Victorians! discussion
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Conversations in the Parlor
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TBR Lists
Paula wrote: "fit into one backpack" . . .Hahahahaha! The books I'm currently reading won't fit into one backpack. I have a TBR this month for Goodreads list, a TBR this lifetime, a TBR maybe this lifetime, and a carryover list for the next one. All regularly in flux. :D
I really have one TBR list...and it grows everyday. Mostly I try to focus (at least now at this point in my life) on books that I really want to read, as oppossed to the ones I think would be cool to say I have read. For example, it would be cool to say I've read Swan's Way, but do I really want to read it....??? There are others that I'd rather read. I try to order which ones I read so that I have a heavy classic or non-fiction, followed by a lighter fiction or YA book. It's nice to know I'm not the only one whose eyes are bigger than my "reading" stomach.
I haven't one. Being a bit of a newbie still, I have never really understood to difference between people's to-read and to-be-read shelves. I suppose to-read is more evasive, whereas TBR is a sort of line-up of ones to read soon?
Lauren wrote: "I haven't one. Being a bit of a newbie still, I have never really understood to difference between people's to-read and to-be-read shelves. I suppose to-read is more evasive, whereas TBR is a sort ..."Oh, I thought they were the same thing...I guess I only have a to-read list then.
Christy wrote: "Lauren wrote: "I haven't one. Being a bit of a newbie still, I have never really understood to difference between people's to-read and to-be-read shelves. I suppose to-read is more evasive, whereas..."
They might not be - I haven't really got a clue!
They might not be - I haven't really got a clue!
Lauren wrote: "I haven't one. Being a bit of a newbie still, I have never really understood to difference between people's to-read and to-be-read shelves. I suppose to-read is more evasive, whereas TBR is a sort ..."Well now that's a good question! I think it's all a matter of semantics, honestly - I believe they are both versions of the 'simple future' tense in English so perhaps just a personal choice on which to use?
Hi my TBR is 597 books long which I own and have yet to read and as I`ve still to catalogue my studio which has as least as many as my current total=another 1200 books I would say in total at a fair guesstimatiom this time I must have approx 850 books on my TBR! I love this fact,I mean what if I get a badly twisted ankle or something at least I`ll have plenty to read.Although the other day someone did ask if I wasn`t worried about dying before I read them all!!Very Cheerful!
I just had to check mine because I've lost track. I have two to-read shelves here on GoodReads. One for fiction which is currently at 1150 books and one for non-fiction which is at 369. I will continue to add books as long as so many interesting things keep appearing in my news feed! Thank you Goodreads friends! I tried to weed out some from the fiction list a few weeks ago but wasn't very successful. I have another shelf called soon-soon which is where I put particular books that catch my fancy or mood that I want to read next. Sort of like an on-deck shelf.
DJ wrote: "I mean what if I get a badly twisted ankle or something at least I`ll have plenty to read..."I use this same philosophy as a reason to never leave home without a book. What if my car breaks down and I have to wait for a tow? What if an appointment gets delayed and I have to choose between 20-yr old magazines and staring at office furniture? What if for some inexplicable reason I am stranded somewhere with precious minutes that could be spent reading if I only had a book? I mean really, these are serious concerns!
By the way... you have a studio with 600 TBRs in it? That's way cool.
Paula wrote: "At last count, I had approximately 350 TBRs that I own. Unfortunately, the books I really want to read next I don't own. Or, at least I keep telling myself that to justify another book-store trip :)" Were we separated at birth????? ;o)
No,actuallty the studio has apprx 1200 books in it and bookcases throughout house have another 1300 books on them...they are my other little babies...I get upset about some books that I have parted with in the pastSo I think total TBR`s must be in region of 850 approx,I`ll let you know when I finish cataloguing them....off to read now
Bye bye.
DJ wrote: "No,actuallty the studio has apprx 1200 books in it and bookcases throughout house have another 1300 books on them...they are my other little babies...I get upset about some books that I have parted..."Can I come and live at your house???
In response to Paula, There is nothing more awful than leaving a lovely book at home to do an errand and then realizing that the errand is going to involve a wait that could have been spent reading the book. It's horrible!I have a goodreads list of to read, and books in my house that I haven't read, some of which are on the goodreads list and some aren't. And then there are the books, that sort of rattle through my head and I think,"okay, someday I'll read that."
