# How many at once?



## JosephDurham (Jul 11, 2015)

So, how many books do you read at one time?  Or do you just have to finish one before you begin another?  

Joseph


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

I can easily have a dozen books in progress. Many of them are non-fiction, which seems to lend itself (for me) more to suspending reading and then coming back to it. Also, I read collections of short stories, which also makes reading in blocks of time easier.

Mike


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## SarahCarter (Nov 8, 2012)

Usually two for me. One book on my phone to read during the day, and one paperback to read before bed.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Usually one or two . . . but I've been known to have up to 4 going at once. 

It's so easy with the kindle . . . . having so many books available all the time . . . . if what you're currently reading doesn't suit your mood and then you can just pick something else.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Majority of the time I am a one at a time, one after the other reader. There are a few times where I have 2 going at once when I want to read something different in bed compared to during the day or evening. Like something lighter late and maybe something more heavy in the day. Or a different sub genre like a historical and a contemporary, or a mystery and a urban fantasy. Such thing. But its more rare. Mostly one after the other. I like to get in the story and follow it through and then go to the next.


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## anguabell (Jan 9, 2011)

About 4 to 5 - one or two non-fiction, and something "lighter" and "more serious", and always, always at least one re-read of some of my favorites. The selection is largely driven by my mood and various stages of brain exhaustion. I am just trying not to read 2 books of the same genre at the same time, because that confuses me a bit. On the other hand, I have no trouble getting into the story, even if switching between several books in one evening, but that's an ability I developed early on.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

One, although on occasion, I might be reading a non-fiction book at the same time as fiction books.  That is pretty rare, however.  I'm pretty much a one book and I either finish it or I don't.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I'd say anywhere from 1 to 4. Usually only one novel at a time, though occasionally I'll put a difficult one aside for awhile. I might also have a short story collection from which I read a story or two between novels (or novel sections), and then sometimes a nonfiction book or two that lend themselves to a chapter at a time as the mood hits me.


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## cagnes (Oct 13, 2009)

I always have one book & one audiobook in progress and I complete them before starting up a new one.


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## Tuttle (Jun 10, 2010)

One or two, and possibly an audiobook.

Fiction is one after another. I sometimes have a non-fiction book alongside the fiction. (Sometimes I'm only reading a nonfiction book). Audiobooks that are alongside are almost always books I've read before.


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## Chinmoy Mukherjee (Apr 26, 2014)

JosephDurham said:


> So, how many books do you read at one time? Or do you just have to finish one before you begin another?
> 
> Joseph


I prefer finishing the book before starting to read one more book.


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

I prefer to read one book to it's conclusion and then start another one. I do however listen to a different audio book, usually when I go to bed - somehow that doesn't seem to bother me as it would if I were actually _reading_ a different book.


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## RJMcDonnell (Jan 29, 2011)

I usually have one fiction and one non-fiction going at the same time.


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## alawston (Jun 3, 2012)

It varies, I'm trying to keep it down to two books at a time these days (eg, one paperback and one e-book), but right now I'm reading a David Gemmell paperback, a "How To Write A Mystery Novel" guide, a couple of Indie titles on Kindle, and I'm reading through proofs for a short story collection for which an author friend has asked me to write the foreword (so excited!).


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## RosieB (Feb 1, 2014)

I generally have one fiction and one non-fiction on the go at any one time. If one is particularly heavy I try to balance it with something lighter, and if I'm reading something scary I make sure I've got something less traumatising to read just before bed...


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## Ceteris Paribus (Jul 31, 2015)

I am awfully promiscuous, and choose the book that fits my mood. It can be a dozen I'm reading at one time, but if I find something that truly holds my attention, I finish it right away before switching back to any of the others.


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## shaunduke (Feb 2, 2015)

For me, it really depends.  When I get bogged down in the PhD, I tend to stop reading anything that isn't related to that.  When I'm not bogged down by it, I'll juggle 3-4 books at a time (not necessarily the same genres).  I don't have a big problem with doing so, mostly because I get bored really easily and having things to juggle about keeps me occupied.  These days, though, I'm more bogged down by the PhD...so less reading.  Grr.


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## Becca Mills (Apr 27, 2012)

JosephDurham said:


> So, how many books do you read at one time? Or do you just have to finish one before you begin another?


