Literary Exploration discussion

How big is you 'To Be Read' list on Goodreads and do you manage/use it effectively or is it just a dumping ground for interesting books?

Discuss

Mine is just a dumping ground. Contains books on my shelf, books on my Kindle, books I want to read and books people have recommended to me. I don't read in the order of that list and half the time the next book I read isn't even on it.

I guess I use mine as a place to put books that I know I won't be able to get to for awhile. Like Everitt, I have some that I own but haven't been able to get to. Sometimes I'll search around for a theme or genre and see a book that I might investigate more later.

I just hit 300 on my list, though the day is still quite young. I use mine as a shopping guide for when I'm placing an Amazon (are we still allowed to say that name here?) order and need, let's say 10 more bucks to make my free shipping total.
Once I buy a book, and I own thousands, I think it's implied that I'm going to read it, so I don't add it to the list.

I generally add books that are reccomended by others or books people refer to a lot! I don´t buy books from my TBR-list necessarily but whenever I see one that is on there at a store I buy it. It´s also helpful to make the free shipping total as Melki said:)

For me it´s the same. If someone mentions a book I find interesting, it´s added to my to-read list. Whenever I have a bit money to spare I look at it, choose the books I want to read the most at the moment and buy them. Then I´, bound to read them, of course, because what would you buy a book for if you don´t read it?
At the moment my list counts something like 80 books - I have maybe 15 of them already on my shelves. I´m always a little careful with what I add. If there are tons of books I´d like to read and never will, what good would it do but to annoy me?

For me; I have two "to be read" lists; one is full of the books I own and need to read and the other is my dumbing ground

A great idea! I just rearranged my shelves.

My "to read" shelf on GoodReads consists of the physical books that I own which I have yet to read. I have a Book Journal that my friend bought me for Christmas a few years ago that I use to keep track of books that are just interesting books I would wish to read at a later date. I went through it not too long ago to mark off books I had read or abandoned and discovered there were several titles I could draw a line through.

My "to read" shelf are books I physically have whether in bound book form or on the kindle the I haven't yet read. I have been meaning to make a "want to read" list for the books I want to read but don't own yet but I feel like if I start that list it will get out of control with all of the books I would begin adding so I haven't done this yet.

I'm trying to whittle down the number on my to read shelf because some have been there for many years already!

Mine is kind of a dumping ground. Books that look interesting that I don't want to forget about. I have way too many on the list right now, more than I could probably read in a year. And I have at least as many on my kindle wish list. Not to mention a huge stack of books sitting near my couch waiting to be read that aren't on either list.
Just think of how many more I could get through if I didn't have to work...or sleep.

I have 162 books on my TBR shelf right now. I add to it whenever a reviewed, recommended or mentioned book sounds interesting. I mainly use it to make requests from the library. I used to have a major book-buying problem, but these days I only buy the ones I am dying to read and usually for my kindle.

Mine is a dumping ground for books I would like to read, but probably will never get around to them in this lifetime.

Mine is a dumping ground as I find books I want to read, but I like the way KL has his set up with two lists, as it makes it easier to buy him gifts. Goodness knows I can't remember everything we actually own

Mine is a mix. It is a dumping ground but I do try and pick books from there when I read something. Unfortunately, it seems to get longer by the minute though...

242 books & counting. Definitely a dumping ground for interesting books, though I do have another list that I call "maybe someday," which I guess is for the interesting ones that I know I won't get to in this lifetime. I have a shelf for books I own, so I can select the subset of TBR and owned books to see what I really ought to be reading instead of buying more books!

My TBR shelf stands at 64. It could easily become longer, but I don't want it to become a dumping ground. The shelf is a good mix of books I own, either on the shelf or on my e-readers(s)--yes, that's right, e-readers, both Kindle and Nook. The rest come from book reviews and recommendations from goodreads.

I actively manage my TBR, it's about 68, and I take books off - I try to keep it about 3 to 1, read to to-be-read, or thereabouts.
It's really helpful too - before GR I kept track on slips of paper, notepads, etc.

My TBR list is mostly a list of books I want-should-intend to read. Some I have been meaning to read now for years.

Before I joined GR I tried to keep a mental note, but this way is much easier and takes up less shelf space in my head. I do remember books I want to read, but I don't go looking for them by the order of the list.

I try to keep my TBR way shorter than my Read list. At the moment I have about 100 books more on the read list.

I have two lists also, the ones I own that need to be read, and recommendations from friends and goodreads that I need to look for at used book sales. Both of these lists are way too long, and I purge some titles every once in a while. Add to that books that friends have loaned me that I need to read (or attempt) so that I can return them. AND I have a Nook. I think Mike's comment that he has a Nook AND a Kindle is interesting. I may have to think about that option, but that just increases the to read list.

