How many books do you read at once?

[Steeeeve]

Usually if I start a second book it means I'm not enjoying the first one very much and may not finish it at all.

I have been considering doing what yairdoza mentions though and having a fiction and non-fiction one on the go at the same time since my mood sometimes changes (err, often changes as moods do I guess).

[ethan]

Whenever I read a very long novel, say 800-1000 pages, I divide it up into sections. I read 250 pages, then put it down, and read something shorter, then go back to the massive one. This strategy keeps me from getting bogged down.

[BookJumper]

StephenKingMan, I don't think it's a race for anyone else, either - different people just read at different speeds... even the same people at different times in their lives do.

 

I've hardly ever been a superficial reader, yet I used to read a book a day and always had between five and ten on the go. Now I'm older, with more worries in my head and less time on my hands, it takes me months to get through a single book, but I would never think someone who can read the same book in a couple of days is not enjoying it properly.

 

Often I'll lend my Mum a book it took me ages to read and she'll return it to me in the morning, yet she's no superficial reader either.

[StephenKingman]

StephenKingMan, I don't think it's a race for anyone else, either - different people just read at different speeds... even the same people at different times in their lives do.

 

I've hardly ever been a superficial reader, yet I used to read a book a day and always had between five and ten on the go. Now I'm older, with more worries in my head and less time on my hands, it takes me months to get through a single book, but I would never think someone who can read the same book in a couple of days is not enjoying it properly.

 

Often I'll lend my Mum a book it took me ages to read and she'll return it to me in the morning, yet she's no superficial reader either.

 

I am not saying people are superficial for reading fast, and you are right-people do read at different rates, its just personally i could never read a hundred or so pages a day as i would not be comfortable reading at that pace plus i wouldnt have the time- between work, life, love etc i could not commit to enough time to read hundreds of pages, i only read a lot when i have a few days off or have no evening plans and want to relax.

[Kylie]

I used to always read one book at once, but lately I always have two on the go, and that's because I have so many books I'm looking forward to that I just can't resist starting another before my current one is finished, no matter how much I'm enjoying my current read.

 

At the moment I have one that I'm just reading at home because it's too large to carry to and from work. This means I'm only get a few pages read at a time (at 700 pages long, it's going to take me a while to finish!) Then I have a separate book for work.

[Ooshie]

When I was younger (or was it before I became a mother?!) I most often had three or four books on the go at the one time, and which one I picked up would just depend on what mood I was in. Now it is usually just one or two at a time - for example, at the moment I am reading A Thousand Splendid Suns for the reading group, and The Comfort of Saturdays (the latest Isabel Dalhousie novel by Alexander McCall Smith). A Thousand Splendid Suns is too heavy to read in the bath, while The Comfort of Saturdays is just the perfect size and weight!

[Ruth]

I normally only read one at a time. But I sometimes have an audiobook in my car as well, if that counts.

 

I can think of only two occasions when I've actually read more than one book at a time. It doesn't work for me somehow.

[Tina]

It's difficult to answer this one, since it really depends on the whole situation I'm in, sometimes I have more time for books, sometimes I just don't feel like focusing on reading that much, sometimes I have some educational books to read along with the just-for-fun books... I voted for three+, because that's how it tends to be mostly. I usually have something like one non-fiction book going and then a novel or two or some poetry. For example, I've lately been studying on my own to get the basics of a certain thing learned, so I have had a pile of those books plus a novel going on at the same time.

[Abby]

I only ever have one book on the go at any one time. I know it's a personal choice but I just can't understand why anyone would want to be reading more than one book at a time. Maybe it's just me but I think it would be a little confusing, unless of course the books in question were from completely different genres etc, but for me personally I like to finish one book before starting another.

[Tristan]

I make it a habit of reading two books at the same time. One novel and one comic/manga. Works best that way.

[Alexandra]

I usually read two to three books at a time. I may read a murder mystery alongside Jane Eyre for example. I wouldn't really read two books of the same genre at the same time though.

[Nollaig]

I'm down to only two at the moment (Jonathan Strange not withstanding) which is great for me lately! Going to try to stick to just two. Much as I want to start others.

[Rawr]

I have three on the 'go', two for research and reference and another is a casual read atm.

[cosychair]

I could never read 2 books at a time, i would find it too confusing to differentiate between the characters and plots of two separate books.Even if a book is a 1000 pages long and i only read a chapter a day i will still take my time and enjoy each page at my own pace.

