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I am empathizing by thinking of something where I don't like being in or part of more than one at once, since that isn't a problem for me with that. But if you have to, one strategy I have used when I don't like all of the books is to delegate x number of pages, where x=a certain fraction of the book OR a certain number of pages (okay, the former is also a certain number of pages). Chapters can also work. As for which book I read first, not the one I am enjoying the most or I won't get to the other ones.Before you read this--this is a system I ONLY use in this situation, not the rest of my life! To get the fractions, and you'll see I am a number geek, I find the prime factors of the total number of pages of the actual reading part. If that doesn't help enough, I go ahead and round up or down a bit to get even more fractions OR more reasonably sized ones. Then I make a sheet with all of the fractions and their corresponding page numbers and cross off each one as I get there. For some books, it helps to knock through a few of them to get to my goal.
As I type this, I realize just how strange this probably sounds to many, but it really helps when I find a book a real slog to get through.
Karin wrote: "I am empathizing by thinking of something where I don't like being in or part of more than one at once, since that isn't a problem for me with that. But if you have to, one strategy I have used whe..."Amy, I think Karin is telling you to do a spread sheet🤣🤣
@ Karin-not laughing at you, laughing because I know Amy is not a friend of accounting or spread sheets from talking to her about her taxes
I am sorry you have all this reading on you at once. I say sorry, because when I get in this situation, it takes the fun out of reading. I do not like reading multiple books at one time either. I feel it actually slows down your reading. Its quicker to pick one book and finish it and start another, as well at it will stick with you better. The exception to this is when you are reading a book with someone.
With your son reading on his own, can you also read the book on your own and test his comprehension and vocabulary words and see how well he does on his own and just with your guidance?
So when I get too many holds in at one time while reading a book and already having another planned, I just prioritize and stay up later to finish reading. Setting reading goals help, 100 pages a day or 150 pages a day to be done by a specific date so I can start the next one to be done by a specific date. Audiobooks will help too, but you do have to stay awake. Otherwise it don't count. haha.
I wish you the best and I hope you don't become too stressed to where reading loses its appeal and adventure.
I do always have one audio and one print OR ebook going at a time. Beyond that, I don't like to have any additional. Have to admit that I will sometimes have a really fat book that I will only read at home, and a second book (smaller!) that I carry with me to read on public transit as I go to/from places. It's unusual for me to get other books going at the same time except for that reason. I also prefer to read one at a time.
Jason wrote: "I do not like reading multiple books at one time either. I feel it actually slows down your reading"Because I was home-bound with health issues for so long I got into the habit of having a book in every room of the house that I could lay down in. It was a great thing as I did not have to find someone to go and get my book. 3 years later, I am more mobile, but have not been able to break the habit. Your statement above, Jason, is an "ah-ha moment" for me. My current reading of the 5 books I currently have going consists of two or three chapters a day, the exception being a book I am really getting into (at the moment that book is Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883). Too many books does slow down my reading.....I need to do something about that!
You know what? Jason is right on the mark! No matter how much pressure, or how many pages, I think you really can only absorb one book at a time, or you lose enjoyment. At least I hit the 50% mark with Labryinth. We went to Newburyport and Plum Island today as a family, it’s our 23rd wedding anniversary, and we landed at the beach first, as summer has its last hours. Boys playing football in the waves, sitting on a beach blanket, with my honey and my beautiful girl dog.... knocked off another 20 pages of Labryinth. Nope, can’t start anything else until this gets put away. Focus on Barcelona, the rest will fall into place!
I am definitely a one book at a time reader, and dislike audiobooks. I find in the longer, harder, slower reads though that once I get over 50% mark, it usually stops being such a slog. I also make sure to read a certain amount everyday. Once in a while I hit a section that is really difficult, or I know will give me bad dreams if I am reading it too close to sleep. Then I switch momentarily to a short story or novela that I finish in a sitting. But next morning I am right back to my main read.And I refuse to worry about finishing 'on time.' None of this is required reading!
This got me thinking. I am very much a mood reader, and I have a side job as reviewer of YA and children's literature and a main librarian job where I host two book clubs for kids. This means I always have at least:An audiobook for riding my bike to work
A read-aloud book with my 10 year old
A novel of my own choice
A review book
Once a month two book club books
and then I mix it up with dense reads like non-fiction or poetry and light reads like comics, graphic novels and picture books.
I am pretty sure it doesn't make me read faster, but I am never bored and it works for me (most of the time).
