How many books do you read at once?

[aromaannie]

first time doing a poll so fingers crossed it work's ok.

I just wondered how many people read more than 1 book at a time. I personally only ever have 1 on the go - I think I would get them mixed up if I tried to read more than 1

[Kell]

I always have a book and an audio book on the go, so I guess that's two at a time, sort of. I used to read multiple books at a time, but mostly I only read one "physical" book and listen to one audio book at a time, so I don't get all mixed up, and I tend to make sure they're very different from one another. For example, at the moment, I'm reading No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong (a contemporary paranormal novel) and am listening to Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleland (a classic erotic novel). There's no way I'd get those two mixed up! :lol:

[Louiseog]

I said one but like Kell I often listen as well!

[Sofia]

just one at a time

[carm]

:readingtwo: i read one at a time but i usually carry two...in case i finish the first one on the commute home i can start the second one:readingtwo:

[FishAndChips]

Hmm, I voted one but have been known to read two at a time. I find if one book drags I'll start another which can be fatal as I may not finish the first.

I may read two contrasting books together. Last year I read a very light fluffy novel alongside a much more literary one. That worked quite well as they offset each other quite nicely. Either may have been a bit much on there own.

[Nici76]

I can only read one at a time, otherwise my mind gets all in a muddle!!

[scottishbookworm]

I usually read 2 books at once!

:readingtwo:

[Polka Dot Rock]

I'm a monogamous kinda reader :mrgreen: I have to devote myself to one book at a time.

[pontalba]

I voted the 2, but have been known to have 3 or even more going at the time. Lots of times something like Cloud Atlas [my present read] is episodic in nature, and lends itself to interruption easily.

But if I really want to plow through, I limit to one at the time.....mostly. ;)

[happyanddandy]

Only 1 at a time for me - I would feel too guilty to start another before I have finished one! :smile2:

[Icecream]

When Katie was first born I was up in the night, so i started reading a book in the day , and another at night. They were different too. I had The Vampire's Seduction in the bedroom, and The Mist Over Pendle on the coffee table. Now she is slleping through I have gone back to one. I haven't the time to sufficiently read two during the day.

[Essexgirl]

I usually have 3 on the go. One at work for lunch time, one by the bed and one in the lounge

[angerball]

I have said 'one at a time', though at the moment I am reading 2, but it's not working out. :lol: I'm trying to read one fiction and one non-fiction, but I haven't picked up the non-fiction book in weeks because the fiction ones are keeping me hooked. Plus, I'm finding it hard to remember what I've read in the non-fiction book if I'm not dedicating myself 100% to it. :blush:

I'll keep trying though, because often while the non-fiction (usually science/nature) books keep me interested, they usually take me so long to finish them, that I need to read a novel in between to get my 'fiction fix'.

[Michelle]

It varies.. sometimes I read 2 at once, but if one really grabs me, that one gets priority until I've finished. :)

[wrathofkublakhan]

It takes two, baby!

One in my home, my main read.
One in my car, usually an easy read like a murder mystery.

[Louiseog]

One in my car, usually an easy read like a murder mystery.
I can't read and drive can anyone else!!;)

[JudyB]

I'm a one book girl :D

[Angel]

I'm a one book kinda girl :blush:

[Liz]

Generally, I only read one book at a time, but if I'm studying a book in English then I can read the English book and my own choice of book.

[madcow]

I'm normally a one book gal, but at the moment i'm reading two. Only because I left my book at work the other day so I started reading another one and now I can't put either one down till they are finished!

[Lilywhite]

I normally read one at a time but I do sometimes pick up another on a whim. I have been known to have three on the go but I try to stick to one.

[princessponti]

I can only manage one at a time, I don't think there is space in my head for any more than that!!

[Icecream]

Of course as a student I would often have 20 books on the go, and sometimes on a few different subjects:lol:

[Laramie]

I tend to read several, and this is often because I'm reading them for different reasons: we read one for book club at school, I will get one (or sometimes 2!) out the school library, then I always seem to but a new one, or I'll have a book I'm not really getting into so I start reading something else (but still kind of reading the first one) and if I'm re-reading a book then I find a new one I will read the new one. Occaisionally I will find myself reading 5 or 6 books at a time!! I do tend to stick to 2 or 3, though.

[Bunny]

I often have 2 books on the go at a time, a novel and a non-fiction book

[fireball]

One at a time me.! :readingtwo: ;) :D

[Karen]

When I was younger I used to be able to read multiple books at once, but now I prefer to read one at a time.

