A friend once asked if I read more than one book at the same time. I quickly said, “No, of course not!” A second later, I had to amend that. “Well… not two novels at the same time.” Because in my mind, reading fiction and non-fiction are different hobbies. I typically have a novel that I’m reading for recreation and an educational non-fiction book (or two) that I’m reading on the side.
My friend thought my answer was hilarious, saying, “That is reading more than one book at the same time!” But is it? Is it really?
Recreational vs Educational Reading
While I may learn quite a bit from a novel, it falls into my recreational reading category. Fiction for me is largely about imagination and entertainment. A novel may be happy or sad, fanciful or poignant, but its purpose is in relaying a story. On the flip side, non-fiction may be entertaining, but its primary purpose is to educate on a particular topic.
I don’t read two novels at the same time because I want to stay within one fictional world at a time. Yet, should I eschew all outside reading until I’ve finished the novel? Do I stop reading the news? Social media posts? Recipes? Of course not!
Different types of reading happen at different times in my day. I may read a novel during a lunch break or before bed. During other times of the day, I may spend some time reading about yoga, psychology, or neuroscience. I especially like short educational books, like the set pictured above, where I can take a few minutes here and there to brush up on concepts in math or physics.
Narrative Flow
Another difference in reading fiction and non-fiction lies in narrative flow. Most fiction tells a linear story, where events are largely told in chronological order, perhaps allowing for an occasional flashback. Some fiction is non-linear, meaning that the chronological events are related out of order. Yet, whether fiction is linear or non-linear, the book is meant to be read from beginning to end.
There are natural breaks written into most long-form fiction, typically in the form of chapters or section breaks. These divisions are often a good time to put the book down and get back to your own life for awhile. That’s partially because most of us don’t have multiple hours to read an entire novel in one sitting, but also because breaks can give you time to savor the story. Your mind processes what you’ve read so far and anticipates what may come next.
I do have some friends who read multiple novels at the same time and, in a way, that boggles my mind. How do they keep track of which characters and plot elements go with which book? But then again, I read novels while writing my own books and have no trouble keeping them separate…. Yet that seems different since I’m the one writing my books. But analyzing that too much hurts my brain!
Mental Gymnastics
Is there a definite difference between fiction and non-fiction? Or is this book juggling a form of mental gymnastics? A justification for reading whatever I want, whenever I want, while telling myself I read one novel at a time? Ultimately, it’s a moot point, but I like these academic meanderings.
Here’s a twist to jumble it further: short stories can often fall into the “not a second novel” category. Meaning: if I can read a stand-alone story in a single sitting, then that doesn’t fall in the “reading two books at the same time” zone. Another twist: biographies and memoirs often do count as a “second book” that I wouldn’t read at the same time as another novel, even though they are non-fiction. That’s typically true if the biography or memoir reads much like a fictional story.
At the end of the day, maybe I am a bit loose with my reading fidelity. I know which books can or cannot be read before I finish the novel I started first. Those definitions might not be the same as someone else’s, but that’s between me and my bookshelf. As readers, I guess all that matters is that we do what makes us happy without shaming each others’ choices.
That’s petty good advice in general.