How many books

[S.M.]

Are you one of those readers that reads more than one book at a time? If so how many do you usually have going at once?

I usually only read one so I don't lose interest and my place. lol

[Dana]

I often read a novel and a non-fiction book at the same time, since I often put non-fiction down between chapters or sections.

[Kelly]

I read two at a time sometimes, but when I do this, it always follows the same pattern. I'll start something and read a good bit of it, and then feel like I need a break... either it's moving slowly or I'm just in the mood for something fresh and different. So then I'll start another book, and usually I read the second one all the way through before going back to the first one.

I'm reading 2 right now. I started The Writing Class about a week ago, and in the middle of the week I paused on it and read The Secret Between Us start to finish. Then I went back to The Writing Class, and I'm halfway through it right now. Then tonight, I started another new book, Mania, and I'll probably go back and forth between the two and finish them around the same time.

It's so much easier to read one book at a time! But sometimes I need that change of pace to keep from feeling too bogged down in something.

[Jennifer C]

I personally read one and listen to one at the same time but that is about it. I am afraid I am going to get confused, lol. That actually happened a little bit while I was reading Nora Roberts' Dream series and listening to Bed of Roses as IMO the basic storylines were somewhat the same.

[Athira]

I usually just read 2 at a time - one book and one audiobook. Sometimes, if I feel I've been at a book for too long, I start reading one more book, and have 3 going.

[Melissa]

I usually read 2 or 3 books at a time..I think I do that for the variety..such as a cozy and a Romance book.

[Darcy]

I usually only read one at time with the exception being if I am listening to an audio book, then I have 2 going.

[Jim son of Jim (formerly PhotoJim)]

I'll go for six months and read one at a time. Then I'll pick up a book, read for a couple hours, pick up another book, read for a couple of hours, pick up a third book, read for a couple of hours, and then slip a fourth book into my pocket as I walk out the door.

I'm in one of those phases now. I currently have four books going. Not a bad thing. It's just the way it is.

[Angela]

I usually only read one book at a time, when I was younger I could read more than one book at at time but now a days I have a hard time with that.

[Donnajo]

It depends. I'm trying to do one at a time but usually I have more than that. As long as the storyline isn't that close to each other. A book might be more putdownable than some so I like books that grab me and I can zip though so the other ones usually sit on the side until I feel like picking them up. I guess it depends on my mood too.

[Afsana]

I usually only read one at a time and as i like the satisfaction of finishing a book and reading more then one at a time can slow things done and get confusing

Though at moment am reading 3 -an audio in the car a book fiction (grafton) and a non fiction (biography-which have been since dec). The non fiction reading on and off in between reads if not in mood to start new book.

But that is unusual for me

[LynnB]

I usually have about 3 going, though they all have to be very different. It's normally one fiction, one non-fiction, and one mystery.

[Stacie]

I usually have several going at once... most likely one new fiction book, one re-read and one or more non-fiction. Right now I'm reading Fellowship of the Rings (re-read), The True History of Tea (non-fiction), The Adventure of English (non-fiction audiobook), have just finished Chill Factor (paranormal romance) and am about to start The Living Dead (horror). As you can probably tell, I get bored easily and I prefer having a wide variety of books to fall into. I also hate that feeling of being "in between" books ;)

[Victoria]

I'm terrible in that I have tens of books on the go at the same time. I love starting new books and I'm not so good at finishing them.

[Jessica]

At any given point I could be reading 2-4 books and listening to 1-2.
A book for my bag (generally a mystery), a couple at my nightstand (depends on my mood: mystery, fiction, romance), and books in other areas of the house where I find myself wanting a book (reference, history, mysteries).
Then I'll have fiction, romance, or mystery audiobooks for listening to in the car (iPod or audio casette) and another for working at my computer (iTunes or OverDriveMedia-for listening to Public Library downloadable books).

[Lyn (Readinghearts)]

I am all over the place. Sometimes I will only read one book at a time, sometimes I will have as many as three or four going at once. Right now, I have three going. One is a group read and we are reading together in sections. One is a library book that is good, but slow going, and one is a fast moving mystery.

[Lisa S]

I can only read one at a time. If I t4ry to read more I get confused about whats going on in either book. I'm not that coordinated. LOL

[Renee]

Lisa, I feel your pain. I can multi-task at just about anything else except reading. I have a tough time trying to read the newpaper, a magazine and a book in the same day. heheeehe

[Kari]

I usually have one book and one audio book going at the same time. That is about all I can handle.

[Connie]

I usually read only 1 at a time. I have tried 2 at a time but it gets confusing for me especially if they are both in the 1st person.

[Jan]

I usually have 3 - one for the gym, one for a Bible/book study group and one just because. The ones for the gym are usually "collection" type books because they take a while and the study group is usually a chapter a week. That way it's not as confusing.

[Christine]

I usually only have two going at one time. One for work and one for home.

[alicia]

I sometimes have 2 going at the same time. If there are so many books i want to get to in a month. Like if a group sounds to good to pass up and then a book i have from the library i'm already reading.

[Teresa]

I normally have one upstairs, one downstairs and one in the car. Once the book gets really good, it becomes THE BOOK TO READ AT ALL TIMES ( LOL) and the others wait. RIght now I am reading Blue Heavenand it is not holding my interest, just started Third Degreeand read the first two chapters quite quickly and the third book isTrials of Deathwhich is only 200 pages and I have devoured every one of these in hours.

