Do you read one book at a time or do you read multiple?

[Rose, Mod]

I personally can't deal with reading multiple books at once. I have to dedicate my time to one story or if I want to read multiple stories it has to be in a different format, ie. a book and a graphic novel.

There isn't really a reason for this, it doesn't get confusing to me but I feel like perhaps I burn myself out trying to read different things and end up not finishing anything that I read.

What about you guys?

[Jennifer]

I have a book on disc at all times in my car, and that is generally a pop-fiction book or light read. I have my at-home book, which is generally something I am excited to read or can't put down. Then I have my at-work book to read on break. I bring a non-fiction work or something that I think I should read but don't really have the drive to read. That way, I don't get so caught up that all I can think about is my book while I should be working (and I don't have the sadness of realizing I forgot my book at home)!

[Ashley]

Wow, Jen! You're quiet the multi-tasker. I'm more like Rose. I read one book at a time, sometimes I break it up with a comic or manga since they only take a few hours to read at most.

I'm reading a really deep trilogy (The Bitterbynde Trilogy) right now that take SUCH a long time to get through that in between in each book I've been reading lighter stuff.

[Jennifer]

It took me a while to get it to a science.

[Emil]

I tend to read multiple books at the same time, but I try to limit myself to one fiction and one nonfiction. Sometimes I squeeze in a small book as a break from a larger book. E.g. I'm reading the book of the new sun (Shadow and Claw, Sword and Citadel) now, and I came across Downward to the Earth in a used book store and gobbled it up just for variety. (Going from one sci-fi to another for variety, ha!)

[Darren]

Hest wrote: "I tend to read multiple books at the same time, but I try to limit myself to one fiction and one nonfiction. Sometimes I squeeze in a small book as a break from a larger book. E.g. I'm reading the ..."

This is exactly how I tend to organise my reading schedule with one fiction book, which I tend to read in the evenings, and one non fiction book, which I normally read in the middle of the day. I have tried in the past to read a couple of fiction books at the same time but I start to lose track of both plots.

[Darliza]

I wanted to read a fiction and a non-fiction at the same time too, but I haven't really gotten around to scheduling it yet. I am reading a non-fiction right now though, but I'm not sure what fiction book to pair it with. I don't want to get confused, and besides, I do a lot of reading for my job and I don't want to burn out on books again.

Like the others, I have tried reading fiction at the same time but in different formats (e.g. comics, manga). I tend to breeze through the graphic format anyway so I'm not really sure if that counts.

[John L, Mod]

I do 1 audiobook at work and 1 to 2 books for at home.

[Ricardo]

One at a time, but occasionally I'll also go through a book I've already read; some material requires multiple reads.

[Darliza]

Ricardo wrote: "One at a time, but occasionally I'll also go through a book I've already read; some material requires multiple reads."

What are some of your favorite examples? (of books that you love to read more than once, that is) :)

[Rose, Mod]

Ricardo wrote: "One at a time, but occasionally I'll also go through a book I've already read; some material requires multiple reads."

Sometimes, a book will mention a book I've read and talk about a particular plot point. I'll sometimes flip through that one book to find the scenario and reflect on it as if the character were doing the same...

[Ricardo]

Darliza wrote: "Ricardo wrote: "One at a time, but occasionally I'll also go through a book I've already read; some material requires multiple reads."

What are some of your favorite examples? (of books that you l..."


Tolkien works on Middle Earth, certain books with historical context which read differently when one is actually aware of why and how those historical events came to be(Dr Jivago and the Russian revolutions in early 20th century come to mind). Older books with a lot of notes and older language, which tend to take longer to digest and appreciate.

And sometimes, I re-read just to enjoy something once more.

[Mark]

Always have one fiction, two owned non fiction, one library non fiction and one poetry book on the go. I get confused at times.

[Megan, Mod]

I am like Mark, minus the poetry. I have tried with poetry, just not my thing. My non-fiction tends to range from mostly art books, animation how-to and writing books.