I have a Nook and a Kindle as well. I just found that I stopped using my Nook. Kindle was much better and there's no real point to having two ereaders.

Kim wrote: "I have a Nook and a Kindle as well. I just found that I stopped using my Nook. Kindle was much better and there's no real point to having two ereaders."

I don't know, I still like my iPad as a reader but I'm always carrying my kindle to work.

I just have the one list & there's 135 books in it. I have 40 physical books and the rest are all kindle books. I'm thinking about seperating the list.

Knowledge Lost wrote: "Kim wrote: "I have a Nook and a Kindle as well. I just found that I stopped using my Nook. Kindle was much better and there's no real point to having two ereaders."

I don't know, I still like my i..."

Probably better discussed in the appropriate thread anyway - http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/5...

Kim wrote: "Probably better discussed in the appropriate thread anyway - http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/5174..."

Wasn't planning on discussing it, I was making a broad statement

Mine is over 500 long now on GR. It may have gotten a wee bit out of control one overly-caffeinated night of recommendation mania. Every now and then I pick a random page and try to preen out any of the ones that I was experiencing temporary insanity for thinking I wanted to read it.

I keep a separate list of books I've been wanting to get around to [that I own] and that's about 130 long now I think.

Kim wrote: "Mine is just a dumping ground. Contains books on my shelf, books on my Kindle, books I want to read and books people have recommended to me. I don't read in the order of that list and half the time the next book I read isn't even on it."

This.

I have a long "wishlist" at Audible, some of which overlaps with my TBR list here. A huge pile of stuff that I own that overlaps a bit with the TBR list here, but not the one at Audible (because once you own it, it's off the wishlist/possible buys). I also have a huge list of books combined from 1001 books and several other "must read" lists (Grauniad 1000 novels, Time, etc). Somewhere, possibly, I have an old list of "sleepers" - you know books you've never heard of but are great. I've been thinking about putting together a prize winners list, too.

There is no one list. The lists I do have are a lifetime's worth of reading and just keep getting longer.

Yeah, mine is pretty much a dumping ground. I've got so far 135 books and when I go to a book shop or Amazon I usually get what's in the to read list at a whim based on what type of mood I'm in and more importantly how much money I have.

It's a pretty rubbish system but they should all eventually get read. And judging by the speed I read books that'll probably be 9000 fucking years. >:(

I own 181 books on my TBR list. I'm trying not to buy anymore books until I get that number down to under 150.

I own roughly 180ish physical books that are on my TBR list and thanks to a recently-acquired Kindle; I have about 100 on there as well. I've cut myself off from buying anymore books until I read at least half of my physical books.

We'll see how long that lasts..

Oh, yes, all the books I own and haven't read are a different matter entirely...

Michael wrote: "How big is you 'To Be Read' list on Goodreads and do you manage/use it effectively or is it just a dumping ground for interesting books?

Discuss"

My Goodreads list is at 192. I seriously would like to read all the books I have listed.

I tend to not think too much about the TBR list until I start reading a book and then realize that I put the book on the list months ago.

I have a TRB list here on goodreads, but also a mental TBR list of books I know I want to read. Those are usually the ones sitting on my actual shelf at home.

My to read list is mainly books that I own but not read. This stands at 330+. Unfortunately I'm a bookmooch and second hand shop addict. Think I may need help.

My TBR list is currently at 190 books (now that's only books I own that are still unread).

My TBR list is over 500, but I put everything I want to read on it and I do read from it for the most part. The trouble is every time someone rates a book that sounds interesting I tend to add it. I do try to edit it once a month but it keeps growing.

My TBR is around 410. I use it to source books for challenges and also to source books from my library.

I used to get stressed if it got too big but not now. Having said that, I'd not like to see it over 600 or so.

My TBR has just gone over 800 again! It was over 1000 a few months ago, and I did a serious culling! The majority of the 800 I own, either paper books or ebooks (on my kindle and iPad) The few I don't own are wishlist ones for new releases, which I'll probably own soon anyway;)

Mine is a hot mess, and I've only been on gr 4-5 mos or so ;-). Worse, I reactivated my library card, to keep up with club reads, and THEY have a 'for later' shelf, there, which is also turning into a hot mess, and that one's only been being added to since January.

Funniest of all, to me, is the reason I joined gr in the first place, was to try and organize all my books. Ha!

I have almost 700 on mine and although it is a bit of a dumping ground there is a method to the madness. When I really like an author I'll often add everything else they've written to my TBR but only if I've read several of their books first. I do have a lot of physical books and ebooks on the list and it serves as a bit of a reminder of books I wanted to read and forgot about. Every once in a while I'll scroll through and pick one out or see what is at the #1 position and read it.