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Zikoris t1_iydsveo wrote

I usually have one fiction and one nonfiction on the go at any given time, though sometimes I end up with two fictions if one of them is a physical book, because I really don't like carting heavy books around with me. I normally only read physical books at home, and prefer e-books. So I read between one and three books at any time.

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RighteousSeed t1_iydt7en wrote

The most I'll read is two at a time. Not side by side of course

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fliponymousredux t1_iydt9il wrote

I've always had multiple books going. The joke when I was a kid was I had a different book in every room of the house so whenever I switched rooms I just switched books rather than carry one.

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Fictitious1267 t1_iydu4lk wrote

Around 4. When I read 1 book at a time, I find I read less often and for shorter, and I tend to get annoyed if the book is slow or not interesting. If I can pick what I want to read more it feels easier to sit down and read something. I'm not reading 4 fiction books of the same genre though. Typically, it will be 1 non-fiction and 2 novels of different genres, and 1 short story collection that I barely touch.

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ina_sh t1_iyduc86 wrote

Sometimes I read a book and also listen to an audiobook. Often they are fiction and non-fiction. So when I read two books, it's always either an entirely different genre or medium.

I studied literature, so sometimes I also read one book for class and another for fun.

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kaysn t1_iydvgvb wrote

Yes. I usually have 3-5 books going at a time. I usually switch it up when I hit a slow part of the book. There are books that I don't want to read before bed. Because I have a habit of reading past the hours I swore I was going to sleep. So books which are a lot slower in pace are better for that.

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oranji- t1_iydvw46 wrote

I’m currently reading S by J.J. Abrams, which has many inserts and is a library book, so I keep it at home so if an insert falls out it won’t get lost. But I’ll sometimes read an ebook on my phone when out of the house. If a physical book is too bulky I’ll keep a small book in my bag for when I don’t want to scroll on my phone while waiting

I used to think of is as “abandoning” but now I think of it like having different groups of friends and doing stuff with them. Hanging out with work buddies doesn’t mean that you’ve abandoned your other friends, and not all friend groups like to do the same things.

Though my one rule for reading multiple books is to not read the similar books at once. For example I wouldn’t read two murder mysteries in case I confuse who did what and, “Which book did that happen in?”

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Anxious_normalcy t1_iydw24d wrote

It depends on what I'm reading. Some books I read slower and it helps to have backup books.

The maximum I read at a time is 5. I never felt like I would abandon a book and never had issues remembering where I was in the book.

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PinkMoon366 t1_iydw2yq wrote

Yes, I always have two or three books going at a time, but never of similar genres. The best is a quiet weekend when all I do is do some housework and go back and forth between books throughout the day. I'll either do a fun fantasy or scifi novel alongside nonfiction or literary classic. However, when I really get into a book to the point where I can't put it down at night, then I can only focus on that one until I have reached the ending.

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ThalesBakunin t1_iydw4he wrote

I typically have one fiction, one nonfiction, and a bathroom reader. Along with an audiobook too.

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DevilMasterKING t1_iydwa0l wrote

one book at a time cuz its hard for me to focus on several stories

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EduBA t1_iydwa5l wrote

I usually read a fiction and some political book. Now I'm reading a crime story by Caroline Graham and Homo Deus by Harari.

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minimalist_coach t1_iydwswu wrote

I almost always read multiple books at the same time. The biggest reason is I have an audiobook, ebook, and print book started at all times. This allows me to always have something to read no matter what I'm doing.

I do need to make sure they are not similar in any way, which usually isn't a problem since I read a variety of genres. I read social justice, history, and politics, which can often take an emotional toll, so I like to break it up with something light and cheerful. Sometimes I have what I call a long read, something that I need time to digest in small portions at a time, so I'll read other easier reads while working on the long read.

I think 4 would be my max. If I have too many started, I'll focus on one and finish it so my attention isn't split too much.

I think of it like how we used to watch TV, we often watched several weekly episodes of different shows. Of course these days, you can just binge-watch a whole series, but I think we catch more details when we read or watch over a longer period of time.

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TrustABore t1_iydx5aw wrote

I usually read 4 books at the same time. One fiction, one nonfiction, a poetry book and an essays book. I use this method to kind of balance my reading habits and read different literary genres. Otherwise, I would end up reading fiction exclusively and not learn more about real history, science or philosophy.

