How many books do you read at once?

I can't seem to just read ONE book. Right now I'm working on "The Proud Highway", Hunter S. Thompson, "In Defence of Women", H.L Mencken, and "The Illuminatus", Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson.

The Mencken stays in my bag and I read it on the bus, or whenever I'm waiting for something; Thompson sits by my bed and I read him before going to sleep; and "The Illuminatus" is for quiet escapism when I'm relaxing around the house.

Anyone else do this?

Yes I do that. If the book doesn't keep me interested to the point where I can't put it down, I tend to end up picking up new books. The Poisonwood Bible, and Cathedral of the Sea, Aztec and In Cold Blood are my currents.

Oh no, it's not that the books don't keep me interested, I'm just too excited about other books not to start reading them. That's what happens when I go out and buy several books at once. I can't decided which to start first, so I just start all of them!!

I can't read more than one book at a time. If I start reading multiple books at once I start getting bored because it starts taking too long to get through each story. Not to mention I start forgetting minor character's names and stuff like that.

I know someone who reads 20+ books at a time...that's just crazy. It must take a couple of weeks just to get a few chapters into each book, and it takes him months to finish each one. 0.0

If I have a huge stack of books I want to read, they all get put aside until I finish the one I'm already reading.

haha yea thats basically the same with me, I buy new ones and get excited and start those. BUT if a book is amazing, I won't put it down until I finish it. So i guess it goes both ways.

Depends. If my current book is small enough to fit in my bag, then one. Otherwise it takes too long to finish and I get bored.
Sometimes I simply am not in the mood for a particular kind of book or am reading a particularly bad one, and it's difficult to resist my shelf of unread books or worse, buy new ones.
The ideal strategy would be to buy just your 3 most wanted books at a time and wait till you finish them before buying new ones so that you're always in the mood for your shiny new books.
Not strong enough to do that, though, I have 20 books on my TBR pile.

I only read one book at a time and I read it straight through. I drive 15 min to work so no reading or audio books. For trips and vacations I will take a book of short stories or poems.
I have a friend who will listen to an audio book while reading. I don't know how, she says she's done it for years.

Usually only one. It is rare for me to have two going aside not counting when I have books at work about work related things, no audio books for me.

Usually two. My library and I have an open relationship.

Either going to read Aztec Autumn or Nine Lords of the Night. I am looking at both but always read one book at a time. Today I want to start reading a good book about either the Aztec or Maya after my disappointing experience with The Ruins.

Hernandez: your friend must have an amazing ability to be able to split her attention like that. Wow! I applaud her!

MrsHeisenberg: hahaha! yeah, I have a polyamorous relationship with mine as well!

Sometimes I find a book I just can't put down. But then we enter obsessive reading territory, and I can't do anything productive for 2 or 3 days until the book is done!

I usually read three at a time but right now I'm reading four. Ending an Ending, Night Shift, Ghosts in the Mirror and Survival in Auschwitz. I switch them around according to my mood.

I can only read one at a time. :)

But...I always have one closely waiting in the wings. :)

Watch out, inkberry. They are stalking you.

Yup, I read more than one at a time. Generally I keep them in different parts of the house so whenever I'm in that part I just pick up that book instead of carrying the same one around (does that make sense?). So, right now I'm reading Agatha Christie's autobiography (bathroom, mostly), N or M? on my ebook reader (school bag), and The Know-It-All (bedroom). I'm gonna start another to keep in the kitchen; probably Princetta.

I try to keep it to 4 and under, mostly. :D

Oh, but sometimes I have an audiobook going on my iPod, too. Huh.

Ideally, I like to read just one at a time. I'm a pretty quick reader, and I like to give things my full attention, so I still get quite a bit done that way!

Unfortunately, I can't keep up with that during semesters, because I'll fail my classes. :D Since I'm doing an M.A. in English at the moment, I have at least 2-3 going at the same time when classes are in session. I'm not always very agreeable about it, either. Depends on the class!