[Danna]

[quote=Kell;80828]I always have a book and an audio book on the go, so I guess that's two at a time, sort of. I used to read multiple books at a time, but mostly I only read one "physical" book and listen to one audio book at a time, so I don't get all mixed up, and I tend to make sure they're very different from one another.


Ditto on what Kell says. I read a "physical copy" of a book and I listen to an audio in the car. I love my audio books in the car, but do miss listening to music. I guess that's the price you pay when you are an avid reader...

Danna

[Renniemist]

Generally I will read only one book at a time, but in special circumstances (if the book is too heavy to carry about) I will start another book.:D

[Liz]

Generally I will read only one book at a time, but in special circumstances (if the book is too heavy to carry about) I will start another book.:D

Quite a few people I know do that. My sister takes a lightweight paperback to and from work with her and has a heavier (usually a hardback) by her bed.

[Tiger]

I ususally read just one book, but I will sometimes read another one at the same time.

[Adam]

I was thinking of starting multiple books (only two at a time) over the winter break, but I am not sure if I could do it. I think one is the max for me. I wouldn't know which one to read and I would mix up characters :lol:

[burghead lass]

I have one book that I carry about with me for reading on the bus or ar work if we're not busy. The other book I keep at the side of the bed and it is usually a bigger book.

[purple95]

A dear friend used to keep four or five going at one time. He would read the one that best fit his mood when he wanted to read.

I tried that for a while but just could not get comfortable.

One at a time for me.

dan :)

[supergran71]

The most I can read at one time is 2.

[markmark]

1 for me... my brain will get muddled if otherwise!

[Mia]

Previously, I would always have said one, but now it's two. This is because I commute to work on the train, and use the time to read. My "train read" must be lightweight (paperback) and a book I'm not too bothered if the corners get slightly scuffed in my bag. I would never take one of my treasured Pratchett books on the train, it might get damaged!

I also have another book on the go at home.

[Icecream]

I read two when I Katie had just been born, one in the day and one in the night, but with two children when the new baby comes I think I will only have time for one.

[Kylie]

I have one book both for commuting and at home. I don't read that much at home so it would take me forever to read a book that way!

I rarely put my book in my bag though, unless it's secondhand; I always carry it in my hand when I'm walking. Once I tripped up the stairs at the train station and I was far more concerned about any damage I'd done to my book than damage I'd done to myself :mrgreen: I'm happy to report that, despite me landing on my book, it came out of that scrape pretty well!

[Child.of.God.1989]

I try to read my Bible consistently each morning and night. Right now I'm catching up, but like I said in my reading blog, I've been struggling on and off for five years. So that's one book regularly, though it is not at all a "normal book." (Check out Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 19, and 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to see what God says His word is like.)

I have read a few books at a time since I was in fourth grade. My fifth grade teacher once asked me why I had so many books stacked on my desk (classics like Around the World in Eighty Days adapted for kids), and I said, "Well, Mr. Hehe, I'm reading all these!" There are a few genres I really like, so I usually read, say, a serious devotional and a fast-paced novel or thriller.

Again, the only reason I said three+ is that I usually have my Bible and a couple of other books!

[Roland Butter]

Couldn't manage more than one at a time - I'd get very confused!

[Icecream]

I try to read my Bible consistently each morning and night. Right now I'm catching up, but like I said in my reading blog, I've been struggling on and off for five years. So that's one book regularly, though it is not at all a "normal book." (Check out Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 19, and 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to see what God says His word is like.)

I too read the bible every morning with Katie.:)

[writeoff]

I read two at a time but one of those will be non fiction or I'd be really confused.

[David]

At the moment I have 6 on the go.
The bible where I read two pages everyday,
a self-improvement book (one chapter a day),
a financial book (one chapter a day),
a teen book (one chapter a day, this is so I can discuss reading with my kids),
a Biography (also 1 chapter a day)
and of course a novel (which I read until I fall asleep).
I try never to read more than one book from the same genre.

[Pilgrim]

I voted "two" but like others, I also may have a book on tape.

I usually begin the second about halfway or so through the first to keep from getting the let-down of finishing a book I like. Don't finish books that I don't like so I'd be sad a bit of the time and it would be harder to get into the new book.

[skysky69]

I only ever read one at once, I find that I enjoy it best if I throw myself completely into a book and once I'm caught hook line and sinker, I couldn't put it down :D

[The Library Nook]

I try and stick to one but sometimes I get in one of my reading funks and can't get into anything and end up with three or four books on the go, none of which end up getting completed for ages!

