself now and then and I am very pleased when the novel has finished. Most are too long at any rate,I also find the longer novels are to weighty for this senior reader.

HannahPenvensie · Post by **HannahPenvensie** » 19 Apr 2013, 19:06

I'm always drawn to really thick books, especially hardcover editions. I'm not sure why. Maybe subconsciously I think that the bigger the book, the more bang for my buck.I know realistically that this isn't the case though, as the size of a book can't generally be attributed to its quality.

amandacole · Post by **amandacole** » 20 Apr 2013, 00:07

I don't think I've ever considered the length of a book being a factor as to whether I wanted to read it. But I also like short stories, the only thing I don't like about them is once you actually start getting into the story it's usually over.

Phoenix98 · Post by **Phoenix98** » 20 Apr 2013, 00:39

For what it's worth, EAPoe said the ideal length of a poem is 100 lines. (The Raven was 108.) He based that upon subject development. In that light, there may be an ideal page count for prose as well.

When I think about it, it seems that most characters and story lines are not well developed until a book reaches about 175 pp.

booklvr62 · Post by **booklvr62** » 20 Apr 2013, 05:20

Well it seems that I am pretty much all alone in my determination to avoid books of less than 288 pgs.LOL!

I have read some good ones that were shorter but,I was always left feeling that there was not enough to it,so that is why I will no longer even bother with them.

I would never go to a restaurant with the intention of leaving after just having an apetizer,and I feel the same about my books.I want to feel closure[unless it's first in a series] and fulfilled after finishing the book, not like I didn't satisfy my hunger or get my money's worth at all!

Yes, of course there are novels of 300-400 pages that are not good books,but the same can be said of short stories,as well.

I am 62 years old and have been an avid reader since childhood,and I have just found in my experience to be much more satisfied with books with that 288 page minimum.

HannaTheTroll · Post by **HannaTheTroll** » 20 Apr 2013, 08:51

I don't think it does for me most of the time. But I do get suspicious if some books look a little to short on the page count.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » 20 Apr 2013, 08:54

@booklvr62
Everyone to their own ... I've often gone to a restaurant & just had an appetizer & a coffee or maybe just a dessert & a coffee. A well written short story is great for a coffee break read or a short bus ride and an 800 or 900 page novel is the real McCoy for a long flight or a few days at the beach. Totally different genre but in both cases it is the skill & talent of the author that defines their success.
For me time, circumstance & mood dectate my choice.

MandiKenendy · Post by **MandiKenendy** » 20 Apr 2013, 16:23

I am 62 years old and have been an avid reader since childhood,and I have just found in my experience to be much more satisfied with books with that 288 page minimum.[/color][/b][/quote]

Just curious, any reason why 288 and not 300? : )

booklvr62 · Post by **booklvr62** » 20 Apr 2013, 17:10

MandiKenendy wrote:I am 62 years old and have been an avid reader since childhood,and I have just found in my experience to be much more satisfied with books with that 288 page minimum.[/color][/b]

Just curious, any reason why 288 and not 300? : )[/quote]

I would have to say that for some odd reason it just so happens that I have read many books including one long 13 book series where each book had that number of pages,and I was pleasantly suprised how that number was perfectly adequate,so that is when[back in late 2008] I set that number as my minimum page count.

latesummer · Post by **latesummer** » 20 Apr 2013, 17:31

Page count sometimes affects my decision, but it's usually only if I know I'm going to be really short on time. In those cases, I tend to opt for shorter books (i.e. 300 pages or less). What really tends to affect my reading decision aside from plot is the size of the print. If the book doesn't have an absolutely amazing sounding storyline, but has 600 pages or more and very tiny print, I tend to skip over it.

sorgb · Post by **sorgb** » 20 Apr 2013, 20:43

I think if it's a good book the number of pages really doesn't matter. If its worth the read ,the pages will fly by if it keeps your interest. I think book genre is more important in selection when reading. If the book is too short then most times it misses character development and if too long it can sometimes be to repetitive. So a lot of other things should be considered instead of axing a book just because it to long, you could be really missing out on a great book that way.

Phoenix98 · Post by **Phoenix98** » 20 Apr 2013, 22:51

booklvr62 wrote:Well it seems that I am pretty much all alone in my determination to avoid books of less than 288 pgs.LOL!....I am 62 years old and have been an avid reader since childhood,and I have just found in my experience to be much more satisfied with books with that 288 page minimum.

Not to despair. I currently have four books in the hopper. Page counts are 290,301, 375, and 379. I think I've already indicated that it takes over a hundred pages just to develop characters well. Thereafter, an author is able to move toward conclusion.

It does seem there is a tendency toward shorter books. I had a grad professor who used to mock this tendency by talking about "large print, wide spaces, lots of pictures".

Age is a factor I believe, as you intimate. (I'm 60.) Until the nineties, acquisition of information was a chore. It required a drive to the library, opening the card catalogue with notepad in hand, looking up and writing down endless reference data, walking into the stacks, pulling the books, searching indexes and tables of contents---just to determine which was the right book(s) to check out. Today, information is fingertip. As a for instance: today I wanted to know how many Olympic torches were produced for the 1984 games. With Google's help, I had that answer on my I-pad within five minutes, along with the detailed history of all the torches produced for each Olympics since 1928. Additionally, I had videos to go with the information.

Unfortunately, booklvr62, there is some uncertain, nebulous date in time, after which those born have a tendency toward the craving for instant satisfaction. Cars have to go faster and books have to be shorter. I am grateful that there are many on this board who are not so afflicted--they could be, but choose other.

nicoze256 · Post by **nicoze256** » 21 Apr 2013, 14:40

I try not to let that bother me. If a story is good, it's good. I don't care if it's just ten pages, I'll read it. On the other hand, I'll read a book with 800 pages, if I know it's good. I don't want to waste my time on anything dictionary-sized.

page_one · Post by **page_one** » 21 Apr 2013, 16:10

Absolutely positively! Page count is one of the first things I look at if the book is otherwise something I think I'll like.

That having been said, my nose is really out of joint at how the physical appearance of books has changed. The publishers are making them smaller width-wise, so a book that appears to have a certain number of pages is, in my world, sadly shortened. To me, reading is just the last step in enjoying a book - I have to smell it while riffling through (come on, admit you do that too) and scan how it's layed out. Short paragraphs are a red flag to me; somehow I feel that the author is being too sensational. (One time I even read a novel that used two exclamation points on the same sentence!!)

One of the rules of writing and reading is that when you become aware of the author instead of the story, it's not well-written.

Carrie R · Post by **Carrie R** » 21 Apr 2013, 18:06

booklvr62 wrote:Well it seems that I am pretty much all alone in my determination to avoid books of less than 288 pgs.

Actually, I'm with you on this one. I don't read short stories, and I don't tend to read 'thin' books. I've really never thought about it before, but this thread has brought it to my attention. So I guess I am a skinny-book discriminator. Yikes.