I Analyzed My Goodreads Data After Reading 19,000 Pages — Here’s What I Learned About Endurance and Attention | by Nicole Rothenay | The Startup | Jul, 2025
Turns out, the biggest lessons weren’t in the books — they were in the habits that got me to the end.
Since November 2023, I have finished 68 books — a total of 19,308 pages. I don’t know if that sounds like a lot to you, but for someone who swears she can read 100 books in a year, I’m definitely still in training.
Naturally, I decided to do the only thing a recovering academic and data nerd can do: export my Goodreads data and analyze it for trends. I expected to uncover my favorite genres, average ratings, or maybe ideal pacing. What I actually found went deeper than book stats: I found a story about bounce-back months, how unfinished chapters can shape our progress, and why enjoyment isn’t enough to build strong habits.
Line graph created by author using Goodreads data and Excel.
I assumed my reading habits followed a mostly upward, steady line. Turns out, they look more like a heartbeat monitor.
