Obviously you can only read one book at a time but what I mean is how many do you start and jump from one to the other.
I usually have about 3 or 4 books that I'm reading and I wondered if this is unusual? Do most people only read one book at a time?
[question posted by Foxfire1875]
responses and comments:
I am the same way....Its nothing for me to have a good several books on the go at once actually..Right now for example I'm reading 5 different books [Ravenladyj]
I usually try and stop myself if I get up to 6 or 7 lol but good to know I'm not the only one who does this. [Foxfire1875]
Yes you are right. I can read only one book at a time, so that I can understand the line of thinking of the author, the real characters involved and how the story is knit. I normally read short stories, so that I can complete one or two stories in a day. Of late I am able to read only for 1 hour. When I was college, I used to read a lot - almost a novel in 3 days. [ssh123]
I can and do read one book start to finish but that is a rarity, as I find that I'll go start another and another. It's not that I don't like the books but I think I need different types or maybe my list of books is too long and I can't wait to start the next. [Foxfire1875]
My husband does that. I for one cannot. I get confused sometimes. LOL. But really I don't like to start with something else when I haven't finished one. [shymurl]
It's an easy habit to start as it only takes a few pages to remember the story or at least that's what I find. Not sure it's a good habit tho, lol, it would probably take some practice but I've been doing it for as long as I could read. [Foxfire1875]
I never start another book until I finish the one I started. I got a new book for Christmas that I was very excited to read, but I couldn't or wouldn't until I finished the one I was reading. That one was good, but not great. It took me a few weeks because I don't have much time to read with a toddler in the house with me. So I had to wait to read the next one. I also have several others that I am looking forward to reading, but I have to do it one at a time. [Sillychick]
I'm just too impatient I guess, I would have dived into the new book as soon as I got it and switched back to the other one or two or three. There is no hope for me, I've done this for so long. [Foxfire1875]
What you describe is a case of an unsatisfied mind. I am now 77 and have been reading a very long time. I do NOT start a second book before finishing completely the one I am presently reading. I would recommend that you do likewise. Try reading some sequel books and they will prove my point. SEE:- Virginia Andrews as an example. [CAMILLERI]
The only author I have seriously collected is Terry Pratchett and that is because I always like them, so automatically buy the new one. As for other books I keep some, sell some, or give them away, but that's me everyone is different and that is what makes life/people interesting. [Foxfire1875]
me too, i love reading books, specially love stories. as long as i have free time that's what im doing reading and reading. anything that will not make me bored.:) [anna_82]
Me too, I just keep starting book after book because I enjoy reading so much. [Foxfire1875]
i usually read one book at the time. but currently i am reading two books because i left one book in my car- for me to read while waiting for something and someone. and at home there's one book which i'm currently reading :) [kevsgirlalways]
A lot of people do this I think. I used to leave a book at work, so I would always have something to read at lunch and I would also carry a book of short stories for the bus journey. [Foxfire1875]
I'm one of those who reads one book at a time. Normally read straight through, though if I get bored will put it down and start another but in most cases I finish the second book before going back to the first [mrtimharry]
Seems that is more the norm than my habit. Boredom is partly why I do it, but mostly it is having too many books I want to read at the same time. [Foxfire1875]
I usually read two at a time. I find that this breaks up any monotony and makes the whole exercise more interesting. I imagine that people can read 3 or 4 at a time but that would be too much in my case. One book readers always suffer if the book gets a bit boring. If you can leave it for a while, still read something interesting, then that little bordedom probably just goes. [Bluepatch]
It takes a lot to continue with a book that hits a boring bit and changing to another certainly helps but I've found that there are books that never get interesting and I usually give up. It doesn't happen often as I like to persevere and finish every book I start. [Foxfire1875]
Hi there! I only read one book at a time. I only have little time for reading so I make sure that I finish one first before I starte reading another book. [nanayangel]
