Play Book Tag discussion

I was chatting with a coworker about books and I mentioned that I had a copy of Trust Exercise but hadn't read it yet.
His response was "you have a book and you haven't read it yet? That's hilarious!"

I was dumbfounded. I thought everyone had books on their physical TBR they hadn't read yet. If he thinks having one unread book on my shelf is hilarious he would have a full on heart-attack if I told him how many I actually have...

So, I will confess to you guys, where I think I won't be judged too harshly.

I have at least 150 books on my shelves at home that I have not read.

For me, there are a few reasons this happens:
1) I want to buy the book upon its release to support the author on release day
2) I buy the book with the intention to read it soon and stuff happens
3) a fear it won't be there when I need it
4) general buzz that provokes my buying habits

After independent bookstore day I vowed to clear more books off my shelf before I buy again. So we will see how that goes. I think I at least should wait until the end of the year.

Please share if you want to make me feel better about my number, let out some skeletons from your shelf, or have no shame and just want to one up me :)

Any general thoughts on having unread books on the tbr?

This should make you feel better:

I own a total of 1656 books that I have not read.

229 of them are physical books
1427 of them are kindle books

Oh good! Relieved. I think we are close enough.

It might be unfair to say ebooks don't count, but I don't think they do because they are often free or cheap and take up no physical space really.

Lol - I’m sure I can beat that too, but I don’t have the numbers at hand...

Somehow there’s an element of comfort in having those shelves full of books to browse when looking for something to read. I’ve tried to reduce at least the ratio of physical books I buy because of the trees and the space... but was only half successful...

Sushicat wrote: "Lol - I’m sure I can beat that too, but I don’t have the numbers at hand...

Somehow there’s an element of comfort in having those shelves full of books to browse when looking for something to rea..."

I recently pulled everything off the shelves and went through what I actually want to keep versus what I will likely never read. Or books I read and don't need to keep or will definitely not read again. At that time I scanned everything into my Goodreads shelves so now I know the number.

I do that every couple of years, when all the overflow space is used up.

I have at least 300 - I'm not at home so this is an estimate. Not all are physical. I disagree that e-books don't count. I don't buy books that I don't plan to read, so they will all get read at some point barring misfortune. I give away my physical books to charity once I've read them unless I want to keep them for some specific reason.

I usually keep what I read for the year, then take a pick of them all stacked up at close of the year. Then I donate or share with friends.

All the books I have I also have every intention to read. It just might take until I die :P There were some books this last cleaning that I bought and decided I wouldn't read so I donated them.

I've never counted - there are too many! Boxes in the attic as well as books crammed double layered on the shelves. And don't even mention my ebooks!

I have, on my blanket chest at the foot of the bed, 62 unread books.
There is a nice line of books on the shelf, and then a two tier pile.
There would be more, but I have no where else to put them. That number fluctuates though, normally upwards, as I volunteer at my library sorting books all year for their book sales. This gives me the opportunity to eye ball every book.....it is a very dangerous job for a book addict! I normally go 2-3 times a week and bring home on average 3 or 4 books. The chest has not been opened in a few years, I have no idea what is inside-probably more books😏

Joanne wrote: "I have, on my blanket chest at the foot of the bed, 62 unread books.
There is a nice line of books on the shelf, and then a two tier pile.
There would be more, but I have no where else to put them...."

Think of the awesome unforgotten books that could be inside!

I have 3 closets full. No idea the number. Hundreds. Since I have joined goodreads almost a year ago, I have gotten sidetracked and now pick out my books based on ratings in the high 3s and up, Reeses Book Club recommendations.and there are books recommended by readers. I keep the books I absolutely loved even though I never read a book twice. (Too many good ones I haven't read yet.) Guess I need to clean out my closets!

I figured I would be in similar company in the PBT group among other members who have many unread books. Good to know I am not alone (among avid readers anyway).

Asked another coworker how many unread books he had and he said none.

I have not counted mine, but if I displayed them properly they would probably fill a tall bookcase. I have acquired them either through being given to me, won or bought. I not sure I have not read other than I don't like to reread books, so once I read them I no longer feel like I need them.

I am fortunate that our house has a library with a floor-to-ceiling wall of book shelves ... ALL crammed full of books. Many of them unread. Then there are the boxes in closets in every bedroom, the bags of books in the coat closet, the books in the cubby under the bed, the books in the nightstand in the guest bedroom, the books in the "office" ... and the books I just picked up here in Texas that await my trip home and an effort to find a place for them.

Hundreds ....

I have 1101 books I haven't read. I'm not sure how this divides between kindle and dead tree books. But I have piles and shelves everywhere.

