How Many Books Are You Reading Concurrently?

[CAFlanny]

I recently saw a YouTube video discussing reading multiple books at once and decided to try it. I realized I'm not always in the mood for the book I currently have going and would put it off and go do something else instead. I have had a nonfiction book and fiction book going in the past, but am currently trying it out with several fiction books, as well. Right now, I am currently reading a nonfiction book, an historical fiction book, and a romance. How many books are you currently reading?

[Dazrin]

I rarely read multiple fiction books at one time, but I'll split time between non-fiction and fiction.

The exceptions for the first part are short stories and audiobooks. Short stories are at most pauses in my normal reading so they don't bother me. I'll also listen to and read fiction books at the same time, especially when I'm reading something with my kids in the car.

[Karellen]

Only a single book at a time for me.

[Aleron Ives]

I usually read two, one fiction and one nonfiction.

[Sirtel]

Sometimes two, but more often a single one. Usually different genres, if two.

[icallaci]

Usually I read one fiction and one nonfiction. I prefer them to have something in common. For instance, both books should be about similar subjects or historical periods or geographical locations.

[DNSB]

One book at a time for me. They are too short to overlap.

[Scoob]

2-4 books at a go. Not always though most of the time it's a single book until it's done especially if it's a long book or part of a series. When it's multiple books I try to keep 1-2 books around 250 pages. Its usually science fiction, some sort of monster horror book (bigfoot or werewolves mostly), a spicy or non spicy isekai (guy goes from our world to another and is that worlds great hero or something similar), some sort of historical fic or non fic book.

Currently I am reading 3. 2 science fiction and 1 historical non fiction.

[Graham44]

Just one book at a time for me, I'd get confused otherwise!

[pdurrant]

I almost never read more than one book at a time.

[Apache]

I read one book at a time. I also have one audio book going at a time. I listen to audio books when I am unable to read. Driving and at work before I open mostly.
Apache

[Quoth]

One at a time, but I might start a book (novel) and leave it till I feel more like reading it. That's not the same as hopping between / reading non-fiction (or reference material) or manuals at the same time.

[DrNefario]

I'd call it three, at the moment.

I only have one "main" book - usually a novel - that I read in bed every night, but I will often have a couple of background books that I read at other times. I might go weeks without having any time for the background books, or I might have a spell where I read them more than my main book. Often these will be non-fiction, but at the moment I am also doing some rereads of novels that meant something to me in the past, and those are also side-books. I might also have a short story collection or anthology on the go.

I am technically in the middle of about half a dozen non-fiction books, but I'm only counting the one I am most currently reading.

[issybird]

Right now I'm reading six, which is more than I'd like. One is rather a slog and it's going slowly.

My ideal is four. One audiobook and three books on the Goldilocks principle: one hard (generally serious history, etc.), one medium (a memoir or travel book, say) and one easy (a novel). But there are ramifications with all of these and it doesn't (frequently doesn't) work out. I'm especially susceptible to not feeling in the mood for anything I'm in the middle of, so I start yet another. But I always, in the end, will either finish a book or do an official DNF.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm especially susceptible to not feeling in the mood for anything I'm in the middle of, so I start yet another.

This happens to me too, but not often. Unfortunately when it does happen, I tend to leave the earlier books unfinished. Sometimes I'll return to them later, sometimes not.

But as I said, it's not a frequent occurrence with me, so I finish most books I read.