That's a shame you have so little time to read and maybe it is better to finish one first in that case. [Foxfire1875]
It all depends but I usually have a book with me. Always. When my supply of books runs out, I will just get more. I normally read one at a time since the books I borrow are typically absorbing enough for me to want to eat it all up right away. But there are times when the books turn out disappointing so either I return them without finishing them (a new, bad habit I am acquiring...), or I read them "simultaneously" with other books. So it would be maybe 2 or 3 books at a time. [lordwarwizard]
I very rarely return books without finishing, sometimes I wish I had, as not every book I've read has been good. I used to always carry a book with me but I found that the book got damaged in my bag, so I stopped. [Foxfire1875]
It depends on how many books i really want to put my hands on. sometimes it only 1 book at a time. sometimes its 2-3 books at a time for me. I am voracious reader and I like to read very much. [subha12]
I'm voracious with books too, as I read quite fast and can finish a book in one go. I don't do that so much now as I haven't the time to do it but I always seem to have a pile of books to read, friends just keep giving me books telling me how good they are. [Foxfire1875]
I don't normally only read one book at a time but I'm not really sure what my average would be. I would say 3 or 4 definitely wouldn't be unusual. [MandyB1978]
It depends on how many you can't wait to start reading I guess. I vary from 2 to about 5 or 6, so 3 or 4 would be the average I would think. [Foxfire1875]
I tend to focus on two books at a time. But when I'm about 3/4 of the way through a book I start up another. [Haydogsup]
That's where it starts I reckon, as sometimes books run out of steam about 1/2 to 3/4 way through. The problem for me is I continue starting books, rather than finishing off the first one. [Foxfire1875]
I only read one book at a time although I have started one, misplaced it and then started another and then found the first and read them both at the same time. I also sometimes will read a book and my Reader's Digest, or other magazines at the same time, but mostly the magazines are read and the book is put down for a short time. For some reason, I am finding that I am not reading as many books as I used to. I used to carry a book with me wherever I went and my mother once made the comment years ago that I never learned to cook because I always had my nose in a book. I really can cook!! [idowrite72]
When I was young I had a really bad habit of reading while walking to school. I'm amazed I didn't get injured but I was able to read and be aware of my surroundings at the same time. I wouldn't even think of doing that now tho. Maybe your mother never noticed, that it was cook books you were reading lol [Foxfire1875]
I do the same thing. It is not unusual for me to have as many as 5-7 books going at any given time. [sageivyberyl]
My usual is probably 3-4, I try not to let it get much more but sometimes it does. It doesn't help that libraries let me take out 6 books at a time and I have no patience. [Foxfire1875]
You're lucky. My library allows you to take unlimited amount books at a time. I have been known to have as many as 50-60 books at a time (requests all coming in at once) and having them sitting on the table with only a month to read them all. I was going nuts trying to get to them all in the given time. [sageivyberyl]
I wouldn't be able to cope if it was unlimited. I would be disappearing under a mountain of books lol. Good luck getting through them all in time. [Foxfire1875]
LOL , trust me its not unusual to read one book at a time ! in a day if im just reading books , i could be reading 4 books in a day ! like for me i can read all of the harry potter books in a day ! [Pequenitah]
it just all really takes time , like for me if im reading a series , then i have to continue reading them to find out what happends . and by that time id be reading the whole series ! i perfer to read series than just one kind of novel ! [Pequenitah]
I do jump from one book to another but basically on the same time. Usually up to 3 books. What I meant is this : 1 book is in my office (I read them on breaks or when I got bored of works etc2) 1 book I put in my bedroom this is for reading before sleeping 1 book I put in my bathroom (is this unusual? anyways... I love reading so much, that when Im in the bathroom and doing nature calls, I could stay there and read novels as well ... ) [luckydolphin98]
Lots of books at a time is not unusual for me but reading in the bathroom is. Maybe it's because my bathroom has no heating, I'm in and out as quickly as possible but even when I lived in flats with central heating it never appealed to me. I used to read in the bath though and some of my books still bear the scars of being accidently dipped in the water. [Foxfire1875]
