Reading multiple books?

[BexBits]

I read one at a time. I am a very fast reader so I just read straight through. I don' t like jumbling story lines up.

[FanciFreez]

Originally Posted by MissMaple

I read about 100 pages per hour, no need for me to read multiple books at the same time. I am always done with a book before I know it ;-)

Wow..

[FanciFreez]

Thanks everyone for all the replies.. good info..

[voracious71]

Yes, I read multiple books at a time and have done so since I was a kid. Used to drive my dad crazy. I remember him quizzing me on a book once because he was convinced I wasn't retaining anything from it and I proved him wrong,lol.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by jersysman

Before ebooks, I never read more than one. As I have obtained more devices, the number that I read simultaneously has also gone up. Right now I have 5 going at the same time (I have to make sure the device is being used!).

I'm pretty much the same. I would occasionally have two books going, but one would be a novel and the other short stories. Usually when I did this, the novel would be in the bag for the commute. And I rarely didn't finish a book.

Since getting an ereader, I am more likely to swap books. Having lots of books on the device tempts me to swap if I don't feel like reading the next part of the main book. And there are a few books that I have effectively abandoned because of this.

[dordale]

I've always had at least two books going--one in audio format and one regular book. But the last couple of years or so, I've started reading more books at onec--right now I have four going--one in audio, and that's pretty typical form me.

[caleb72]

I do sometimes and I am at the moment. Whether I do or not depends on a few different things. At the moment I'm reading a paperback and another on my Kindle. So there is a situational aspect as to whether I read one or the other.

Also, I read for others as well with my review site, so I can intersperse that reading with my own personal reading.

I find that it works better for me if the books are not very similar. For example, at the moment I'm reading an historical comedy and a more contemporary coming-of-age drama. If they were too similar, I might find it a bit more difficult to create clear lines of separation. However, as they are different, I can switch between them as my mood takes me without either book really suffering for it.

On the whole, I prefer focusing on one book at a time.

[tubemonkey]

I frequently do two different books at the same time - an ebook on my Kindle 4 and an audiobook on my Clip Zip. If a book is Whispersync ready, then I'll read it on my Kindle 4 and listen to it on my Nexus 4 when I'm not at home or my iPod touch 4 when I'm at home.

[David Munch]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

I don't. I practice book monogamy. I am the same way with games.

Same here. I realized that I never finish the games/books when I start multiple, so I stopped doing that. It really has increased both my reading and gaming, as I now have a goal to strive for.

Well.. Book bigamy. One on paper, one on audiobook.

The only negative thing is that I now feel bad if I am not enjoying a certain game/book and I put it down.. I feel like I am leaving something unfinished behind me, which is bad!

[soulfuldog]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

Me too, books and games the same.

Me three! I couldn't read two fiction novels at the same time as I'd be getting mixed up between the two stories.

[Tizzalicious]

I usually only read one at a time, unless I am reading one that is very hard/heavy, or non-fiction, then I usually read something else at night before bed.

It depends upon what you mean by reading more than one book at a time. I find that a lot of people interpret reading a book as reading a novel, in that case I'm a one book at a time person. (Sometimes I'll take a break from a book, but I'll read one or more books during that break.) If you're including non-fiction, then I'll read several books at a time.

[tomsem]

I usually read about 4-5 at a time, mix of fiction and nonfiction, ebook and audiobook, cycling through each. To me it is not much different than juggling TV series, where there is delay between each episode. Or like school where there are different reading assignments for different subjects. There's time to discuss, reflect, integrate what I'm reading, whereas reading something straight through may not be as memorable or enjoyable. Not that I'd know much about reading like that.

My latest experiment involves re-reading a book that I haven't yet finished reading (it is over 1000 pages long). So I was 40% of the way through and then started listening to the audiobook version from the beginning, as I continue reading further in the book. Of course it will take me longer to finish this way, and it is not going to become my standard practice, but I think I'm getting more out of it, at least with this particular book.

[MeSue]

I do one ebook and one audiobook at a time. If I tried to read more than one at a time, I know I would just abandon all but the one I am enjoying most. Rarely, a second ebook will come into play if the second one is a non-fiction. I'm always amazed by how my brain can keep track of multiple story lines, and even be able to pick right up where I left off after leaving a book for a long period… but, once the book is finished, I can barely remember it after just a few weeks.

[FanciFreez]

Hi All.. this is very interesting.. I battle with reading more than one book at time.. I'm glad I made this post.. Lots of different opinions.. I often think.. should I buy this book before I finish the one I'm reading at the present.. Kinda like having another glass of wine..