Constant Reader discussion

For 2014 I'm going to read books I already own, preferably physical books, but I also have a lot of e-books waiting in the wings. I will only buy books for the Reading List, no other books, no matter how many emails I get from bookbub.com. This includes free books. I've already started this by almost finishing Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All. I'm slogging towards the end. I love the book, but he should have made it a series of four. I've read several other books in the meantime. I think I'll have a party when I'm finally finished. I'm not taking any physical books with me to Key West, so I won't get started on the next one until I get back. I want to read The Weight of Water. I've had this book for years, ever since people on Constant Reader were raving about it. That's where most of my unread books come from.

Sherry, I should so join you in this--particularly because I find more and more that I have no need to keep most books I've read.

Join in! It will be much more fun. Any one is invited. Of course, I imagine the downside of this will be that those trying to get rid of books will find more that they want.

That's about what we have decided as well, Sherry. I look around here, at the stacks of unread books, and feel a bit guilty.

In fact my husband has decided to start a list, in addition to read books, put aside books, etc., he'll list "books not bought". /giggle/

We do keep already read books, I like the feeling of seeing at least some that we've read. :) And I never know when I'll want to reread some, I do occasionally. Knowing me, the very ones I'd give away would be the ones I or husband would want to reread. :)

Cateline wrote: "That's about what we have decided as well, Sherry. I look around here, at the stacks of unread books, and feel a bit guilty.

In fact my husband has decided to start a list, in addition to read ..."

Are those "books not bought" books that you would have bought? I should start a list like that, too.

Sherry wrote: Are those "books not bought" books that you would have bought? I should start a list like that, too.

Yes, and, to tell the truth it can be a sort of "wish list", for someday. :)

That "wish list" feature on Amazon is my "books not bought," and I love it. It has saved me a LOT of money, lol! There are times I look at it, can't figure out just why I have something there, and delete it! So much easier than selling a book, and it certainly hurts less than selling a book I have not read.

But a vow not to buy non-list books for an entire year? Surely you jest!

Tonya wrote: "That "wish list" feature on Amazon is my "books not bought," and I love it. It has saved me a LOT of money, lol! There are times I look at it, can't figure out just why I have something there, and ..."

Well. Considering our listing of books bought on Library Thing (our only complete listing) tells me we bought 815 books last year, and we have a TBR list of approximately 2400 - 2500 books, I actually consider that we are balancing the ledger a bit. :)

For some reason I managed to get two of these threads going. I'm going to delete the other thread and post Sheila's response here:

"I have been planning to do something similiar Sherry in that I let go about 1/3 of my books when I moved, keeping some authors I adore or would have difficulty getting again and those I hadn't read. Like you, many have come from CR recommendations others are classics I have just never read. I'm not being quite as strict as you in that I am allowing myself to continue with my audible subscription and to borrow books from the library, but my big thing is not to buy any more physical books until I have cleared some from my now smaller bookshelves. Hope you enjoy Weight of water, I did."

Oh, I'll continue with Audible. That's different :) And I don't know how strict I'll end up being, but I'm going to give it a shot.

Sherry wrote: "Oh, I'll continue with Audible. That's different :) And I don't know how strict I'll end up being, but I'm going to give it a shot."

Audible is totally different! They take up NO room! :-)

Tx for copying my post across

I need to join this challenge, too. The last time I did a scan of my physical book library, I had 4384 books, many of which I haven't read. I won't include ebooks in the challenge, though; I have almost 7000 books in my Kindle library alone, but at least they don't take up any space!

Deborah wrote: "I need to join this challenge, too. The last time I did a scan of my physical book library, I had 4384 books, many of which I haven't read. I won't include ebooks in the challenge, though; I have a..."

Wowsers! You should be set for life. And I thought I was bad.

I seldom buy books until I'm just about ready to read them, so there are only 3 or 4 books languishing at any one time. I'd be up a tree if I tried to meet your challenge, Sherry.

Ruth wrote: "I seldom buy books until I'm just about ready to read them, so there are only 3 or 4 books languishing at any one time. I'd be up a tree if I tried to meet your challenge, Sherry."