I like to read one at a time, but now I'm reading four. One is a CD, though. :)

usually i read one book at a time..but now, with two simultaneous Group Reads...i got two going...my TBR pile just has to be patient (or go off and sulk....feh)..and i don't do Audio Books...can't concentrate...and the fact of someone else's voice in my head...no...i like to narrate my books as i read them..make that book's Movie in my head without outside input (now that reads really intelligent...Jeez Jude, you're losing it!!!)

I read 2 books at a time--one fiction & one non fiction.

Hiya,

umm...about 4..lol!

Jen
xx

I've recently begun to read more than one book at a time. I found that going straight through a book that didn't really captivate me but I wanted to finish slowed my reading overall. I'd be spending a few weeks with one book when I could have completed the dragging read along with faster reads. So now it's two book with an occassional third book if I don't have the primary books handy.

I normally stick to reading one fiction book at a time, but often do stretch that to two, though I don't remember having more than that on the go at once. I find it easier to concentrate on multiple non-fiction books, more often than not each being on different topics. On average I usually have 3-4 books on the go at once, 1-2 fiction, 2-3 non-ficition. At the moment I have a lot of work on, and have just finished reading the Flanders Panel, so have just got bookmarks in a couple of non-fiction ones, The Critique of Pure Reason, which will probably take a while to read, though it is more interesting than I was expecting so far, and The Undivided Universe which I've just started.
One thing I often do is to have a separate book for reading while I'm "watching" TV, football or something that doesn't require much attention, with the book being something fairly light, undemanding. Then, the other books that require more concentration I read in my room or somewhere in peace and quiet. When I'm at uni I don't watch any TV, but have something light to read when I want a break from work, to relax more, so I still end up reading a similar mixture of stuff.

They might be. :)

I usually have 2 going at once. Normally a fiction and a non-fiction. Sometimes an emotional drama and something humorous. I like to have a variety to go with whatever mood I am in and how much time I have available. Plus I generally have an audio book or two that I am listening too in the car & at the gym.

Right now I am reading A Year in the World (which is getting sort of tedious) and Wodehouse on Crime (which is laugh out loud funny). I'm listening to The Story of English when I am in the mood for it and Holy Disorders when I want a mystery.

I try to have only one going at a time. That way I feel like I'm making more progress through finishing the one book, then moving onto the next. Otherwise I lose focus on one of them and never end up finishing it anyway.

I usually read only one or two books at the same time, but recently I had four books going: one in the bathroom, one in the bedroom, hardbound in the livingroom, and paperback going back and forth to work. They are all different so I don't get the characters all meshed into one story and can't figure it out. I don't listen to audio CD's/tapes as my mind tends to wander and I tune out the person speaking. Then, too, there are times I can't stand the voice of the person reading. If I'm knitting, I'll get so irritated that I'll throw my knitting across the room. Well, maybe not all the way across the room; I'll never make it as a baseball player!

I try to only read one at a time. If I get more than one, I'll forget about the other one and that is why I have a list of over 30 books that I have started and never finished.

Although, the read one fiction and one non-fiction book approach seems like an awesome idea.

I will admit to being one of the crazy ones who reads 20+ books at a time. I am a fast reader with a good memory and a short attention span, so that's what works for me. Yes, it can take months to finish a long book, but I like to savor good books. In my opinion, finishing a book in a couple of days is the equivalent of scarfing down a meal so fast you can't taste it.

28: I know what you mean by reading fast. My electricity has been shaky in the past and with nothing else to do I've read through large 400+ page books in a couple days, and I think because I read them so fast I didn't enjoy them as much as I could have.

Everytime I see one of those book challenge threads where people are reading a book every couple of days I think, surely they can't be enjoying that to it's full potential. It seems at that point it's more about speeding through pages instead of enjoying a good story.

When I actually have time to read, it usually takes me about a week to read a 300 page book. That's about the perfect pace for me. Though sometimes I can't help but sit down and speed through a 700+ page book in a day (see: the last 3 Harry Potter books)

29, Ape -

I am just like you in terms of reading style. I really like to savor my books to the extent that, if a book has really hit me in the good spot, I won't start a new read for a few days after it so that I can continue thinking about the book I just read.

