Lift: A Memoir, by Rebecca K. O’Connor (ARC)
The Help, by Kathryn Stockett (on Kindle)
Heaven to Betsy/Betsy in Spite of Herself, by Maud Hart Lovelace
Yes, I was reading two of these in my update two weeks ago. This is why I usually don’t two-time books, let along triple up on them – it takes me so much longer to finish any of them! I find it quite dissatisfying to divide my attention this way, although it’s slightly easier when one of the works in progress is an e-book; since I feel like I don’t have enough time for reading as it is, I’m making it harder on myself to choose how I want to spend it when I give myself too many options. And eventually, one book will pull me more strongly than the rest – right now, it’s The Help – and then I’ll feel conflicted about neglecting the others. (Note that I don’t feel guilty – I don’t attribute human feelings to my books and think that THEY feel neglected – but I’m questioning my choices every time.)
So, why do I do this to myself? This time, it came from not wanting to choose between review responsibilities with deadlines and reading something I just didn’t want to wait for, so I tried to have it all. I think post-Readathon euphoria/exhaustion was a factor too. And although I’m finding it frustrating – as I usually do whenever I attempt this sort of thing – I may need to keep it going for another few weeks. How do those of you who multi-book make it work?
Once I get through this, I’m going back to being a serial reading monogamist – one book at a time for me! That is, until I forget how badly I manage it and try multi-booking again. If I mention that I’m doing that, would someone please remind me of what I said today?
BOOKKEEPING: The Reading Status Report
For review:
Matters of Faith, by Kristy Kiernan (received from the author after an introduction on Twitter – thanks to @DarryleP, noted social-media
BOOKMARKS: Reading-related Reading
Reflecting on the expectations we bring to reading; discussing the possible reactions other people – particularly authors – may have to our reviewing
None of Publishers Weekly’s “Top 10 Books of 2009” were written by women – say what?!?
Just in case you ever need to know: five ways to survive in a dystopia
Does what we re-read reveal who we really are?
The confessions of a “Twilight Mom”
New uses for old books? Also: paper and “plastic” (e-)books – is peaceful coexistence possible?
Reading Event News
Have a “mini-readathon” the weekend of December 4 – read for 5 hours straight and help Jennie celebrate the 5th anniversary of Biblio File! You can even do it as part of Bethany‘s “make-up” 24-Hour Readathon, hosted at Dreadlock Girl on December 5 (she had a schedule conflict with the 24-Hour Readathon in October, but didn’t want to wait till the next one in April!).
If you can’t wait till then, and you’re not too busy over the Turkey Day holiday, celebrate the Thankfully Reading Weekend with Jenn’s Bookshelves, Devourer of Books, and Beth Fish Reads! These ladies will be virtually hosting this reading respite at the Book Blog Social Club. Beth F says:
Thankfully Reading Weekend will start on Friday, November 27 and end on Sunday, November 29.
There are no rules to the weekend and no prizes; we’re simply hoping to devote a good amount of time to reading, and perhaps meeting some of our reading challenges and goals for 2009. We thought it’d be fun if we cheered each other on a bit. If you
think you can join in, grab the button and sign on to Mr. Linky. If you don’t have a blog, use the comments!
During the weekend, come back and link any Thankfully Reading Weekend posts to the Mr. Linky we’ll put up on Friday, November 27. Feel free to link as many posts as you’d like. On Sunday will put up another Mr. Linky for your wrap-up post.
We’ll also be checking in on Twitter using hashtag #thankfulreading. Join in for the weekend or for only a single day. No rules, no pressure!
International readers: Just join in, no need to be celebrating the U.S. holiday. Remember that there are no rules.
We’ll have a houseguest that weekend – hi, Mom-in-law! – and I’ll be working on the Friday after Thanksgiving, but I certainly hope to make some time to read over those three days! How about you?