That's the way I am now, Ruth, but it wasn't for a long time. I have an enormous backlog from that time.

I was considering taking on Sherry's challenge, but then I checked my wish list. Perhaps I should get another slew for my Kindle (though I cannot imagine the cost involved in Deborah's 7000 Kindle titles!)and THEN say no more? I'm too weak. I need the immediate gratification of the one-click shopping experience. It would be easier to limit my drinking to wine already in the cellar...

Anne, probably 95% of my Kindle titles were free.

Finally, I finished the Gurganus. I almost didn't give this four stars because it was much too long. The book would have been strengthened if that widow hadn't told quite all. Less would have been better, especially toward to end when all of a sudden she's telling a story about someone we've never even heard of before. But, it is beautifully written, with some insights that are quite moving and real.

I think I need to do the same thing. I have piles of books, both physical and ebook that await me. I'm not counting the library though. I need the fun of searching out a new book now and then and I don't get that same joy out of pulling something out of my own bookshelves.

Sherry, I said I'd do this last year...then didn't. So I'll try to keep to the challenge with you! My problem is not so much buying a lot of books as it is picking up a bunch at the library...and often not being able to finish the longer ones by the due date. (Also bad at remembering to renew, now that our library has switched its system to a 3-week period followed by 3 one-week renewals.)

Last year I think I only got through 4 books from my shelves - that will not be a hard total to beat, hopefully!

Mary Ellen wrote: "Sherry, I said I'd do this last year...then didn't. So I'll try to keep to the challenge with you! My problem is not so much buying a lot of books as it is picking up a bunch at the library...and..."

I'll only get books from the library if it's for CR! That will give me more time to read my own. At the end of last year, I added a bunch of e-books, like Donna Tartt's new one (because it was on sale), but I'm hoping to ignore sale books, too, unless they are for the Reading List.

I'm trying to ignore the sales too. Frustrating. :)

Those that have good libraries are fortunate. Ours leaves much to be desired.

Sherry, I intended to do this last year too but didn't do well. I did manage to give some to the local library and sell several to a used book store but not many. I will attempt to join you, at least in spirit, but some of my other groups definitely require at least the library if not a purchase.

So even if I read one or 2 a month from my shelves---that is a move in the right direction I definitely should be able to make.

I'm really being put to the test lately. Along with all these great discussions at Key West they have book sales and author signings. I cover my eyes and move right along.

Oh my gosh, I don't know if I'd be able to withstand it!

Sherry wrote: "I'm really being put to the test lately. Along with all these great discussions at Key West they have book sales and author signings. I cover my eyes and move right along."

We're putting the kibosh on new purchases. However, I have to tell you, I'm afraid in your situation I'd have to make an exception. That's special.

I'm listing the books we really want onto a wish list on amazon. Some will fall by the wayside, but I know we'll end up buying some. Eventually.

Another reason I'm not buying books is there is no room in my luggage.

Oh Sherry...I couldn't resist if I were there. I'd probably ship them!

When we travel, naturally we go to book shops, and then there is the annual State Dept Sale in WDC. When we do that, we pack the books up in boxes available at the post office and ship them book rate. It is very reasonable.
And fast. :)

I started The Weight of Water: A Novel this morning. This is one of the hardcovers I bought when I first found CR. It's a first edition printed in 1997. I actually brought a real book with me to Key West. I wanted to get started on this challenge as soon as I finished Stoner.

Well, I'm not doing so well with reading my own books first. /sigh/ I'd had a few pre-ordered, so they don't really count. However, I've succumbed to several temptations. heh
Oh well, it is still true that we haven't bought as many, by a long shot. I guess that'll have to do for now, and improve as the year goes on.

Me too! I bought a couple (or 3) used books through Amazon last night for the WWI group I'm in. Ebooks aren't an option for some of these and even the library may be difficult. Hey--that's my excuse for now. But I do intend to hit my shelves.

I have already lapsed. I went to the library to pick up San Miguel for our group read...and ended up taking out three other books (mysteries; I always justify them as being a "quick read").