Here's a weird experience that I don't know if anybody else has had. Sometimes when I have time and opportunity to start a new book, esp. if I'm home alone at the time with not distractions (not often), I am sort of paralyzed with possibility. I pick up a book, read a little and then think, "But there was that other one I was going to start... Maybe I'll do the other one first." Anxiety provoking, but pleasantly so.
Nice Idea but don't know if I could squeeze you in with all the
books!Husband keeps thinking I'll be putting his wardrobe into
the Garage to make space.We do talk about converting the Attic into
a full library....if only I could go off books long enough to save
Up!
Andrea wrote: "Here's a weird experience that I don't know if anybody else has had. Sometimes when I have time and opportunity to start a new book, esp. if I'm home alone at the time with not distractions (not often), I am sort of paralyzed with possibility. I pick up a book, read a little and then think, "But there was that other one I was going to start... Maybe I'll do the other one first." Anxiety provoking, but pleasantly so. "that always happens to me when I've finished a particularly good book. I can't decide what to follow it with.
I think if you read a really fabulous Book it puts the next choice. Under so much pressure to be Good!
Andrea wrote: "I am sort of paralyzed with possibility. I pick up a book, read a little and then think, "But there was that other one I was going to start... Maybe I'll do the other one first..."I do this very often, unless there is a specific stack that I'm reading for a deadline/purpose. I think I've done this with All Quiet on the Western Front about 10 times, and almost have the opening section memorized! I seem to do this the most after finishing a book I didn't particularly enjoy. Or, when I know I have a rare and treasured chunk of time to read. I find I almost wish for a huge snow storm to trap me in the house for a few days!
I, like Paula, strongly believe in always having a book on hand; one never knows when one will be left waiting. I have even been known to read at stop lights that seem to rest on red for ages. Sometimes I insist on taking two books with me everywhere, in order to accomodate my mood and the amount of time I expect to be able to read.As far was wishing for snowstorms, I take it on step further and actually relish the thought of catching the flu so that I might have a few days of uninterrupted reading. Is that horrible? Wait, don't answer that. : )
Extra Reading time is the only good thing about being ill!
I was in hospital for a month last year, ( I had to have a hip revision - a re-replacement! - and as I have chronic rheumatoid arthritis my doctors call me a @special case' and thing always take longer), for two weeks I was confined to bed so I had loads of time to read - it was brilliant. Then when I got home I was only allowed to get up with help so had even more time to read - til Christmas actually! Great!
Maggie wrote: "I was in hospital for a month last year, ( I had to have a hip revision - a re-replacement! - and as I have chronic rheumatoid arthritis my doctors call me a @special case' and thing always take lo..."
Maggie,
It's a standing joke (sort-of) between my mother and I that we would love to break a leg and be laid up for at least 6 weeks in bed and do nothing but read!
Maggie,
It's a standing joke (sort-of) between my mother and I that we would love to break a leg and be laid up for at least 6 weeks in bed and do nothing but read!
I have a double-headed Mt. TBR in my bedroom. I have no idea how many books are in it, and frankly don't wantto know!I probably don't count that high, anyway.
Susanna wrote: "I have a double-headed Mt. TBR in my bedroom. I have no idea how many books are in it, and frankly don't wantto know!I probably don't count that high, anyway."
LOL!
Michele wrote: "Maggie wrote: "I was in hospital for a month last year, ( I had to have a hip revision - a re-replacement! - and as I have chronic rheumatoid arthritis my doctors call me a @special case' and thing..."I know what you mean, I know this might sound strange but I had a great time in hospital, all that time to read (lot of exercise when I was finally out of bed tho) and when I got home I wasn't allowed to do anything for months. Great!
I think all our comments here would come under"When life gives you lemons make lemonade"
Wouldn't you say?
DJ wrote: "I think all our comments here would come under"When life gives you lemons make lemonade"
Wouldn't you say?"
When life gets you down, reach for a book.
Susanna wrote: "I have a double-headed Mt. TBR in my bedroom. I have no idea how many books are in it, and frankly don't wantto know!I probably don't count that high, anyway."
