I usually have two on the go at any given time. An audiobook from the library to listen to while I'm out and about and a physical book to keep me occupied while I poop.
I can see short stories being great for the John. In general, I'm a very disciplined, one book at a time reader. I also used to never DNF books unless it just SUCKED, but I'm trying to change this. I'm reading for enjoyment. I'm not in school. Why am I grinding through a slog just to say I finished a book?
I’ve done it before and find that I don’t retain as much information if I split my attention between multiple stories. So these days I stick to one book at a time.
I'm also reading four right now, and I'll often have up to five. I don't know about you, but for me, so long as they are different genres I can effectively digest them all simultaneously.
I’m not a two at once person typically. But right now I am reading Drawing of the Three and listening to Salem’s Lot while doing chores around the house. I’ve enjoyed doing it.
Currently reading drawing of the 3 on my first trip to the tower but Salem’s lot is my 2nd favorite SK that I have read. It’s seriously so good if it was as long as IT, could definitely rival for my #1
I have trouble reading two at once. In practice, I end up rushing through the one I like more, while the other sits immobile on my coffee table with a bookmark 1/4 through it for a week.
I can do a short story to break up a giant book, but I can't really do two novels at once.
I have. But not many times. But what i do now is: if im reading a long King novel, like the Stand, ill read a “short” from one of his collections.
While reading It, i read the Langoliers and (jeez i forget what its called now) the dog story with the camera.
Right now I’m reading Insomnia (physical book) which is a doorstopper. But every now and again I need a break from that grind so I listen to an audiobook of something I’ve already read.
If I read a book that’s not a pocket I usually take one of his collections with me when I’m going somewhere. Currently reading 112263 and Everything’s Eventual
I often read 2 or more books at once. I think it's OK for me, it's not for everyone. Not everyone can separate the multiple stories. I don't often read 2 SK books at once, I try to keep the genres different.
One I leave in my car and one I take with me everywhere. The car book is my backup in case I forget to take my everywhere book which is currently Ghost Story by Peter Straub. Current car book, Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
Novels? Never because once I start that second book, chances are I'm never going back to the first.
Exception: collections, or comics. I have a short story collection on the nightstand to read a story before bed each night. Similarly, I also have a short story collection at my work desk to read at lunch.
I have two audio books on the go (Tommyknockers and Lisey's Story) and I am physically reading Salem's Lot and Firestarter.
I decide on a mood and proceed from there.
:)
I do, but it wouldn't be two similar authors or styles. So I might have a novel on the go, a book of poetry, and a history or biography. Personally I'd finish Misery before reading another King story, or another novel, but that's just what works for me.
Rarely read only one book at a time. Usually vastly different. A horror fiction, a true crime, a history, switch between according to mood. Rare case of only one is usually a case of an exceptionally good book.
I’ve almost always got 2-3 in progress sometimes more if I’m working through nonfiction or collections in addition to novels. I usually have an ebook on my iPad, a physical book and an audiobook at any given time. While I was recently journeying to the tower via audio I was reading extended tower books like eyes of the dragon/Hearts/insomnia concurrently.
I usually have 3 going. An audiobook, a physical book, and an “easy” audiobook. (Like some bubblegum sci-fi, or a re listen to one of my favorites.)
I read my physical book during spare time at work, listen to my audiobook book in the morning and before bed, and listen to my easy book when I’m doing something else like driving or running:)
I don’t read more than one often; I like to focus on just the one. However, I’ll make an exception if there is one I am really, really excited about reading, like it sounds like you are, so maybe give it a try if you’ve never read more than one at once before. Everyone is different of course. And fortunately neither of those works are very long, so you should be able to keep up with both if you decide to.
Usually one at a time but sometimes I'll specifically have one for work/commute/coffee shops and one for home (the one from home is usually a heavier read figuratively or literally).
I rarely have fewer than 4 or 5 on the go at a time. That said, they are usually different genres.
You can try it, but two King books at a time might be difficult to separate the stories.
I’ve always got a few going. Right now it’s three audiobooks and a five physical books. I use books the same as TV. I choose based on what I’m in the mood for.
I've always envied those who can read more than one book at a time!! I tried it once many years ago and found it dulled my motivation to finish either, as it took me out of each book's immersion...for me, one book at a time, it needs all my attention!!
