Are you are a butterfly reader?
- Do you have up to ten books on the go at any time?
- Do you flutter from title to title?
- Do you change your book according to your mood?
Why am I asking this?
I recently asked a friend what he was reading. He talked most enthusiastically about a recent library book haul and happily announced he was deep into reading ten different books. Ten! I asked if he struggled to pick up a particular storyline again after dipping into so many books, and my friend said he could easily compartmentalise his reading and enjoy multiple books at a time.
My own reading style
I read a lot, and sometimes have two, three or occasionally four books started at once, but four is my limit, and they have to be vastly different genres. I might fancy something thought-provoking in the morning, but a bit of romantic escapism as a bed-time read—and I do find that each time I go to pick one up it still takes me some minutes to recall where I’d got to and what was happening.
I’m a natural multi-tasker
Like most women I am a multi-tasker; I can easily have several jobs going on at once. But give me ten books to read and my mind would be totally scrambled. I wouldn’t be able to give any one of them the attention (or concentration) it deserved.
Do you flit from bloom to bloom?
What about you? Can you switch from title to title with ease? Or do you prefer to immerse yourself in your current book, living in that world until it’s finished – and sometimes afterwards, too?
One book at a time for me,Rosie – even if I’m struggling with it.
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Thank you Judith, I can see this being an interesting post.
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This is something I’ve never thought about before. Like Robbie, I would read different books with each of the children alongside my own reading (and now with granddaughter)but suppose that felt different. I do like it when I get lost in a book – so reading two would confuse – of course that could be an age thing …lol
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I usually have two or three books on the go at any one time, Rosie. One is always an audio book, one would be my own current read and one would be a book I am reading with Michael. Sometimes I also read another book to Michael. I couldn’t manage 10 at a time.
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One day I will try audio Robbie, I’ve never felt the urge for it yet.
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Oh, I love audio (never thought about that as reading!), especially in the car. Hmm, do you think that, one day, it might be banned like mobiles? Distracting?!!
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You might be right Judith.
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Usually two, one fiction and one non-fiction to dip into over time.
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Yes that sounds like me Harriet, I can read more if the genres are different.
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I do tend to immerse myself in whatever I’m reading so while I occasionally have 2 or 3 on the go at once my focus is usually on one of them.
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This is going to be an interesting day, I’m enjoying everyone’s replies to this.Thanks Ali.
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Goodreads tells me that I’m currently reading 29 books. Clearly that’s not true and I need to mark some of them as dnfs. Some of them are non-fiction books I started, then realised that they weren’t going to provide the information I was looking for. I really only have about four books on the go at any time, but three of them will be non-fiction, so quite easy to pick up and put down.
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Thank you April, ah yes, the GR list, I suspect many of us will have long lists on there.
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I don’t look at what I’m reading on Goodreads, April… makes me feel guilty!!
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I was embarrassed to see how long some of those books have been on the currently-reading list. I should sit down and hava a realistic look at it.
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I stick to one at a time. I got in a mess a short while ago ending up with being part way through 3 at one time and decided that was not for me!
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Were they different genres, or too similar? Do you think it would have made a difference if they were very different genres?
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They were different but I think the problem for me was that I only have a short period of time for reading each day so I felt I was making little progress through any of them.
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Manage to finish most books, Geogia… but have been known to ‘skip read’ the odd one as well – especially if a favourite author’s book is waiting on the wings.
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Intriguing post Rosie!
I must be very boring and narrow-minded. Not only do I just read one book at a time, but I try to read the whole thing in as close to one sitting as possible. (That bad habit came from attending an elementary school near IBM’s research campus in California. One of their projects was the development of speed reading course, and somehow our school became guinea pigs. As result, I’m a ridiculously fast but incredibly impatient reader.) I wonder if this explains why I also suck at multi-tasking? I reluctantly make lists out of self-defense—and then rarely follow them of course.
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Oow everyone’s reading habits are So interesting, thank you Barb.
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I am a ridiculously fast but impatient reader too, Barb. If I love a book I can’t read it fast enough, and keep galloping along because I’m dying to see what happens, then feel pissed off because it’s finished.
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Hahaha. I do know that feeling though, Terry.Ever read and then listened to an audio book of the same novel? Surprising experiment, I found.
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Could look at making lists as multi-tasking, Barb? Just wish I could speed read sometimes.
