Reading more than one book...

[terpkristin]

Rose wrote: "I see that many people do a print and an audiobook, I can't get into audiobooks because I feel like it's cheating somehow. thoughts? "

There's another thread around here (or two, actually) about reading vs. listening and if it counts. I'm firmly of the opinion that it does. Audiobooks aren't for everybody, and the narrator can make a bad book pleasant or a good book bad, so there are other factors involved. But I love audiobooks and find them to be a convenient way to split my reading.

[Mike]

I usually have two going at once: one printed novel and one audiobook. The one rule I have is that the books have to be pretty different (although both within the SFF genre of course).

[J.R.]

I tend to read 3-4 books at a time normally. It's mostly just a preference and I am able to keep the storys seperate in my head, so I figure why not have multiple books going.

[Catelijne]

I don't always read more than one book, but when I do it helps to read different kind of books. For instance: I'm reading A Game of Thrones and The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Hundre år. All so completely different that there is no mixing them up.

[Michael]

I do read multiple books at a time. Part of that is that I'm usually reading non-fiction (usually history) as research for writing then for fiction I usually have a few books at a single time. What I try to do is vary the "type" of book so that I can pickup what I'm in the mood for. For instance something literary, a fellow author whose work I'm interested in, or a highly recommended book that is at the top of my TBR pile.

[Karey]

I have always read more than one book at a time. I think this comes from when I was a child, reading ahead in my English books as I read other books for pleasure. One reason that I read multiple books is that I read books like The Game of Thrones (or Robert Jordan) at a slower pace than I read a lot of other books. It is not that I am enjoying the book any less, but that I need more time to immerse myself into the fantasy of it.

I also do this when I have a lot of library books. They tend to get pushed ahead of books I own so I can return them without a fine. It doesn't matter where I am in the first book, I will pick up right where I left off.

I still get the enjoyment out of all the books, I just separate them automatically. It is the same as putting down a book to watch TV or listen to music, the mind tends to multitask pretty easily.

[John]

I used to read multiple books at a time, but the reason was usually just convenience. I might have a hardback and a couple of paperbacks going, and it would depend on where I put the book down as to wich book I'd pick up and read at any Ine time.
Ebooks changed that for me. No I pick up my phone and there is the book I'm reading, got more space, pick up my iPad and there is the book I'm reading. And as it keeps it's place, I'm not wasting time rereading parts I read as I fell asleep then lost my place 8)

[Craig]

Cameron wrote: "I was thinking about this recently as well. I generally only read one book for recreational reading. I find that as a worker in the tech industry there is such a flood of documents, presentations..."

I'm with Cameron. I can generally keep one "recreational" book going, one or two for work (may include other readings), and maybe one nonfiction or learning book (something I want to learn about).

[Kristen]

When I first got my iPad, I would be working on a audible book, a B&N Nook book, an iTunes book, and a Kindle book! Overtime, I've settled into just the kindle app and audible. However I usually have one book on my iPad and one only iPhone for times I wanna read but don't have my iPad with me.

I've never had trouble keeping them straight however I do find it takes me longer to finish a book:)

[Charlotte]

I've just recently discovered the wonderful world of audiobooks which has really helped me read multiple books at the same time. Lately I've been listening to one book on audio, then reading another on my kindle. I also read a lot of comics on my IPad and have some kind of non-fiction book floating around in there. I've got to say that as much as I love physical books, through my kindle, iPad, and iPod I've really been able to read so much more content.

[Sonic]

I read multiple books at the same time too. My maximum seems to be 3 at once, though they're usually spread between multiple devices/formats.

[Jonathan]

Depends on the time of year. If I'm in the middle of a semester, I'm usually reading about 10-12 books at the same time. When I'm not in the middle of a semester, it's usually 3-5 books. Am I able to fully appreciate the books and absorb everything? More often than not, yes.

[Zerofever]

Ive got 5 on the burner right now. Like its been said its like watching Tv shows each week. sometimes I'm in the mood for fiction. sometimes Plato. sometimes fantasy. I like the flexibility of it. I don't feel it takes anything away at all.