I use readathons and the like to finish off those books that get pushed back by review books etc. That's something I sometimes struggle with.
... and in those cases where I can't seem to finish a book I plan my reading by splitting the number of pages on a decided number of days.I guess I'm one of those people who are both planners and spontaneous at the same time.
Joanne wrote: "Karin wrote: "I am empathizing by thinking of something where I don't like being in or part of more than one at once, since that isn't a problem for me with that. But if you have to, one strategy I..."(laughing with you because I forgot about that, BUT...)
NO, NO, NO--NOT a spreadsheet! NEVER a spreadsheet! I don't use those!!!!!! I dislike accounting as well. I am a number nerd or geek but NOT an accounting person. One of my mental games (I have a few) that I play when bored and there is nothing there to do is to prime factor numbers I see (not in any sort of a genius way, just regular division). Another is to make anagrams from words (at least 4 letters). This is if I feel like doing something besides just think.
But I do NOT keep spreadsheets. I put the fractions on a scrap of paper that I use as a bookmark for the book I am slogging through so I can have mini targets.
I have done what Johanne does, but sometimes I want many ministeps in there and my time varies.
Amy wrote: "You know what? Jason is right on the mark! No matter how much pressure, or how many pages, I think you really can only absorb one book at a time, or you lose enjoyment. At least I hit the 50% mark ..."I think this depends on the person. I can really absorb books I love even reading more than one if I am reading them at what is a leisurely pace for me and am enjoying them, although I cannot really absorb many books at the same time. When I was a young child I also used to do a lot of daydreaming, and liked to combine characters from different books. I don't recall how, I just remember telling my mother that that is why I was reading 2 or 3 books at once. Since she was tucking me in and I know where we were living, I'd have been 8 or 9 at the time and already reading novels.
But if I am reading a book quickly-even if I love it---I won't absorb it unless it is all I am reading and I read it in a day or so, and I'm not reading it quickly just to get it done. But then it is more the feeling, the story and the people, but not necessarily every little detail.
Amy, you have a busy life! I usually prefer to focus on one book at a time as well. When I read two at a time, it's usually one fiction and one non-fiction, or one e-book and one hard copy. When we go on trips, I also have an audiobook going, but I only listen to it in the car, so I occasionally reach a state of having three in progress at once.
For work, I studied the current trend in multi-tasking, and found out that if you focus on one thing at a time and seeing it to the end, you get it done faster than trying to switch back and forth among tasks. I imagine the same is true for reading.
Joy D wrote: "For work, I studied the current trend in multi-tasking, and found out that if you focus on one thing at a time and seeing it to the end, you get it done faster than trying to switch back and forth among tasks. I imagine the same is true for reading. ."I've seen that as well and know we have to all multi-task to some degree, but I'm aware that it cuts down on efficiency so always try to stay focused on a goal to some extent.
I've always been pretty much a one book reader, but when I bought my first kindle at some expense, I wanted to be sure to use it and so began reading a kindle book and a dtb at the same time and then somehow I added a nonfiction book. The one which was most compelling to me would take over.
Finally as I began to stop reading dtb , I went back to reading one book at a time.
I usually have an audiobook, a shorter read, and a chunkster that I can take a few chapters at a time going. Sometimes it overwhelms, though, and I take a break from one of them. I participated in a chapter a day read for the Game of Thrones books, and it seemed like a nice way to read them, so I decided to try it with other monster books.
I don't really view my reading habits as multitasking since it's more a question of 'which book do I feel like reading today' than me reading 10 minutes in each, each day. For me it helps to not get in reading slumps. One of my current books is a non-fiction for example that will take me a long time to finish, because I only read a little bit at the time. But if I didn't read it like that I would never read it or it would affect my reading motivation (It's about handling death and dying for relatives/friends to sick and dying persons).
This last (labor day) before school starts has just a few musts! One of them is getting a mani-pedi. This should help me knock off another 100 pages or so... Plus, I am just going to have to beg for an appointment. May have to wait all day.... Starbucks and Labryinth, here I come! Plowing through this....
Karin wrote: "Joanne wrote: "Karin wrote: "I am empathizing by thinking of something where I don't like being in or part of more than one at once, since that isn't a problem for me with that. But if you have to,..."LOL-so here is a grand example of the difference between a "Number Nerd" and an Accountant! I am the later, but am not a number nerd-in fact I failed Algebra, twice, in college. I love a good spreadsheet-for just about anything and everything!