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lazerchin t1_iydxgag wrote

I usually do. I have a short attention span and I'll jump back and forth. Also if I'm reading a particularly difficult book to read, I like to have an easier read on hand

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DNibbles t1_iydy37z wrote

Three to four at a time. A light fiction, a heavier fiction and one or two non fiction

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tortataurus t1_iydy863 wrote

I started to read 2 books at a time last week but It's a bit overwhelming. I had a physical poetry book and then I had a novel on my ebook. Having a physical book and an ebook helps but I'd rather have my attention on 1 book right now. I'm might try again with a nonfiction book and a fantasy ebook.

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danellender t1_iydynfc wrote

It varies. Sometimes I can't even find one book I want to read. Then a dozen seem to land in my lap at once that I can't wait to read.

Right now I'm reading five. I think. One on the gym treadmill and four at home. Three are tree books and Three are ebooks. So six. I think.

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Renfen76 t1_iydynqe wrote

I usually have 3-4 going. One or two fiction, one non fiction and one on a skill I'm trying to learn. So right now I have

Rivers of War by Eric Flint A church history book The Anarchist's Toolchest by Christopher Schwarz

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goya_enthusiast t1_iydz0xb wrote

No. I like to be focused on one. Reading different books confuses me

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MoochoMaas t1_iydzd7y wrote

When I read "heavy" or long books, I often take a break(s) with somehting not as difficult...
like serial killer fiction or commedy.
Vonnegut's works are often read along with a "brick"

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DameThistle t1_iydzksx wrote

So funny you say this. I usually read one book at a time and mentioned this to a friend, who then said they're usually reading more than one. When I asked how they kept plots, etc. straight, they said, "It's just like walking into a different room."

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BatteryDaddy2 t1_iydzwj8 wrote

yeah I have one book at home and one I read at work during breaks

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nicosmom61 t1_iye039g wrote

I know I do . I always have two books going .

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ChaserNeverRests t1_iye1bu1 wrote

Never (other than if I need to read something for work, in which case I do it during work hours and read for pleasure all other times).

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Rdafan t1_iye1lpx wrote

I usually only have 1 for fun book at a time but might read other info books like learn how to garden or run better at the same time. Though the info books I don't read straight through like a fiction book. Usually just peck away at interesting bits as I need them.

I generally read too fast to really need more than 1 book at a time. Most books I finish in just a few hours and usually in one sitting. That and I am just too wrapped up in the book I'm in to want to even try reading something else.

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Sea_Serpentine t1_iye2o85 wrote

I consistently read several books at a time, naturally one of them will be more captivating than the rest so I'll finish that one sooner but yeah. I typically read at least one fiction book + a non-fiction one + some short stories anthology.

My reading is not really linear, sometimes I will start a book, read about 1/3 of it and then something else will catch my attention. If this is the case I'll come back to the temporarily abandoned book in a few weeks/months - I don't know if this waiting period counts as still reading it though.

I like reading more than one book because it enables me to read more since I can choose what I'm in the mood for.

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Yeswhyhello t1_iye39w0 wrote

Yes, most of the time 2 or 3. One fiction and one non-fiction usually.

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PsychologicalLet3 t1_iye3d4g wrote

I once heard it recommended to read three books at a time. A fiction, a non-fictional and a biography/autobiography/memoir. I sometimes do this and I do really like it.

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_Royalty_ t1_iye3v66 wrote

I've never tried. Just seems...dirty. Also intimidating. There's already an unspoken sense of anxiety/pressure I feel to read the one book I've chosen, I'd hate to feel that from two directions.

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IMeantTheOtherMolly t1_iye3vcq wrote

I used to read two novels at a time to prevent book hangovers, because that way even when I finished a book I really enjoyed, I was already halfway into another book that I was (hopefully) also enjoying.

Nowadays I read one book at a time because I don't have as much time for reading and will forget what's happening in one novel if I'm reading another.

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CrazyCatLady108 t1_iye5piw wrote

Hi there. This subject has been very popular in the past. Please use reddit search and/or check the /r/books/wiki/faq.

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gardenomette t1_iye5thl wrote

I never read just one. I have one in bed, one in the bath, I have an audiobook in the car/when I go on walks and an audiobook when I do chores and a non fiction book that I pick up now and then and one on my kindle that I take with me in my purse. Different occations call for different books.

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