Shelves: How do you classify your books?

[Brainycat]

It's not 'new', it's 'replaced' :)

[Nick]

Jimmy wrote: "Nick, your description of your shelves was awesome. Thanks for that. It reminded me of those passages in the old testament about how to build the ark or something."

believe it or not i ghostwrote genesis, judges, and large portions of nehemiah. these days i could stand firm for at least a coauthor credit, but back then i was rollin' round town in a big-booty Benz, which was rented, fronting on a cellular phone which did not work. you took the gigs as they came!

[Michael, Sonic the Hegemon]

In the miscellaneous section of this group, a couple of discussions are going on that have more to do than reading/book collecting than goodreads itself. Physical book organization would be a cool thing to start another topic about...but I'm not doing it because I'm about to launch a couple other new threads.

[Nate D]

I'm currently living with many piles edging my room because I don't have enough shelves. I need to use the library more if only to save the space!

As far as Goodreads filing goes, I keep it pretty simple. Mainly just by genre, region (country once I start to get a lot from one region), and era or movement. These last are sort of my pet shelves: surrealism, fin-de-siecle, and so forth.

I do love others' weird/puzzling/inventively-named shelves though.

[Will]

I am not very good at categorizing my readings on GR. For instance, I have almost no sub-categories for fiction. I try to sort them into general areas, sometimes combining closely related items like espionage and military. Sometimes categories are easy, like baseball. But at other times, I begin to sweat and shake, and leave them as either non-fiction or solely "read." The bookshelves (so many) at home are a similar riot of disorganization. Oddly, it is fiction that is in order in this almost real world. And as for the far too many books in storage, god only knows. Looking forward, I have begun a shelf for my favorite reads released (or to be released) in 2011. I am so confused. Help Me!

[Jim]

I suck at classifying anything & my memory kept my disorganization from being so apparent, but those days are about over. Unfortunately, my organizational skills have gotten worse. My problem is a tendency to over-think such simple objectives, so I find that most things can be classified in multiple ways.

Physically, I've solved my shelving problems by only splitting books up by fact or fiction & then by author name. That leaves just a shelf of philosophy, religion & mythology in limbo. Until I ran out of room on the fiction shelves & put John Jakes Bicentennial Series in with the History books. Not too bad since it actually got me interested in more US History, so I read more on it...

On GR, I started with the same physical shelves & then started adding others. I forget to check fact/fiction half the time, but like the ability to add the 'action' shelf or break fantasy down a bit more at times. I might have a book on 6 different 'shelves', but most are on 2 or 3.

[Aleksandr]

Books I abandoned.
Books for creative writing.
Books for research projects/writing projects.
My favourite fantasy novels evar.
And books I really hated.

[Carolyn]

I originally started out making my 'read' shelves all about genre (what I class them as) for my fiction books, with non-fiction and YA books as additional shelves. I was also using the 'exclusive' setting on many of my shelves, so that they would be on only one shelf at a time. I shelved items as 'read', 'tbr', "tbr-kids' (to read with my daughters), 'reference', and cross stitch (a hobby).

In the last couple of months I started adding even more shelves - 5-star books, to-buy, wishlist, to-be-published, read-childrens age brackets, etc.

Then I decided that my tbr list, which has gotten waaaay out of hand (2550+ and counting), needed to be tamed a little and made a whole set of 'to-read-[genre]' shelves to match my original 'read-[genre]' shelves. I'm still working through my huge tbr list to add them to those shelves. This was mostly prompted by all the requests in my different groups for book recommendations. While I haven't read them yet, I like to be able to refer to them and recommend a book if I think the person will like it. My 'read-[genre]' books were easy enough to glance through to make recommendations, but my tbr list had just gotten way too long for that.

When I did all those additional shelves, I decided, what the hell, and went ahead and created shelves for books I own, that I'm borrowing, that I'm loaning out, and for each of my kids, to track what I'm reading with them.