I'm a reading serial monogamist as well; until the tedium hits me and I feel like a recently dumped girl-on-the-prowl. Then I pick up two or three books, thinking I can juggle them. It always fails. Great minds, right?
Thanks for the shout out for our virtual cookie swap! Julie and I are really excited about it.
I would get into that same quagmire as you are in, if I were a polygamist. I wouldn't feel like I was being fair to the other book that wasn't as great as another I'm rading.. so if the books reflect off of each other like that, it wouldn't be a fair review in my eyes. And I can't separate it out in my head otherwise, i am not that organized.
So I am a one book a week type of gal.
Trisha – I know quite a few book bloggers who always have several books going at once. Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one who sucks at that :-)!
Kathy (Bermudaonion) – It sounds like fun! And the virtual calories won't endanger our diets :-).
Marie B – I can only do it if I make sure that the books I'm trying to read simultaneously have very little in common – one fiction, one nonfiction usually seems to work best. That usually helps keep me from mixing them up.
I don't think I want to try it with more than two at a time again, though – even if one of them is a e-book.
I am about to enter into a polygamous relationship with my books as well. And like you, I am juggling three books at once. We'll see how it goes. If it works.
I have a tendency to end up focusing on one book anyway when I try to read more than one. I get so wrapped up in the story, I don't want to stray. And like you, I get so little reading time as it is that reading one book just seems to work better for me. I don't want to lug around the Bowden book I'm reading though–it's rather large and I don't think it will fit in my purse.
Thank you for the links! I'll have to check them out further later. Hubby keeps glancing over at me to see if I'm ready to go out and run errands. Better not keep him waiting too much longer.
I hope you have a great week, Florinda!
I always read 2-3 books at a time but right now I am all caught up so I am reading just one and I feel 'twitchy' and distracted. Weird, huh? I am programmed for more than one I guess.
I'm a reading two-timer, too. But never more than two. 🙂 Sounds like you have a lot on your plate! Hope you have a great Thanksgiving. 🙂
Wendy (Literary Feline) – I think the last time I did this kind of thing, one of the books I was reading was too big to carry around with me easily, so that one stayed at home – but of course I needed a book to travel around with me :-)!
I kept my husband waiting to go out on errands earlier today while I did some housecleaning. Now I'm making him wait to start catching up on recorded TV while I spend a little time online – I've barely been here all day!
Ti – I suppose if I usually multi-booked, I feel like you do when only reading one book at a time! Maybe it's just doing something out of the norm?
Karen H (Scobberlotcher) – I don't think I'll try this again with more than two, at any rate – I'm NOT liking the three-timing at all :-).
There is a lot going on in the blogging world!
I'm completely a reading monogamist. I don't know how people can read more than one book at once. I would get completely confused and stressed out. Sometimes (rarely), I'll STOP reading a book if I'm not in the right mood and pick up another one. But I can't read it while also reading something else!
Kailana – It's a happening place, isn't it :-)?
Aarti – I'll sometimes put a book aside if it's not grabbing me either. I have several books tagged as "partly read" on LibraryThing because I can't admit that I probably won't ever go back to finish them :-)! I'd almost rather be multi-booking, I think. Maybe.
Florinda, thank you so much for linking to my sister's guest post on my blog! I was a bit sad that more people didn't comment on it (mostly for her sake), but maybe now a few more will (or at least will read it!).
Oh and thanks for drawing my attention to the two mini-readathons coming up. I missed the last one, so I'm considering doing one of these, although what I really need is a mini-reviewathon!
Avis – You're welcome! Sometimes I link instead of commenting, but I liked what your sister had to say and I hope this did get a few more people to check out her posts!
Can't believe you're flirting with disaster by reading 3 books! I'm dying to read the Help. I heard it was so good. Please hurry up and write your review. 🙂
Vanessa (ChefDruck) – I don't know if it's "disaster," but it's definitely "frustration"! 🙂 I'm hoping to finish The Help and get the review up by next week, so check back then!