I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend (even if it wasn’t Thanksgiving where you live!). One of the things on my “thankful” list was books, definitely. I’m also thankful for the wonderful participation we’ve had on these weekly reading questions. It has been awesome to find out about your reading habits, passions, and even compulsions!
This week’s reading question:
Do you have multiple books going at once? Or do you prefer to stick to one book at a time?
Again, I find myself having different answers, depending on what kind of reading we’re talking about.
If it’s fiction, I can only do one book at a time. Plots, subplots, plot twists…it’s enough for me to keep one book’s worth of plot issues straight. If I attempt to add in another novel…forget it! I’ll get far too confused!
But nonfiction — that’s a different story altogether. It seems I’m always reading multiple nonfiction books. It doesn’t bother me a bit to book-hop between a book on parenting, a book with theological leanings, and a book about grammar. And I usually have a variety of nonfiction books scattered throughout the house, so my location has a lot to do with which book I’ll pick up next.
I can mix the fiction and nonfiction, too. As long as I’m only reading one fiction, I can toss several nonfiction on my “currently reading” list. At the moment, in fact, I’m in the middle of one fiction book and two nonfiction books.
So there you have it. Fiction: one at a time. Nonfiction: multiple books going at once.
What about you? How many books are you reading right now? A bunch, or just one?
Ha, first again! Ooh the little pleasures in life!! Of course I’m reading several books at once. I almost always am. Let’s see . . . right now . . . let’s go with four. Oops, make that five. That does not count the art book I’m working through or the audio book i’m trying to listen to!
I am also a one book gal. My answer is here
Sorry…senior moment. I have completed the challenge!!!! Thank you for hosting. It was fun.
I’m like you. Only one fiction book at a time (if that), but ALWAYS multiple non-fiction books. I’ve about decided I’m ADD when it comes to reading; must keep several going to keep from being bored.
I’m the same…
With fiction I stick to one book at a time but with non-fiction I can keep going between books.
Maryam´s last post ..Teaser Tuesday 11
I tend to stick to one book at a time. Visit me here to read my complete answer: http://annsreadingcorner.blogspot.com
Another fun question and I am happy to say as often as I have been asked this question, my answer finally changed. See what I have to say here.
P.S. I’ve completed the challenge this week-end. It was a fun challenge, I got more books read than I would have otherwise. Thanks for hosting Fall Into Reading 2010.
I don’t really like to read more than one book at a time. You can read more in my Fall into Reading post.
I’m the same as you.
I can read several non-fiction at a time and still know what I’m reading.
If I try to read more than one fiction book I get lost.
When I was younger I could read several of both.
I’m usually into at least two at once — one for each bathroom.
Usually one is fiction and one is non-fiction, and I usually get through the fiction must faster unless I switch books and put the non-fiction in the bathroom I use most.
Sometimes I’ll have a non-fiction book I am going through alongside my devotions as well, and it is kept with my Bible.
Other than that I am probably less inclined to have two non-fiction going at once unless they’re very different because usually non-fiction requires greater concentration or me, Right now I have one that is a series of shorter biographies and one about writing, so that works out ok, but I wouldn’t read two about writing at the same time or about parenting at the same time, etc.
Barbara H.´s last post ..Two Agatha Christie novels
I typically only like to read one book at a time, but I’ll agree that the rules do seem different for non-fiction. I blogged both this week and last week’s questions since I was out of town last week and wanted to keep up my trend of blogging them all. :O)
Jen E @ mommablogsalot´s last post ..FIR’ 10 – Questions 9 & 10- on Multi-tasking and follow through
Typically I prefer one book at a time. (I prefer this once I discovered that I would move through a book faster if I focused solely on it.) However, sometimes I get eager and dive into a few “side” topics. Mostly though I try to stick to one at a time.
I can only do about 2 at the time! A devotional/bible study is usually one of the two.
I’m surprised at how many people are one at a time, it seems from other events that most people have many going at once. I usually have 2 going – one on audio and one in print. Usually it’s not difficult having 2 going but sometimes I do confuse them, especially if they are similar genres. I have on occasion put one book down to read another, but finish the second book before going back to the first. That only happens when I’m at the mercy of the library.