 

For me, that is what makes reading so enjoyable- taking a few minutes or a few hours engrossed in the plot of a good book. I am constantly surprised by the pace at which people here read at- almost every second post is "i read 100 pages of......today i read 120 pages of....". Its not a race for me and, like eating your food really fast, i think you can miss some subtle references and enjoy the book less when you 'speed read'.

 

For example, i am currently reading Duma Key and am a third of the way through but may nor get to read any more until tuesday but thats fine with me, I have over a hundred books on my TBR list and God only knows when im going to get throiugh then but the main point is that i enjoy the tone, setting and characters of each individual book for what they are and what the author originally intended, and not to see them as a list of chores to get through as fast as possible so i can move on to the next one.

 

SO ii guess my long winded answer is no, i dont read 2 books at the same time!!

 

That could be more to do with how much time someone has to read rather than the speed they read at. Mon- Fri I spend up to 4 hours commuting to and from work so I can easily read about 150-200 words a day whilst reading at a leisurely pace.

[Tina]

I only ever have one book on the go at any one time. I know it's a personal choice but I just can't understand why anyone would want to be reading more than one book at a time. Maybe it's just me but I think it would be a little confusing, unless of course the books in question were from completely different genres etc, but for me personally I like to finish one book before starting another.

There the answer already is: I read very different books at the same time, like I mentioned earlier. I usually have something "heavy" on the go, something educational, non-fiction, you know, and I need something that's more fun, just for the balance. Non-fiction stuff isn't always that relaxing to read, but the fiction is, so... And I'm always like that, I have a lot of things going on, just because I can do that, I can concentrate on many things at the same time, and kind of need that, too. I guess I'm easily bored

[Abby]

I can understand people reading say a fiction book alongside a reference book, but for me personally I don't think I'd want to read two fiction books at the same time, regardless of their genre.

[Coffin Nail]

I usually have at least three on the go. One for fun, one for work and one for info.

[Cressie]

I voted 3+. At the moment I have started at least five books. I always have two in my purse so I can read when I go to work/home and then I have one in my nightstand. I also have one in toilet and one in kitchen. So yea, there's many many books I read at once.

[Denise]

Always one at a time for me but sometimes I have 2 on the go,but not often.

[geordie_bint]

Do you ever juggle :readingtwo:books:readingtwo:, I am reading two at the moment, totally different stories, Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier and Mary Mary, James Patterson. Its someting I have never done before I am usually loyal to one writer at a time.

I am managing ok with these as the stories are so different they don't get mixed up, I'm not sure how i managed to get into this situation, am I normal???

 

Do you juggle?

 

[Kidsmum]

Just one for me as i like to give every book my full concentration.

[Jonathon]

My reason for choosing two: Whilst long distance biking I find myself taking breaks, eating lunch and what not, and during this period of time I enjoy reading a light hearted book e.g. Disc World. So during heavy reading sessions at home I enjoy fuller books, both literally and plot wise, and during long bike rides I enjoy a nice light weight book with a light hearted plot and a bit of humor.

[Zumii]

Usually just the one, on the rare occasion I may have two books on the go.

[Literaturekitty]

I always have so many books on the go sometimes it can be months before I pick up a book I'm in the middle of reading again! Right now I have a little pile on my bedside table of 'Club Dead' from the Sookie Stackhouse series, 'A Glossary of Literary Terms' which I dip into now and again, 'The Children's Book' by A.S. Byatt which so far has been rather boring so I haven't got past chapter 4, 'Emma' by Jane Austen and 'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Bronte.

 

That doesn't include the books that I have had to move back onto the shelf so as to reclaim some space! I don't find it difficult or confusing to read more than one book at once; I rarely confuse characters or plots as they are all very distinct in my mind. Though I do have to do a bit of re-reading here and there if I leave a book a bit too long!

 

I often read 3 or 4 novels in between starting and finishing another one, but they do all get finished in the end!

[Mitch_Carter]

I am currently reading 3+ books.

Karen Rose - Scream For Me (Just today started and finished Die For Me)

Exqusite Corpse - Poppy Z. Brite

The Host - Stephanie Meyer

The Darkest Room - Johan Theorin

Eclipse - Stephanie Meyer (4th time re-read)

 

I also have a Lady Gaga book in my bathroom.

 

Mitch.