The Man of the House is completely befuddled. He can not seem to understand why someone would read more than one book at a time. While to me, it seems perfectly logical.
I think perhaps it started back in school. There would be one book that I had to read for English class. And one I wanted to read. So, I would simply read both books, alternating back and forth between one and the other.
Now, I will admit that I haven't done this sort of reading in a while. I usually stick to one book at a time these days. Until very recently. The Endless To-Be-Read Pile has grown to a dizzying height, at times teasing the 100 books mark. And I made the mistake of putting several books on request at the library thinking it would take quite a while before most of them came available. Which it did not. Leading to having several books sitting on the nightstand which will be due in 2 to 3 weeks.
All this caused me to take up the multiple book reading habit again. And confused the poor Man of the House to no end. He insists that the only logical way to handle it is to read one - complete it - and then start the next. It's not as if reading them both at the same time will help me finish either or both any quicker, so why bother? It just doesn't make sense to him.
Unfortunately, it's not something I can really explain in a way that will sound logical to anyone else. It does make sense in my own mind. It's just something I want to do. Even if it seems odd to someone else.
Do you ever read more than one book at a time? Or do you always finish one before starting the next?
I'm generally reading several books and a few magazines at the same time. I've been a tiny bit absent-minded since childhood, and so even if I begin with the intention of reading one book all the way through first, I somehow manage to lose it -- and so I begin a second book, or magazine, or paper -- whatever is handy. Eventually the first book surfaces, and merrily we roll along. Glad someone else operates this way.
ReplyDeleteYah! I'm NOT the only one! : )
DeleteOh, my. I have varying degrees of having this problem under control, but there are just so many good books out there, and I'm not always in the mood for reading the one I've got on the go ... or the other one ... or the other one.
ReplyDeleteI had to bring it to a head the other week when I was reading eight in a row. I have an ADHD brain at the best of times. It's just ridiculous.
But yeah, it's also something I want to do too. Even though I don't want to do it at the same time :)
Eight??? Oh My!! I don't think even I could keep up with that many. :)
DeleteI know. It's so embarrassing :( :)
DeleteBut part of it is because I do what you do at the library. If there's a book someone is talking about online that sounds really good, and if I check with my library and it's available through an inter-library loan (my library is very cool like that, and doesn't charge for inter-library loans) then I place a hold on it. And then yeah, the five I'm already reading and struggling to get through before they're overdue get added to. It's nuts, haha :)
I've started making a "to read" list now, and everything goes straight onto that without requesting it from the library.
I feel much better knowing I'm not the only person who does this, haha. But I am inspired by your being able to rein it in. I'm going to try this again. To turn over a new leaf. To only have one book going at a time. That would feel very nice! :)
We can try. But I strongly suspect we'll be back to more than one book at a time quickly. It's just how we're wired. Or atleast how I'm wired. :)
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