Very interesting the different way we all read and view reading. I become obsessed with the books I read, consumed in them. When I'm not reading, I am going over the story and the characters and applying the story to my life, to others lives. I guess where the story might go and if I were in their place what I would do. I think about what the author is trying to say; is their a deeper meaning or message. What does this book say to me, about me, to the world, about the world.
I spend time online researching about the book, the author, things and places mentioned in the book. This is more fun to do with non-fiction, historical fiction, and classics, but it can be done with fiction and newer books too.
When I start adding multiple books, these thoughts start to overwhelm me. This isn't even taking into account all the other thoughts and ideas of normal day life, conversations I've had with friends, or other things I've researched and think about. So all these thoughts and introspections turn into a stress. And this stress leads to a depression.
So....it can only be one book for me.
I think I tend to read more than one book if I am anxious to read something, but already have a book going or if I have deadlines (for IRL bookclubs, buddy reads etc.) Or a book I committed to reading isn't grabbing me so I start another one at the same time. If I am really engrossed in a book I will focus on that one only, but I don't count the audio book I usually have going these days. If I have more than one going at a time they have to be quite different or I will get the plots and characters mixed up.
I don't tend to research much, like Jason. It will make me feel pressure and stress. So like right now I am reading Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men and there are many references and names and dates, but I am not going to worry about it too much because there is no way I can remember all those details long term.
Sorry if this is a repeat of what others said... I only have a little time today. Just my 2 cents.Honor your priorities and style.
#1 Kids. Carve out some time to talk about their books. Read with the younger one as you normally do. It's his time not yours, and you don't need to read the book ahead of time.
The teenager wants to read Educated himself, so let him. You can set this aside until he's done. You know enough to ask him some questions already. Let him explain the book to you (rather than test him), and have a real discussion.
#2 Promises. If you promised Crawdads to someone by a certain date, calculate whether you can read crawdads and Labryth by that date. If not, I would read the hard copy of Crawdads all the way through, since that's more effective for you. (The audio put me to sleep many times too, it was so soothing. I wish I bought it for when I have insomnia.)
If you can read them both by that date, pick the one you feel like reading the most and finish it. Forget about all the others until you're done.
# Points. If points matter to you... read your Trim book next, or an Egyptian book that earns tag+horizons points. Get your teenager to help you download the kindle or ebook to your PC or favorite device. They love feeling smarter than their parents. And/or follow Nicole's advice above. If it's not a kindle, ask us for help.
Then read whatever you most want to read.
Personally, I don't mind reading two books at once, especially if one is non-fiction, or one if just for the car. Last week I used my FUN book as a reward for reading a big chunk of my nf book.
That’s awesome advice Nancy! I’m planning to do some kind of a mix of your advice and of course Jason’s. I’m ultimately a one book woman! My kids said he wanted to read the entire book by himself? He has four chapters left I’m fine with that. But we are going back after he’s read it to read a chapter at a time together, so I can plow into him for vocabulary words. I also just ordered from Amazon a copy of Bear town, and us against you. Because even though he says he already tried to read bear town, I know his comprehension wasn’t so hot. So he can read it again, and maybe this time he will read it differently, and I can also pull out words from there easily since it’ll be a home copy.So my nails are gorgeous, and I think I’m at over 80% of labyrinth. Even though this is like the craziest day, I think I’m gonna try to finish the damn thing. If not by today certainly by tomorrow. Educated is going to have to wait for a while. I think my next step is to do the trim book that’s on my phone. Because it’s only supposed to be like 75 Pages, best to just get rid of it. I also haven’t delivered the crawdads book to Cindy yet. So if I still have it before I give it to her, I will start it in print form. And then once she has it I’ll figure out how to build in exercise and walks. And then I have a bunch of books waiting. Three are Egypt, and one is cultural. So I’m feeling less panicked, because I do realize that I am a one book woman and that I can’t let the pressure get to me. I’ve always finished every challenge, but the whole point is to enjoy the books. You guys of been a great help! We’ll see how I manage this crawdads audio thing.
Jason wrote: "Very interesting the different way we all read and view reading. I become obsessed with the books I read, consumed in them. When I'm not reading, I am going over the story and the characters and ..."
