How to stick to just one book at a time?

Submitted by BeyondRecovery1 t3_z5tw6k in books

Yes I know I don’t have to read just one book at a time but I tried keeping it fluid and reading multiple and it just left me scatterbrained.

I enjoy reading several areas of interest in nonfiction and that’s one thing that keeps my distraction going, and not helping.

I want to read more fiction but don’t know how to get into it. I feel I try to read it like nonfiction and so perhaps I’m not “imagining” properly when reading…

Help, please? :)

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Pertee_Petty t1_ixy05t3 wrote

Maybe try short stories to practice engaging with fiction. I don’t have any advice for only reading one book at a time.

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BeyondRecovery1 OP t1_ixy0rj9 wrote

Don’t know why I never quiet got into short stories. Any good books that would suck one in? I know it’s specific to interests but curious

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boxer_dogs_dance t1_ixy53w2 wrote

Suggest you go over to r/suggestmeabook and search their archives for some of the many threads listing favorite short stories.

Edit my personal favorites are Nightfall by Asimov, to Build a Fire by London, BD 11 1 86 by Oates, the Mysterious Stranger by Twain and anything by Edgar Allan Poe

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vanishingelephants t1_ixy5dhu wrote

I read like an insane man looking his glasses. I like short stories if I’m not wanting to commit so much time to a book. Short stories can get you in the moon for reading of that makes sense. I’d pick a favorite author and find a collection of their short stories. I like to read letters, if I don’t want fiction and I want a document type thing. Idk, I’m all over the place with my reading materials.

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Accomplished-Ruin-12 t1_ixy5kwz wrote

Depends what you like. Alice Munro is a classic beautiful short story writer, but maybe appeals mainly to white female middle aged Ontarians. But really good I swear

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oridol t1_ixy1yfh wrote

Try to "structure" your reading more; and I mean this more to challenge yourself rather than an actual everyday method of reading. However, as a mood reader, it has helped me stay on track for a readathon I will be completing soon.

The general idea is that you will allot yourself a certain amount of time to finish a book (say a week and a half). You then take the # of pages and divide them equally (or as equally as you can) among the days you given yourself. It's both an incentive to read every day and a challenge to complete the book.

Hope this helps and remember not to put too much pressure on yourself :)

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BeyondRecovery1 OP t1_ixy62uw wrote

Interesting. How did you feel on days where you didn’t want to read that book/topic?

The new challenge here is I need to sit down for the law school exam studying. So I’ll be doing shit load of reading as is. Sigh.

I do wish to improve my attention span though.

My bookshelf distracts me too. And I don’t want to give away any books as I just added to my collection.

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oridol t1_iy20zfy wrote

Given it's a challenge, I just stick with it even if I don't feel like it. If I really just can't bear to read it, then I either DNF it (because let's be honest, if you can't be bothered to read a page or two, then you're probably not as interested in the book as you might think) or I just tack on that day's reading to tomorrow's goal with the knowledge that I'll either have to read more the next day or extend my deadline.

It's really about the self discipline over anything else.

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Accomplished-Ruin-12 t1_ixy5c46 wrote

Go to the library, get 3 books, read them within 3 weeks mixing and matching fiction and non fiction. Also if you prefer non fiction just read that!

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deepug9787 t1_ixzlbys wrote

I too prefer reading nonfiction. But every now and then I like to pick up a novel as well. Right now I'm reading Shogun by James Clavell, and it's such an awesome read. The characters, setting etc. in this book is so real that it almost feels like you're reading a nonfiction book. And you'll get to learn some Japanese in the process as well! Give it a try.

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Purple_Grapes_14 t1_iy1fg2s wrote

I can’t I get burn out. I read at least 3-4 books at once. Two at home one at work one as an audiobook etc. its good to mix different genres too

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fliponymousredux t1_ixy5lpg wrote

Depends. What are your nonfiction interests? Whatever it is, there's fiction for it.

History? Pillars of the Earth (12th Century England)

The Old West? Lonesome Dove (the most epic cattle drive in fiction)

WWII and cryptography? Cryptonomicon

WWII without crypto? The Naked and the Dead

Politics? Primary Colors

Psychology and ethics? Lying on the Couch

You name an interest, we'll name you some books.

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BeyondRecovery1 OP t1_ixy661i wrote

That wasn’t the original question!

Though I do have to say cryptonomicron has spiked my interest.

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fliponymousredux t1_ixy6nlw wrote

The answer is to read something that is well written, with compelling characters, about a subject that interests you. So yes, I did answer the question.

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cisboomba t1_ixy6oym wrote

Sometimes I start several books before I find one I want to stick with. I usually know within 4 pages to 2 chapters. Go to the library and choose a stack to sample. Check out the one(s) that you don't want to put down. Or, on kindle/ereader, download samples for free.

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wrappedinplastic79 t1_iy1w8ui wrote

Lately I’ve been reading one fiction, one non fiction, and maybe a graphic novel thrown in 😂

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BeyondRecovery1 OP t1_iy3dlmk wrote

What non fiction and fiction? :)

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wrappedinplastic79 t1_iy4lriv wrote

Currently the non fiction book is “Tell Me Why - The Beatles: Album by Album, Song by Song, the Sixties and After” and the fiction book is “In Heaven Everything is Fine”, which is a book of bizarro fiction short stories inspired by David Lynch.

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