Sarah Zackie, YouTuber content creator during Eye Radio's Sound Track Show - Eye Radio/ October 17, 2023

Sarah Zackie is a South Sudanese part-time YouTube content creator, who has read more than one hundred books in less than one year, and exceeded her target.

Sarah says she read 80 Kindle books, and other audiobooks this year.

In 2021, Sarah, a holder of a master’s degree in Human Rights law set a goal to read a hundred books in one year.

But after exceeding her target, Sarah realized that there’s something about setting a goal that makes her just feel great -thanks to Kindle and audiobook apps.

Sarah narrated her journey of reading tricks to Eye Radio’s Soundtrack Show presenter Kafuki Jada on Tuesday, October 17, 2023.

Sarah said she loves reading novels, fiction books, romantic books, and African literature.

She now looks forward to reading an additional 50 books by the end of 2023 saying reading books is her only hobby.

“I said since I like reading, why don’t I also set a goal of reading a hundred books a year because I have done it before, and why not do it again,” she Sarah.

“Every year I try to read about 100 books but this year last month in September, I was able to hit my target of a hundred books,” she said.

“Now, I have actually moved my target to 150 books, and let’s see if I can reach it. When I tell you reading is my only hobby I mean it.

“Of course, it’s time-consuming but it’s about finding something that you like obviously,” she said. “You are going to spend time looking for books and reading books when you enjoy something you don’t feel it’s a waste of time.”  

According to her, while using Kindle in the application, she is able to see her statistics on how many books she has read so far.

“I started setting targets in 2021, so I didn’t even realize I reached 100 books. But on the app that I use to read it shows you reading insights. It literally tells you how many books you read,” said Sarah.

“In the year, when I wanted to check, I realized I am on 90-something, then I decided to push a bit and reach a hundred books,” she said.

She says with books you must love what you are reading or you will not finish it.

Sarah says she learned a lot from book influencers on Instagram or Twitter, some of whom she said have set specific targets.

“I follow a lot of book influencers, whether it is book talk on Instagram or Twitter, some of which have big targets and others smaller targets,’ Sarah said.

“With books reading, it is not about how many books you are reading, but for me, I am a fast reader so it takes me time depending on the book,” she said.

“Find a book you like because if you don’t like what you are reading you will not finish reading it,” Sarah said.

“Recently, I came across a book influencer who was talking about Black and African representation in books, and as an African woman I like reading books that have African women, I was able to relate to those books,” she asserted.

“I was able to understand better, that there are also different types of reading, there are audiobooks and physical books.”

The part-time YouTube content creator shared some of the benefits she got from reading.

“Reading books has also opened my horizons. I read about characters and people’s lives even though fiction has an element of truth to it,” she said.

“What I am reading might not be my personal reality but I am able to see the world through other people’s realities,” Sarah said.

“As I read, I am also expanding my vocabulary and improving my language and learning so much,” she concluded.