This does not include children books and I have a lot or cookbooks.

I purge regularly, and unless I absolutely love a book enough to keep it, I either sell it for credit at my favorite used bookstore, or I donate them.
However, that doesn’t seem to affect the hundreds of books in my office/library and the ebooks I’ve accumulated. Although— I do have a couple empty shelves in my bookcases. Maybe there’s hope yet!

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I have never counted. Mountain ranges. The ebooks alone rival the Alps. The print ones... not going there!

Let's just say I always have something to read that I have never read before.

Do I count my husband’s books as unread by me? Or is it enough that he read? (Because many of them I wouldn’t choose)
Also, whenever I try getting rid of few books - he sneaks them out of the charity piles. Do those count? 😬

I personally didn't count my husband's books because I didn't bring them into the house

I’m going with 100. 50 in the nook in the hallway that makes my husband crazy. Maybe another two or three in the back of the car. Maybe another 30 underneath the nightstand in the bedroom. And another 10 in the hall of shame. I’m not counting the books that we own that I’ve never read that I’m not planning to read. I’m talking about books that I own that are of possible interest to me. I do try to have the challenge of reading 10 owned books a year. At least. The problem is is that I end up requiring a number of those, so I really only end up taking down four or so of the original.

Amy wrote: "I’m going with 100. 50 in the nook in the hallway that makes my husband crazy. Maybe another two or three in the back of the car. Maybe another 30 underneath the nightstand in the bedroom. And anot..."

Did you forget about the books in the trunk of your car?😏

I love how you know me so well. Nope there’s only like two or three of them but they’re in there.

Plus the Huntress which I still need to mail to you...

I only have a handful of unread books myself (probably because we've moved countries twice in the past 5 years) but I can't imagine not having any.

This conversation reminded me of this article about Umberto Eco's huge collection of unread books: https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/03...

During my recent unplanned home renovation ( a pipe leak) I purged my shelves of many books, around 75. Mostly paperbacks, some duplicates, and some that I took from my parents house when we closed it. Mostly, they were books that I'd already read. I still have 2 or three shelves of paperback books that I haven't read. I am finding it easier to pass them on or donate them once I've read them. The keepers are usually beautiful hardback volumes or books with childhood or family memories attached to them.
It's taken me weeks to put the books back on the shelves. I feel like I have to open each one and read a chapter or two. I wouldn't want any of them to feel unappreciated.

I have around 250, not counting the books I don't really feel like reading (some of my husband's, we do have pretty similar reading tastes but still). The concept of not having any unread books at home is as foreign as not bringing books on holiday (that happened once with my in-laws...)

Nikki wrote: "I only have a handful of unread books myself (probably because we've moved countries twice in the past 5 years) but I can't imagine not having any.

This conversation reminded me of this article ab..."

Thank you for sharing! And I love that Tsudonku is mentioned-

It's a guess, but for physical books, I'll say 75ish. More (not sure how many) if you include ebooks, though.

I thought that Tsundoku illustration was rather lovely too!

Meli wrote: "3) a fear it won't be there when I need it..."

Your #3 reason made me laugh out loud. Back when I used to buy books, that was one of my biggest reasons.

Your co-worker is the weird one, Meli!! We’re all just normal 😉

I have silly amounts of unread books. The Trim challenge is helping (my list is all things I own on e-book). But I still have loads. Nothing stops me from buying more for a rainy day, or hanging out at the library!

Tessa (FutureAuthor23) wrote: "Meli wrote: "3) a fear it won't be there when I need it..."

Your #3 reason made me laugh out loud. Back when I used to buy books, that was one of my biggest reasons."

I know it is totally irrational, but I have that fear nonetheless :P

So you don't buy books anymore at all?

KateNZ wrote: "Your co-worker is the weird one, Meli!! We’re all just normal 😉

I have silly amounts of unread books. The Trim challenge is helping (my list is all things I own on e-book). But I still have loads...."

I would agree!! Who doesn't have unread books, I just couldn't understand.

Meli wrote: "Who doesn't have unread books, I just couldn't understand. ...."

I was going to say you have to have unread books if you want to keep reading, right? But, I guess if one only rereads what they own they don't need to?

How can anyone be a reader and not have at least some unread books just waiting to be read!

Nikki - I enjoyed the article as well thanks!

I started counting the unread books on my shelves, and got bored when I reached a 100.
It was about half of the shelves, so let’s say 200 unread plus a big amount of E-books.

And of course I still buy books, have an audible subscription, and one physical library and two more virtual libraries (for ebooks and audio)

No idea, Cindy!

