How to read multiple books at once without losing track

Start with two different books

For a first attempt, choose books that are easy to tell apart: a novel and a practical book, or a long story and a collection of short pieces. If two similar mysteries with large casts start blending together, save one for later.

Two books are a useful starting point, not a rule. Add another when you can return to the ones already open without spending a long time recovering the context.

Decide when to open each one

Match the book to a situation: short stories on your commute, a novel at home, a work book at a desk with a notebook. This gives you a starting choice without reviewing the entire shelf each time.

For example, read stories on the way home during the week, set aside time for the work book on Tuesday and Thursday, and continue the novel on the weekend. Adapt the example to your own day; it is not a schedule to keep up with.

If you only have one short reading window, make one book your main read. You can open the others when you feel like it without dividing the time equally.

Leave a short note before switching

A page number may not be enough to bring back a scene or an argument. Add a sentence or two:

Page 84. The characters have agreed to meet, but one is hiding the reason for the trip. I want to find out why he has not answered the letter.

For nonfiction, note the last argument and your question about it instead. This example was invented for the guide; it is ordinary note text, not extra app fields.

The guide to taking reading notes shows how to keep these pointers. If names are the problem, try a short character list.

Switch after a complete passage

When possible, finish a scene, story or short section. Next time, start with your note and the last paragraph; go back a little further if the context is still unclear.

You do not have to finish a chapter at any cost. If you stop in the middle, leave a precise pointer: the page and what is happening there.

Notice when there are too many

Repeatedly rereading opening pages, mixing up events or spending longer choosing than reading are reasons to reduce the number of open books. Keep one or two for a week and put the rest aside with a note about where you stopped.

If you never want to return to one of them, consider whether to keep reading it. Reading in parallel does not commit you to finishing everything.

Keep each pointer with its book

In Pagetime, each book has its own notes and bookmark. Open the book, check your notes and start reading; when you finish the session, you can enter a page to keep your place. Only one reading timer runs at a time, so end the current session before switching to another book.

The free version holds up to 5 books across all shelves and includes 20 page scans with text recognition in total. Plain text notes are enough to keep track of several books; notes and the timer work offline without an account. A subscription removes the book and scan limits. Pagetime is coming to iPhone and Android; leave your email below to hear about the launch.

This independent guide is published by Pagetime and is not authorized, sponsored or endorsed by Apple Inc. or Google LLC.