I haven't gotten most of these new shelves all together yet, but one of these days... = )

[Mohammed]

I make shelfs only for books i read,plan to read. My taste decide. Like there are 3 shelfs for crime,hardboiled crime,Noir(hardboiled that isnt about detective). I also make solo author shelfs only for hugely important authors to me who are prolific enough to have alot of books.

I make shelfs for poetry,African Lit,SF,adventure,historical fiction,comics-manga,spy,non-genre etc

Only shelfs i have made to make order of my reading is the shelf for how many books i read in a year to keep track,possible purchase shelf.

[Coffcat]

My shelves are pretty boring, I sort mainly by genre. I sort my books this way to easily keep track of them. I don't always remember the title of a book I've read so being able to just click straight to the genre makes things a lot easier for me.

[mark]

i use shelves to help my memory. i like to keep track of the various books read in genres like postmodern fiction, queer fiction, guides, Leisure-style horror, ongoing fantasy/scifi series, murder mysteries, and nonfiction personal narratives - mainly because those books sometimes run together in my memory.

not to sound like a literary snob, but i usually don't have much trouble recalling non-genre books so there's no need in general for me to give them their own shelves.

i have a wish list shelf as a buying reminder. i have a shelf for the books of my favorite authors, just because. and i do have a shelf for books or authors who seem to be forgotten. i also have a shelf for books that are symptoms to me of a godlesss world and that function as a warning for the coming apocalypse. take heed!

[Brainycat]

A lot of people have mentioned they use categories to remember books. I tried that; it doesn't work so well for me - If I have specific subcategories, I'll forget where I buried a specific title.

I have to be able to browse the covers to remember which is which. I guess I'm more visual like in that way.

[Kathryn]

I name shelves in order to make it easier for people browsing my books, so I keep it pretty simple. If I find I am reading a bit of a certain type of book/genre, then I will create a new shelf. This has resulted in broad shelves (fantasy) and specific shelves (pirates and drugs).

And in 6 months I may reorganize everything.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

I am a big thematic reader. I make shelves for different themes, so I can recommend them to others, and for my own personal tallying. I organize books according to genre as well. I have some shelves that describe my feelings for the book. I will also use shelves to remind me of why I am reading a book, or when I want to read it. Also, because I am a history buff, I organize based on historical period, and as others, geography of setting, type of characters, etc. I'm a bit OCD in that I like to categorize and organize things. Goodreads helps me to indulge my OCDness.

[[deleted user]]

I feel like such an underachiever when it comes to shelving. I haven't even bothered to try anything beyond the default ones.

The one exception being the "will get back to" shelf I made.

[J.G. Keely]

1. The book's relationship to me (read, to-read, to-get, abandoned)
2. The book's form (drama, comics, novel, roleplaying, . . .)
3. The book's genre and sub-genre (sci-fi, realism, urban-fantasy, art-reference, . . .)
4. The book's provenance (Germany, Rome, Greece, . . .)

I added the last one recently, after reading an article about the ratios of books from various countries people tend to read.

I also have separate shelves for books that I read in childhood, books that are illustrated (but not comics), and books I have reviewed, since GR counts my reviews as anything written in the box, even if it's just a musing about how I'm planning to read the book.

Mostly, it's organized for ease of finding and numerating types of books and for classifying books as belonging to a similar type.

[Angel]

I don't shelve. It's either being read or it's finished. Books have to live too much in categories and sub-categories and sub-sub-categories (Mid-Atlantic tween werewolf fantasy romance)

Let the books run free!

[Joyzi]

pretty much I use genre and the age groups and I have separate shelves for my favorites, the books to be release and those books I loathe

[Jessica]

Nick wrote: give me some recommendations! i literally know of ..."


Javier Marias.

[Jessica]

oops. just saw that Mike beat me to the Marias recommendation.

His novels (and stories) are brilliant and wonderful.

[Jessica]

Yes, that one I have on hold.

However, I have read several of his shorter novels as well as his short stories. Highly recommended!

He is one the finest writers writing today.
In my opinion.