Hahaha :) double-headed Mt. TBR - I love it!
Heh - it has two heads because one is fiction, and one is non-fiction. And if it gets any higher, I won't be able to reach the books at the top of it!
Andrea wrote: "In response to Paula, There is nothing more awful than leaving a lovely book at home to do an errand and then realizing that the errand is going to involve a wait that could have been spent reading..."Hehe, I am so with you and Paula: on having a book with me at all times -- I call it my adult security blanket -- and about feeling stunned by the options when I'm free to start a new book. It's very relieving to know others are like this... ;)
I recently split my GR to-read lists into multiple sections, so I can keep a list running separately for classics, contemp, non-fiction, and scifi/fantasy. So far, I like the split b/c it makes it feel more like I *might* actually get to the them all, and am now attempting to go through my real to-read books. Even if I know I never plan to read it, it hurts to put it in a "goodbye" pile! And no, mine wouldn't fit into a backpack either. I can't even choose a favorites list that would fit!
For years I didn't have a to be read pile or list. But there are a bunch of to be read books sitting in drawers in my living room right now. They fit nicely spine up. And a bit of overflow on my book shelves as well. And a notebook with a list of books that I'd like to try from the library.I like that!
592 books on mt TBR list and growing, thanks to all the great ideas I get from Goodreads! Also, now, instead of scrawling ideas on a piece of paper, which I lose, I put them in my "To Be Read" section and can actually keep track of them!Someone wrote about being paralyzed with possibility -- I can relate to that. I'm at a point in my life where I think, maybe I won't have time to read everything I WANT to read, and that is paralyzing! Also, it makes it especially irritating when the book turns out to be just good enough that I keep reading, but not good enough to feel I haven't somewhat wasted time I could have spent reading something better!
Laurele wrote: "DJ wrote: "I think all our comments here would come under"When life gives you lemons make lemonade"
Wouldn't you say?"
When life gets you down, reach for a book."
EXACTLY!!!
Heidi, maybe that is why I didn't keep TBR lists before. I did learn to have some TBR books around about 20 years ago, but not that many. The whole list thing is quite different.
I refuse to worry about the books that I won`t manage to read as it would spoil my pleasure in the books that I do read.....And this is coming from a woman who has 850 TBR`s sitting for real on shelves...
I use this same philosophy as a reason to never leave home without a book. What if my car..."Funny you should say that. I was at the doctor's office yesterday with my "waiting room" book, Ravelstein by Saul Bellow, which is not a thick book by any means. The doctor commented that I must be a slow reader, and I explained to him that I keep it in my car for so I don't have to be bored in waiting rooms, but that I had not been in any lately. He looked at me kindly and said, My wish for you is that you never finish it. Sweet.
Heidi wrote: "592 books on mt TBR list and growing, thanks to all the great ideas I get from Goodreads! Also, now, instead of scrawling ideas on a piece of paper, which I lose, I put them in my "To Be Read" sec..."Yes, I always feel a little cheated when I stick with a book because it seems to have redeeming qualities and then it doesn't really measure up. I could have been re-reading something really good in that time.
I have TBR lists in a few different places, mostly places where I browse. I would never otherwise remember books I've heard of on the fly and thought I'd like to read.
Apart from my massive pile next to my bed or TBR, yeah my list is growing slightly out of control, so much literature so little time.
And now I have several TBR books sitting in pdf files on my hard drive.
Starling wrote: "And now I have several TBR books sitting in pdf files on my hard drive."What do you think about reading books online or in electronic format? I have a Kindle, and thought I could better control the stacks that are taking over my house. This has not occurred at all. I only use it for books I don't want to own, or as a secondary version of larger books. For example, I'm muddling my way through Les Mis and it's handy to have a light-weight Kindle to read it on, instead of carrying the real book around with me everywhere.
Paula wrote: "What do you think about reading books online or in electronic format? I have a Kindle, and thought I cou..."This is a question I've been thinking about a lot lately, as my good friend, an avid reader, just got one, too. I've been interested in dedicated ebook readers since the late 90s but never used one. I was astonished at the clarity of the Kindle when I finally saw one, and consider it something different from paper and screens.