I'm don't dig in quite as far as you do (except for one book club where this is expected), but this year I've been putting in more effort to find links between books. It's exhilarating sometimes when one book can enhance another. This happened with Where the Crawdads Sing and Inheritance. The author of the second book wondered why a medical student concerned with ethics, would donate his sperm, and then never think about it again. Crawdads supplied some answers to that query, and both books discussed issues related to evolutionary biology and heredity.
Joanne wrote: "Karin wrote: "Joanne wrote: "Karin wrote: "I am empathizing by thinking of something where I don't like being in or part of more than one at once, since that isn't a problem for me with that. But i..."Ah, and while I dislike accounting, I loved Algebra :) (can't remember most of it now, though!)
Amy wrote: "That’s awesome advice Nancy! I’m planning to do some kind of a mix of your advice and of course Jason’s. I’m ultimately a one book woman! My kids said he wanted to read the entire book by himself? ..."I'm happy that you are making progress and feeling less panicked. Also, to a lesser extent, that you have lovely nails :) (mostly because I understand the stress of feeling overwhelmed and have never been one for doing fancy nails). I'm glad you were able to get an appointment--nothing like feeling spruced up (I do get that one!)
Jason wrote: "Very interesting the different way we all read and view reading. I become obsessed with the books I read, consumed in them. When I'm not reading, I am going over the story and the characters and ..."
Quality beats quantity!
I have finished the Labryinth of the Spirits! It took me all day to read it, still have so much more this evening to pull off the first day of school, but wow was that a wild ride.... Five stars from me.....Angel in my Well on the phone I will try to figure out and knock off, all the while beginning the print version of Crawdads, and will figure out the audio when I have to. Next up (other than the slow chapters of Educated that I will read with my son) will be Song of the Jade Lily, followed by my three Egypt books, every single one on my TBR. Your girl is catching up..... Cleaning out the TBR. Review of Labryinth to follow when I can catch a breath.
Glad to know you loved it! It's waiting for me, I've read the other three some years ago.
Amy, I posted a link above for how to read it on your computer instead of your phone. Did you see that?
I did! I was quite grateful, but totally embarrassed to tell you the truth. I can't make heads or tails of it. My eyes glazed into oblivion. My new thought is that I have a cloud that links my laptop and my phone. So since I bought the book on the phone, and can read it there, I should be able to access it on the laptop, like the way audible works. There has to be a way to make my cloud get my laptop aligned. Or even to spend the $2.99 a second time to get it on the laptop. I'm completely hopeless! I will look at it again, even right now, just to see if I can figure it out. Again, my gratitude is far greater than my proficiency, but I thank you immensely.
OK - when I click on iBooks/apple books on my computer, the book is right there. But it says my computer isn't authorized to download the book from the store. I have to authorize the computer to download the book. That's where I'm stuck. How do I authorize the computer to download the book from the apple books store?
I’m not sure, Amy. My books are automatically linked because it is all through my Amazon account. If you cannot find an answer through google then you should probably just stick with reading this one small book on your phone. You can probably read it faster than the time it would take you to figure out the computer thing! Lol
Amy wrote: "OK - when I click on iBooks/apple books on my computer, the book is right there. But it says my computer isn't authorized to download the book from the store. I have to authorize the computer to do..."Amy, this is how you authorize your computer in ITunes. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201251
I usually have more than one book going at a time, not too many but sometimes as many as three! I usually have an audio for times when I can't sit down to read - in the car, garden, or quilt room. I can't listen to an audio when I'm not physically engaged or I'll likely be bored or fall asleep!Then I have an ebook or a dtb. The ebook I can easily read in bed, the dull background I use doesn't bother my husband! If all I've got is a dtb, the light sometimes does bother him. I don't really understand that since he falls asleep in front of the tv with a light on his right side! Ah well. Hence the dtb usually takes me a bit longer.
Amy, I hope you get to read Child of the Morning! I'll be interested in hearing what you think of it. I read it sooo long ago.
Amy ... When it comes to technology I am about as clueless as they come. I have figured out one or two things on my own but usually just take my tablet to Best Buy and let the Geek Squad handle it. We paid up front for a year-long contract for support and it's been worth every penny!I keep saying I'm going to get a smart phone, but haven't done so yet. I think I'm just afraid of the technology ....
I'm an all over the place reader. I think of books like TV shows where you only get a bit of the story at a time. And it allows me to read based on my mood or what is going on in my live. I ALWAYS have at least one print book, one kindle book, and one audio book going at one time. I'm also in a book based group coaching thing so now I have that book going on too. I was slogging through Middlesex in paper, Villette on Kindle and Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence for group coaching so those I read a little here and there when the mood strikes or I'm in between books and there is nothing that I need to read for challenges or book club meetings.
