diff --git a/lib/reader.js b/lib/reader.js
index 43e78d9d..a9437a05 100644
--- a/lib/reader.js
+++ b/lib/reader.js
@@ -93,8 +93,10 @@ class ParquetReader {
     let envelopeReader = await ParquetEnvelopeReader.openFile(filePath);
 
     try {
-      await envelopeReader.readHeader();
-      let metadata = await envelopeReader.readFooter();
+      let header = envelopeReader.readHeader();
+      let metadataPromise = envelopeReader.readFooter();
+      await header;
+      let metadata = await metadataPromise;
       return new ParquetReader(metadata, envelopeReader);
     } catch (err) {
       await envelopeReader.close();
@@ -220,6 +222,8 @@ class ParquetEnvelopeReader {
       columnData: {}
     };
 
+    let requests = [];
+
     for (let colChunk of rowGroup.columns) {
       const colMetadata = colChunk.meta_data;
       const colKey = colMetadata.path_in_schema;
@@ -228,9 +232,17 @@ class ParquetEnvelopeReader {
         continue;
       }
 
-      buffer.columnData[colKey] = await this.readColumnChunk(schema, colChunk);
+      requests.push(this.readColumnChunk(schema, colChunk).then(payload => ({
+        colKey, payload
+      })));
     }
 
+    let data = await Promise.all(requests);
+
+    data.forEach(d => {
+      buffer.columnData[d.colKey] = d.payload;
+    });
+
     return buffer;
   }