The Sword and Laser discussion
Two Books at Once?
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For me it depends on the books. If they're different enough, or if the format is different then it's not a big problem. Though I try to concentrate I usually have two to four books going at once, but it's usually a mix of fiction and non-fiction, dead tree and ebook or audiobook.I guess it's different for everyone, but I at least try to avoid reading two books of very similar style at once in the same format. I'm pretty sure I would get confused and it would annoy me that it would drag out finishing both books longer.
I guess I would try to finish book 4 of ASOIAF and then read Elantris along with the S&L club. But then again, I would say to just try it out. Maybe it works for you.
If I include audiobooks, I'm usually reading six or seven books at a time. Right now I'm reading two dead tree books, and four different audiobooks. (Nope. Make that five audiobooks.) Usually the proportion of audiobooks to dead tree books is skewed in the other direction. Granted, at least half of these are books I'm rereading, so it's easier to keep the stories straight, but I've never ever been able to read only one book at a time.
When I was younger I used to think it was an odd thing to do, but now I usually have several on the go at once - usually a fiction, a non fiction and an audiobook which could be either, although sometimes more than one of either type as well. I think the difference is that I don't inhabit a book as thoroughly as I did when I was a kid.
I haven't read just one book at a time since I was very young. As a kid, yeah, you can't or won't concentrate on more than one story. But ever since my pile of unread books and want-to-reads has grown into the 3-digit-numbers, I read a bunch of books at the same time.Right now, I'm reading The Waste Lands and Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind and I'm still "only" on page 1000 in IT. Then there's a Robin Hobb going on. Even though they're all fantasy I have no trouble keeping the stories apart.
I agree, however, that it is easier if you read books from different genres, in different languages or a fiction and a non-fiction book at the same time. Audiobooks are also very easy to keep apart from physical books.
I have trouble reading 2 fiction books at the same time in the same format. My brain always wants to pull the characters from the other stories and see what they would do in the current book. Even if they are completely different genres. Say a murder mystery and a fantasy book. My brain just kind of says "but what would the detective think of this move to eradicate the orcs from the cave?"
For this reason I personally try to keep it to one paper/e-ink book and one audio book at a time. Since listening is a little different than reading for me I can keep the stories behind my minds walls. Mostly...
I'm not sure that I see it differently from watching multiple tv/movie serials over time. I'm guilty of multiple reading. I usually read 3-4 books at once. I may be missing out on the immersive quality of some books, but the really good ones tend to push other books off to the side.
kvon wrote: "I may be missing out on the immersive quality of some books, but the really good ones tend to push other books off to the side."Yeah, that's exactly what happens. You're in the middle of a few books but then one takes over completely and you finish that before you so much as look at any of the others. I think it's great when that happens and I don't believe I'm missing out on anything.
Some books also just need you to be in the right mood to fully work their magic on you. So starting them and reading something else in between may actually help you give that book the chance it needs to grip you.
I almost never read only one book at a time unless it's freaking amazing or something short that I read in one sitting and therefore read it 'on its own' by default.Most of the time I have to read what I'm in the mood for, the more books I have on the better the odds that one of them is suitable for a lazy Sunday on the couch, or for a hungover bus ride to work, or for bringing to the park, etc.
I read pretty quickly so keeping a couple of books on the go doesn't usually result in any one book taking too long to get through, although I'll occasionally break down in horror at the length of my 'currently-reading' list and decide that I need to finish some of these damn books.
I don't really read two books at once. I'll often stop one book mid-read and switch to another - finishing that one then going back to the first. Happens if I'm reading a book, and then a book I'm really excited about comes available before I'm finished reading the current one.The few times I have read two books at once, I often found myself confusing the storylines for a bit when I picked one up before I got back into it.
I don't know how I'd handle having less than about 10 on the go at once.
I always have two on the go at once. One audio and one print. Like most people, I try and keep them to different genres so as not to get confused. Sword and Laser works great!
I recently started reading two books at the same time. One book is audible and the other book is print/kindle version. I have to agree with others about the differing genres.
I can do one print, and one audio at a time. I find that when I am reading two books (or listening to two books) I have a tendency to combine the books, or focus on one until it is finished (essentially putting one book on hold until I finish the other).
I'm don't normally do it, but I'm doing it now. I'm reading a Kindle book when I'm on the go and a paper book when I'm home.
If a book's holding my attention I don't seem to have a problem keeping things separate. Although I was surprised that it was Moriaty rather than Voldemort who was behind the murder of Julius Caesar...The funny thing is that people follow strands of different TV shows all the time, often within the same genre, without difficulty.
I often have multiple books going at once. There's always one I'm reading aloud to my wife, plus one I'm reading myself, plus at least one (usually more) for any study I'm doing, plus book-club related books, plus...