Right now I'm reading Beartown in print, Beastly on kindle and The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian on audio and The Rules Do Not Apply for my group coaching.
Red Land, Black Land: Daily Life in Ancient Egypt just came in on audio from my library and it's my first time trying audio from the library so I might switch to that real quick for audio. My library seems to allow you to stream audio books instead of downloading them, and that's just not going to work in my area. I have many, many spots where I don't have cell phone signal since I'm in the mountains.
Long story short, I'm about to have 8 books going although.... that's why sometimes you see me finish a bunch of books all at the same time. I just happen to be finishing several formats at once. I do audio on drives, print during the day and kindle as my husband and I are falling asleep.
@ Charlotte- Me too! When I try yo explain that my books are like 1/2 hour shows-people just don't get it!
Joanne wrote: "@ Charlotte- Me too! When I try yo explain that my books are like 1/2 hour shows-people just don't get it!"I don't even try to explain my reading habits to the outside world anymore. It blows their mind and is too hard to explain. Or they just think I'm a really big weirdo. LOL
Jason, I click on that link when my laptop is open and hope for the best? I’m halfway through the silly little thing!
Amy wrote: "Jason, I click on that link when my laptop is open and hope for the best? I’m halfway through the silly little thing!"Did you see my message about authorizing your computer?
That's the one I was just responding to. I'm going to try it right now!
Amy wrote: "That's the one I was just responding to. I'm going to try it right now!"Awesome. Hope it works.
Jason, that was great! I spent 20 minutes figuring it out call mama but now I’m on page 58 of this 128 or so page thing. Hopefully I can finish the darn thing tonight. I have to because I don’t know how to get back to my regular computer. It’s just Kaina Open waiting.So while you are my angel, the problem it doesn’t saw this how silly and stupid this book actually is. It’s quite disappointing. In fact right now in the story, a 26-year-old man is taking the ghost of his beloved grandmother clothes shopping. Yep that’s what I said. While, and another chapter, randomly there is this characterization of a terrorist who is getting ready to kill a lot of people. Although you shouldn’t have to worry about the dead grandmother who has come back as her 26-year-old self in ghost form, because I said she’s already dead. Have I said enough to make you guys know that this is not a book you’ll ever need to read?
Amy wrote: "Jason, that was great! I spent 20 minutes figuring it out call mama but now I’m on page 58 of this 128 or so page thing. Hopefully I can finish the darn thing tonight. I have to because I don’t kno..."I am sorry that all this work was required for a book that wasn't worth it.
My 530 is busy no showing. I could’ve finished the darn thing by now. What do you think happens when a ghost goes shopping? Truly, I appreciate how you really helped me figure it out.
Charlotte wrote: "Red Land, Black Land: Daily Life in Ancient Egypt just came in on audio from my library and it's my first time trying audio from the library so I might switch to that real quick for audio. ..."OOH, am so glad someone is reading this! I read it (in print form) before my trip to Egypt some time ago and found it pretty interesting -- and I rarely in those days read non-fiction. The information gleaned stood me very well on that trip, and also helped my appreciation of the newly reorganized Egyptian Wing at the Louvre when I visited Paris a couple years later.
Book Concierge wrote: "Amy ... When it comes to technology I am about as clueless as they come. I have figured out one or two things on my own but usually just take my tablet to Best Buy and let the Geek Squad handle it...."My last tech issue turned out to be so easy, a sales rep at Best Buy (not even in the phone dept) was able to fix it for me in 2 minutes. My phone stopped recognizing my finger print and I was afraid I'd get locked out of it all together.
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So in September, my other plans, if these ever clear, are to read Song of the Jade Lily (yay), Child of the Morning, Jasmine Nights, and if there is a minute left, maybe Gods of Jade and Shadow.... I guess we will see how this goes. But I have to tell you guys.... I really don't enjoy being in more than one book at a time. Hopefully, I can just get through Labyrinth, and Crawdads, and then everything else will hopefully fall into place.
Did I mention I started Red Zone with my 9 year old? The second to last Tiki and Ronde Barber book series? Sometimes I think my head will explode. Pray for me with labyrinth, and anybody who has suggestions for getting Angel on my laptop, please feel free to share...