Thus, my 50 book challenge thread is just to keep track of what I read. I can barely reach 15 let alone 50 so I'm definitely about quality over quantity.

#30 lilisin

how on earth do you cope with not reading another book for a few days after finishing one?? I start shaking after ten mins with no words in front of me.

31, lunacat -

Ha. I find that if I don't leave myself some space I may forget what I just read so I try and let it sink in for a while. Plus, I read during the week mostly so usually the weekend hits and I find myself going out. :)

But also, I like taking my time choosing my next book, sliding my fingers down the spines of the books on my shelf and seeing which will fit my mood at that time.

It's a process. :)

Actually, I don't think I could go 4 days without reading either. :P

But I DO usually wait until the next day to start my next book. I can't close one book and then pick up the next one in the same sitting.

I think I read close to 40 books last year actually, but due to lack of time it's taking me about 2-3 weeks to finish books now. 15 days into the year and I only just started my 2nd book a day ago.

I am considered a fast reader reading a 300 page book in a day or two. But when I am reading a book I enjoy I don't really "read" the book so much as "see" the book. It's like a movie in my head. I remember it vividly after reading and when discussing it with others who have read the same book, I find that I remember the details better then they do. That is why I find it difficult to read more then one book at a time. But I do thoroughly enjoy the book I am reading. If I can't get pass the words on the page then I put the book aside and try again later.

I read anywhere from 5 - 9 books at once. (It doesn't count when it's half-finished on the shelf. It means, actively reading 5 - 9 books.)

This really depends on the size of the book, I think sometimes I carry so much in my work tote bag that I am going to lean to one side. If I have a really heavy book that gets read at home, I take lighter books with me for the train and for lunchtime reading.

I have 3 going right now. Watchmen by Alan Moore, Cutting Loose by Nadine Dajani, and The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. I don't usually read more than 3 at a time and sometimes I only read one.

I'm also likely to have several going for different moods and different parts of the house--one next to the bed, one in the living room next to my chair, one in the bathroom, and often one in my purse.

But often one grabs me the most and I'll cart that one around with me until I'm done (currently the re-read of Mercedes Lackey's Storm Breaking). Then it will be Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson--because that's the book club book and I need to have it finished by next Tuesday (or Wednesday or Friday if we reschedule because of the inauguration).

If it's up to me, I usually focus on one book at a time. It's commonplace to have several going at once throughout the school year -- English major and all -- so being able to slow down when time allows for it is nice.

I always have several at one time going! :) I usually get 10-15 from the library at once and begin reading them all at once..lol. My mom (who is not a reader) can't understand why I always lug my library bag over to her house when I visit. I tell her it's so I can read the books...she always says "why don't you just read one at a time??".

Not possible... :)

At least she doesn't ask you why you don't do something "productive". My next door neighbor says her mother-in-law complained that when the kids went to visit over the holidays all they did was sit around with their nose in a book. The kids said their grandmother bought a new HD TV and was mad that they weren't glued to the set. The oldest (12) said she would sit in the living room reading while her grand parents tried to get her to watch whatever show was on.

1

>41 LA12Hernandez:,
How on earth can people be angry that their grandchildren are reading instead of watching TV?

#34,

Same with me. I don't watch movies very often, but the books I read certainly get digested like they're movies. I retain everything no matter how fast I read it. In fact, if I take too long, it makes it harder for me to remember!

The beauty of differently wired brains. :) That's why it's so easy for me to participate in 100 Book Challenges, etc. I don't really find it to be a problem, and since I read to review I finish one and then take a break to think about it and review it before starting another (usually... sometimes there's something up next that I can't resist!)

41: That's insane! This world is getting dumber by the day. It's so sad...

41, 45: Speaking as a former pre-k teacher, it is beyond challenging to get some parents to read to their children. It is not always that they don't have the time, and it is not because they don't have books (in addition to a vast library system in the city, we sent home books with them each night), it was because they thought it to be so bothersome.