Paul 'Pezter' wrote: " I don't seem to have a problem keeping things separate. Although I was surprised that it was Moriaty rather than Voldemort who was behind the murder of Julius Caesa..."LOL.. good one. I spilled my coffee when I read that this morning :)
Making people spill things is all I can ask for :D
Richardya wrote: "but does anyone watch 1/4 of a movie and then switch to another watch a fourth of that movie and return to the first etc. "Well no. But that's because a movie is maybe 2 hours long. I would, for example, watch LotR 1, then watch a couple other movies, then watch part 2 and so on.
I know people who religiously read one book after another, even if they're totally not in the mood for their book anymore. I think (personally) that's just masochism. But to each their own. If you're more comfortable reading one book at a time, go ahead. If you've got a dozen going at once, also fine. I couldn't just read one story at a time. The ones that grip me enough that I read just that one book are clear favourites (Harry Potter, Chuck Palahniuk, etc.) But that's just me. :)
I tend to always have two or three books going at once. Though usually one is scifi/fantasy and the rest are non-fiction or short story anthologies. I end up reading the fiction much faster then the non though.
It depends on the type of book I am reading. Usually, I stick to one, but I've had three at a time going simultaneously before.
Currently I'm reading four books at once and I could probably add a fifth one, but I'm trying not to. I have two others that I'm in the middle off, but they're tech books, so I'll just pick them up later and it shouldn't be a problem.As for diversity I have: One audiobook (Dresdren Files #2), one German non-fiction book that I got for review, one English non-fiction book for the Kindle, one tech/IT book.
I could probably easily add a fiction book for the Kindle without getting confused. As long as it's diverse it's okay, and with non-fiction books it's usually less of a problem when you stop and pick up at a later time.
Richardya wrote: "It's not just the keeping the story straight that is the issue, it's just why read two? Finish one then read the other seems more enjoyable. Unless you have a reason, ie a book club or totally diff..."I confess it's the GR bookclubs that have really done it for me, curse them!!!
I normaly read 3 to 4 books at a time. Audiobook on the way to work, e-book at work and a "real" book or two for bed and general downtime. I also have a shelf with non-fiction and shortstories beside the tub. (But those are just for passing time, not for reading with the goal of actualy finishing)
While reading/listening I generaly don't have a problem, not mixing up the facts (that happens sometime between finishing and rereading the book ;-) ) and it keeps me from getting bored.
If I find that I just can't put down one of the books, then I put the others on hold and just plow through that one. But I'll admit that it'd probably go faster if I just read one after the other, on the other hand there would be a lot more books I just couldn't finish as well.
Mod
But this habit meant a fair number of books I liked nevertheless got set aside as I plunged into some shiny new book. I recently have tried reading only two books at once, one fiction and one non-fiction, to reduce the "abandoned book" factor (I don't mind abandoning books I truly don't like, though). But restricting myself like that just seems to have slowed down my reading pace (or maybe it's just been some of the longer books S&L picks this year ;) ), and I may return to my 'too many things on one platter' method.
Jlawrence wrote: "I used to always be reading five to six books at one time. Usually they'd be a mix of fiction and non-fiction, and a mix of genres, so they would stay separate in my mind (even reading two fantasy..."You could call it natural selection. If a book is interesting enough you will surely finish it and if it's not then it just wasn't interesting enough for you.
However, I still stick to my "finish (nearly) every book I start" rule. Sometimes a book needs some time to pick up its pace. But then I only started multi-reading recently and only because I find it works for me and I still finish all the books. We'll see if I can keep it up.
Just saw this thread and I thought i'd give my two cents. I find it pretty easy to read a lot of books simultaneously. I almost always have one audiobook, one dead tree and one ebook but often i'll have 3 or 4 ebooks.
I don't really have any of the format or genre restrictions other people have reported either. Not sure why, I guess just because i've done this since I was very young.
I usually have an Audiobook and a deadtree going at the same time. The formats are almost so different that I forget until I see a thread like this that I do read two books at the same time!!
I always read at LEAST two books at the same time but you got to be careful or you could end up trying to read five at once, like I'm currently doing and slowly go insane.
Audio and print always. I have tried to read two print books at the same time but the most compelling one always wins and I drop the other.
I cannot do it. I tend to be reading a novel and also have a book of short stories on the go. To make sure I always have a pocket sized book to carry with me!
I usually read one ebook and one paperback at a the same time. Before I got an ereader, I never read two books at once.
I've read multiple books for as long as I can recall. I just keep one in each room of the house I read in. I think you know which rooms I'm referring to.
The Sword and Laser
Books mentioned in this topic
The Waste Lands (other topics)The Name of the Wind (other topics)
I usually read two or three books simultaneously. One in audio, and one or two in dead-tree/electronic format. Almost all of my reading is fiction. The only thing I find I sometimes have to do is read different genres, to ensure that I don't get my stories crossed. That said, if it's a series I'm invested in and know well in one format, I can usually do two fantasy or two sci-fi.
In short, I think it's eminently doable. :)