Should You Read Multiple Books at Once?
Should you read multiple books at once? Or is it better to read just one book at a time?
This is a question you might be pondering if you’ve recently had the urge to pick up another book without finishing one you’ve already started. And the short answer is, yes, it’s fine to read multiple books at once.
Many people prefer it to reading one book at a time, and there are actually a number of benefits to it.
Of course, there are also some drawbacks to reading more than one book at the same time.
Personally, I do enjoy reading multiple books at once sometimes. Generally, I am a one book at a time type of reader, but there are certain situations where I will pick up a second book to read simultaneously.
Sometimes, I do this when I’m a little bored with the book I’m currently reading and can’t bring myself to read more than a couple chapters a day of it. I’ll start a second book I’m more excited about, and finish it faster than I can even complete the book I was originally reading! (While still eventually finishing that one.)
Other times, I will just start a second book, usually in a different genre than the one I’m already reading, just because I want some variety. If I’m reading a longer, more involved fantasy book, I might pick up a quick thriller too. Or if I’m reading a more dense nonfiction book, I might start a fun YA fantasy book too.
For me, I could not personally read more than two books at once, but some readers do.
So what are the pros and cons of reading multiple books at once? Let’s take a look!
Pros of Reading Multiple Books at Once
First, let’s talk about the pros of reading multiple books at the same time.
Many readers are a huge fan of doing this, and it does have many benefits. If you’ve been thinking about starting several books at once, here are some of the pros of this reading habit:
Keep reading fun and engaging. By reading more than one book at a time, you won’t get bored or fall into a rut with one book. You can easily bounce back and forth between books to keep your interest and stay engaged with what you’re reading. It won’t feel like a chore if you always have an exciting option to choose from.
Read more books. One surprising benefit of reading multiple books at once is you may actually find yourself finishing them faster. You might finish two books in the time it would have taken you to finish just one. It seems counterintuitive, but you can actually end up reading more when you read more than one book at a time.
Choose what to read according to your mood. Reading multiple books at the same time (especially if they are books from different genres) gives you options on what to read based on your mood. Maybe you want a light romance novel before bed, but you’d rather read a fast-paced true crime book on your commute.
These are some of the benefits of reading multiple books at once. Now, let’s talk about the cons…
Cons of Reading Multiple Books at Once
When it comes to drawbacks of reading multiple books at once, there are a few to keep in mind. Reading more than one book at a time is not the best reading strategy for everyone, and this is why:
Can be hard to stay focused and invested in the story. If you’re reading multiple books at once, especially fiction books, it can be hard to stay focused and connected to the story if you’re reading other things in the meantime. For me, I know this would definitely happen if I tried reading more than two books at once!
You might forget details. Similar to the above, you might even start forgetting the details of what you were reading before if you are bouncing between multiple books at once. This can also affect your overall enjoyment of a book if you can’t even remember what happened at the end of the last chapter when you get back to it.
Potential for more unfinished books. While one potential benefit of reading multiple books at once is finishing more books, the opposite can also happen. It’s easy to start multiple books (especially as you start more and more without finishing one first) and then wind up with a pile of unfinished books.
These are some of the negatives that you should also consider before reading multiple books.
Tips for Reading More Than One Book at a Time
If you decide to read multiple books at once, here are some tips for doing it successfully.
First of all, stick to your reading plans and don’t get carried away starting new books. While I do sometimes read two books at a time, I would not want to read more than that. Once you start trying to read three, four, or five books at a time, you run the risk of not finishing any of them, or forgetting everything you read.
It’s also smart to read books in different genres. Especially if you are reading one “heavy” book (maybe an assigned classic novel for school or a nonfiction book for work) it can be a good idea to balance that out with something “light” and more pleasurable. Or even if you’re reading two books from two very different genres you like, this can also serve to balance out what you are reading and keep you engaged.
And finally, consider the format of the books you’re reading and when and where you’re reading them.
I gave some examples earlier, but maybe you have different books you read at different times throughout the day, such as on your morning commute, on your lunch break, on the weekends, and before bed. You might listen to one audiobook on your commute or while working out, and then read a physical book at night before bed.
This is something that can help you read more because you always have a book handy for the time and place.
Should You Read Multiple Books at Once?
So is it better to read one book at a time or multiple?
Ultimately, the answer comes down to your personal preference. As you can see, there are pros and cons to reading multiple books at the same time instead of one book at a time.
If you found this post by Googling the question “Should you read multiple books at once” then let this be your official permission that YES, it’s okay to read more than one book at a time!
Reading should be fun, and if that’s something you want to do, go for it.
I personally enjoy reading multiple books at once and it definitely helps me read more.
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