It takes more time for them to sit down and read a book with them than to sit them in front of the TV or a video game. These children would be living in government housing, no toys, no books, but there would be a TV in their bedroom. That way mom and dad could get away.

Now, I am not saying everyone was like that because they certainly were not. We had lovely parents who read over 200 books to their children throughout the year. But there will always be some who you wonder why evolution has not kicked out of the system yet.

I once got chewed out by a neighbor who said I should be cleaning my house instead of reading books!

There is 1 thing you might be overlooking though. The kids were visiting their grandparents over the holidays? I'm guessing this means the grandparents only see the kids that 1 time a year? When I was a kid and I would visit my grand parents, I would always put my book down to spend time with them. 9 times out of 10 that meant helping my grandmother clean the house (hated it) and watching TV (westerns) with my grandfather (hated it)

Maybe the grand parents just wanted to spend time with the kids, and they were too busy off by themselves reading the whole time. I'm just as addicted to books as the next person, but sometimes it's just nice to set the book down and sit with the family, even if it is in front of a TV.

I also have to defend the video games. It's not like TV where you sit and rot your brain. They actually vastly improve hand-eye coordination, plus there is plenty of problem-solving and puzzles to work through. Today's games are so open-ended that you could even argue that they fuel the imagination. With games like Oblivion, you can be or do anything you want. You can play the game as holy knight or a thief, a barbaric warrior or a traveling merchant, you can play games like this however you want, make your own choices, and really develop a character that is all your own. You'd be suprised how imaginative the games have become.

Or you could give your kid Grand Theft Auto so they steal cars and shoot cops. The games do vary quite a bit. D'oh.

I read more than one book at once. Certainly not due to boredom.
At the moment, I'm reading Mere Christianity, Blindness, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Reading the New Testament. I'm likely to add another book or two as I'm going. Once Portrait is finished, it will be replaced by Ulysses.

Watching TV together really isn't spending any more time together than one person watching TV while the other sits in the same room and reads. If the argument is quality time, the TV should be off.

>47 vivienbrenda:

What did you say?? I think if I could manage to sputter anything, it would be "what business is it of yours?"

I usually read 2-3 books at a time. But, they have to be quite different from each other.
I also seem to be in the middle of 1-2 audiobooks at a time, too. But, then I have a 30 minute commute and I love to listen to audiobooks while knitting.

I never used to read more than one book at a time, but I have started to do so because 1) I like having a smaller book or my Kindle to carry around with me for those unanticipated delays as well as to take to my nightly dog park run and 2) I find that if a book is a slow read it really throws my pace off and I get behind my reading goal. Currently I am reading America America: A Novel, Ethan Canin (case in point -- really slow read -- thick hardback), The Monkey's Raincoat, Robert Crais (a really quick, fun read -- tiny paperback) and Prague, Arthur Phillips (so far hard to get into -- Kindle).

I read about 2 at the same time, plus the magazine browsing, everyday.
Depending on the book, I happily force myself to drop everything else and just do that one book.
You will find gems like that, yay.
Right now I am reading "Capote: a Biography" and that's a fat-heavy book that travels up and down three levels in my house. I should finish it in the next couple of days and in the meantime I am savoring the cover of my next trip: "Women in Love", by D.H. Lawrence.

This thread completely caught my attention b/c of my son's erratic (in my oh so humble opinion of course) reading habits. He, like his dear mother, is an obsessive reader, and usually has 10 to 20 books going at once. I went up to his room and saw the top shelf of his bookshelf lined with current reads, bookmarks ascending like they were mocking my obsessive one-book-at-a-time style of reading. It drives me nuts b/c every day it seems he is reading something different. I devour one book at a time -- cannot stop reading it as quickly as possible -- and I agree that while one does not savor it this way, I like to think that if I want to read it again in the future, it will be fresh for my having forgotten it, having ingested it so quickly. And I get incredibly antsy if I don't have another book ready to go as soon as I finish one. Just finished Gurganus' tongue in cheek Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All and am currently also reading the Bible through again. KJV.