It seems to me that this technology would be great for a number of types of reading: academic, business, reading while travelling, newspapers and magazines, sitting in waiting rooms, etc.
Even though I'm supposedly on the cusp of the generation that would adopt this technology, I can't emotionally being myself to do it (yet, at least), and situationally, I have little need. I could potentially see a netbook-tablet-ebookreader getting me there, but...
So much of what I like about books is the physical feel, action, smell... the curling up on the couch just doesn't feel cozy with electronics in my hands, I can't get as deep. And I like lugging around books. I like the weird things you find slipped into them, or the tension between keeping a new hardback pristine and simply devouring it without care. I like to look at my bookshelves and reorder them. I like tipping the spine towards my husband and saying, "Look at how much I still have to enjoy!" And I like the simple action of turning pages.
I'm not normally a "romantic", and I'd really really like to think this is more than a generational thing, but sometimes I get really worried that eventually, Kindles will replace paper the way fake fireplaces have replaced real ones. To me, it's a tool, you use it for some things and not for others, like my cell, my laptop, my microwave... Perhaps it's like the iphone; the fuss seems excessive until you own one (can you tell I'm a new owner? lol).
I'd really love to hear other people's experiences with the Kindle (et al.)! And computer-based reading, too, although that's a bit of a different beast imo, as they're mostly not portable unless it's a netbook or phone/pda...
I agree with so much of what you said, Heather. The Kindle is great for some books but there's no replacement for the real thing. I'm 31 and am supposed to be tech-savvy, but can't curl up with the Kindle. I actually got Lady Audley's Secret first on Kindle, then quickly got to a point where I couldn't stand not having the real book, so much so that I drove one hour each way to a bookstore that had it in stock. I agree - I love flipping the pages and for some reason, I really wanted to flip the pages in that book. On the other hand, I've developed a nasty habit of finishing books that are part of a series at about 10pm on Sundays, when all my local bookstores are closed and I really want the next book. Or worse, I get to the bookstore and they don't have it in stock. Instead, I can download it within 30 seconds.
It's also ideal for travel, so instead of me packing 10 'real' books, I take my Kindle and know I'll never run out of something to read. On the flip side, the first time I flew with it, I was utterly dismayed to realize I had to turn it off during take off and landing. The horror! Ten minutes each time where I didn't have anything with me to read!!! Needless to say, I bought a 'real' book prior to the return trip :)
Lol :) Those are some good reasons! Your post made me think that I'm not worried about logistical or situational considerations killing the book (or paper), but that kids may not be given the opportunity to bond with physical books while growing up, or maybe just that general lack of adult readership may prevent this. That "can't stand not having the real book" feeling seems to be the result of that bond/experience with books... Then again, I know plenty of folks who bring their kids to the library and come home with giant piles of books; what a nice memory, that feeling of getting as much as you want, all for free and for two whole weeks!
I don't have a Kindle. And I'm 68 years old, so I'm certainly not in the age group that everyone expects to early adapt this technology. It is interesting to me that I have early adapted some technology - Computers in 1983 (and I WANTED one a year before that), the Internet before dial up existed (through a local BBS), broadband before most people were on dial up, and I don't really know how to count all of the digital cameras we have had, but there are currently 4 in the house. But although I have a cell phone for emergencies it is mostly turned off. I never had a PDA. Can't figure out why anyone would want an i-phone. And my mp3 player is only a 1 gig model and I haven't used it for a year now.
Seriously thinking about buying a new boom box though for the CD player capabilities.
I'm also seriously considering a Kindle. I'm not all that enamored of real books. Hard covers are HEAVY.
God no, I'd never go down that route. I love books. I like lining them up neatly on my bookcase and showing them off. I don't even know what a Kindle looks like!
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I'll fess up first - my TBR list is not even close to manageable, and I love it that way! :) There have been times where I've had a bad day and I sit among my TBRs and smile. I have a sub-TBR group, which are the ones that make it from a finished (just small) attic library, down to the first floor, where I actually do most of my reading.
At last count, I had approximately 350 TBRs that I own. Unfortunately, the books I really want to read next I don't own. Or, at least I keep telling myself that to justify another book-store trip :)