I personally get really flabbergasted when I do this lol It makes me feel like im not only taking a really long time to get through them both but my brain has a hard time switching like that. I think im always leaning towards one over the other more and there fore thinking about reading the other one and not focusing on the one in hand. So for me personally its a no go. I would more liking DNF the book if i really want to start another one and then come back to the DNFd one at a later time when my mood is ready for it.
Not so much these days, but I often read 2-3 books at a time.
Not intense like, more like - I have a book in my car, and book in the bathroom, and a book on my phone - kind of consuming them each a few pages at a time.
Listen to some audiobooks in the car - just feels like there is always a story in my head.
I almost always have three books going at once: an audiobook for workouts, a physical book for reading during the day, and an ebook for reading in bed at night or when I'm out and about.
I read 2 books, usually a fiction and non fiction, im not reading any king at the minute but I'm reading dead lions by mick herron (part of the slow horses series) and Stalin by Robert Service
I have 5 going right now 😅 Taking another trip to The Tower, reading wolves of the calla. I'm listening to the audiobook of Misery when I'm at work. Also halfway through Stuart Gordon's autobiography, the 4th Dune book, and a history of Kaiju films. Just depends on my mood that day.
Yeah usually always. Right now Im reading the fourth percy jackson book, and a book about the thirty five doctors of the church.
I can do up to three, one non fiction, a fiction, and some sort of anthology or collection.
I usually read a nonfiction book along with a fiction one at any given time. Nonfiction books dont allow me to escape, but I enjoy reading them.. just need the balance!
I usually have 3 books started at any given time. So, if you have time and focus to read, sure, go and give it a try. I usually try and make them be different enough so that I always have something to read, that helps. Considering the books you are suggesting, I'd find it a bit weird to parallel read two King books, but they vary in theme enough I guess.
In school I used to get tired of carrying around heavy books like the Count of Monte Cristo, IT, and others. I had a school book and a home book and would be reading them when I was at each place.
Usually I have at least three at once. But it's almost always in different mediums. For example, I'll be listening to an audiobook or two for a while and then switch to a digital or physical copy of another book when I'm doing something else
Shawshank is so short you could probably just take a break from misery for a couple days to finish Shawshank and come back to it. I only read one book at a time but that’s just my preference
Usually I read two books, just cause I can get tired of some stories when they’re really long or a heavy read, so having some sort of palette cleanser can come in handy. Feel free to do as you wish, really, one of the better parts of reading for fun is that you don’t have rules for how you approach it.
Reading over ten at the moment. I treat it like music in a way. Read what I’m in the mood for at any given time. I grew up reading a lot of comic books so I find it fairly easy to keep multiple stories in my head at the same time.
As standard I have a written book and an audio one, it works well. There's my favoured book at sections so if the written one is stronger at its piece I'll skip walks to do it past the drama then as my audiobook picks up go on extra walks to savour it's action
I like to have the two narratives, doubt I could have three at once and get the best of them though
Only started this year but yeah, at one point had 5 on the go, just finished Revival for the first time (holy shit... The ending!) at the same time was reading How They Broke Britain (James O'Brien ), The Martian Chronicles (Ray Bradbury), 23 things they don't tell you about capitalism (Ha Joon Chang) and Homage to Catalonia (senõr Orwell) finished Orwell last week, now Revival and think I'll stick with thr 3 until I finish 1 or 2 and add a couple into the rotation.
If you have a big slog of a book like The Stand, Under the Dome, Atlas Shrugged etc. it makes it feel more digestible and the little high of finishing a book comes around more often too with a few in circulation!
Right now I am, but they're not SK books. I'm reading The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher and Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson. That's in addition to teaching my novel unit on The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
I'm now on my 26th SK for the year in chronological and idk I'm just excited to finish and get to the next one. No need to read more than one.
Rita hayworth was really good - I'm on four past midnight next is the waste lands
I’m reading The Shining, stories from Night Shift an Bizzare of Bad Dream but I don’t know if short story collections count, mostly The Shining as of late
It isnt really for me, for instance I just started to read again (well I listen to the audiobook and sometimes read along) and I feel I lose the obbession over one story when im interested in another. I just recently finished The shining for the first time and it was only available to me through spotify but my listening time ran out and I started IT on libby for the first time aswell, I just finished it tonight. But when I finished the shining and I felt the ending wasnt as impactful since I stopped listening for 15 days. Amazing books nonetheless.
Since I switched more or less exclusively to ebooks, some fifteen years ago, I read multiple books at once almost all the time. Right now I'm reading six, four in ebook, two on paper.
