THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion
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ARE YOU A ONE BOOK AT A TIME READER?
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Lisa
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Sep 21, 2010 05:51AM
Keeps people from coming into my office when my screen is full of words, they think I am working on a word document and they all fear that!! LOL
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If I try to read more then one book at a time I find that I spend the whole time comparing them, or reading one and thinking the whole time about the other. It's like a literary affair.
I notice if I am reading a suspense/thriller that has me captivated, I will not read anything else until it is finished. Other than that I tend to move around with my reading.
For fiction I am a one book reader, althou I often read some non-fiction works alongside the book I'm reading.
Wendy,Very well put!
Can I quote your phrase in GR quotes and attribute it to this discussion?!
I can also picture your words summarized on a reader's T shirt or tote with "One Book at a Time" on the face and the following on the reverse . . .
"If I read more than one book at a time, I spend the whole time comparing them, reading one and thinking about the other. It's like a literary affair!"
Wendy wrote: "If I try to read more then one book at a time I find that I spend the whole time comparing them, or reading one and thinking the whole time about the other. It's like a literary affair."
that is HIGHlarious which reminds me"I am high on life, and by life I mean brownies!"
The special ingreidient is a mint leaf, I think...
Natalie wrote: "Wendy,Very well put!
Can I quote your phrase in GR quotes and attribute it to this discussion?!
I can also picture your words summarized on a reader's T shirt or tote with "One Book at a ..."
Of course you can! I would be honored to be a quote. :)
Kable wrote: "that is HIGHlarious which reminds me"I am high on life, and by life I mean brownies!""
I'm at work cracking up, making a spectacle of myself...
Ever been locked in a car full of women smoking joints? I have- a free high! Lol
Mod
I read your story Larry- it was stunning!!!!!! you are a natural writer- I was breathless almost from the first word!!!
I'm a one book in the bedroom, another in the living room, another in my bag, a different one in the car, another one on my phone, etc. kind of person. I read a lot of nonfiction, so I'm always picking up a book around the house and reading a random section of it.
used_songs wrote: "I'm a one book in the bedroom, another in the living room, another in my bag, a different one in the car, another one on my phone, etc. kind of person. I read a lot of nonfiction, so I'm always pic..."Me, too!!! :-)
Mod
I have two books that I read periodically. Ii used to be a one book person,maybe I have to do that once again. Can never find the time to even finish one book. If they are slim paperbacks, no problem, but I tend to read tomes of books.LOL
I only read one book at a time. For me, when I get focused on that book, I stay there and do not want to split time with something else. Always been that way.
I, too, am a one book at a time reader. When I really get involved with a book, I hardly want to put it down and do anything else, let alone start another! The Path of InnocenceMegan Johns
I can only read one at a time because I totally give in to it....however....I can not finish a book if I do not have a second so I will not read the last chapter of a current read until there is one to take it's place...Where the Sun Sets
Mod
I am about 250 plus pages into the 1000 page Pillars of the Earth and I am nearing the Middle of a current thriller- Just took out 3 new releases from library- so I think when I finish Poe Shadow- I will go down to two books for a while so I can finish the library books before they are due back- (Robin Cook, Thomas Perry and Brian Haig's new books)
I generally don't have a problem juggling several books at once. I try not to start them at the same time, but get several chapters into one before beginning the other. I also tend not to be reading two books of the same type or genre, so maybe that's why I can pick up either and not feel lost after a page or so.
Steve wrote: "I generally don't have a problem juggling several books at once. I try not to start them at the same time, but get several chapters into one before beginning the other. I also tend not to be read..."I read in much the same way, Steve. I like having several going on at once that are very different.
I dabbled in reading more then one book at a time while I was involved in the buddy reads... Too much presure. I wasn't enjoying my books any more. I had to stop. I'm back to one book at a time and I am much happier.
It wasn't a fault of the buddy reads those were fun. I just didn't have enough reading time to keep up with the pace that was being set. :(
It wasn't a fault of the buddy reads those were fun. I just didn't have enough reading time to keep up with the pace that was being set. :(
I know what you mean, Gail! I love the discussions, but am having trouble keeping up with the reading. So I've decided to go back to reading at my pace and truly enjoying what I'm reading. I can always read the posts later! That's why I rarely check books out from the library (and I'm a board member). I read several books at once so take some time getting through them. I don't need the extra pressure of having to get them back on time!! I also read different types ... right now, a science, a history, one on autism, a cozy mystery, a horror & another I can't come up with off the top of my head ... it's probably one I've set aside to finish up the others. :-)
Martha, the Buddy read posts will always be active. Those of us who have finished the books usually come back and comment. Always enjoy knowing what other people thought.