[Jessica]

I've read the second of those 2, but not the first. I loved it. I highly recommend his book of short stories as well (but then, I like stories): When I Was Mortal.

[Bill]

My GR shelves are a lot different from my local database categories. The latter has a lot more categories and subcategories. I also put a lot of books locally in more than one category. I like to re-read books a lot and have loads of unread books. This makes it easier to find something I'm in the mood for. I do movies like this too.

[Petra X]

Brian wrote: "I have a lot of books which are assigned to multiple shelves simultaneously, which is a neat trick you can only do in the virtual world"

I do that too. IRL my bookshelves at home are just jam full and not in any kind of order. In the bookshop I shelve books according to where I think customers might expect to find them and buy them.

[Jessica]

Petra: can you tell us a little about your bookshop? I'm curious (perhaps I've always had the notion ;-)

I know you live on a small island, but...what do you stock? what sells best? Do you enjoy it? and are you able to make a profit in these times?

[Petra X]

I've just had the shop painted pink, purple and sea-green with a bit of black and white here and there. Next week when the gingerbread's up, I'll take a pic.

Its a general bookshop specialising in the Caribbean, tropical architecture and gardening and NY Times bestsellers with loads of stuff I want to read - history, neurology, art books, angry African books and whathaveyou. Since business is not too good, I'm moving into educational toys of a very scientific and engineering nature. I don't hardly stock romance or sci-fi because I don't read them (right now) and people who do read them know exactly what they want, so they can order them through the shop.

If anyone wants to buy into a bookshop or do some money-laundering there's no company tax on the island, just let me know! (Joking, well, perhaps not entirely).

Before the bookshop I had a rather wild and slightly infamous bar. That was a lot of fun but the landlord ran away with a year's rent so I lost the place. I change my occupation every 5-7 years usually and a bookshop seemed like a good idea back then.

[Jessica]

thanks, Petra!

[James]

Along with 'read', 'currently reading' and 'to read', I set up a 'still to get' (being moderately obsessive, I also have a text file on my PC titled 'Media to get' that has the same books plus music, movies, and games.) Beyond that, I go by a fairly detailed list of topics (46 shelves total including the ones just mentioned), which leads to almost every book being listed on multiple shelves.

[Desperado]

I stick to the basics: UF, PNR, Fiction, ER, Non-Fiction et cetera. The OCD in me would love to make a billion shelves but...I can't. I have 1266 books read on GR & I'm just too damn lazy to make the effort of categorizing each book to the nth degree.

[Desperado]

ROFLMAO! I love your unique shelf names, Sam! Dick-punch-deserved. *Lethal giggles* I only have one shelf that's....that colorful: Smack-a-bitch-upside-the-head, reserved for TSTL heroes & heroines.

[Desperado]

LMAO! I'm always stunned when I run into a 20-something year old virgin in the 21st century. Not because she's waited so long, but because as soon as the hero waves his pinky puppet in her face, she's all "Take me, I'm yours!" Every single 20-something year old virgin heroine I've read turns into a giant debbie ho cake when she meets her hero.

[[deleted user]]

LethalLovely~Punch the Bitch You Hate Today! wrote: "ROFLMAO! I love your unique shelf names, Sam! Dick-punch-deserved. *Lethal giggles* I only have one shelf that's....that colorful: Smack-a-bitch-upside-the-head, reserved for TSTL heroes & heroines."

I feel stupid for asking, but does TSTL = Too Stupid To Live?

I don't know why, by the acronyms that pop up here at GR are ones I've never seen other places...

[Desperado]

Don't feel stupid for asking, Ala. It's a valid question. Yes, TSTL = Too Stupid To Live. I had no idea what these acronyms meant when I first joined GR. But now I'm using them like a pro.

[Petra X]

I'd never heard that one but I like it.

[Petra X]

I can think of some real-life people who deserve that label. I got burgled several times recently (everyone in town). Guys got charged with taking goods and a cell phone, but not the cash, nor breaking and entering for some reason. The case is over, I got the goods and phone back, but its locked and the thief says he 'can't remember' the password. Punishment for the two guys, judge said, 'bound over to keep the peace for 12 months'. Judge and thieves and police who set it up to get this result all deserve to be barcoded TSTL. That was a bit off-topic wasn't it? Still it would be a good use of that acronym.

