Quarantine Reading Time Calculator: Plan Your Literary Journey

In the current climate, you are undoubtedly familiar with the global situation and the importance of social distancing. For many, this has translated into a period of quarantine. While this presents challenges, it also offers a unique opportunity: the gift of time. This guide introduces a powerful tool to help you transform that time into a rewarding intellectual adventure.

Maximizing Your Time at Home

Working remotely eliminates daily commutes and meetings, freeing up significant hours in your schedule. The key question becomes how to invest this newfound time productively. Among the most enriching activities is immersing yourself in a great book. Literature offers profound perspectives and worlds that surpass even the best screen-based entertainment. Now is the perfect moment to explore them.

Introducing Your Reading Planning Tool

Our free online calculator is designed to help you strategically plan your reading. It does more than just estimate how many books you can finish during your quarantine; it also provides personalized recommendations. These suggestions are randomly drawn from a curated list of 400 of the greatest books ever written. Let's embark on planning a memorable literary period.

How to Use the Quarantine Books Calculator

The principle is straightforward: input the data you know, and let this scientific calculator determine what you don't. Here are practical examples to guide you.

Estimating Your Total Quarantine Reading

To find out how many books you can read in a given period:

  1. First, specify your available time frame. You can set the unit to days, weeks, or months.
  2. Next, input the daily time you can dedicate to reading, in hours or minutes.
  3. Then, select your reading speed. Choose an estimate or enter a precise number. You can use our dedicated reading speed calculator for an accurate assessment.
  4. The average book length is preset to 300 pages, which you can adjust in the advanced mode.

The result will display at the bottom, showing the total number of books you can complete.

Can You Finish a Specific Book in Time?

Want to know if you can read "Crime and Punishment" in two weeks?

  1. Follow the first three steps outlined above.
  2. Examine the result labeled "During quarantine, you can read X pages."
  3. Compare this number to the page count of your chosen book. For instance, with 2 weeks at home, reading 1.5 hours daily at an average speed, you can cover approximately 630 pages. Since "Crime and Punishment" is about 545 pages, you will successfully finish it.

Calculating Daily Reading Commitment

How much daily time is needed to read an entire series, like The Witcher saga?

  1. Enter your expected quarantine duration, for example, 3 weeks.
  2. Select your reading speed (e.g., "quick").
  3. In the "pages" field, enter the total pages for the series (The Witcher books total 2,018 pages).

The calculator will reveal you need to read for about 1 hour and 36 minutes per day to complete the series. It also shows the required daily page count.

Planning for Ambitious Reading Lists

How long must you stay home to read monumental works like "Ulysses," "War and Peace," and "In Search of Lost Time"?

  1. Input your available daily reading hours (e.g., 5 hours for a dedicated reader).
  2. Choose your reading speed (e.g., 2 pages per minute).
  3. Calculate the total pages: 730 + 960 + 4,215 = 5,905 pages. Enter this sum into the "pages" field. This tool also functions as a basic calculator, so you can input the equation directly: 730 + 960 + 4215.

The result shows you would need just under 10 days to accomplish this goal.

Generate a Personalized Reading List

If you need inspiration, this calculator can generate a custom to-read list for you.

  1. Enter your total available reading time.
  2. Input your personal reading speed—choose a preset or enter your exact pages-per-minute rate.
  3. Select your preferred genre.

At the bottom, you will receive a list of books suitable for your quarantine period, complete with page lengths and estimated reading times. Page counts are based on common editions but may vary.

The book recommendations are sourced from respected "best of all time" lists across various genres, including adventure, classic novels, comedy, dystopia, fantasy, horror, mystery, nonfiction classics, romance, sci-fi, self-development, and thriller.

Curated Book Recommendations

If you prefer a handpicked selection, here are ten exceptional recommendations:

  • "My Family and Other Animals" by . A lighthearted, humorous memoir about the author's childhood adventures with his eccentric family on the Greek island of Corfu. (288 pages)
  • "Empire V" by . A satirical, philosophical novel using vampires as a metaphor to critique modern Russian society and global economics. (416 pages)
  • "Catch-22" by . A classic dark comedy set in WWII, brilliantly exposing the absurdities of war and bureaucracy. (453 pages)
  • "The Last Wish" by . The first book in The Witcher series, featuring gripping short stories about a monster hunter in a rich fantasy world. (288 pages)
  • "Cat's Cradle" by . A postmodern novel filled with sharp black humor and meaningful satire about science, religion, and human folly. (304 pages)
  • "The Perennial Philosophy" by . A comparative study of mystical experiences across world religions, exploring universal spiritual truths. (~354 pages)
  • "On the Road" by . The seminal novel of the Beat Generation, capturing the spirit of freedom, travel, and rebellion in post-war America. (~320 pages)
  • "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by . A groundbreaking exploration of the two systems that drive our thoughts and decisions, revealing common cognitive biases. (499 pages)
  • "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by . A wildly inventive and hilarious sci-fi comedy about the last human's adventures in space. (~200 pages)
  • "The Plague" by . A profound philosophical novel about a town grappling with an epidemic, exploring themes of solidarity, exile, and the human condition. (~320 pages)

Finding Free Digital Books

During times when visiting physical libraries might be challenging, the internet offers excellent resources for free reading material. You can access a vast collection of free e-books from sources like Project Gutenberg, Open Library, Google Books, Manybooks, and BookBub.

For audiobook enthusiasts, free options are available on platforms such as LibriVox, Loyal Books, Open Culture, and Overdrive. These resources make it easy to find your next great read from the comfort and safety of your home.