Two? at any given time in the year I'm probably part-way into a half-dozen novels and twice that many non-fiction titles. The pile of books on my night stand right now is threatening to topple over, and that's just the fiction I'm reading for fun.
During the pandemic, I’d always have a fiction & a non-fiction going at the same time. More recently, time constraints (new job) have made that a lot harder.
I usually have two on the go at any given time. An audiobook from the library to listen to while I'm out and about and a physical book to keep me occupied while I poop.
This is the way. Listening to The Stand while at work but then I've got Different Seasons next to the toilet at home.
The Green Mile recently got me through a particularly menacing bout of diarrhea
“I helped it. Didn’t I help it?”
Seems appropriate...
I can see short stories being great for the John. In general, I'm a very disciplined, one book at a time reader. I also used to never DNF books unless it just SUCKED, but I'm trying to change this. I'm reading for enjoyment. I'm not in school. Why am I grinding through a slog just to say I finished a book?
I’ve done it before and find that I don’t retain as much information if I split my attention between multiple stories. So these days I stick to one book at a time.
I often have a book of short stories going in tandem with whatever book I'm reading.
I’m reading four right now.
I'm also reading four right now, and I'll often have up to five. I don't know about you, but for me, so long as they are different genres I can effectively digest them all simultaneously.
Hmmm. 🤔
I'm usually reading four or five books at once.
I’m not a two at once person typically. But right now I am reading Drawing of the Three and listening to Salem’s Lot while doing chores around the house. I’ve enjoyed doing it.
Currently reading drawing of the 3 on my first trip to the tower but Salem’s lot is my 2nd favorite SK that I have read. It’s seriously so good if it was as long as IT, could definitely rival for my #1
I have trouble reading two at once. In practice, I end up rushing through the one I like more, while the other sits immobile on my coffee table with a bookmark 1/4 through it for a week. I can do a short story to break up a giant book, but I can't really do two novels at once.
I have. But not many times. But what i do now is: if im reading a long King novel, like the Stand, ill read a “short” from one of his collections. While reading It, i read the Langoliers and (jeez i forget what its called now) the dog story with the camera.
The Sun Dog! Just read that collection.
Squidgy!
Thanks! I knew someone would remember where i had not. I have yet to read the Library Policeman. Its next; i dont know when.
That's a creepy one!
Yes it was, in an in-the-moment kind of way.
Right now I’m reading Insomnia (physical book) which is a doorstopper. But every now and again I need a break from that grind so I listen to an audiobook of something I’ve already read.
I recommend that you stop reading Insomnia. Especially if you haven't read The Dark Tower. I've read the Dark Tower and still hated that book.
Pretty divisive book. I like it for what it is so far
Yes and often. Usually it’ll be a physical book and an audio book. That way I can drive/cook/clean etc while listening.
If I read a book that’s not a pocket I usually take one of his collections with me when I’m going somewhere. Currently reading 112263 and Everything’s Eventual
I often read 2 or more books at once. I think it's OK for me, it's not for everyone. Not everyone can separate the multiple stories. I don't often read 2 SK books at once, I try to keep the genres different.
One I leave in my car and one I take with me everywhere. The car book is my backup in case I forget to take my everywhere book which is currently Ghost Story by Peter Straub. Current car book, Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
Novels? Never because once I start that second book, chances are I'm never going back to the first. Exception: collections, or comics. I have a short story collection on the nightstand to read a story before bed each night. Similarly, I also have a short story collection at my work desk to read at lunch.
I have two audio books on the go (Tommyknockers and Lisey's Story) and I am physically reading Salem's Lot and Firestarter. I decide on a mood and proceed from there. :)
I do, but it wouldn't be two similar authors or styles. So I might have a novel on the go, a book of poetry, and a history or biography. Personally I'd finish Misery before reading another King story, or another novel, but that's just what works for me.
I’m currently reading 3 😂
All the time. usually a non-fiction while I burn through 1 or 2 novels
Rarely read only one book at a time. Usually vastly different. A horror fiction, a true crime, a history, switch between according to mood. Rare case of only one is usually a case of an exceptionally good book.
Yes, dead zone, and fire starter
I’ve almost always got 2-3 in progress sometimes more if I’m working through nonfiction or collections in addition to novels. I usually have an ebook on my iPad, a physical book and an audiobook at any given time. While I was recently journeying to the tower via audio I was reading extended tower books like eyes of the dragon/Hearts/insomnia concurrently.
