Multi-book Reading

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Also adapted & published on Medium.
For years on end, I have signed up for reading challenges. Ok, scratch that. A few years ago, probably when I started working in 2011, I realized that I was reading fewer books. News, editorials, and essays I continued to read online, but never really books even though I continuously bought them.
It was about that same time that Goodreads first wandered into my general awareness and off I went - creating lists, finding books I owned, read, wanted to read, etc. This included books I owned, borrowed from the library, friends, picked from at the office share-a-book shelf, pilfered (didn't do that)... I liked it! Watching my lists grow, knowing that I still hadn't accounted for several hundreds of books that I've covered in all my years of reading - which, I have on good authority, is a good 20 years now!

Anyway, around that same time is when I figured I ought to challenge myself if only to prove that I genuinely was consuming as much writing as I claimed! Reading challenges became a regular thing for me. Whether I completed them or not, was never the goal. Personally, I wanted to set a pace. Figure out what I could easily do, how quickly I got there. At one point I realized that very rarely did I have less than 2 books in progress. The most I read simultaneously remains at 4 books, and there is a way to do it. Or at least, it's worked for me!
  • Genres
This is the best, fool-proof method of never losing context. As a general rule, definitely never the same authors because the writing is bound to be so similar it can get confusing.
Normally, I try and have a fiction and a non-fiction going, though most of the time it is the former I'm drawn to. A historical fiction book and one of modern writing maybe. A serious one paired with a light-hearted comedic one. A book recommended for office-reading with pretty much anything else. Or a re-read with something brand new (Harry Potter or Jane Austen's novels are my go-to!).
  • Medium of reading
While 95% of my reading is of a physical book (I love the feel of turning pages!), I do own a Kindle and borrow heavily from the Amazon lending library, buy books online and the like. Reading across devices/mediums also helps stick to the story.
Audiobooks probably fall in here too. I never thought much of them - only ever listened to Stephen Fry reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - but it's worth a shot.
  • Time and Place
A riveting book or a favorite one, I'll read anytime, anywhere - a lot of my reading is done during my commute. Yup, public transit works for me! I usually find it more difficult to read when I'm at home because I tend to get distracted. Anyway, I did read one book on my way to work and another on the way back. I did also have an 'at-home' book and a weekend coffee shop book. I suppose the ambiance aids in setting the mood and tone. There's also definitely my travel books.

Everything above is common to anyone who reads. I think it's a near unconscious organization that allows you to focus and be comfortable with.
Reading and books, in general, are a constant presence in my life, and the only thing better than a well-written book is a much-loved one. I'm still making my way through my ever growing to-read list simply adding on and discovering new authors and writing.

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