TBR. To-be-read. An abbreviation that every bibliophile knows. It separates the readers from those foolish mortals that know how to read. If you know what it means, then you probably have a humongous issue with it. It grows and it grows like your waistline during the holidays, but with the only difference you can’t ever stop it from growing.
I have a TBR list of about 3,000 titles [most of which I forget, but trust me I’m promiscuous in my reading]. Those ranked in several categories such as ‘I need to read this and write up a review’ or ‘I will kill someone to get this book and rub its cover all night’ or ‘Hey, I bet that no one will sneer at me, if I read this’ or ‘Man, so that is why people go to university for [non-fiction]’.
I don’t feel like I am contributing to the goal of finish most of these books [before I die], so I asked Twitternauts what their situation was like:
You have massive TBR lists, but what do you do to shorten them? How often do you read on average? RT + answer
I received reports:
@fangbooks I read daily, 3-8 books a week, if I'm bored by page 50(ish) it gets put down and removed from TBR (with NO guilt)
@gavreads I'm trying something new - pick 5/6 books at the start of one month to read in the next and see how far I get. Post a pic on twitter of my 5 books and then read them :)
@belovedsnail Read as much as I can. I read between 2-5 books a week. I have two hours in the train daily. Also, I try to buy less books. Also nearly too stupid to mention as a method. :)
@editormum75 I read lots, and cull out unwanted & unsolicited review books (have to meet both criteria) after a few months.
@WendySparrow I read the most while sick... 2 or 3 books a day... and I got a raging respiratory thing that knocked me down for all October. I've also discovered a cool "sample" feature on my Kindle that helps me knock out lame books from my list... so that too.
@Envyious How often I read on average depends on the time of year, busy with uni & work or on vacation but it's probably bw 6-10 a week
@redhead5318 I usually stare at my TBR pile longingly, get over or underwhelmed, then go to the library. I read at least 1 hr every day.
@tea_and_tomes Try to not buy any more books until I cut down on the pile a little. I read just about every day, so if I'm careful, I manage. Unsuccessfully, most days. Sometimes I try to pull off an "out of sight, out of mind" trick where I ignore news of upcoming releases that I want, just so I can keep my focus on the books that I already have.
@cjhillrwb Weed it out, stop buying new books until I work it down to something managable. Daily, as much as possible.
@TheTillMonkey I was strict with myself this year: http://bit.ly/gdSkRD but also usually have 2 on the go at once: one downstairs, one up.
@lecbookreviews I force myself to read them in as close to the same order as I bought them as possible so at least the pile stays 'fresh'.
@significance I read about 50 books a year. I read a little most days. The TBR list keeps growing.
@Rowena_SW Every time I walk/sit/stand/wait/travel. Literally.
@mostlyalurker I read every day. Sometimes for many hours. I'm a slow reader compared to most & enjoy savoring a good story. Quality over quantity.
@Marthapao I stress out and stop reading completely for a week or two and then devour every book in sight, forgetting to sleep or eat.
@Pallekenl I read almost everyday. And I plan stuff out, my Way Beyond Retro feature is in part an effort to get my TBR-pile slimmed down.
@silviamg When it's not rainy season, I read as I get to work. I can read a whole book in a day. Very quick reader. Anthos and non-fic are preferred for me. Easier to read. Thinking of getting ereader, but money must materialize
@stujallen Harry, I try to read as many as I buy but still have a huge TBR pile. Every day I try for hundred pages and about 2 or more books
Advice:
@BlueTyson Read more, don't watch tv. Pretty simple. If you are speed-challenged, practice, learn to read faster....
@charlesatan Cull your TBR pile into half, then choose 10 books. That's your current TBR pile.
AND Larry [who technically falls into the first category, but seriously, we all know he has a team of trained squirrel readers so he is in the cheaters’ corner]:
@Squirrelpunkd I don't keep track of TBR lists. I just read and then buy fewer, more expensive books.
Basically, the idea is to read more. BUT I have one serious enemy. My passion towards TV series. Can you believe that I follow more than 30 titles? No. I can’t either, not until I wrote them down just to make sure I did not miss episodes. How the heck is that possible?
On the other hand, I really do think I’m hitting it a bit too hard with 3,000 books on my own wish list, so I will have to cut down on that.
Well, the ball is in your side of the playground [we are playing Dodgeball]. What do you do when facing your TBR [do you cull it?] and how often do you read?
I have a TBR list of about 3,000 titles [most of which I forget, but trust me I’m promiscuous in my reading]. Those ranked in several categories such as ‘I need to read this and write up a review’ or ‘I will kill someone to get this book and rub its cover all night’ or ‘Hey, I bet that no one will sneer at me, if I read this’ or ‘Man, so that is why people go to university for [non-fiction]’.