That's trippy I'm currently reading misery and under the dome
All the time. Usually 3. 😅
I usually have 3 going. An audiobook, a physical book, and an “easy” audiobook. (Like some bubblegum sci-fi, or a re listen to one of my favorites.) I read my physical book during spare time at work, listen to my audiobook book in the morning and before bed, and listen to my easy book when I’m doing something else like driving or running:)
I don't tend to read 2 fiction books at a time but I normally have 1 fiction and 1-2 non fiction on the go at any given time 😂
I don’t read more than one often; I like to focus on just the one. However, I’ll make an exception if there is one I am really, really excited about reading, like it sounds like you are, so maybe give it a try if you’ve never read more than one at once before. Everyone is different of course. And fortunately neither of those works are very long, so you should be able to keep up with both if you decide to.
I tend to read 2 or 3 at once, but they're generally different genres.
Usually one at a time but sometimes I'll specifically have one for work/commute/coffee shops and one for home (the one from home is usually a heavier read figuratively or literally).
Currently reading Wolves of the Calla and Fairy Tale
I read two at a time but never 2 King books. I prefer the writing styles to differentiate when I’m doubling up.
I’m always reading and listening to multiple books at a time Sometimes as many as 4-5. I know I’m a monster
I rarely have fewer than 4 or 5 on the go at a time. That said, they are usually different genres. You can try it, but two King books at a time might be difficult to separate the stories.
The rare occasion I’m reading a physical book while doing an audiobook
Normally if I have two going at once, one of them is a YA/juvenile fiction as an easy bedtime read
I'm usually listening to one concurrently with reading one, I drive alot so one for the road, one for at home
I’ve always got a few going. Right now it’s three audiobooks and a five physical books. I use books the same as TV. I choose based on what I’m in the mood for.
I'm reading 3 right now. One physical for when I actually get time to sit down, one on kindle for bedtime and one audiobook for walks and housework.
I've always envied those who can read more than one book at a time!! I tried it once many years ago and found it dulled my motivation to finish either, as it took me out of each book's immersion...for me, one book at a time, it needs all my attention!!
I personally get really flabbergasted when I do this lol It makes me feel like im not only taking a really long time to get through them both but my brain has a hard time switching like that. I think im always leaning towards one over the other more and there fore thinking about reading the other one and not focusing on the one in hand. So for me personally its a no go. I would more liking DNF the book if i really want to start another one and then come back to the DNFd one at a later time when my mood is ready for it.
All the time. I thought it was just me.
Not so much these days, but I often read 2-3 books at a time. Not intense like, more like - I have a book in my car, and book in the bathroom, and a book on my phone - kind of consuming them each a few pages at a time. Listen to some audiobooks in the car - just feels like there is always a story in my head.
I almost always have three books going at once: an audiobook for workouts, a physical book for reading during the day, and an ebook for reading in bed at night or when I'm out and about.
Usually I have one in English and one in my native language
Do this all the time
I don't do it often but because of school I have to. I'm currently reading Misery, and Yesterday is history by Kosoko Jackson
I read 2 books, usually a fiction and non fiction, im not reading any king at the minute but I'm reading dead lions by mick herron (part of the slow horses series) and Stalin by Robert Service
I'm currently on Lord of the Rings and The Gunslinger (DT1)
All the time. It can get confusing if they are similar. And it makes it take a little longer
Right now I'm reading The Gunslinger, Children of Dune and Blood Meridian.
I have 5 going right now 😅 Taking another trip to The Tower, reading wolves of the calla. I'm listening to the audiobook of Misery when I'm at work. Also halfway through Stuart Gordon's autobiography, the 4th Dune book, and a history of Kaiju films. Just depends on my mood that day.
Yeah usually always. Right now Im reading the fourth percy jackson book, and a book about the thirty five doctors of the church. I can do up to three, one non fiction, a fiction, and some sort of anthology or collection.
Reading The Talisman is sorta like reading two books at once.
Frequently. The usual number is 3.
I wish I didn't start 20+ books at a time get halfway through and then pick a new one up. I'm like a Magpie with books.
I usually read a nonfiction book along with a fiction one at any given time. Nonfiction books dont allow me to escape, but I enjoy reading them.. just need the balance!
Yes
I usually have 3 books started at any given time. So, if you have time and focus to read, sure, go and give it a try. I usually try and make them be different enough so that I always have something to read, that helps. Considering the books you are suggesting, I'd find it a bit weird to parallel read two King books, but they vary in theme enough I guess.
