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Some book lovers swear by reading multiple books at once, while others will only read one at a time. So what are the pros and cons of this reading habit?
Pros
- You get variety when reading.
- If you want to finish a book but are struggling getting through it, you can take a break here and there by reading a different book.
- You can read a book for entertainment or fun, while also reading another book for knowledge or self-improvement.
- Readers who read multiple books at once report that they read more and finish more books than they did when they only read one book at a time.
- You can read a book that suits your current mood.
- You can continue reading books from your TBR list, even when a new book catches your eye.
- You can read a book in tandem with another person or group that reads slower than you do personally, but still have another book you can read while you wait for everyone to catch up.
- Reading two books in the same setting or in the same era can bring extra insight and form more connections.
- You can read different books in different mediums for the situation you’re in—a print book when you’re curled up on the couch, an ebook when you’re waiting in line, an audiobook when you’re doing chores or driving, and so on.
- You may be improving your memory by exercising it more with switching between books.
Cons
- You may forget some details of one book while switching between books.
- Reading two books that are similar can lead to mixing up the characters, plot, or setting.
- Since you’re switching between books, it takes longer to finish one book than if you were only reading one book.
- Your attention is divided between books, so you may get less invested in the books you’re reading, resulting in a less fulfilling reading experience.
Tips on Reading Multiple Books at Once
- Keep all the books you’re reading in very different genres, so you don’t get them mixed up.
- If you’re having confusion with reading multiple books at once, try assigning each book to a certain location or time of day.
- Limit the number of books you’re reading to gain knowledge or for self-improvement; since you have to retain more information than you would need to when reading a book for entertainment, reading more than one or two of these types of books can lead to not retaining as much information as you would like.
Do you read multiple books at once? If you do, how many are you reading right now?
I almost always have 4 books going at once. One, Kendle on my phone, one on Kendle Cloud Reader, one on Kendle for PC, and usually one on another reader Calibre, NetGalley or a pdf, Adobe Digital if it’s checked out from local library, an audiobook on my phone or a physical book. Unfortunately, the physical books usually get abandoned for a long time before I finally get around to finishing them. I usually end up finishing all 4 books within a day or so of each other. I post a review for each book I read on usually 5 different sites. If I were to read one book at a time I would normally read a book a day.
I do find I have the problems with the cons listed above so I do try to keep them in genres if I can. I have tried to just do one at a time, but I just can’t stop myself from starting another one. Today I have 6 going, including a physical book that I haven’t picked up in weeks. The other 4 I started all in the last couple days.
I’m generally reading at least two books: one print book for my before-bed reading time, and one Kindle book for places where a print book is impractical — while eating or walking on my treadmill. Currently I’m reading four, because one of the print books I’m reading is oversized and I can only read it while sitting at my desk, and I’m trying to finish another one quickly so I can return it to my Little Free Library. For me the multiple-book habit is mainly a matter of convenience. Oddly enough, I often find that when I’m reading two books, regardless of the length of either book, I end up finishing both within 24 hours of each other.