I don’t feel like I am contributing to the goal of finish most of these books [before I die], so I asked Twitternauts what their situation was like:
You have massive TBR lists, but what do you do to shorten them? How often do you read on average? RT + answer
I received reports:
@fangbooks I read daily, 3-8 books a week, if I'm bored by page 50(ish) it gets put down and removed from TBR (with NO guilt)
@gavreads I'm trying something new - pick 5/6 books at the start of one month to read in the next and see how far I get. Post a pic on twitter of my 5 books and then read them :)
@belovedsnail Read as much as I can. I read between 2-5 books a week. I have two hours in the train daily. Also, I try to buy less books. Also nearly too stupid to mention as a method. :)
@editormum75 I read lots, and cull out unwanted & unsolicited review books (have to meet both criteria) after a few months.
@WendySparrow I read the most while sick... 2 or 3 books a day... and I got a raging respiratory thing that knocked me down for all October. I've also discovered a cool "sample" feature on my Kindle that helps me knock out lame books from my list... so that too.
@Envyious How often I read on average depends on the time of year, busy with uni & work or on vacation but it's probably bw 6-10 a week
@redhead5318 I usually stare at my TBR pile longingly, get over or underwhelmed, then go to the library. I read at least 1 hr every day.
@tea_and_tomes Try to not buy any more books until I cut down on the pile a little. I read just about every day, so if I'm careful, I manage. Unsuccessfully, most days. Sometimes I try to pull off an "out of sight, out of mind" trick where I ignore news of upcoming releases that I want, just so I can keep my focus on the books that I already have.
@cjhillrwb Weed it out, stop buying new books until I work it down to something managable. Daily, as much as possible.
@TheTillMonkey I was strict with myself this year: http://bit.ly/gdSkRD but also usually have 2 on the go at once: one downstairs, one up.
@lecbookreviews I force myself to read them in as close to the same order as I bought them as possible so at least the pile stays 'fresh'.
@significance I read about 50 books a year. I read a little most days. The TBR list keeps growing.
@Rowena_SW Every time I walk/sit/stand/wait/travel. Literally.
@mostlyalurker I read every day. Sometimes for many hours. I'm a slow reader compared to most & enjoy savoring a good story. Quality over quantity.
@Marthapao I stress out and stop reading completely for a week or two and then devour every book in sight, forgetting to sleep or eat.
@Pallekenl I read almost everyday. And I plan stuff out, my Way Beyond Retro feature is in part an effort to get my TBR-pile slimmed down.
@silviamg When it's not rainy season, I read as I get to work. I can read a whole book in a day. Very quick reader. Anthos and non-fic are preferred for me. Easier to read. Thinking of getting ereader, but money must materialize
@stujallen Harry, I try to read as many as I buy but still have a huge TBR pile. Every day I try for hundred pages and about 2 or more books
Advice:
@BlueTyson Read more, don't watch tv. Pretty simple. If you are speed-challenged, practice, learn to read faster....
@charlesatan Cull your TBR pile into half, then choose 10 books. That's your current TBR pile.
AND Larry [who technically falls into the first category, but seriously, we all know he has a team of trained squirrel readers so he is in the cheaters’ corner]:
@Squirrelpunkd I don't keep track of TBR lists. I just read and then buy fewer, more expensive books.
Basically, the idea is to read more. BUT I have one serious enemy. My passion towards TV series. Can you believe that I follow more than 30 titles? No. I can’t either, not until I wrote them down just to make sure I did not miss episodes. How the heck is that possible?
On the other hand, I really do think I’m hitting it a bit too hard with 3,000 books on my own wish list, so I will have to cut down on that.
Well, the ball is in your side of the playground [we are playing Dodgeball]. What do you do when facing your TBR [do you cull it?] and how often do you read?
6 comments:
I also consider myself really lucky in that I have a job that allows me to multitask when it comes to reading. I work at a call centre, and am allowed to bring in books, or even my Kindle, to help keep me entertained between calls. In this way, I can slowly trim to TBR pile during the time when other wouldn't be able to, and I can spend my time at home focusing on other things if I so desire.
I currently read a book every three days (roughly), so I get through my TBR fairly fast, but I also have no self control, so it grows even faster. Currently, I have around forty or fifty books that I've bought and haven't read. I'm trying to not buy anymore until the number's more mangable.
@ Ria: Your job sounds awesome. I'm a student, so I can generally read, but I suffer from burnouts, when I try to push myself. 150 pages a day and after 3-4 days it gets tedious.
My summer job is shift based and I can read, when I have no work. Thank god for that, no?
@The Evil Hat: I have an expansive ebooks I have from friends, which is pretty much where 90% of my 3,000 come from. Currently, I have lots and lots of review copies that I get and simple want to get through.
I also can bring books to work. When I don't have any customers, or shipping/receiving issues, or reports to process, I just sit there reading. I am really spoiled!
You have a nice job. I give you that.
Post a Comment