What drives me nuts is, if I read more than one book, if I go back and forth, I get so confused! What are the plots? What's that character's name again? Where the heck is this taking place at? How come all of a sudden someone is hurting this guy? I get sooooo confused, yet, I do it anyway! I am reading The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You, Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and Two-Minute Mysteries!

> 47
Haha, vivienbrenda, that's funny.
I once had a "friend" who upon visiting my house for the first time, looked all around our wall to wall bookshelves and said: "What do you need all these books for? Throw it away!"
My father, witnessing such insult, later demanded me to drop such friendship.

>57 BetaCummins:

Reminds me of my sister's nutty mother-in-law, who, on viewing their pictures from our recent trip to Italy, said that since the Colosseum was falling apart, why not just tear it down? It's old.

>57 BetaCummins:
I had an Avon Lady look at my bookcases and ask "Do you ever read any of those?" I said I had read all of those, She looked at me puzzled and said "Why?" I looked at her in what I assume was the same puzzled look and said, "Because I have a brain and it needs nourishment". Catty I know, but really.

My favorite quote comes from Auntie Mame with Rosalind Russell. Her nephew brought his girlfriend over to meet her. When the girlfriend sees the books on the coffee table she remarks
"I just love books don't you? They are so decorative."
Hilarious

KIK, in that case my house is decorative to within an inch of its life.

Usually about 3-4. One in my bag for whenever I have to wait for something or someone and there's one in living, bed- and bathroom.
The latter mostly stuff I just wanna get over with but don't enjoy that much.
/e: spelling.

Hey, has anyone read the book "the princetta" ? so far its the best book ever.

Until the last several years I always read rather randomly - two or three books in progress as they caught my eye. Now - realizing that I am not eternal but the number of books I want to read do seem to be never ending - I try to concurrently read one classic (now The Forsyte Saga), one history or biography (Under the Banner of Heaven) and one current/contemporary fiction or issue (Food Matters).

I'm not always on program, but at least that way I can fool myself that I'm keeping up with what I'd like to read.

Where was the new word "shizobibliomania" created in 2008? Was it here?
All the same, I'm a shizobibliomaniac, reading two or three or more books at once, currently reading
My Antonia by Willa Cather
Poor Folk by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust (One year read, halfway through by now)
And some non-fiction (History etc.) now and then...

2 at once.

I seem to routinely be reading 5-10 books at once, but the most common number seems to be 6.

Generally, it's one novel, some poetry -- and then rest is a shifting mixture of history, philosophy, essays, journals and letters.

#29 Everytime I see one of those book challenge threads where people are reading a book every couple of days I think, surely they can't be enjoying that to it's full potential. It seems at that point it's more about speeding through pages instead of enjoying a good story."

I find it so annoying when people judge others regarding how they read. If fast readers like myself don't go posting about how some folks seem to slog through books, and how can they enjoy them at that pace ( and I nave NEVER seen a fast reader post anything remotely like that ) Why is it okay to to judge those of us who are fast readers? One reader has no idea what the experience of reading is like for another.

I wasn't judging for reading fast, I just think some people push themselves to read faster than they normally read to wrack up a total, and I know if I rush through a book for whatever reason (It's due back to the library the next day, for example) I have a tendancy to not enjoy it as much.