I love reading the posts and learning more about the books than I would have on my own. I'm glad that the posts stay active. Some are reading Wuthering Heights, but I just don't have time now so will read it later and read the posts.
Mod
Shay wrote: "Martha, the Buddy read posts will always be active. Those of us who have finished the books usually come back and comment. Always enjoy knowing what other people thought."
That is what I love about the Buddyreads- As I read 3 books at a time- I really can't keep up- but as with Pillars- I like to make comments on what I have just read and get feedback from those who finished it.
I've been reading since at a very young age and it has become my passion in life. I'm one-book-at-a-time reader because I'm kinda a speed reader.I can finish in a day or two.I took just a week to finish The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes (1,000+ pages).I also prefer to focus on one story at a time.
I usually read one at a time, but I've usually got an audiobook going at the same time. I walk in the morning and listen to it then. Right now though I've started reading Ulysses and I've got to take breaks and read something else in between. I think I've read about 5 books just since I started Ulysses.
Ulysses is definitely one of those books you seem to have to force yourself to read 20-30 pages of and then reward yourself by reading something else. (That you really want to read. Kind of like punishment, with a reward at the end. Like getting a lollipop from the doctor after a shot.)
Mod
wow!! amazing reading Complete Sherlock Holmes in a week!! very impressive Joy!
Rick wrote: "Joy wrote: "I've been reading since at a very young age and it has become my passion in life. I'm one-book-at-a-time reader because I'm kinda a speed reader.I can finish in a day or two.I took just..."That's because I have the habit of staying up till late in the night reading. My mom or dad had to come in to stop me and forced me to sleep. And also because I adore Sherlock Holmes.
I usually read more than one book at a time, but tend to finish "more interesting" ones before I finish the rest and pick up another book after. Some books get neglected because of this i.e: I start reading it and it stays in my currently reading section for ages.
I agree Lyn, I will have books on my Kindle that I have been reading for months, but because I happen upon something more interesting, I tend to spend more time on that book. It is nice to have a couple different books to go to depending on what you are in the mood for!
I usually have two books on the go. I read one downstairs when I'm relaxing for the evening and watching the tube. I also have another at my bedside to read before I fall asleep. If I'm near the end of one or the other, it will take precedence.
I don't know how you all to it. I absolutely can't read more than one book at a time, although I sometimes am thinking about the next book I'm going to write while working on a book. In fact, I did a rough first chapter of my planned fourth book in the Regan McHenry Real Estate Mystery Series while writing "Buying Murder." The opening just came to me and I didn't want to lose the idea.
I definitely can't read more than one book at a time. Since I spend so much of my free time writing my own novels I haven't been able to read as much as I'd like. I might go a day or two between reads and I need to stay focused on the books charactors.
One way I do it, Nancy, is to read different genres. I'm currently reading a book on autism as I coach a young boy with autism in Special Olympics. I'm listening to The Civil War on my commute. Am reading a cozy mystery which is a real book & Dracula as an ebook. So where ever I am, I have a book. When I get far enough into one, I tend to stick with that one until done. The other 2 on my currently reading list are pretty much being ignored now as I'm concentrating on others.
Martha,I've tried that but it doesn't work for me. When I read Doris Kerns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals" it took such a long time that, even though I was enjoying it, I slipped in "Death With Interruptions" as a change of pace. The end result was I enjoyed "Death" less and hurried through the end and then had to get back into "Team." I just can't read multiples successfully.
3 books at a time, in 3 different genres.
i usually am in the middle of so many books that i confuse the characters. i enjoy having the options and coming back to a slow book after reading a different one
I'm the same way, Meaghan. And I like different types of stories at different times of the day even.
Mod
totally understand Gary- I really enjoy reading multiple books- so I can pretty much travel in my from 12th Century England (Pillars of the Earth) to Discworld (Reaperman) to modern day L.A. allin the span of a few hours!
I used to read only one book at a time because I thought I would have trouble keeping up with the different plots and characters and get them confused. However, I got over it after having to read multiple books for classes in middle school and high school.Now I love reading multiple books at once. I usually try and make it a variety so that I have different choices to suit my mood. I usually go with two nonfiction books and two fiction books, but I change this up all the time too.
I can't read two novels at the same time and manage them both in a balanced way. But I do always have my main in read and then have some short story collection going on the side. Sometimes it's things I'm re-reading like stuff by Ray Bradbury or Jack London. They have so many and I never get tired of 'em. For next month I have a library hold coming in (finally!) of short stories that look very interesting to me - Jesus' Son: Stories by Denis Johnson.
I'm a 2 to 3 or more book reader. I'm always at least reading one, and listening to another in the car.
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