the magic of reading several books at once

I've been dipping in and out of my current reads for a few months now. I don't digitally track my reading, and instead use a small hardback notebook to track. When I am done with this notebook, I will start another. I enjoy being able to physically glance at my list of reads and it does make me quite emotional to see who and where I am in the process of these novels.

reading this as an audio + text combination

I didn't think I would enjoy Pillars of the Earth because I don't read much historical fiction. I am really loving this story. It's intricate, emotional, and very detailed. It is beneficial to have a novel or two in the rotation that just read easily and that has a story that flows by.

Reasons to read several books at once

1. I always have a fountain of choices depending on my mood
2. Re-reading is never a chore. It easily slots into new reads by giving the space to scaffold your favorite re-reading alongside them
3. You never have to "wait to start" a new book that you are excited about it

Reasons to caution against it

1. If you struggle with the ability to pick up the strands of multiple stories
2. You enjoy a singular focus
3. You confuse characters or storylines
4. You're interested in finishing books as quickly as possible

I am often reading between 6-10 books at one time, but mainly 4 is a solid amount that I can pick up every single day.

Types of books I read simultaneously

1. An audiobook (typically a classic that is a re-read)
2. A classic
3. A contemporary classic
4. Page turner (always changes)
5. Literary fiction
6. Non-fiction biography
7. Non-fiction psychology/neuroscience
8. Letters of some kind
9. Poetry book
10. Something in translation 

As the days become shorter, and daylight leaves us, I find myself wanting to finish my academic work earlier in the day so that I can focus on documentaries and reading where my personal care duties are limited.

Deep rest is becoming a true value of mine again, and reading plays an intricate part in resting for me. 

If you've never read multiple books at once, I really encourage you to at least try it. If it doesn't work for you, it's understandable. There are a few times a year where I focus on one book until it's done, but that is extremely rare. 

There's so much to read and I love spending my life and all that it contains between the pages of great literature.