Quick Reads
Books under 1 hour, like 'Hello, soldier!' at 82 minutes, fit into short breaks. The catalog has 22 books in the 'quick' range.
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.
No sign-up required
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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Remaining
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Estimated time left
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Stored locally
Reading history
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How the progress estimate works
The Reading Time tool provides estimates based on the median reading speed of 229 words per minute, derived from the catalog's average. It helps you plan your reading sessions, whether you have a few minutes or a long weekend.
Estimates are approximate; actual reading time may vary depending on your pace and the text's complexity. Use the tool to gauge whether a book is a quick read or a longer commitment.
Steady Reads
Medium-length works around 2-4 hours, such as 'Sea Warfare' at 159 minutes. The 'steady' category includes 20 books.
Marathon Reads
For those who like long immersions, 29 books are 'marathon' length. 'China under the Empress Dowager' is over 13 hours.
Making Steady Progress with the Reading Tracker
The Reading Tracker is a simple tool for anyone who wants to finish a book without losing track of where they are. It records progress in pages, with a current page, total pages, and a daily page goal. The interface shows your estimated remaining time and finish date, and it stores your history in the browser, so no account is needed.
Because the tracker works in pages, it is best used with a specific edition in mind. The catalog provides word counts, but not every book has a fixed page count. When that is the case, the tracker estimates total pages by dividing the word count by 250 words per page. You can then replace that estimate with the total from your own reading app or physical copy.
Start with a Realistic Daily Goal
The default daily goal is 20 pages. For a book like Yorktown: Climax of the Revolution — Edition Insights (id 295), which has 13,556 words, the estimated page count is about 55 pages (13,556 / 250 ≈ 54.2). At 20 pages a day, you would finish in roughly 3 days (ceil(55/20) = 3). That is a manageable commitment for a weekend or a few evenings.
If you prefer a slower pace, you can lower the goal to 10 pages a day, which would extend the same book to about 6 days. The tracker recalculates your estimated finish date accordingly, so you can see the trade-off between daily effort and total duration. The goal is not a test—it is a planning tool.
Update Your Progress Regularly
As you read, you update the current page number. The tracker then shows how many pages remain and recalculates the estimated remaining time and finish date. This is straightforward, but it works best if you update after each reading session. A quick entry takes seconds and gives you a clear sense of momentum.
You are not limited to the catalog's page estimate. If your edition has different pagination, you can change the total pages to match. This is especially useful for books that have multiple volumes or unusual formatting. The tracker's estimate is a starting point, not a constraint.
The tracker does not record time spent reading or sections completed—only pages. That keeps the tool simple and focused. If you want to track minutes or chapters, you would need a different system. But for page-based progress, this tracker gives you everything you need: current page, total, daily goal, and a projection for when you will finish.
Use the Tracker with Any Book in the Catalog
The tracker is not tied to a specific title, so you can use it for any of the 99 books in the library. For a long work like The French Revolution: A History (id 216) at 314,674 words, the estimated page count is about 1,259 pages (314,674 / 250). At 20 pages a day, that is 63 days—a true marathon. Seeing that number in advance can help you decide whether to commit or to choose a shorter book.
For a shorter title like Our Caughnawagas in Egypt (id 259) at 12,793 words, the estimate is about 52 pages, which at 20 pages a day takes just 3 days. The tracker makes these differences concrete. It also encourages a sustainable habit: by setting a daily goal that fits your schedule, you can work through even the longest books without feeling overwhelmed.