What's your opinion on having a shelf called "listened-to" (to paralled the current "read" shelf of GR)?

[Joy H.]

At my Goodreads "Books" section, I've set an exclusive shelf for myself which I call "listened to". I've done this because it doesn't seem right to say I "read" a book when I actually listened to it.

Do you think we should ask Goodreads to create a standard shelf called "listened-to", to parallel the current "read" shelf of GR?

What's your opinion on this?

[Carolyn F.]

You can add to the major bookshelf like "to-read" "read" "currently reading". I've added "wish list" because they're not books I've actually read just click "exclusive" and it will be in that category without being in the "read" category.

[binter]

I have also created customized exclusive shelves to accommodate my audiobooks. Truthfully, I think audiobook listeners are a pretty small segment of the Goodreads demographic. I don't think there are enough audiobooks listeners on Goodreads to warrant a special bookshelf just for us. Also, we CAN customize exclusive bookshelves to meet our needs. Just my opinion.

[Joy H.]

Yes, I've already made my "listened-to" shelf an exclusive shelf. But I was hoping GR would have a standard "listened-to" shelf to match the standard "read" shelf.

However, as Alief said, perhaps there aren't enough audiobook listeners at GR to warrant the change. I wonder what percentage of GR members DO listen to audiobooks.

Carolyn, I've created a "keep-in-mind" shelf, just as you've created your "wish-list" shelf. I did this because my "to-read" shelf became impossibly over-loaded. I could never read all those books in my lifetime. Such high expectations created too much pressure! It seemed less stressful to "keep the books in mind", rather than to say I actually plan to read all of them. I guess it's just a matter of semantics or nuance.

[Carolyn F.]

I felt the same too Joy, I wasn't sure I was ever going to around "to read"ing them and I didn't want them listed too because I'm in a group where they pick from your "to read" shelf and those were in there.

[Janice]

Personally I don't have a problem with listing books I have listened to as "read"; that seems a little too close to feeding in to that thinking that "listening is cheating". But I do keep a designation for "audio books read" so that I can reference again to find authors/narrators I have enjoyed in that format.

[Carolyn F.]

I count listening to an audiobook as a read too. I'll add that to the # of times I've read the book. It totally counts.

[Frances]

I keep meaning to make a shelf called listened to, so if GR made one it would be fine

[Kara]

I just tag my "read" books with "audiobooks." That way they are still part of my overall library listing. I prefer it that way. Otherwise, you would have to sort through two sections ("read" & "listened to") when looking up past reads.

PS
Audiobooks are NOT cheating... I really don't know why anybody would think they are.

[Darkpool]

I'm with Janice and Kara - why would audiobooks need to be recorded differently than books read with the eyes unless reading with the ears was valued differently than conventional reading? I have a 'audiobooks' shelf, but it is used to remind me which of me 'to read' list are available at my local library in that format as well as which books I actually read in audio format.

[Wendy T]

I just finished Another Thing to Fall by Laura Lippman. I thought this book was just okay. I gave it 3*

I am now starting Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

[Joy H.]

Thanks to all for your input in this topic.

I surmise that the majority of audio book listeners consider "listening" to be the equal of "reading", as it should be.

So if I put my audio books on a "read" shelf (instead of an exclusive "listened to" shelf), it will be included in my "read" count (of course). That's the advantage.

I DO have a regular shelf called "audio-version". So that helps in classification.

So, now, I suppose I should move my books from my exclusive "listened-to" shelf and put them on my "read" shelf.

As the Goodreads rules say:
"Are you sure you want to remove this shelf? The books will stay in your books, but the shelf label will be gone. If this is an exclusive shelf, your books will automatically be moved to the 'read' shelf."

So it should be an easy change. All I have to do is delete my exclusive "listened to" shelf.

PS - It worked!

[John, Moderator]

Personally I don't have a problem with listing books I have listened to as "read"; that seems a little too close to feeding in to that thinking that "listening is cheating".

That was my first thought when this issue arose.

[Shelli]

Carolyn F. wrote: "I count listening to an audiobook as a read too. I'll add that to the # of times I've read the book. It totally counts."

I put them in "read" also.

[Joy H.]

John wrote: [Janice wrote]"Personally I don't have a problem with listing books I have listened to as "read"; that seems a little too close to feeding in to that thinking that "listening is cheating".

