Did you list past reads when you joined Goodreads?

[Will]

I was a member of another site (I can't remember the name) that I had already added all of my books to. It was easy to export that list and import it to this site.

[Graeme]

I started from scratch, but I imported all my physical books I currently own from Calibre into Goodreads. I used a barcode scanner to import all my books and had the list before joining. I might consider going back through the list and add my old reads.

[Kev]

I added what I could remember reading, or what I wanted to make sure was on my "read" shelf. Sometimes I'll see a book mentioned on here that I know I read, but isn't on my shelf and I'll add it.

[Eric]

Yes I've added a lot of past read books.

[Soo]

I found Goodreads & a few other websites because I was looking for a way to catalog my books. I spent several hours inputting two or three shelves and then I gave it up! One day I'll make a complete catalog of just the books I own. It just won't be this year.

Now, I routinely add books/stories as I finish them off or when I start them. It's really handy to mark books that I want to read or those I've started but have yet to finish.

I didn't commit to the reading challenge until halfway into the year. I tried to remember all the books I read back towards the beginning but the only ones I could say for sure are the ones I borrowed from a friend.

It's kind of cool to see how many books I've read since I've started to keep track of it on here but it's only a small portion of what I've really consumed over the years. Basically, I add books that I've read in the past as I come across the authors or books.

[kvon]

You talked me into starting a list (under a different name) of my past reads. I'm up to 2100 and counting. Whee, another time hole.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

kvon wrote: "You talked me into starting a list (under a different name) of my past reads. I'm up to 2100 and counting. Whee, another time hole."
Why do it under a different name? Are you a ninja?

[Philip]

I added past reads and really enjoyed doing so. Practically, it really helps since I love to re-read. I can go to my past reads and pick out a winner at any time. Also, remembering one past read can lead to a new book from that particular author. I'm a sucker for a little childhood nostalgia, too.

[Matthew]

When I started using GR, I imported my lists from LibraryThing. I then add books as I read them, plus any that I stumble across (via reviews, etc.) that I know I've read in the past. So it's a bit of a hodge-podge.

[kvon]

Jenny, I like going back at the end of the year and reviewing what I've read. It would be a pain to do that with a thousand other books in the queue. It's basically a question of purpose. I keep a separate list on LibraryThing for that reason, it's a list of books I own (read and unread). But you can check my list out under brownthrasher.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

kvon wrote: "Jenny, I like going back at the end of the year and reviewing what I've read. It would be a pain to do that with a thousand other books in the queue. It's basically a question of purpose. I keep..."
Okay, I get that. Another strategy would simply be to create a shelf by year. I like to do that to look at a year at a glance.

[Deborah]

As long as you add a date read when you finish a book, you can see the books for the year with the stats function. Stats is near the bottom of the left column on the my books page.

[Quasar]

Only a handful. Mainly just well known / classics that for some reason I never bought. No childhood books though, mostly just items from my teenage years on.

[AndrewP]

My 'To-Read' shelf is only a few books that I have physically sitting around and am contemplating getting to in the near future. For sure it's not even close to the number of unread books I have in my study, bedroom, garage, car boot and desk at work :) More than 100 I would guess.

My 'Wish' list I now keep on my phone so I have it handy during my trips to bookstores.