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Bookshelf Misrepresentation....
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RandomAnthony
(last edited Feb 16, 2010 05:55AM)
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Feb 16, 2010 05:55AM
Question...do you display books you haven't read as if you've read them? Does placing a book on your bookcase imply you've read the book? If so, do the "unread" books go in their own category/space? Thoughts?
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My bookshelves are completely unorganized. There are stacks and stacks of books that have gone unread. Someday I'll get to them.
there are only five unread books in my bookcase, those are all the unread books i have. they share a shelf with the library books.
i don't think i have any books on my shelves that are unread. i do buy boxes of books at the library sales but keep those in boxes stored until i read them. never really thought about it until now
Books I haven't read are on a shelf in my bedroom. Those I've finished are on the bookshelves in the family room. If I combined them, I would forget which titles were in which category. Yes, my memory is that bad.
I don't know how I would display them as read or unread. I own a huge library, the majority of which is unread. I love being surrounded by my books (though most are in storage right now). All of that knowledge and all of those ideas, even when as-of-yet unread by me, inspire and comfort me.
Mod
Sure. Or segregated into a "haven't read yet" section. I like the idea of a "not read" cupboard.
I like keeping most of my unread books on the bookshelves in my TV room. I'll find myself staring off at them while watching a TV show and it's like they're all taunting me. You could be reading one of us right now if you weren't such a lazy bastard!
I only shelve read books in my book cases, and I sort those alphabetically, according to genre. All un-read books sit on the bottom shelves of my coffee table and end tables and currently reading goes on top of my coffee table and end tables.
Mod
I'm boggled by you people.
i don't sort anything except by size on each shelf. i have all sorts of books and lots of reference books (The Annotated Arch: A Crash Course in the History Of Architecture)as well as other kooky stuff. my wife took the dust covers off of all my books on bookcases in our bedroom in a deal where that is the only way i could keep them in there. she thinks they look more in the flow of a booksy classic look without the multi-colored slick dust covers. i cringed when i got home and she had it all done. she did keep the covers in a box for me though
Can I boggle too? I have a ton of books I haven't read. If I didn't shelve them I would be in big trouble. Plus, they would be out of sight and I'd have even less chance of reading them. I do have a shelf upstairs that I like to believe is my to-read-SOON shelf, but that doesn't mean there aren't others.
Heather wrote: "I only shelve read books in my book cases, and I sort those alphabetically, according to genre. All un-read books sit on the bottom shelves of my coffee table and end tables and currently reading g..."I approve. I have a lower bookshelf I tend to use for unread books.
high-fives Heather
The majority of my books are ones I haven't read yet. They go on the shelves w/ the ones that I have read. And until you asked this question RA, I wouldn't have even thought that people only shelve books that they have read.
I hope you feel properly guilty, Jaime:)I use the library a lot too, now that I think of it...so my "haven't read" shelf stays pretty small.
BunWat wrote: "Actually I shelve most of my unread books (and quite a few of the read ones) at the library. They've been quite resistant to adopting a shelving system based on whether or not I've read the boo..."
HAHAH! me too.
But to answer the question: I have one bookshelf and it's full of books. I need another one. They aren't shelved in any order.
I have come to view my read shelves as badges of honor, books I haven't read simply don't belong there. To put them there would make a mockery of my system. Books I haven't read yet don’t deserve mention until I know how to properly evaluate them. If they’re crap, they get sold. Weird, I know.
I like the idea that your shelving method is based on intellectual honesty. Wouldn't want to deceive the houseguests! Unlike those frauds Sally and Sarah, lying with their shelves to all passersby.
Mod
Weird, I know. Not weird! Not weird! I agree completely!
They're still MY books even if I haven't read them.
