Reading Time Estimates
Based on word count, each book shows an estimated reading time. Quick reads are under 2 hours; marathons exceed 6. The median is 310 minutes.
Reading Tracker
Choose a book, record where you are, and set a daily goal. Your progress is stored in localStorage in this browser; it is not uploaded to a user account.
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Stored in your browser
Estimated time remaining
Choose a book
If the EPUB has no fixed print pagination, the tool starts with an estimated page count and lets you replace it with the page total shown by your own reader.
Reading progress
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Stored locally
Reading history
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How the progress estimate works
The Reading tool gives honest estimates of how long a book will take to read, based on its word count and an average reading speed. The median book in this archive is about 71,000 words, which takes roughly 310 minutes. Use the tool to plan your reading sessions.
It also shows the structure of each book: the number of text sections and the average sentence length. This gives you a sense of the book's layout and prose style before you start, so you can choose something that matches your reading habits.
Text Sections
The number of sections indicates how the book is divided. Some works have 3 sections, others 25, affecting how you might break up your reading.
Sentence Length
Average sentence length offers a clue to readability. For example, William Bray's diary averages 10 words per sentence, while James Boswell's prose averages 27.
Turning a Page Count into a Plan
The Reading Tracker records progress in pages, not in sections or minutes. You enter your current page, the total pages, and a daily page goal, and the tracker calculates how many days remain. The default goal is 20 pages per day, which works for many books but can be adjusted to match your actual pace. Because progress is stored only in your browser, the tracker is a private tool for your own planning.
For books without a fixed page count in the catalog, the tracker estimates the total using a standard of 250 words per page. That estimate is a starting point, not a binding number. If your edition shows a different total, you can replace the estimate with the actual page count from your reading app or printed book. The estimated remaining time scales proportionally with the total, so the plan stays accurate even when you switch editions.
Setting a Realistic Daily Goal
The default goal of 20 pages per day is a moderate pace. For a book like Apologia pro vita sua — Key Ideas to Explore (id 264), which has about 140,000 words, the estimated page count is roughly 563 pages (140,832 divided by 250). At 20 pages a day, that would take about 29 days. If you have more time, you might set a goal of 30 pages and finish in about 19 days. If your days are crowded, 10 pages a day would stretch the book to 57 days.
The tracker's estimated finish days are calculated as the ceiling of remaining pages divided by your daily goal. That means if you have 100 pages left and a goal of 20, it shows 5 days. If you have 101 pages left, it shows 6 days. The ceiling ensures the estimate does not understate the time required. You can adjust the goal as your schedule changes, and the tracker will recalculate immediately.
Using the Page Estimate as a Guide
For a title like Apologia pro vita sua, the estimated page count of 563 pages is based on the 250-word standard. If you are reading a print edition with different pagination, you can enter the actual total. Suppose your edition has 600 pages. The tracker will use that number for the remaining time calculation, so the plan reflects your real book. The estimated minutes, which for this title are about 613, are also used to estimate remaining time proportionally: estimated_minutes × remaining_pages / total_pages.
The tracker does not record sections or minutes as progress, so you should update it after finishing a reading session by entering the page you have reached. This keeps the daily goal honest. If you read 25 pages one day and 15 the next, the average still matters, but the tracker only cares about the current page. The simplicity is deliberate: a page count is the most direct measure of progress in a book, and it works across editions and formats.
Planning for a Long or Short Read
The tracker is useful for any length, but it shines with long books. Apologia pro vita sua is a marathon at over 140,000 words, and a 20-page daily goal turns it into a month-long project. That may be exactly what you want, but it is better to know before you start. For a shorter title like James Cutbush (id 270) at about 15,000 words, the estimated page count is 61 pages, which at 20 pages a day takes just over 3 days.
The tracker also handles the middle ground. A book like Claverhouse (id 260) at 68,000 words has an estimated 273 pages. At 20 pages a day, that is 14 days. If you want to finish it in a week, you can set a goal of 40 pages a day. The tool does not judge your pace; it simply shows the consequences of your choice. That clarity is what makes the tracker a practical companion for the archive.
Storing Progress Privately
Progress is saved in your browser's localStorage, so it persists across sessions on the same device. No account is required, and no data is sent to a server. This means you can close the page and return later to see your current page and your projected finish date. The privacy is a feature: you do not need to share your reading habits with anyone.
If you switch browsers or devices, the progress will not carry over. You can note your current page and re-enter it in the tracker on the new device. The tracker's calculations are simple enough that you can also replicate them by hand: remaining pages divided by your daily goal, rounded up. But the tracker saves you the arithmetic and keeps a running record of where you are.