Sue, your WWI group sounds interesting. I am reading, a small bite at a time, The Beauty And The Sorrow by Peter Englund. He wanted to reate a portrait - or patchwork - of what it was like to live through the war. He follows 20 individuals, men, women and one young girl, in various continents and countries, combatants, civilians, aid workers, giving snapshots of their lives chronologically. I'm only in fall 1914. Sorry to get off-topic here!

Mary Ellen wrote: "I have already lapsed. I went to the library to pick up San Miguel for our group read...and ended up taking out three other books (mysteries; I always justify them as being a "quic..."

That's on my list too, Mary Ellen.

Sherry, keep us posted on your progress. Mary Ellen, as another frequent library user, it would be easy to excuse these "lapses" as you have not actually purchased another book. It just makes that goal of reading the owned book that much further away. I should also join the plan, but then again, my husband is also addicted, so it should really be a household pact.

Hah. We did agree, and while we have slowed.....we ain't stopped. Yet.:)

Every year I say that I'm going to read the books I own but I don't do very well. I have been getting books on my kindle from the library and then I'll buy some new books on Amazon that are new but are really cheap. I think this year I might just keep a list of how many books I've read that I own.

Last year was the first year that I read mostly books that I owned. I had a list of classics that I wanted to read and that had been sitting on my shelves for a while - I listed 35 and read 33.3 of them by the end of the year and am finishing the 34th now. I also read about another 20 books that were not classics and nearly all were from my shelves.

This year, I have a list of 50 classics to read, including the two unread from 2013. I've started an Amazon Wish List and created a shelf on GR called "Maybe" for books I might be interested in reading - it has helped with impulse buying!

I have about 800 physical books (in a 750 sf apartment) plus about 100 on Kindle. The only books I bought last year were (I think) for GR group reads and Kindle daily/monthly deals.

It's actually been very gratifying to read the books on my shelves! I then sort them into "keep to re-read" or "donate to library/other".

Susan from MD wrote: "Last year was the first year that I read mostly books that I owned. I had a list of classics that I wanted to read and that had been sitting on my shelves for a while - I listed 35 and read 33.3 of..."

You've been very successful! I hope I can do as well.

I finished The Weight of Water today. There was some good writing in this, but in the long run it seemed contrived to me. The two stories never seemed to actually belong together. Shreve interspersed them in such a way that I was startled out of one story and put down in the other one. I would have liked it better had there been smoother transitions. One minute she's taking pictures on Smuttynose, the next paragraph we're getting autopsy reports of the old murders. I guessed the big secret at the outset of the book, so that didn't surprise me.

Next book up is At Weddings and Wakes by Alice McDermott. My edition isn't great, a mass-market paperback, but the print isn't too too small. Then after that I'll start our Reading List book by Boyle.

Sherry wrote: "I finished The Weight of Water today. There was some good writing in this, but in the long run it seemed contrived to me. The two stories never seemed to actually belong together. Shr..."

Gail of the lower case g talked me into this one. I didn't like it much, either.

Susan from MD wrote: "Last year was the first year that I read mostly books that I owned. I had a list of classics that I wanted to read and that had been sitting on my shelves for a while - I listed 35 and read 33.3 of..."

Wow, Susan, what a great track record!

I think this is a great idea for a challenge. I need to let go of quite a of few books. Here are the books I read so far:

My "Read My Own Books" Challenge (2014) ★★★★★
Books Read: 6

1. Again Calls the Owl ★★★
2. The Call of the Wild ★★★★
3. Bled Dry ★★★
4. The Further Adventures of Hank the Cowdog ★★★
5. A Christmas Memory including One Christmas and A Thanksgiving Memory ★★★★★
6. A Red Herring Without Mustard ★★★★

You have a very good start.

Thanks Sherry :D

I made it an "official" challenge. If you want to join me there, feel free. I have no idea if it shows up on your page or not, but when I go to the front page of Constant Reader, it's there. I'm trying for 30 this year, not counting the books I bought for the Reading List.

Sherry wrote: "I made it an "official" challenge. If you want to join me there, feel free. I have no idea if it shows up on your page or not, but when I go to the front page of Constant Reader, it's there. I'm tr..."

Let me know if this group challenge shows up on the home page.

Yep, it's there, Sherry.