Books belong on bookshelves regardless of their read/unread status. I like putting things where they belong. I even commingle my books with my husband's books too. *gasp* Shocking I know.
i like books stacked on my nightstand, beside my chair in the living room and some in the back seat of my truck along with my bookshelves full. i have some odd size (tall reference ones) that are odd to put on a shelf. oh man, my wife would totally go for color groupings of books. i collect old books and she decorates with them because they look so cool and vintage. she lets the zane grey ones stay on the fireplace
I've never heard the term "boggleating," but I LIKE it!
Mod
I'm among those who just have books any and everywhere. Shelved. Stacked in my unused firplace. Piled on the coffee table. On the stereo. On the tv stand. I have a friend who often refers to herself as a book snob, meaning she keeps hers pristine. Hell, mine are usually not pristine when I buy them.
Google had three hits for "boggleation," but nothing for "boggleating."Bing said, "We did not find any results for boggleating."
Will google now find this page for "boggleating" searches?
Mod
PS: When I type "usually" my fingers automatically make ususally and I have to go back to remove the extraneous 's'.
Just don't think about it Misha. That's what I don't do.
here are the questions that jump into my head:1)will someone I know randomly come across my posts?
then right after that:
2)why do I use my real name?
Gretchen wrote: "Just don't think about it Misha. That's what I don't do."i think this is my fav comment of the day. thanks gretchen (if that is your real name)
you're welcome. (thanks for starting that rumor. now i don't have to change it.)
no prob. whenever i address you i will say your name and be doing the finger quoty mark things with my hands and have a sarcastic look on my face. will that help?
Yes, "El Liso Grande." it will. tons.
Mod
Funny! I love the question. How would one display unread books as if they had been read? Perhaps the read books could be turned spines inward.
All my books are shelved by subject matter, read and unread all in there together, at least until I've run out of space (which I have) and the excess books are kind of stacked in front of the others.
Most of the books I own I haven't read.
LG you are ace at digging up an old thread.
I read books as I buy them and rarely have any books on hand that haven't been read. The ones I haven't read tend to sit on my bedside table glaring at me.
I do have one or two books I haven't been able to get through. I will get back to them eventually. Maybe. Those ones are festering.
I read books as I buy them and rarely have any books on hand that haven't been read. The ones I haven't read tend to sit on my bedside table glaring at me.
I do have one or two books I haven't been able to get through. I will get back to them eventually. Maybe. Those ones are festering.
Many books that I read and enjoy, I immediately give to someone else, saying, "You have to read this." As a result, my shelves contain mostly those books that I absolutely need for reference and cannot give away, books that I have read and would not really recommend to anybody, library books that I have to return at some point, and books that I haven't gotten around to reading yet. The last category is a pretty big one.
I have several unread books stored in the drawers of my nightstand.
having too many unread books overwhelms me. i get reader's anxiety. i own 7 unread books and have 1 unread book from the library.
Zombie thread re-animates itself with no visible new posts!*makes woooooo noises and waves arms in a spooky fashion*
My IRL bookshelves are separate. I have read and unread bookshelves and the books are alpha by author within their own category.
My GR bookshelves are both read and unread. If I know what shelves are actually appropriate before reading it anyway.
For GR, if it's in my shelves at all that means I OWN it, physically, can read it any time I want. That does not mean I have read it. If I simply want it, it's in a list I keep in my purse. At all times.
My GR bookshelves are both read and unread. If I know what shelves are actually appropriate before reading it anyway.
For GR, if it's in my shelves at all that means I OWN it, physically, can read it any time I want. That does not mean I have read it. If I simply want it, it's in a list I keep in my purse. At all times.
I use to have my bookshelves organized by subject matter. Then I moved and still have books packed away. Currently, my collection of old books are in the living room along with some favorites. They are grouped together by genre.
My other books are in the office which is a work in progress so the shelves are chaotic.
To my knowledge (there may be a few stragglers amidst the boxed ones) I currently have 4 unread physical books. One requires translation and one is about a dog that most likely will die in the story and I can't bring myself to read it.
Then there are hundreds of unread books nicely tucked away on the Fire.