[kateleopald]

I often read two books at the same time. perfect combination for me is one non, one fiction. the most i had on the go at one time was five, a couple of christmases back, but that required a whole new years resolution to clear the backlog!

[Fallen-Petals]

I stat reading one book then a saying or line from another book comes into my head and I mark my place in the original and read the latter. Usually once i've read a book say 3 times I just pick out my favourite chapters and sayings;)

[missmellow]

For me it depends. I'm usually reading 2 at a time, but sometimes while i'm deciding what book to borrow next, i'm only reading one. There was a stage where i was reading 3, but it was all too much. :blush:

[prospero]

I'm terrible for keeping to one at a time. I go into a bookshop or library and say, "Ooh! Shiny books!" and have to buy/borrow and start reading another one. At the moment I have bookmarks in four:

Vintage - Olivia Darling
Bad Behaviour - Sheila O'Flanagan
Amazing Grace - Danielle Steel
An Absolute Scandal - Penny Vincenzi

But that's nothing; at times I've had bookmarks in eight, nine, ten books. I'd love to stick to one at a time because I think I'd finish them even quicker; at the moment I go through books in fits and starts. I don't finish any for a week or so, then get to the last page of about three in one day.

Ideally there would be an overlap, so you don't go from the final page of one book to page one of another; I'd like to be a few chapters into the new one.

I know, I know - I'm so anal about this. My name is prospero and I'm a bookaholic. So sue me.

Actually don't. Tell me how many books you have on the go at once!

[Icecream]

I barely have time for one, with my toddler and being pregnant, but I do have to magazines and read the bible everyday. I have left a few unfinished lately too.

When the baby is born I shall maybe have some time to read more, maybe not, when I am alone with bubbly at night for example, so I may go back to having a daylight book, and a night time book.

[wiccibat]

I think Kell's the champion of books on the go, she's never without a book. I tend to read several reference books together for whatever my current interest is, but I get my storylines confused if I do that with fiction.

[madcow]

I normally stick to just one at a time but for some strange reason this last few weeks I've ended up starting 4 which is a first for me!

[Inver]

I have about 5 on the go, but trying to concentrate on two as they are bookrings (via Bookcrossing) and need to get them finished and passed on to the next in line.

Too many books not enought time (well I would have more if I wasn't on here chatting to you lot....lol):lol:

[~V~]

I normally stick to just one at a time but for some strange reason this last few weeks I've ended up starting 4 which is a first for me!

Same here!

Well not exactly the same obviously :lol:

I 'usually' only have one on the go but I've recently started a couple of books that (although I do want to read them) I didn't want to read at that point in time. So that's two.

I've also started to have a 'bathroom' book. That makes three.

A very charming young lady (ahem) sent me a book I couldn't wait to start (it's the kind you can dip in and out of). That makes four.

And the proper book I'm reading in a linear fashion at bedtime or when I have reading time. Five in total.

Ideally I'd like just two, one in the bedroom and one in the bathroom (or is that men? Am I getting confused?) and aim to get back to that blissful state at some point in the future.

Oh yes, I also have various cooking, gardening, textbooks and so forth on the go too which is the main reason I don't like too many 'pleasure' books on the go at once

[beef]

Untill recently i would have loads of books on the go and then i decided it was getting too difficult to keep track of plots/characters etc so have forced myself to stick to one recently and i have to say i get way more read now.

[burghead lass]

I have 2 books on the go at one time. One travels with me to work and the other I keep by the side of the bed and that is enough for me to cope with at one time. :D

[Karen]

When I was younger I used to have multiple books on the go but now I like to just stick to one at a time, otherwise I think it would get confusing.

[Esiotrot]

Just 1 book at a time for me, I like to read start to finish then on to the next.
If however, I am not getting into a book but want to read it I will put a bookmark in and leave it on pause to try again in the future.
Kx

[Talisman]

Usually one at a time, unless I am using them for research for own writing - and then it can be anything up to 10 at a time !

[Fae]

I normally have about 3 on the go - one in the bedroom, one in here next to the computer and one in my bag! I used to have more but I was getting serious eye strain so had to cut down the amount I read!

[Karen]

I just realised there's another thread about this sunject - here (http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3237) - mods can you join them together?

[prospero]

Oh bum. :( That'll learn me, won't it?

[Michelle]

I've merged them, but it's not much of a worry. I know search isn't that easy to use.. well done Karen for finding it. :)

[March]

Usually one at a time.

Except when I have a big book to read that I cannot carry around, then it will be 2 at a time - one at home and another one in the bag.

[Sedgewick]

I read two. One with each eye.