oceansoul Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I've just found a book by susan hill detailing how she had so many books at home that she decided to only read what she had on her shelves for a year. I'm considering trying it out. Possibly for a shorter time though. Maybe until the end of the year? Anyone else considering this or have any of you tried it out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Tried ...... And failed! But always trying........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleW Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 That does sound like a good idea. I think, I've got a TBR that would last this year. I'm joining you in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 What if I have read all the books on my shelves do I have to re-read them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Then you're in a pickle Pickle! (You can share mine ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I've just found a book by susan hill detailing how she had so many books at home that she decided to only read what she had on her shelves for a year. I'm considering trying it out. Possibly for a shorter time though. Maybe until the end of the year? Anyone else considering this or have any of you tried it out? Yes I did that the first year I was here (last year). I enjoyed it. I read every book on my TBR list except 2, which I carried over to this year. I think if you just keep buying books it can affect your sanity a bit. I think the most I ever had in my TBR pile was about 20 , and that was not for very long because it upset me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I read the title, laughed, then moved on my way; I couldn't do it, I know that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightOwl Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I've nearly finished the book you mention by Susan Hill (Howard's End is on the Landing) - great idea, and I really should give it a try but I'm so easily seduced by all those rows of books in the shops. Maybe I could do a month without buying anything new, then work up to two...and three... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I frequently resolve not to buy any more books until I read all the unread books I already own. Unfortunately, it only lasts until I see a book by an author I like, or in a series I already own, or have read/heard a good review of... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcow Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Tried and failed to do this, even though my mojo has abandoned me I still can't resist buying books! Mt TBR now stands at 191 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 I read the title, laughed, then moved on my way; Obviously, you didn't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I tried that at the start of the year but gave up once I started adding more books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanessaL Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I was thinking of doing this, then I go into charity shops looking, and see books I have not got, by authors that I like, and think I need this book and that is it unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Never going to happen. I read Susan Hill's Howard's End Is On The Landing, and all it made me want to do was go out and get more books, in fact, I read a copy borrowed from the library, and had to go out and buy my own copy, as I knew it would be read and re-read, and often referred back to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Would that be Howards End is On the Landing? I've been meaning to get hold of that one! I frequently go through periods of self-imposed book-embargo, where I don't buy any books for a while, as I always have loads of unread books waiting. However, during that time, I stil luse the library and borrow from my sister. Currently, I only buy books if they are a) very very cheap (I.e. from the pound shop - I like to try out uthors who are new to me that way - less of a risk) or b) are authors I collect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
levens Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I very rarely buy books, fiction not at all, I get books from the libary you can always take them out again...I think of it like an extended personal collection, plus I don't have to hire a van for many trips when moving house, or worry about what would happen if my house burnt down...I keep a hard drive with me with anything I couldn't replace with me..my motto is travel light and I'm not longer as stressed for it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I did try to do this but failed! I tried to not buy anymore books, that lasted about a day! I just can't not buy books, but I do try to buy them cheaper, ie wait for them to go down in price. So what I now do is try to read the books that I brought last year first, and when I get a new book it goes right to the end of the shelf! I do this so I actually read the books that I spent money on, for example the 30 or so chick lit books I brought last year! I do understand though it means the books I buy now I probably wont read until this time next year, but I feel it does build suspence. the only exeption I make to this is if I have a book for a reading circle or reading challenge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Today I've had a massive cull of my book shelves to make room for the new baby - ie moving all my books out of his / her room. It was very satisfying. I don't like to have too many books I haven't read lying around. If I haven't read them after a while I probably won't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Well done ladymacbeth, when is your baby due? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I've tried and failed. Unfortunately the moment I walk in a book shop I have to buy one book...just one! I try to at least go only once a month when I get paid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sofia Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I was thinking of doing this, then I go into charity shops looking, and see books I have not got, by authors that I like, and think I need this book and that is it unfortunately. exactly! And you have to get it, because it'll be gone the next time, and who knows when you'll see it again!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffin Nail Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I haven't bought a book at all this year, but I'm at the library once a month. The only exception to the rule is Stuart Macbride's latest which I'm waiting to come out in paperback. That said, I still have over 20 books that have been on my shelves for ages that I've never even opened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 (edited) Tried and failed to do this, even though my mojo has abandoned me I still can't resist buying books! Mt TBR now stands at 191 Is that all? Some time ago I adopted this thought, from Nassim Nicholas Taleb's book The Black Swan: The writer Umberto Eco....is the owner of a large personal library (containing thirty thousand books), and separates visitors into two categories: those who react with "Wow!...What a library you have. How many of these books have you read?", and the others - a very small minority - who get the point that a private library is not an ego boosting appendage but a research tool. Read books are far less valuable than unread ones. The library should contain as much of what you don't know as your financial means....allow you to put there. You will accumulate more knowledge and more books as you grow older, and the growing number of unread books will look at you menacingly. Indeed, the more you know, the larger the rows of unread books. Let us call this collection of unread books an antilibrary. Taleb then goes on to argue that what you don't know is far more important than what you do, and discuss how we handle the unexpected. Edited July 17, 2011 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadya Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I tried reading books I had bought and e-books I had downloaded first before getting more books from the library. The new books and new used books I had bought, weren't that many, so that was easy. I still have 2-3 books and e-books left which I'm reading now along with new library books I just couldn't resist taking. I used to buy any book which I liked or even if I liked a different book from that same author. The problem with that is, I don't have that much space for so many books. Yet I can't ever completely stop buying books. So I gave away many books which I knew I wasn't going to read again, even though I enjoyed those books. I only kept the books I knew I would read more than once and books with possibly useful information. When I buy books now, I make sure to only buy the ones I know I'll keep reading throughout the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceansoul Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 well my resolve to not buy books didn't last long. They have a sale at The Works. I spent £11. MY TBR is now at 54. That's just tree books, it doesn't include the hundred or so on my kindle. Although most of the downloaded ones were free. I just can't resist a bargain. Even when I wanted to only readc what I already had for the rest of the year, I was going to make exceptions for the new john connolly and terry pratchett novels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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