I need a better system to manage my unread books though. They are scattered through the house and I lose track. For instance a few weeks ago I bought Alexander McCall Smith’s Scandiwegian detective kind-of-noir thingie. It’s just what I’m in the mood for. Can I find it? Can I heck 😕

LibraryCin wrote: "Meli wrote: "Who doesn't have unread books, I just couldn't understand. ...."

I was going to say you have to have unread books if you want to keep reading, right? But, I guess if one only rereads ..."

I think the 2 people I talked to at work about it only buy when they are ready to read another book, they are not rereading.
So when they finish a book, they hit up B&N to pick their next.

Idit wrote: "Nikki - I enjoyed the article as well thanks!

I started counting the unread books on my shelves, and got bored when I reached a 100.
It was about half of the shelves, so let’s say 200 unread plu..."

Awesome, so we are at the same level!
I asked my husband to guess the other day and he said 20?
I laughed and he said "more than 20!?"
I never revealed the actual number.

Meli wrote: "I think the 2 people I talked to at work about it only buy when they are ready to read another book, they are not rereading.
So when they finish a book, they hit up B&N to pick their next..."

Ohhhh, thank you! I seriously could not figure out how that would work!

Well, I still don't understand how that works... You mean they only buy one book at the bookstore??? Never buy on a whim? Are never gifted books? never buy or are given used books?

Johanne wrote: "Well, I still don't understand how that works... You mean they only buy one book at the bookstore??? Never buy on a whim? Are never gifted books? never buy or are given used books?"

Yeah, that's so not a concept I understand...and I even know someone who does that! Although in truth she will be more than one book at a time, but she reads them all before getting more. Now she only reads ebooks so she is pretty much buying new ones constantly as you can do it instantly. But she never seems to have a TBR. So puzzling.

Johanne wrote: "Well, I still don't understand how that works... You mean they only buy one book at the bookstore??? Never buy on a whim? Are never gifted books? never buy or are given used books?"

LOL! My other worry would be to be caught without a new book when you finish the last one!

oh LibraryCin, the horror! The very real fear of this is why I constantly bring more books on vacation than I can possibly read. (Also: How do you know what you'll be in the mood for?)

I cannot count them! I wouldn't get past one box or one bookshelf before I had to stop to:

- start reading or browsing through a few books.
- move a book to a different bookshelf or box (work vs fiction v read soon)
- go to goodreads to add books to my database, check ratings, etc.
- look to see if I have a kindle version because the font size is too small to read. Or check the library website for largeprint or audio.
- put post-it notes on books with names of relatives who might like them.
- make a pile of books to donate to the little free library I discovered a few blocks away.
- dust or clean (and take an allergy pill)

Johanne wrote: "Well, I still don't understand how that works... You mean they only buy one book at the bookstore??? Never buy on a whim? Are never gifted books? never buy or are given used books?"

I know, right! That person is clearly NOT a real reader.

Very good point about "how would I know what I will be in the mood for." I have to have several to choose from (or 150ish) so I can pick according to mood, page count I want to tackle or tag.

And like Johanne said, it is also weird they are never gifted books... I accumulate some that way too.

Johanne wrote: "oh LibraryCin, the horror! The very real fear of this is why I constantly bring more books on vacation than I can possibly read. (Also: How do you know what you'll be in the mood for?)"

Ha! Ha!-We are heading out for a camping week-end and my husband said I have more books than clothes packed...he is right!

Johanne wrote: "oh LibraryCin, the horror! The very real fear of this is why I constantly bring more books on vacation than I can possibly read.)"

LOL! Yes, I do this, too!

Love this thread!
I bought my own house last year. The movers exact comment was "call us if you need to move again, but only if you have less books".
One of the bedrooms (meant to be a spare) is now a bookroom. Closet full of books, bookshelves floor to ceiling on all walls and I haven't seen the desk in ages. Spare bed? No space, sleep on the books. Anything I rate 3* or higher I keep as my spare room has become a library for friends and some of my students borrow YA stuff if they can't find what they want in the community library and I have it. One girl has a list of my books and she just asks for what she wants for the week, returns when done and asks for the next.
About 100 are TBR still but there are way more on my GR shelf which I don't own yet. I am currently flitting about between 30 books too so I guess it is almost 130 really. The only problem with books is there will never be enough time to read all of them.

I feel so much better now! At times I get overwhelmed by the plies of unread books in my house. Then I dutifully take back the library books I have checked out and admonish myself to get reading from the piles. That only lasts until the next time I pass the library and stop in to take a wee peek at the new books. Thank goodness for the practice of Tsudonku!!!