I’ve loved these questions!
I always have waaay too may books going at once! Right now I’m in the middle of 11 different ones… yeaaah. Not exactly ideal, but it works.
Kate {The Parchment Girl}´s last post ..Mailbox Monday Episode Thirteen
Usually two at a time. Since I’ve had my Kindle, sometimes 3-4 at a time.
I usually have a few books going at once but never two in the same genre. My full answer is here:
http://susannesspace.blogspot.com/2010/11/fall-into-reading-question-10.html
I am one of those that has a book in several rooms plus one or two going at school. Currently I have 4 books going. I don’t know how I keep them all straight I just do. Usually I have one that is more serious or a Historical Fiction, a realistic fiction, something humorous and something inspirational. The parents of one of my students asked if it was okay if her daughter checked out a book from my classroom because she already had three going and saw one on my chalk tray she wanted to read. The students smiled and high-fived me and said with a grin, “I’m just like Mrs. Stiles”. One is never enough.
I am a lot like you I usually have on fiction going at a time unless it is historical and I have a hard time getting through those so I tend to pick something else up! I usually have couple of review books going at a time. I read in the car when my husband drives and I get a lot of reading done because we are in the car alot!
I am still gonna back track on your weekly questions so I’ll post a couple at a time.
This is so much fun. I wish I had found it sooner!
I pretty much always have more than 1 book going on at once. Most of the time, it will be 1 fiction book with quite a few non-fiction going on on the side; but sometimes I might have more than 1 fiction too. That can happen when I start a book while waiting on a book from the library that I want to read more, or if a book club selection is made and I want to read that book first; or sometimes I just loose interest for a while and read another book before coming back to my first one. I can vary depending on my mood of the day too… Basically, I’m the type of person that, when travelling (even just a short bus ride into town), I need to bring 2-3 books, you know, in case I feel like reading this one and not that one…
For reasons like that, I think a digital reader might be useful, sometimes!
Joe´s last post ..FIR ’10 – Reading Question 10
If I read too many fiction books all at once, I tend to get a little confused!
So, I am a one book gal as well. I wish I could have multiple books going at one time…I would get a lot more read that way!!
multiple!! I usually have 2 fiction books going and a few non fiction and my side of the bed is a MESS because of it. lol
I’m a one book at a time gal. If I try to read more than one book at a time I always end up focusing on one and neglecting the other so I gave that up and just read one at a time.
Angie´s last post ..Dining with Joy by Rachel Hauck
Great question, again! I’m similar to Katrina in this that if it’s non-fiction, I can read two or three at once along with a fiction book. Usually fiction doesn’t take me that long to read, so I usually only have one at a time, but I can mix it in with non-fiction and be okay. Like Jackie above said, my bedside is a mess because of all the books I’ve got going!
I wish I could be a one book at a time kind of gal, but I am constantly reading about four fun (fiction) books and a couple of nonfiction books. Maybe my attention and moods shift.
Some of these books are ones I savor (or struggle through) for YEARS!
We are the same in this regard. So much so it’s almost eerie, though I have yet to read a book on grammar though I will admit I am now fighting the urge to pick one up…
Lisa writes…´s last post ..In answer to the question- all 8
And evidently I need a book on grammar, or at least on diligent self editing, since I used the word “though” twice in once sentence in my comment above. Too many dependent clauses or something?
Lisa writes…´s last post ..In answer to the question- all 8
One book at a time for me, too! Unless I am reading a non-fiction book. Then I can read some fiction, too!
Late again… But better late than never right?
I basically only read fiction so it’s one book at a time. I like to get lost in a book’s story and relive it throughout the day and I can’t really do that if I’m reading more than one book at a time.
I like to keep an on-going list of books that I want to read with an Expo whiteboard and markers. This allows me to cross off or erase the books that I have read. This helps me be organized and I don’t miss the books that I want to read!
Just wanted to share this great offer I found. I went to buy a new whiteboard and they are offering free markers to go with it! I cant wait to get them. – AND free shipping! Check out these awesome savings.