That was my first thought when this issue arose."

Yes, well, you folks finally brought me around to your way of thinking. Thanks!

[Alice]

Audio and Print both go in read.
Let us not buy into the whole we aren't really reading.

[Laurie (Kwiltreader)]

Whatever way I can absorb a book, I consider it read. There are books that I never completed in the "book" form. Audios have allowed me to actually complete some and enjoy them at the same time.

I do have a sub-shelf labeled audios which is easier than picking the edition from Goodreads list. That way I can find which ones I enjoyed listening to and recommend the audio version to others.

[Peep (Pop! Pop!)]

I have just one read shelf, although I did create a exclusive shelf for books I never finished.

I have two shelves for audiobooks. One for audiobooks and one for audiobooks I really enjoyed. I have to redo it because I keep forgetting if I add books to both shelves or one or the other.

I like having audiobooks in my read shelf because it shows up in my stats. I don't choose the audiobook format anymore because I consider them pages read.

[Joy H.]

Alice, Laurie, and Peep, thanks for your comments.

BTW, I have the following nine exclusive shelves:

1. read
2. currently-reading
3. to-read
4. keep-in-mind
5. read-partially
6. listened-to-partially
7. skimmed
8. watched-film-only
9. decided-not-to-read-it

Works for me!

[Laurie (Kwiltreader)]

That's funny, Peep. I also have a shelf for not finished. It's really called not finished and never will be.

[Peep (Pop! Pop!)]

@Joy H. WOW! That takes organizational skills, and I really lack them! What's the difference between keep-in-mind and to-read? And read-partially and skimmed? :) I know I'd forget why I added the shelf after a while. I occasionally delete/rename/merge shelves when I can't remember what I made it for!

@Laurie Hahahaha, love it! I give up on books so often I don't even add the books I gave up on. Lately I've been adding them to my read shelf with no star rating and a mini review. It's cheating, I know, but I've got a book quota to meet!

[Julie C]

Lets not forget that Listening is the only option for a lot of people!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Joy H.]

Peep (Pop! Pop!) wrote: "... What's the difference between keep-in-mind and to-read? ..."

Good question, Peep. To my way of thinking, the words, "to read", place a burden on the reader. The books become an obligation, a monkey-on-your-back, so to speak. It's almost as if one is saying: "I'm definitely going to read these books."

WHERAS, the words, "keep-in-mind" are a gentle reminder that the books are there and if you want to read them, you can.

I added "keep-in-mind" to my exclusive shelves when my "to-read" shelf became impossibly overloaded. I knew I would never live long enough to read all of those books, or I might not ever be in the mood to read them.

I didn't remove books from my "to-read" shelf when I created my "keep-in-mind" shelf. I was just more careful after that about which books I placed in "to-read".

Now I can put any book on my "keep-in-mind" shelf without feeling guilty about not reading it. I hate to break promises, especially promises I make to myself.

[John, Moderator]

Joy:

"To Read" for me means I own a copy of the book; my "keep in mind" is a paper list, and not all that long as I seem to be sidetracked by the New Books shelf at the library, etc.

I don't add a book to my currently reading shelf until I'm fairly certain I'll be finishing it. If there's one I started that had been a To Read, but didn't care for, I simply delete it altogether from my GR holdings - unless I feel strongly it was that the book was pretty bad, not just that I personally was disappointed (not what I thought the book'd be).

[Joy H.]

John, I don't own most of the books I read. I borrow them from the library.

As for putting books on various shelves, I like to keep track of books so I will remember things about them when I come across them again. My shelves are like a "memory bank" where I can go to see if I've dealt with a book in any way. I even like to keep track of books which I didn't care for and stopped reading. Who knows... perhaps one day I'll come across that book again and will wonder if I've ever tried it before.

My memory, by itself, can't keep track of all the books I've experienced. I would forget I read them if I didn't keep a record. It's disappointing to start reading a book and then realize you've read it before.

[Joy H.]

Peep (Pop! Pop!) wrote: "... What's the difference between ... read-partially and skimmed? :) ..."

Peep, if I've read a book partially, I've actually read a good amount of pages thoroughly.

If I've merely skimmed a book (as one might do for a non-fiction), it means that I've looked through it quickly to see what it covers and how the subject is organized or treated; also if there are photos, footnotes, index and other features).

