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How do you decide what to read next?
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I just pick what I feel like reading next.
Sometimes I need a day or half a day to "recover" from what I read when the book really sucked me into it or was heavy-themed and I need more time to think about it. But generally, I just go to my to read-shelf and pick out what looks most appealing to me. As I have got so many books on there at the moment, I can find something for every mood swing.
Sometimes I need a day or half a day to "recover" from what I read when the book really sucked me into it or was heavy-themed and I need more time to think about it. But generally, I just go to my to read-shelf and pick out what looks most appealing to me. As I have got so many books on there at the moment, I can find something for every mood swing.

Angie, you sound like an awesome library goer. Because of school and the inability to predict when my spare time is coming, I can't seem to read books from the library right now. Do you check out several at a time or just one at a time? Do you have like a certain day that you go to the library, or just go when you need to? Just curious. I haven't been a faithful library goer since I was a kid and had lots of time to read. I read a short story once about a kid whose mom took him to the library every Monday or something, and it was like their special where he got to pick out all the books she would read to him for the week. I've always wanted to do something similar when I have kids to help them learn to love books just as much as I do.



Lori wrote: "Hannah, I think I need to go through my to-read list and create some order to it. I do much better with a list as well."
As do I, but my "to-read" list here on goodreads is FAR too daunting to order. I mean GEEZ. You must understand, every book on that list I already own. So I have shelves and shelves of books I need/want to get to - and the pile keeps growing thanks to bookmooch and giftcards.
I'm just DYING to have the capacity to read a book a day. Really very long ones could take two. But that's it. Every time I look at my closet, filled to the brim with books instead of clothes, I wish that. It'd be a brilliant skill.
There is this television show called Criminal Minds with a character that I crush on (for those of you that know me, duh! of course I am! he's a genius, tall, and skinny!). But he has eidetic memory - so enviable - and within that, he can speed-read and actually have comprehension of a book. Gah! What I wouldn't do!
Sorry, didn't answer the original question... next time.
As do I, but my "to-read" list here on goodreads is FAR too daunting to order. I mean GEEZ. You must understand, every book on that list I already own. So I have shelves and shelves of books I need/want to get to - and the pile keeps growing thanks to bookmooch and giftcards.
I'm just DYING to have the capacity to read a book a day. Really very long ones could take two. But that's it. Every time I look at my closet, filled to the brim with books instead of clothes, I wish that. It'd be a brilliant skill.
There is this television show called Criminal Minds with a character that I crush on (for those of you that know me, duh! of course I am! he's a genius, tall, and skinny!). But he has eidetic memory - so enviable - and within that, he can speed-read and actually have comprehension of a book. Gah! What I wouldn't do!
Sorry, didn't answer the original question... next time.

I wish I could read that quickly. How do you train to read a book a day? It would probably be pretty hard for a student to do that, wouldn't it?

My "to-read" list would be to big for me too cuz I buy books that I don't have time to read. But on goodreads I have created the shelves "to-read -someday". Keep off the pressure on my "to-read" shelf. And I keep only the books I plan to read in the next few months on my "to-read" shelf, and the rest goes on "to-read-someday".
As for the topic, I don't often have problems picking my next book. I read many (too much?) books at the same time so when one is finished I go to the next one that I have started.


Now I spend a considerable amount of time at the library also, though try to limit it to every other Saturday since you get two weeks with books. Right now I'm working on a Winter Reading Challenge for another group on GR, so I have a list of books that I search for each time I'm at the library. In this case I pull a book out of my canvas bag that I use for my library "shopping" and read it, even if I'm not in the mood for it. I've gone through quite a few books lately with this system and I've been enjoying it. I just try not to limit myself too much to the next book I read. I get a little cranky if I go too long without a book, so I always make sure I have something within reach. I always joke that it's best to know exactly what the next book will be as you reach the last 50 pages of your current book.
Sometimes while reading I come across a topic or another author that sounds interesting, in which case I try to have a book about that topic or that author as the next book I read. I am a pretty eclectic reader and have a wide array of interests, so I try to find new and different things to spend time on to avoid getting in any reading ruts.
Okay, seriously? How do you guys do it?? My brain/spirit just does not work that way. I'd never make it figuring out before I finish another book what was to come next. I'd feel so boxed in and... what if I was Jonesing for a different kind of book after those last 50 pages??
Plus, I love that state of wonder and excitement as I go to the shelves and hungrily look at all the delicious spines and taste their titles. Sometimes I find the perfect title for where I'm at in that moment, and sometimes I pull a pile of different selections down then feel and sample them in turn, even staring lustily at them as a group before I finally dive in. If I don't go through this process when I need to, well that's when I end up starting several books without really settling in well or feeling that satisfaction or gratification that normally I would.
Truly I say more power to you if you can keep the joy of reading in that fashion. It's just like the differences in traveling. An old friend of mine is the consummate planner. EVERY detail is planned. But that's because she gets so much joy out of actually doing the planning and then living those plans out. Me? I love to try to get to know a place as much as I can before hand, even to the language if possible, but when I go it's all about the wandering and the seat of my pants and the getting lost and the exploring with people I met along the way and the finding out the hidden treasures by connecting with the locals. Like that. That's when I really feel the joy, the rush of traveling. It's a spiritual movement, not just a physical one. But I digress! LOL
Anyway, I admire all of you that can do that - with books or with travel!!
By the way, all that doesn't mean I'm any less of a list maker!
Plus, I love that state of wonder and excitement as I go to the shelves and hungrily look at all the delicious spines and taste their titles. Sometimes I find the perfect title for where I'm at in that moment, and sometimes I pull a pile of different selections down then feel and sample them in turn, even staring lustily at them as a group before I finally dive in. If I don't go through this process when I need to, well that's when I end up starting several books without really settling in well or feeling that satisfaction or gratification that normally I would.
Truly I say more power to you if you can keep the joy of reading in that fashion. It's just like the differences in traveling. An old friend of mine is the consummate planner. EVERY detail is planned. But that's because she gets so much joy out of actually doing the planning and then living those plans out. Me? I love to try to get to know a place as much as I can before hand, even to the language if possible, but when I go it's all about the wandering and the seat of my pants and the getting lost and the exploring with people I met along the way and the finding out the hidden treasures by connecting with the locals. Like that. That's when I really feel the joy, the rush of traveling. It's a spiritual movement, not just a physical one. But I digress! LOL
Anyway, I admire all of you that can do that - with books or with travel!!
By the way, all that doesn't mean I'm any less of a list maker!
I know that some people have a list that says what's to be read next. But what I'm wondering about it all of the other methods to pick the next book. How do you keep from wasting a couple of days deciding? And for those of you who do follow a list, how do you make yourself stick to it? Do you just start and eventually you love it or does your list really not work (it's OK. I won't spoil your secret).