And I've created a challenge thread of my own, so i'm definitely not judging. 0.0

It's very interesting reading this thread and how people are wired completely differently. I totally can not relate to the 'i have 5 or 6 or more books going at at time' people. I generally read one and read it through. Two reasons, one, i'm like those 'the book is like a movie' people. I usually get very involved with the book and the characters and it's almost like a betrayal if you go off to read about someone else. It's not so bad with non-fiction, but still. Two, if a book sucks but i really want to get through it (although I'm definately not above quitting half way through), my incentive to finish it is that I won't let myself start another until I've finished it! Generally speeds me through the end :-)

>68 Ape:,
People who finish a book every 2-3 days aren't necessarily pushing themselves to read faster. Depending on the length of the book I'm reading and how much time I have that's pretty normal for me. When I set a goal for myself it is something that is doable without pushing myself to read really fast, it is more about having something that will help me be aware of whether or not I'm carving out enough reading time for myself. Some books demand of me that I read swiftly through them, whether it is an extremely engaging plot or beautiful prose that I want to have just wash over me; however I think you're right that if you try too hard to read a book faster than normal you do often lose enjoyment.

Typically:

* one long or "difficult" novel (currently A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth)
* one lighter novel (currently The Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami)
* one collection of short stories (currently True Tales of American Life edited by Paul Auster)
* one audiobook (currently Engleby by Sebastian Faulks)
* one non-fiction work (nothing at the moment, but most recently The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton)

Each satisfies a different need and suits a different mood. Also, they're generally sufficiently different from one another that I'm unlikely to mix them up in my mind.

Somewhere between 2 and 5 mostly:

- Next to my bed lies a book with short stories of column, this time The world according to Clarkson.
- A (thick) classic, this time Don Quixote.
- An easy to read book, now Kafka on the shore.

And next to these, there could be a 'group read' book, a thin book just thrown in my bag because I have to travel, an e-book, just a extremely light read, etc.

I hope no one thinks this thread was started as a challenge to people to see who's the fastest reader or who reads the most or some silly thing like that.

I was just interested in people's reading habits, and it's been really interesting hearing everyone's individual styles and quirks and thoughts on the matter!

So glad this had generated such engaging discussion (and plenty of books to add to my "to read" list)!

I have to read two at a time. I've learned the hard way. I always read a paperback or other book owned by me when I am soaking in a bubblebath (with the possibility of falling asleep and dropping the book; hence, soggy pages). And I have another library book on the go for living room reading. Sometimes I have a third book on the go -- one that is work-related.

I usually read only one book at a time. When I have two on the go, it is because my main book is something that I don't want to lug to and from work everyday and there is nothing I hate more than having a bad weather day and no book to read on my lunch break!

I agree!
There is NO way I can read more than one book at a time. I get the characters and story lines all mixed up.
I'm in college, and so I have to do lots of reading for my classes. Since I ALWAYS have to be reading a book for pleasure as well, I usually choose an old favorite or a book that is also a movie I have already seen so that I still have something to read for "fun" but don't have to pay too close attention to it.
Does that make sense? :)
Right now I'm taking an Old Testament Studies class at school (Sex and the Bible) and it is very reading intensive, so I'm currently reading "The Beach" by Alex Garland on the side since I LOVE the movie.
:)

Im currently reading Halloweenland-Al Sarrantonio,
Your Heart Belongs To Me-Dean Koontz,Majic Terror-Peter Straub.Ive always seem to have more then one going,even if it doesnt start that way.

I'm always reading at least three books. Sometimes all sci-fi, usually a bio, and a mystery or historical novel. My family has gotten used to my habit, but my wife still can't figure out why I'll read a book a second or even a third time.

I can only read one at once. right now,I am reading "the count of monte cristo",I cann't image I read multi books and finish this book after 6 months

I usually read a few different books at a time, but there's one main book that I focus on. The books I read I do so according to the style of writing and subject matter, as well as whether it's hardback or paper back. Paperbacks go well in my pocket or purse, so they're usually the one I read in Dr.'s waiting rooms and other waiting places. I've also got a classic book running and an audio book, too. I also have the book in the... erm, bathroom... for those times that you want to read but don't have the time to sit and get into the book.

Right now, I'm reading Freedom's Landing (main focus and paperback), Emma (my classic), The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (my audio book), and How to Be a Villian by Neil Zawacki for my light and brief reading.