[Courtney]

I try to keep it to one book at a time. But also try to finish fiction in no more than 2 days.
I usually have an audio book going too. These are generally very different genres or subjects than the book I am reading.

[Donnajo]

I just looked again at 2009 and comparing it to this year I'm already ahead by 5 books at this time last year. Not too bad I guess.
Teresa I'm glad to see you on here and still reading some good books. I remember how you used to always be reading in the car while waiting at activities for the kids.

[Angela]

The most I ever do is 2, and that is rare

[Rayni]

Depends on where I am in the cycle of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Sometimes I'm not reading at all :(

[Athira]

At the moment I have 4 books going - one audiobook, one for bedtime reading, one for gym, and one anywhere else!

[Dorothy]

I mostly have 2 going at once...one to read and one on audio. I've just picked up a Fastread at the Library so will have to abandon the hardback I'm currently reading to get this one finished in a week to avoid the fine! So I suppose you could say I have 3 on the go at the moment.

[Kelly]

Dot, what is a Fastread?

[Dorothy]

I live in Victoria BC and our library system has a special shelf in each branch for newly published books in hardback that are likely to be popular with borrowers. These books carry a "Fastread" label, you can't put them on hold, and you have to choose from what happens to be there when you go in. You get them for a week only, and if you don't get them back within 7 days, there is a hefty 41.50 per day overdue fine. Today I picked up 2 Fastreads...and will have to get cracking on them to get them back by next Tuesday.


Kelly R wrote: "Dot, what is a Fastread?"

Dot wrote: "I mostly have 2 going at once...one to read and one on audio. I've just picked up a Fastread at the Library so will have to abandon the hardback I'm currently reading to get this one finished in a..."

[Darcy]

My library does something similar. It is called Best Seller Express, here the books are newly released ones by popular authors, and are on a first come first serve basis. You get them for 10 days, but have to pay a $3 rental fee. So if you want a new book, but don't want to wait on the normal waiting list it is a great way to get them.

[Kelly]

Dot - OMG, 41.50 overdue fee per DAY??? That's nuts!! That's in dollars? Sorry, I don't know anything about Canadian currency.

[Mackenzie]

That's ridiculous Dot ! :O 41.50?! eesh.

[LynnB]

Wow! I think that's ridiculous too, but then again...they probably tend to come back on time!

[Kelly]

LOL, no kidding. I wonder if that was a typo?

[Rayni]

I wouldn't even consider it. I just started using the library again because I can't remember what I have or where I put it. And always have a hefty fine.

[Mackenzie]

Idk, it could've been a typo.. as I think that 41.50 is way too much! I would most likely bypass those books though as I greatly dislike library book fines lol.

[Dorothy]

Darcy wrote: "My library does something similar. It is called Best Seller Express, here the books are newly released ones by popular authors, and are on a first come first serve basis. You get them for 10 days..."

Ouch ....that was a serious typo in my comment. I meant $1:50 (one dollar fifty)

[Dorothy]

Rayni wrote: "I wouldn't even consider it. I just started using the library again because I can't remember what I have or where I put it. And always have a hefty fine."

I used to hate library fines, mostly because they made me feel guilty. But now that I'm in a better financial position, I try to regard them as a donation to the library. I still try to avoid them but feel better about paying them, somehow.

[Dorothy]

Dot wrote: "Darcy wrote: "My library does something similar. It is called Best Seller Express, here the books are newly released ones by popular authors, and are on a first come first serve basis. You get th..."

I still avoid the #1.50 a day ones though!

[A.K.]

We usually don't have to pay much. My mother takes all the books we get back at the same time so we never forget any.

[Afsana]

here in the uk they have a week only loans but overdue fine is like a normal books and can renew I think as long as noone requested it

[Darcy]

Dot a $1.50 is much more reasonable. If it was the other one heck you might as well have bought the dang thing.

[Kelly]

Lol, yeah, $41.50 sounded pretty harsh. :P

[Donnajo]

With our library the new books are 14 days the older 20 something depending on which library the book comes from it you request something from another library. If it's a new book that people reserve then it seems to take forever and it could come from your library or a library that is in their system. I forgot how many countries is involved. I'm still waiting for a Patterson book since around Labor day. I have to check again because it's happened before that for some reason I got off the list. They have problems with their automated calling system so it's possible. Anyway, they do have a cart that seems to change with the new popular books (a extra one they have) that if you are lucky you can't find the book you want there but it's can't be renewed. Same if it's on a reserve list if you are the last one to get it then you can renew otherwise it's keep it out a few extra days and pay the fine or return it and get back on the reserve again and hope you get it back soon. The thing I'm not crazy about is when you are on the list for reserve and the book is from another library you don't get it if there are other's after you requesting it that belong to that library. Unless that is only in my library they do that. So if someone requests a book from another library and I request it after then I get it first.

[Mackenzie]

Oh gosh, 1.50$ is much more reasonable. At my library it's 0.25$ every day that the book is late, I'm not sure if new books have a different fine though.

[Kelly]

I guess I should feel lucking then... ours is only $0.10 per book per day. And unless I'm mistaken, you can keep new books as long as regular books. They have a shelf up front for the newest stuff, and I've gotten something from it several times and was able to renew, as long as no one had a hold placed on it.

[Mackenzie]

Yeah, that's the same with my library. New books have the same lending time as any other book, which is always 3 weeks. But obviously if someone requests it, you can't renew. :)