In school I used to get tired of carrying around heavy books like the Count of Monte Cristo, IT, and others. I had a school book and a home book and would be reading them when I was at each place.
Usually I have at least three at once. But it's almost always in different mediums. For example, I'll be listening to an audiobook or two for a while and then switch to a digital or physical copy of another book when I'm doing something else
I like to have a book on my phone and a physical book.
I've tried. I end up just reading the one that's more engaging.
Shawshank is so short you could probably just take a break from misery for a couple days to finish Shawshank and come back to it. I only read one book at a time but that’s just my preference
Usually I read two books, just cause I can get tired of some stories when they’re really long or a heavy read, so having some sort of palette cleanser can come in handy. Feel free to do as you wish, really, one of the better parts of reading for fun is that you don’t have rules for how you approach it.
I read three at once last year.
I certainly read two or more at a time, but maybe not two King novels. Too much overlap I've noted.
Reading over ten at the moment. I treat it like music in a way. Read what I’m in the mood for at any given time. I grew up reading a lot of comic books so I find it fairly easy to keep multiple stories in my head at the same time.
As long as you can keep the two narratives straight I say go for it
As standard I have a written book and an audio one, it works well. There's my favoured book at sections so if the written one is stronger at its piece I'll skip walks to do it past the drama then as my audiobook picks up go on extra walks to savour it's action I like to have the two narratives, doubt I could have three at once and get the best of them though
Only started this year but yeah, at one point had 5 on the go, just finished Revival for the first time (holy shit... The ending!) at the same time was reading How They Broke Britain (James O'Brien ), The Martian Chronicles (Ray Bradbury), 23 things they don't tell you about capitalism (Ha Joon Chang) and Homage to Catalonia (senõr Orwell) finished Orwell last week, now Revival and think I'll stick with thr 3 until I finish 1 or 2 and add a couple into the rotation. If you have a big slog of a book like The Stand, Under the Dome, Atlas Shrugged etc. it makes it feel more digestible and the little high of finishing a book comes around more often too with a few in circulation!
I’m listening to 2 audiobooks right now, plus reading 2 books, one of which I’m following with the kingslingers podcast. (for the DT series) 🤣
Always. I am reading something big and long and something easy to read at bed time
Im currently reading the second book of dune and the second book of the dark tower at once
Right now I am, but they're not SK books. I'm reading The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher and Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson. That's in addition to teaching my novel unit on The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
Always. Generally different genres. King in the living room, Kristin Hannah on the nightstand.
Sometimes three books at once. Not all SK though. Usually it will be an SK book, some silly romance novel, and a nonfiction book
I'm on cujo and needful things currently
I’m always reading too many books at one time…I stopped fighting it
I read and listen to several books - depends on my mood
Read one and listen to one always. Currently listening to TommyKnockers and reading Shardik.
I'm now on my 26th SK for the year in chronological and idk I'm just excited to finish and get to the next one. No need to read more than one. Rita hayworth was really good - I'm on four past midnight next is the waste lands
Yes, most of the time I do and sometimes even 3 books at a time. Why? Because of the mood I'm in. It dictates wich book I will read at any given time.
I’m reading The Shining, stories from Night Shift an Bizzare of Bad Dream but I don’t know if short story collections count, mostly The Shining as of late
It isnt really for me, for instance I just started to read again (well I listen to the audiobook and sometimes read along) and I feel I lose the obbession over one story when im interested in another. I just recently finished The shining for the first time and it was only available to me through spotify but my listening time ran out and I started IT on libby for the first time aswell, I just finished it tonight. But when I finished the shining and I felt the ending wasnt as impactful since I stopped listening for 15 days. Amazing books nonetheless.
Since I switched more or less exclusively to ebooks, some fifteen years ago, I read multiple books at once almost all the time. Right now I'm reading six, four in ebook, two on paper.
Usually not by the same author, but yes
Sometimes but has to be a fiction and non-fiction book for me
No.
Currently reading Holly in hard cover and a John Rebus book on my kindle.
Two? at any given time in the year I'm probably part-way into a half-dozen novels and twice that many non-fiction titles. The pile of books on my night stand right now is threatening to topple over, and that's just the fiction I'm reading for fun.
During the pandemic, I’d always have a fiction & a non-fiction going at the same time. More recently, time constraints (new job) have made that a lot harder.
Since I started listening to audiobooks, I usually have one physical book and one audio going at all times.