Below is a link to a list of books on my "skimmed" shelf. If you take a look at them, you might understand better what I mean.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...

[Joy H.]

Julie wrote: "Lets not forget that Listening is the only option for a lot of people!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Julie, yes, unfortunately, that's true.

I suppose that my quandary about listening vs reading is caused by the fact that I absorb things better when I read them rather than when I listen to them. Often, my mind wanders while I'm listening and I'm apt to miss parts of the book. Whereas if my mind wanders while I'm reading, I automatically stop reading. So I don't miss anything.

For me, that's the difference between listening with my ears and physically reading with my eyes. Perhaps it's not true for everyone.

[John, Moderator]

Joy --

I think Julie's comment is more aimed (geared towards) the thread "Is listening cheating?" than your thoughts.

[Joy H.]

John wrote: "Joy -- I think Julie's comment is more aimed (geared towards) the thread "Is listening cheating?" than your thoughts."

I see. Thank you, John. I'll take a look at that topic and see what readers have said. It's at:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2...

[Peep (Pop! Pop!)]

Thanks for the explanations Joy H. I am nowhere near that detailed! I try to keep my to read shelf low as I like to keep my GR books limited to what I've read since joining GR. I don't know why, something about my numbers not being messed up. I took a look at your shelves and you have quite the tags going on! :D

[Joy H.]

Peep (Pop! Pop!) wrote: "... I took a look at your shelves and you have quite the tags going on! :D "

Peep, that's part of the fun! :)

[Carolyn F.]

Joy H. wrote: "Alice, Laurie, and Peep, thanks for your comments.

BTW, I have the following nine exclusive shelves:

1. read
2. currently-reading
3. to-read
4. keep-in-mind
5. read-partially
6. listened-to-parti..."

I like the "watched film only" and "decided not to read it", "skimmed" hmm, I don't want to talk about it. :)

[Joy H.]

Carolyn F. wrote: "I like the "watched film only" and "decided not to read it", "skimmed" hmm, I don't want to talk about it. :)"

Carolyn, see my Message #26 in this thread (about skimming).

[Sara ♥]

Joy H. wrote: "Alice, Laurie, and Peep, thanks for your comments.

BTW, I have the following nine exclusive shelves:

1. read
2. currently-reading
3. to-read
4. keep-in-mind
5. read-partially
6. listened-to-parti..."

I like your "watched the film" shelf... that's a good idea for movies you liked that you'd want to read the book for... Or things like Shakespeare or other classics... I do have a "film" shelf, but I only use it for books I've read AND seen the movie of.

I only have 2 exclusive shelves other than the standard:

*abandoned: books I've given up on and do not plan to finish. I keep them on there so I don't forget and attempt to read it again. I only have TWO books on that shelf though, so even I could probably remember that. One for being so BLAH, I stopped caring. One for being SOOOO SCARY I just had to stop. I couldn't keep going. (The Road... And it's like everyone's favorite book, too... weird!)

*to-listen-to: audiobooks I've ripped to my computer that I haven't listened to yet. Yeah............................. I have 53 audiobooks on that shelf. Pay no attention to that. Or to my ripped folder. That doesn't exist.

[Joy H.]

Sara ♥ wrote: "I like your "watched the film" [i.e., watched-film-only] shelf... that's a good idea for movies you liked that you'd want to read the book for..."

Sara, I love the word "abandoned" as a shelf-name.

I have non-exclusive shelves called "watched-film-too" and "watch-film-soon".

The one book I remember as scary was Grisham's _The Firm_. I was so tense that I swore I'd never read another book by Grisham.

[Janice]

I have both of Sara's exclusive shelves as well as "Wishlist".

My "To Read" books are ones that I own on either dead tree books or e-books. My "To Listen To" books are ones I own. And my "Wishlist" are books that have snagged my attention and don't want to forget about.

[Linda]

I have a read shelf and an audio shelf because the books on my read shelf, I own and the audio ones I borrow from the library and I want to keep them separate.

[Janet]

As long as an audiobook is unabridged, I consider that I've "read" it. Unless the narrator was exceptional, I frequently forget whether I read a paper copy or listened to the audio. For me, it's not really a meaningful distinction.