With nonfiction, I can have a dozen going at once. I think that's because they tend not to drag me in and make me stay up all night to finish them. Plot is a powerful thing. With fiction, if I put it down, I'm probably not going back to it.



shaunduke said:


> For me, it really depends. When I get bogged down in the PhD, I tend to stop reading anything that isn't related to that. When I'm not bogged down by it, I'll juggle 3-4 books at a time (not necessarily the same genres). I don't have a big problem with doing so, mostly because I get bored really easily and having things to juggle about keeps me occupied. These days, though, I'm more bogged down by the PhD...so less reading. Grr.


I remember what that was like. Ugh.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Becca Mills said:


> With nonfiction, I can have a dozen going at once. I think that's because they tend not to drag me in and make me stay up all night to finish them. Plot is a powerful thing. With fiction, if I put it down, I'm probably not going back to it.


*passes cookie*


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## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

One fiction and a gazillion non-fiction. Withe the latter usually one on my Kindle and the rest as old-fashioned hard copy - although hubs does fablon the covers for me so they last longer.


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## bendanarama (Jul 25, 2015)

One on my actual Kindle - the Discworld books atm, and one on my phone - currently Samuel Pepys diary, which will take me approximately seven thousand years to wade through.


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## Becca Mills (Apr 27, 2012)

telracs said:


> *passes cookie*


NOM.

Hmm. I let it get a little stale.


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## Geoff Jones (Jun 20, 2014)

One Book (currently _Origin_ by Kilborn (aka Konrath))
One Audio (currently _The Fold_ by Clines)

Enjoying both of them.


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## Mortiferus (Aug 12, 2015)

Study stuff. Then throughout the year always I read some non fiction and fiction writings

Tapatalk @ Lumia


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## gina1230 (Nov 29, 2009)

One book and one audiobook.  They have to be in different genres though, to help me keep the characters straight.


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## Eva Chase (Aug 8, 2015)

I usually prefer to read one book at a time, though I may do light research (i.e., not reading the whole book cover to cover, just checking relevant sections) while having a novel on the go.


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## Anna Drake (Sep 22, 2014)

I usually read one book straight through. Currently, though, I don't know what's going on with me. I have about four going now.


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## Anna Drake (Sep 22, 2014)

I'm not good at multi-tasking, so I only read one book at a time.


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## tvnopenope (Sep 14, 2015)

One. Once I start, I can't stop.


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## DiegoDinardi (Sep 25, 2015)

I tried to read more than one book at a time, in many different ways, and failed at them all  I tried reading one and then listening to another in audiobook form, reading one in the morning and one before bed, alternating days, you name it. I never felt comfortable to be, so I gave up. But I really, really hope I'll develop this skill someday! I did learn to read aboard moving vehicles, after all, which I once thought was impossible.


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2015)

At any given time I am normally reading two or three. But never in the same genre. I can't juggle multiple books in the same genre. The characters start to get jumbled around the plots get messed up in my head. Usually, I'll be working between a genre book and a non-fiction book, alternating between the two as the mood strikes me. The third book will often be a craft book or some sort of business-focused book.


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## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

One fiction and one non-fiction


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## Ergodic Mage (Jan 23, 2012)

I usually read a fiction and non-fiction book at the same time, but right now I'm reading 2 fictional and a non-fictional, since David Weber came out with his newest book in the Safehold Series.


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## laurenruiz05 (Oct 5, 2015)

This is a fascinating thread.   Everyone has such different styles (although the same ideas run through them). 

I don't know how many books I have going right now. I have books that I've started but haven't picked up again in months, all the while starting and finishing different books. It's not that I've abandoned them; just haven't been in the mood for them. 

Ideally, I'd be a one-after-the-other, speed reader like a few of my friends are.


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## alawston (Jun 3, 2012)

I've whittled down my pile of current reads to just the one, Critical Failures on Kindle.

With the dog and everything else going on, I can't multitask at the moment.


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## Chinese Writer (Mar 25, 2014)

About 3-4. It's like watching TV shows for me. I like to channel surf. Usually a writing book, a life skill book like personal finance, a cozy mystery (my favorite genre), and a romance or women's fic.


