Literature and Monogamy

[bex79]

Hi All! I am new to the forum and very excited about joining - everything about literature, reading and people who read makes me happy :P

So anyway, my first question is - how many of you are "faithful" to the book you are reading and how many of you read multiple books at the same time? I am a monogamous reader and feel that giving your attention to more than one novel is like cheating on a lover - how do you know it isn't the best book in the world unless you give it your undivided attention and a decent chance to win you over??

Would love to know your thoughts x

[kelby_lake]

Hi All! I am new to the forum and very excited about joining - everything about literature, reading and people who read makes me happy :P

So anyway, my first question is - how many of you are "faithful" to the book you are reading and how many of you read multiple books at the same time? I am a monogamous reader and feel that giving your attention to more than one novel is like cheating on a lover - how do you know it isn't the best book in the world unless you give it your undivided attention and a decent chance to win you over??

Would love to know your thoughts x

Oh, I cheat :) I also cheat on it with films and plays. Then I abandon it and come back a few months later.

[Oniw17]

I try to stick to one book at a time, though I have been known to abandon books.

[Sionn Harrow]

I usually finish what I start, but I always read multiple books at a time xD

Welcome to ONL, btw ^-^

[bex79]

I see the temptation of cheating - I mean, there are times when it would definitely seem like the grass is greener on the other side (like when I was halfway through the Lord of the Rings trilogy and hating every second! :)) but I feel like I can't really be true to myself if I break that relationship.

Come to think of it, I may have issues lol

[mrv]

I never thought of it this way! I tend to start a few and continue with the one that interests me most. If it's more than one then I'll read a couple or more simultaneously. When I'm finished I'll start with the one I found next best and so on. I keep beginning to read others I come across too. I just can't resist checking others out even when I'm going steady with one:p. It gets pretty messy sometimes!

[dfloyd]

I tend to read novels one at a time, but if I am reading a more complex book, such as Livy's 'History of Early Rome" or Carlyle's "The French Revolution", I may read multople books before finishing the more difficult one(s).

[loe]

I usually read more than one book.
Mostly it's a novel in my mother tongue, a novel in a foreign language (mainly English in my case) and a non-fiction book (history or philosophy).

Best regards

[aliengirl]

Hi All! I am new to the forum and very excited about joining - everything about literature, reading and people who read makes me happy :P

So anyway, my first question is - how many of you are "faithful" to the book you are reading and how many of you read multiple books at the same time? I am a monogamous reader and feel that giving your attention to more than one novel is like cheating on a lover - how do you know it isn't the best book in the world unless you give it your undivided attention and a decent chance to win you over??

Would love to know your thoughts x

Very interesting point of view bex. I must admit I'm "unfaithful" perhaps because I'm no dog. :lol:
Jokes apart I usually read two or three books at a time choosing from different genres. Usually a novel or a play and something on literary theory. But when I really like a book I stuck to it and try to complete it as soon as possible no matter whether it is a classic or not.

[togre]

I am a very promiscuous reader. I usually have one book I'm actively reading at home, one I'm somewhat actively reading at work and one in my car that I read at lunch or whenever I'm stuck waiting somewhere. Then I have anywhere from 2 to 6 books I've started and left off, but haven't given up on yet (sometimes I get around to them, sometimes not). And on top of that I'm prone to rush off into the arms of an old dear friend or some exciting new conquest and ignore all else until I have sated my desire (or finished all of that series or author that I can get).

I don't really have a problem with my attention being divided. "When I'm not near the book I love, I love the book I'm near." I am focused while reading. And in fact, if the completion of a book is stretched over a longer period that tends to give me more time to ponder than one of those books I can't put down and finish at 2 am (I have at times later re-read a book thus finished and have been surprised at the conclusion).

I wouldn't say my methods are best even for me, but I do enjoy what I read.

[Dark Passenger]

I'm tempted sometimes. But, just like with relationships, if I feel tempted then something's wrong and I'll think about if I want to spend anymore time with either book or person. In short, I don't cheat. But if I really want to, I'll throw the book away before I start a new one.

[bex79]

:-) love it! Exactly Dark Passenger.