Honestly, I do not think I have been so excited to see a Thursday in quite a long time. I am just living for the weekend, where I can hopefully get some sleep and see what the inside of my house looks like in the daytime hours. Until that time, I will make due with this week’s Booking Through Thursday question:
Do you take breaks while reading a book? Or read it straight through? (And, by breaks, I don’t mean sleeping, eating and going to work; I mean putting it aside for a time while you read something else.)
This question would imply reading more than one book at a time, don’t you think? If I were to be truly honest with myself, I do not like having multiple books going at the same time. I find that I cannot immerse myself into the story as much as I would like, and there are many times where I will have to flip through previous pages to jog my memory regarding a character or situation. It can get a bit uncomfortable at times trying to keep the different plots and characters straight. It is even worse if the books are similar in genre or setting. If I had unlimited time, I would not take a break while reading a book.
However, life being what it is, I usually always have at least two books I am reading at a given time. One is always my book club book. We break our reading up into weekly milestones, which makes it more palatable depending on the size of the book and helps guide our discussions. (Let’s face it – sometimes you do not want to read War and Peace straight through to the end, and trying to have a discussion on the entire book is like shooting darts at a dartboard and seeing where they land.) It also allows us to read something else at the same time if we so desire. Since we focus on classics in my book club, this means that I can read more contemporary fiction or other genres I enjoy without taking too much away from my book club reading. I have been a part of this book club for over five years now, and this method has worked pretty well for me over the years. I may not always like it, but at least I can get some balance in my reading.
How about you? Breaks or no breaks?
var linkwithin_site_id = 125794;
Jen – It does work best for longer books. It also works really well when you just have too much to do and cannot find as much time to read. In general, I have found that after a certain point in the book, most members just go ahead and read to the end, which can stifle the conversation quite a bit. It is a catch-22.
I was going to say that having a book club break books into weekly sections, but I guess I could handle it if you are reading big gigantic classics.
My recent post Sunday Salon: Spring Unsprung
That certain is a break! I bet you have no problems keeping track of stories that way!
It is just so much more enjoyable to read straight through, isn't it?
I would love to start doing that more. I wonder if I would read more if I did that…
Michael – I am the same way. Sometimes, I just get so tired of seeing the same book on my nightstand that I have to sit and finish it. At other times, like you, I face deadlines and have to read straight through. I hear you on the obsessive bibliophile thing!
Suey – All I can say is that do not take too long a break! War and Peace is one of those books that if you put it down for too long, you start to forget key characters or happenings. I liked it so much I read it twice, but it is a monster.
Joy – That feeling of having to finish the book because you just cannot wait to find out how it ends is SO addicting! I think it is what keeps us reading, hoping that each book we pick up will have that same effect on us.
I didn't see the question asking about reading multiple books at one time. My answer is here.
My recent post Booking Through Thursday: Break
I take breaks and read poetry!
BTT: Breaks
I have a few exceptions like you stated but normally am a straight through reader.
One book at a time, and a straight sitting, that's me. Here's mine.
My recent post Booking Through Thursday (#8) – Break
It depends, really. A lot of it, for me, has to do with a deadline for reading the book (aka book club) or a due date from the library. If it's a high demand book, that is going to get a priority and may be started in spite of already reading another book.
Yes, I'm an obsessive bibliophile…:)
My recent post Booking Through Thursday — Taking a Break From All Your Worries
Yes, reading multiple books can require a lot of reviewing of plots and characters, etc. But I like the variety of having several different books going at one time. I do love it when a book grabs my attention so much that I have to put everything aside and stick with it right to the end, but find that doesn't happen very often.
My recent post Booking Through Thursday: Breaks