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No, I haven’t – I am rarely still enough to listen to a whole audio book. I do love them, though. Maybe I should do more housework to give me the opportunity to listen to them 😉
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I could flit from one book to another if I wanted to, and could keep track of that many books at once. But I prefer not to. I usually have two books on the go at any given time, or maybe three at most: one will be an audiobook I’m listening to on CD at bed time, one will be a book I’m reading via my Kindle (either an Audible audiobook or an eBook) and the third only applies if I have something I’m reading in braille or on my computer. The latter situation doesn’t happen often, so mostly it’s just the two books I have going at any given time.
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Thank you Victoria, I’m enjoying everyone’s answers. I think we will have a very diverse range by the end of the day.
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Absolutely one book at a time – like Judith said, even if I’m struggling with it. This is partly because I have a physical to-read list and like ticking them off! BUT… for those moments when you want something quick and light to read for five minutes or so, like when you’re eating lunch, or…. 😉 I have a small pile of paperbacks on my table. These are currently : a P J O’Rourke, a book about medieval England and one about the history of Lindisfarne!
In other words, only ever one fiction because I have to get totally absorbed (in the same way as I can only write one book at a time), but several non-fic to dip into.
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Oh I know that feeling, when you just don’t want a book to end. Or when you have finished you feel at a loss and don’t know what to do next.
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Interesting. Never thought to combine a non action with fiction. Good idea for research, Terry.
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I am about to dry my hair, another opportunity to get 20 more pages of the latest RBRT read!
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I always have a reading book and an audio going at the same time, but I’ll very rarely read more than one at a time…but 10!!! I’d never be able to keep them in order! My Goodreads reading list tells a different story but they’re just the ones I’m going to be reading or listening to.
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10 just seemed impossible to me too! One day I will try an audio book.
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I do that too – I mark all RBRTs as currently reading as soon as I get them, because it makes it easier for adding links when I come to write the review.
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One book at a time here, Rosie – less butterfly, more the memory of a goldfish…
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Nothing wrong with that Anne.
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I’m like that too!
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hahaha… the image!!
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Interesting question, indeed. I was more of one-book-at-a-time kind of reader, but sometimes I would be reading a fictional book and something related to work (non-fiction). More recently I’m reading a fiction book and a non-fiction book at the same time. Usually, non-fiction in paperback format. E-books I sometimes listen to, the text-to-speech setting, while I exercise or I go for a walk as well, but that is only an option if I’m reading an English e-book. I think according to Goodreads I’m reading about three or four, but one of them, a memoir, I started in Spain and the book was quite heavy, so I didn’t bring it with me. I’ll carry on there. At some point, I was supposedly reading four or five at the same time, but I also became frustrated because I was making no progress and eventually one of them won… I guess I can read several if they are very different, but mostly it will be one fiction and one non-fiction.
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Thanks Olga, this is making everyone think.
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Reblogged this on Just Olga and commented:
Rosie Amber asks us a very interesting question today. What type of reader are you?
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My blog is Literary Flits, but I admit I can’t have more than a couple of books on the go at any one time. I’m trying to improve my French at the moment so have a French book I’m reading ridiculously slowly (with dictionary in hand!) plus my Real book! That’s it. I sometimes envy people who rwad half a dozen books at once, but I’d just end up inventing my own storylines from mixing them all up!
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A good point Stephanie, especially when reading for review, muddled plot lines would be a mess.
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I’m monogamous and only read one book at a time. I think I would get very confused if I had to read several books at once!
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Thank you Abbie, it is really interesting reading everyone’s reading habits.
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I’ve read up to 6 books at a time, but it’s normally more like 2 or 3. I’ve also started having Alexa read books to me from my Kindle while I’m in the kitchen or getting ready in the mornings.
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Oh wow, now I really feel in the dark ages. Alexa doesn’t yet tempt me for anything I’m afraid.
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It’s a way I can still read even when I can’t read – helps make progress through that ever-growing TBR!
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Alexa, Teri… now that is posh!!
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When I heard it was possible for Alexa to read from the Kindle, I was all over that one, Judith.
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Oh, nice!
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I used to read multiple things at once, this included magazines when they were at their hayday. Time is the big factor these days. I have to stick to one book when the time allows or I’d never finish one.
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Yes I expect the time factor inhibits a lot of people, Craig. Hope it will change for you soon.
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Maybe with retirement in about seven years. Ha ha.
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Definitely only one book at a time for me. I think because my working life is also full of reading, it would just become overwhelming!
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I can see how that would be a bit too much Alison.
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To derive complete enjoyment from reading–and to give a story the attention it deserves–I immerse myself in one book at a time. Otherwise, I might miss important details or fail to notice some beautiful writing. Reading is a full-bodied experience for me; no flitting from book to book.
