How long does it take to read Black Beauty?
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell is 59,685 words long. At an average reading speed of 250 words per minute, it takes about 3 hours 59 minutes to read — a normal-length novel.
Reading time at your speed
Reading speed varies more than most people expect — the gap between a slow and a fast reader is more than double. Find your row, or take the reading speed test to get your real number first.
| Reading speed | Words per minute | Time to finish |
|---|---|---|
| Slowcareful reading, or reading in a second language | 150 wpm | 6 hours 38 minutes |
| Below averageunhurried, easily distracted, or a dense text | 200 wpm | 4 hours 58 minutes |
| Averagewhat most adults read at | 250 wpm | 3 hours 59 minutes |
| Fasta confident, practised reader | 325 wpm | 3 hours 4 minutes |
| Very fastskimming, or very familiar material | 400 wpm | 2 hours 29 minutes |
The language here is simple enough that most readers hit their normal speed, so these times tend to hold up well.
How long if you read a bit each day?
Almost nobody reads a novel in one sitting. Here is how Black Beauty breaks down at an average 250 wpm, depending on how much time you give it each day.
| Reading a day | Days to finish | That is |
|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 24 days | about 3 weeks |
| 15 minutes | 16 days | about 2 weeks |
| 30 minutes | 8 days | about a week |
| 60 minutes | 4 days | 4 days |
How long is each chapter?
Black Beauty has 39 chapters, averaging 1,530 words — about 6m each. The longest is Cockneys at 26m; the shortest is Liberty at 2m. Useful if you read a chapter a night.
Chapter times at 250 wpm.
Start Black Beauty today
Read it free online — no account needed. 39 chapters, tap any word to look it up, and a short quiz at the end.
Common questions
How long does it take to read Black Beauty?
Black Beauty is 59,685 words long. At an average adult reading speed of 250 words per minute that is about 3 hours 59 minutes. A slower reader at 150 wpm needs around 6 hours 38 minutes; a fast reader at 400 wpm finishes in roughly 2 hours 29 minutes.
How many words is Black Beauty?
Black Beauty is 59,685 words across 39 chapters, which is a normal-length novel. Of the 26 classics on readClassicly, 11 are longer and 14 are shorter.
Can I read Black Beauty in a day?
It is possible, but it would take most of a day. At 250 wpm Black Beauty runs to about 3 hours 59 minutes of continuous reading. Spread over 4 days at an hour a day it is far more comfortable.
Is Black Beauty hard to read?
At CEFR level A2-B1, Black Beauty is one of the friendlier classics, readable with elementary to intermediate English. You can read it free at readClassicly and tap any word you don't know to look it up, which keeps a harder classic from stalling you.
Reading a classic to learn English?
readClassicly has a free plan for English reading for beginners: graded classic stories with tap-to-define words, audio, and a short quiz after each one. Start at your level and build up to full books like this one. If you are just starting, begin with the short English stories for beginners.