I like to read one book at a time, but if I find a couple worth reading they have to be of different genres and weight. I mean I can read a fluffy book that I won't remember next year just for the pure entertainment of it, while reading something more substantial, sustaining. I can't read two meaty books at the same time less they compete with each other.

no, bookinmybag (mine, too, btw ;-) ), I definitely agree with you there. I can't read two books of substance at the same time, either. Also, I try not to read two book in the same genre at the same time, as they tend to mesh together in my memory.

I made that mistake when I read Stephen King's Skeleton Crew and Richard Matheson's I am Legend at the same time. Both are short story books, and both are in the thriller genre, which has caused a bit of confusion in my memory as to which story was in which book. "The Jaunt" is one that I'm uncertain of. I believe it's King's, as the style seems to suit his writing more than Matheson's. Further compounding the problem, Matheson was one of King's biggest influences, a fact that you can easily pick up when you've read both authors.

I never read only one book at a time :D. Usually it'd be two or three. It's because I hear of too many other great books that I want I can't resist the thought of picking them right away.
Right now I'm reading three books, and two of them are for children (I'm still 17 anyway :D).

Usually I only read 1 book at a time, but I am reading The Count Of Monte Cristo at the moment so I need a book to carry around with me as well, so I am reading Magic to the Bone at the same time

I just adopted a new reading style; I read four books at once and try to finish two in a week.

I'm almost always reading more than 1 book at a time. Usually 2, but sometimes 3 (I think that's the most I've ever had going at once).

For me, the format is definitely an issue, I don't like my hardcovers to leave the house so those and large paperbacks are for bedside reading (currently The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor). The small paperbacks are the ones I like to throw in my bag and go with me everywhere (currently, Seize The Day by Saul Bellow). I've been reading quite a few magazines lately and those go in the living room for casual perusal.

I've really found out that it's like a recipe that needs the perfect storm of ingredients. Every book is different and you find out its needs as you go. When I'm about 20-50 pages in, I know what role it's going to play alongside my other books. Sometimes a book just demands attention. When I was reading Gone With The Wind I was so obsessed that I defied my hardcover-at-home rule and brought it everywhere with me, I couldn't read anything else and I couldn't read for days after finishing it (which isn't normal for me). When I was reading Graveyard For Lunatics, I got halfway through and realized I should've devoted all my attention to it, but didn't. In short, some you can't put down and some you just have to let draw you in slowly and absorb them.

First off, I always have a novel on the go. This is invariably my bedtime reading, usually 30 mins to an hour each night. Currently Alan Furst's "Spies of the Balkans".

For the odd occasion when I don't fancy an instalment of the current novel, or I'm between books, I also have several volumes of short stories by the bed. Currently, collections by Ernest Hemingway, Vladimir Nabokov and Irwin Shaw, and others.

Then there's my "secondary book", usually non-fiction (typically history or popular science). This I take to work each day, and every lunchtime I stroll down to Starbucks and read for 30-45 minutes, over a coffee or two. Currently however, it's a novel - The Count of Monte Cristo.

In addition, I have in my desk drawer Clive James' "Cultural Amnesia", a superb book of essays that I occasionally read a page or two of first thing in the morning while my PC boots up.

Back home again, our toilet is a considerable library in its own right - full of books designed to be read a few pages at a time (for obvious reasons!) - poetry, anthologies, etc. Having said that, my current "loo book" is the rather weighty "Landscape and Memory" by Simon Schama - but I pick up others as the mood takes me.

I also usually take one of these with me when I have a bath!

The living room is also book-lined, and if the missus is watching something rubbish on TV, I often take down something from the shelf for a bit of infill reading.

Also, for the last couple of years I have been working my way through Charles Allen's "Plain Tales from the British Empire" - purely in the garden in summer, if the weather is sufficiently sunny to sit out.

That's just the "regular stuff". I could pick up other books at odd times in odd places if I have a spare five minutes.

If I'm going on holiday, I plan out my reading to go with the destination - on the "one novel, one history, one travelogue" principle.

I keep swearing to stick to one book at a time, but I can never achieve it.

BTW, my mother taught me to read when I was three, and I have done the same with my daughters.