Oh, I'm so relieved to know I'm not the only one! I have three "upstairs-by-my-bed" books going, two downstairs books, and one in my car in case I decide to have lunch out and need something to read. If I fall asleep reading and my book slides down behind the bed, I just reach for an alternate and wait till the next day to go fishing. Works for me! Cryllie [cryllie]
There does seem to be quite a lot of us, it has always been my habit for as long as I have been able to read. like you I sometimes lose books down my bed but I have a pile by my bed too. lol [Foxfire1875]
I usually have about three books on the go. one beside my bed, one in the dining room and one in my car for when i wait on my son to come out the school gates.It is better just to have one book as it can be hard to keep up when you start.I love magazines too and i have a stack of those as well. [superbren]
To me that is completely sensible to have books stationed about the place, so there is always something to read. Magazines are ok but I get through them to quickly. I usually try and take a collection of short stories for the times when there is only a short time to read, like bus journeys or waiting at the dentist. [Foxfire1875]
I personally have been known to do this as well from time to time, and know there are some of us like this. Maybe it is more popular than I thought it was. Interesting question to ask. I know when I do this, a lot of the time, it is more than one kind I will read at a time as well. [KrauseHome]
I've always wondered how many people who read on a regular basis do this. I've done it since I started to read and have no problem catching up on plots, so I thought it would be good to find out. It's good to see that there are quite a few impatient readers out there, makes me feel I'm not so weird lol. [Foxfire1875]
I very rarely start more than one book at a time but I have in the past had one book that I was reading at night in bed before sleeping which I kept under my pillow and another one that I would read whilst at my desk at work during my lunch break. Nowadays I only read one book at a time and usually finish it within a couple of days, I'm not very good at making a book last a long time - I will stay up till 4am sometimes trying to finish a book! x [anonymili]
I'm not very good at making books last either but I still need to start new books. Maybe if I didn't have so many I wanted to read I could limit myself. [Foxfire1875]
I also have several books on the go. I love to read and always have loved it.. A teacher in my first grade got me hooked on reading, she would take me to her place after school and we would sit and read together.. I always have a book or magazine near me, or some times 2 or 3 :-) [tholmes]
I got hooked pretty early as well and have never had a time when I didn't have a few books on the go at a time. I'm not too bothered about magazines. I tend to go through them in one go and then throw out or keep for information. [Foxfire1875]
I am current reading 2 books- Doctor Dolittle and Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii. I'm also going to start reading Eat this Book and Confederates in the Attic. That'll put me at 4. [cripfemme]
They sound good I'll try and get some. [Foxfire1875]
I amthe same way. I am so glad to find there are many of us out there. I usually will have a novel going and then a book of short stories as well plus a current political book as well a my meditation books that i read daily and my AA Big Book.I do not thinks I would like to have more than 2 novels going at once. [muscles4me]
I do tend to have more than one novel as I find most novels hit boring bits or I need a different type of book. I tried meditation books but just do my own thing with meditation these days [Foxfire1875]
I sometimes find myself reading two to three at a time. Unusual? Out of the ordinary, sure. Most people really do only read one book at a time, even I generally do this. [xParanoiax]
I jump from book to book and I'm glad to see it's not unusual. I find it hard to stick to one book tho. [Foxfire1875]
It depends on the book I'm reading. If it's sort of boring then yeah, I jump from one book to another. But if it's a page-turner I usually finish reading them a day or two, so that means reading only one book at a time.rasp [amoyube1980]
lol!!lol I guess we all have our own peculiarities.surrender [amoyube1980]
Well; it is normally one at a time .Currently,I am reading "The White Tiger" written by Arvind Adiga . I am not sure about other persons though . [ptrikha_2]
Seems to be a lot of people who are like me and just have to start other books. It would be a lot easier not to do that as it does take a few paragraphs to pick the story up again. [Foxfire1875]
Currently, two is the most. One factual and the other fiction. In college, one or more for every course. I think 10 books was the most there. [writersedge]
Currently my bad habit continues I've got 6 on the go and thinking of going to the library for more. blush [Foxfire1875]