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## SakuraMazaki (Oct 20, 2015)

Typically 2 books, plus some comics in between.


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## TomCrossley (Sep 16, 2015)

I never, like to go more than two at a time, mainly because with the more books reading at once the less time you're able to engage in, what's before you. 

It's good to really dive in and consider what's going on with the paper...


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## ancaiovita (Feb 13, 2016)

I wish I could say I read 1 book at a time. This is my intention at least. But ever since I got a Kindle, I always have around 4-5 books in parallel. They are all non-fiction books and I pick one according to my moods and surroundings (some books demand more focus, so I'll read them while alone at home, while other can easily be read while commuting).


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## PB2016 (Jan 14, 2016)

2-4...although it is getting smaller nowadays....I feel it was easier to read multiple paper books than reading multiple ebooks at the same time. Don't know why..


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## WDR (Jan 8, 2014)

When I say I'm "Reading", I am referring to an activity I do for pleasure. I don't count the stuff I read for research—not that those things aren't entertaining, but in my mind there is a difference. With that disclaimer, I only read one book at a time, due to the nature of how I read.

When I sit down with a  book, I fall into flow state fairly quickly and I remain there until something overrides the trance and causes me to put the book aside. I stop seeing words on the page fairly quickly. When I read, I see the images and scenes in my head and I am unaware of actually reading the words. Because of this, switching from one book to another would be unpleasantly jarring to me.

Think of it this way: imagine you are watching a really good movie when someone suddenly switches out the disk/changes the channel. You'd be pretty upset, especially if the story was just reaching a good part.

For the same reason I have a savage dislike of medleys. I can't stand it when the music plays out the theme of one song and suddenly switches to another. Even as a child, I hated medleys. I don't get closure with the songs being sampled because you never get to hear the primary theme of the melody answered. I feel like I've been hit with coitus interruptus over and over again.

The only reason I would put one book down and switch to another is if the first book was not very good and didn't hold my interest. That doesn't bode well for the first book. I'll probably never attempt to read it again.


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## George Saoulidis (Feb 2, 2016)

2 books, 2 audiobooks, depending on my mood.


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## ShellPresto (Mar 1, 2016)

If I have more than two going, that pretty much guarantees I'll end up dropping one, then skimming through the entire book again when I pick it back up so that I know what's going on. 

I can juggle more books if it's something I'm familiar with. For example, sequels where the characters are already ingrained in my brain, books based on movies I've recently watched, or public domain books.

But if all the books have new characters? Forgetful doom and skimming in the future.


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## kdiem (Feb 29, 2016)

Most of the time, I read one book at a time. Most novels are an hour or two long, even if life does not allow many large chunks of reading time these days. Unless I give up sleep, which bodes poorly for my domestic peace the next day. 

That said, I will read up to three at once. One nonfiction book A, where I will read/research for a bit, forcing myself to go slowly and absorb it until I get bored. Then I wander to book B, a novel. If B is either too dark to read before bed or loses my interest I will start another novel (C) and read to completion. Once C is done, I go back and try to finish B or decide if I want to set it aside forever.


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## SidneyW (Aug 6, 2010)

I used to read many at once.

I stepped back for a while and disciplined myself to read one at a time.

Kindle kind of makes it easy to have reads in progress, and right now I do about two at a time. 

There are always too many books, and there are always many I'm anxious to get to.


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## joyjennings (Jan 20, 2016)

I am in the one at a time club also, but if I am not enjoying the book then I will start another one.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I can have 1-4 open at any time, and have done even with paper books, tending to have different books in different rooms of the house.



Betsy


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## andrewclawson (Jun 4, 2012)

One at a time, and the hardest part is not giving in to switch series when there's another one waiting to be read. But I get a lot of my books from the library, so half the battle is logistically working out when I'll be done with the current novel and to make sure the sequel is available at the branch near me. I personally feel more than one at a time detracts from the experience (I wish this wasn't the case...I envy those of you who can juggle multiple tales at once).


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## Nikki M. (Feb 29, 2016)

Generally I stick to one or two at a time. I *can* keep several on the go if necessary, but I find the reading experience more immersive--and thus more enjoyable, imo--if I just tear straight through without getting sidetracked.


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