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Lovely to hear how much you get from a book Linda.
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It really depends on how much I’m enjoying a book! If I have a really great book I’ll just zoom through it without stopping for other books, but if I’m not enjoying something or just going really slowly I’m more likely to start another book too. I’m also more likely to have books going in multiple mediums than several physical books. So right now, I’m in the middle of one audio book, one e-book, and one physical book.
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Thank you Bernadette, I am seeing a trend here that multimedia can help readers have more than one book on the go at the same time.
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One at once… unless I have succumbed to the lure of fiction, then I may have a non-fiction on the go at the same time.
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Thanks Sue, they need to be different genres for me too, if I’m reading more than one.
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Loving this discussion. I’ve recently got into the habit of reading one novel on my Kindle and one novel in paperback at the same time when I’m reading for pleasure. My Kindle is so much more comfortable to read at night in bed or while travelling, but I still love the feel of a paperback and would miss curling up on the sofa and turning the pages of a ‘real’ book. I also proofread, so I usually have one or two manuscripts on the go at any one time, but they’ll be printed out on A4, and as it’s work, the whole reading process is different. I think four books is my absolute limit.
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Hello Wendy, yes, it has been a great discussion. I’ve enjoyed reading about everyone’s reading habits. I agree with you about liking a paperback but also enjoying the positive sides of reading with a kindle.
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I’m someone who prefers one book at a time. I feel like I can really sink into the story that way. But lately I’ve started listening to audiobooks and reading print books in addition to ebooks in order to give my eyes a break from electronics, which means I now usually have three books going on at a time. I don’t like it! I feel like it IS harder for me to get into the stories. But it’s doable. Ten though? Oh my goodness! No lol. Four is my limit as well, I think!
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Hi Kristen, I agree 10 just seems off the scale.
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I usually read two or three books at a time but if it’s a thriller – and I do read those – then I can’t tear myself away from it.
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It’s good when you get a book you really like and you just want to be in that world for a bit of escapism.
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I can’t read more than one book at a time. I need to be able to give a book my full attention without wondering how the other story will continue when I pick it up again. XD
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Thank you Bee, everyone’s reading habits are very interesting to hear about.
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I’m like you, three or four is my limit – a going to sleep book, a morning good read, some research or non-fiction, and maybe one other I’m just getting started on. Anything more would be impossible… actually I can dip into poetry anytime.
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Thank you Hilary. I’ve never thought of having different books lined up for different times of the day.
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The trouble is I like to fit a newspaper in as well, and none of these count as work.
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I think it depends on what I’m reading. Like if it’s a mystery or thriller that’s gripping me hard, I might not pick up any along with them. But if I’m reading a comic or poetry or something light like a romance or contemporary, I might go for two or three more. Whatever be the case, ten does sound intimidating. I don’t think I would be able to finish any if I decide to take so many up at once 😀
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Hello Fanna, yes you are right, if we took on 10 books at once it would be ages before we finished them.
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I usually read 2 books at the same time. One short story collection and one other book. I get stressed out if I have too many books going at the same time. It feels like I’m not making progress on any of them.
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Yes it can make you feel under pressure, thanks AJ.
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Oh my goodness I am a butterfly reader! I have 2-3 books on the go and if I just have one life is dull.
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Ha ha, thank you Lucy, yes a true butterfly reader.
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Fab post! I’m reading two at the mo one on Kindle during the day and audiobook in the evening. I had have more on the go before but it got too much for me. Ten seems excessive to, but maybe they are the sort of books you dip into rather reading lots in one go?
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Thank you Nicki, I agree about the 10, I don’t know what genre of books they all were.
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Normally have 2 or 3 on the go but they have to be different genres otherwise my poor little brain cells get all confused!
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I know what you mean, thanks for joining us today.
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I read one at a time. I need to finish the story before moving on. My favorite thing is to binge read an entire series and totally immerse myself for days in that fictional world.
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I agree, binge reading can be wonderful. Now there’s a thought for this weekend…..!
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I read a lot of books at once. Usually at any given time I’m listening to an audiobook, reading an ebook and a print book. Then depending on exactly what I’m in the mood for I’ll switch between different genres. I’m currently reading 7 books!
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Hello Ikram, I can see you having a reading pattern in line with my friend. Thanks for stopping by today.
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I used to STRICTLY read one book at a time, but nowadays I typically at least have one audiobook and one other book going. I also have a few books that I read for things like my homeschool co-op language arts class and my Bible study—so those are extra, and they don’t throw me off because I can compartmentalize them.
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That certainly is a good skill to have. Thanks for stopping by.
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