[Unapologetic_Bookaholic]

I have a 'bulk' shelf for main genre (like paranormal romance) then theme shelves. Because I read so many of a certain genre I don't want to have to search one shelf with 200 books. Plus its fun naming the shelves odd/random names like 'why so serious' for the dramatic fiction books I hardly read but sound interesting.

[Desperado]

Petra X wrote: "I can think of some real-life people who deserve that label. I got burgled several times recently (everyone in town). Guys got charged with taking goods and a cell phone, but not the cash, nor bre..."

Yeah, that definitely qualifies as TSTL people. Sorry you had/have to deal with that bs. Unfortunately, you can't go "Jason" on people like you can with books. Well, you can. But then you would be bad. And in jail.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks for the answer.

And he can get away with it. Just has to make sure the area is clear of meddling kids.

[Jim]

Why did we ever get rid of flogging as a punishment? I think it would be perfect for thieves. A lot better than probation - if that's what 'bound over to keep the peace for 12 months' means.

[Petra X]

Jim wrote: "Why did we ever get rid of flogging as a punishment? I think it would be perfect for thieves. A lot better than probation - if that's what 'bound over to keep the peace for 12 months' means."

Flogging was on the books here until not too long ago when international pressure forced the island to remove it. Not that it had been used in living memory... Someone will beat the kid up if he goes on theiving and getting protected, then with luck he'll go back to the US and end up in one of your fearsome prisons.

[Jim]

Just what we need, another person in prison. I'm not a fan of the practice. Fine, flog or firing squad - locking a bunch of criminals up together to compare notes & terrorize each other just doesn't make sense to me.

[Petra X]

What to do though when someone has been breaking and entering for 13 years on a small island of 12K pop? My business has been hit twice in six weeks, I've lost laptops, phones, cash. My next door neighbour has been hit four times and installed cameras that face her and my building, but he turns off the current before he breaks in! There are eighteen businesses complaining of multiple hits in the last few months.

Rehabilitation is a joke to this character, he's been on every non-academic course the community college has to offer and got thrown off them all for thieving phones and laptops from his fellow students and tutors. He has protection from at least one (known) police officer and one, also known, magistrate and never gets anything accept 'chances', probation and bound over.

You may not be a fan of prison, but we are, it at least removes them from the streets for a while and since nothing else has worked a lot of us would like to see him and his two friends spend time there. Its either that or someone will beat him up at some point or.. maybe he will go back to the US and you can think up some alternative to prison for him.

[Jessica]

You can get flogged in Singapore (where spitting out chewed gum is a crime).

[Jim]

I already offered my 3 alternatives; fine, flog or firing squad. Citizens catching him & beating him badly is close enough to flogging for me.

[Paul]

Yes but what would you shelve him as? that's what this thread is about - shelves.

[Su]

I imagine you wouldn't get many repeat offenders that way.

Shelves: In my house, they are sorted by size, as in "this book is too tall for this shelf-- put it over there". Although in my ideal world, books are sorted alphabetically by author.

On GR, I haven't made any shelves yet... but I would be inclined to sort by genre. And I'd have to have a "British authors" shelf.

[James]

Would you sort them into tall British authors and short British authors, and if so, would you use inches or centimeters?

[SATIN SUE]

well im a bit ocd where comes to my book shelf.....iv got all my books..i have to have all the books by the one author next to each other..., then in the right order that the books come out in....and when putting a dif author next to another the books have to be the same kind of colour...lol....ok this makes me sound rather nutts lol...

[Su]

James wrote: "Would you sort them into tall British authors and short British authors, and if so, would you use inches or centimeters?"

Hee hee, an excellent question. I'm equally happy with inches or centimeters, so whatever is used on their internet bio works for me. ;)

[James]

I like furlongs, myself.