You may have seen me out and about in blogland talking about my TBR pile every once in a while. There are a few people who have what I would call a little ant hill of TBR books and then there are people like me.
I had estimated my TBR pile at about 200 books but that was back at the old house. I only had two bookcases that were tall so I only had about 150 books in the towers. Sure there were a few laying around in odd piles but I had rounded up the 150 to 200 so it was all good.
Turns out I have been swimming in Da Nile. Now, I'm not suggesting that I have bought a ton of books since we moved but uh, I did a loose head count and uh, yeah.
400.
Shhhh!!!! Bob'll hear you!!!
Yes, you're right, he can count and I'm sure he has a better concept of just how many books I have since he was the one who unpacked them all. I'm just not about to tell him how many books I haven't read yet. I mean, someone might impose a budget or some such atrocity!
Still, I haven't really stepped into the room and done a real count. There is an Anne Stuart shelf in there that I counted and a few shelves aren't full but they are wider than the rest so yeah, I'm thinking 400 is probably close to accurate.
I'm beginning to think I have to do an Ames and read 50 books strictly from the TBR pile.
*can't breathe*
*grabs paper bag*
Okay, let's not lose our heads. I mean, it's not a crime to have a big TBR pile.
You know I'm not good with authority!
I had estimated my TBR pile at about 200 books but that was back at the old house. I only had two bookcases that were tall so I only had about 150 books in the towers. Sure there were a few laying around in odd piles but I had rounded up the 150 to 200 so it was all good.
Turns out I have been swimming in Da Nile. Now, I'm not suggesting that I have bought a ton of books since we moved but uh, I did a loose head count and uh, yeah.
400.
Shhhh!!!! Bob'll hear you!!!
Yes, you're right, he can count and I'm sure he has a better concept of just how many books I have since he was the one who unpacked them all. I'm just not about to tell him how many books I haven't read yet. I mean, someone might impose a budget or some such atrocity!
Still, I haven't really stepped into the room and done a real count. There is an Anne Stuart shelf in there that I counted and a few shelves aren't full but they are wider than the rest so yeah, I'm thinking 400 is probably close to accurate.
I'm beginning to think I have to do an Ames and read 50 books strictly from the TBR pile.
*can't breathe*
*grabs paper bag*
Okay, let's not lose our heads. I mean, it's not a crime to have a big TBR pile.
You know I'm not good with authority!
13 comments:
Cindy, my pile is at least that big. I've got two shelves upstairs on the second floor, probably 50 to 100 books on the floor by my bed, some in a container under the bed, and four tupperware bins (big ones) in the basement. I have a database for this TBR pile, it's so big). And the thing is, I'm beginning to feel oppressed by it. I feel guilty for not getting to these books, but most of the time I read stuff from the library, whatever catches my fancy.
So. Deep breath. I'm going to go through them all and decide between what stays and "Who am I kidding?" and toss the second batch in my garage sale this spring. If spring stays around, that is. It's supposed to be a high of 24 by Thursday. And I'd just gotten used to the warm weather!!
400 books on your TBR? That's just... so wrong...*g*
Four hundred, please Lord, don't let mine be that big--LOL.
Three years ago I didn't even have a TBR pile, each month I read the new releases I was interested in and then ordered more. Now, I'm completely out of control. I have 150+ books in my nightstand/bookcase and I have 2 boxes on the floor next to it (probably 50+ books). I'm a little afraid to actually count them.
Oh Cindy Cindy Cindy...
I have over 400 books in my pile, but my nifty 50 list is keeping the anxiety at bay. LOL
Also the fact that I refuse to count my books anymore. :P
I've got a ton, not sure how many, but you are not alone.
You people are nuts! I'd have a panic attack just thinking about that pile. How do you keep from stressing about it?!?! Mine is so little and bugs the hell out of me!
You so don't have to stress out Cindy! Your pile is nothing compared to others... However, if you need a hiding place from Bob, you can send them to me :D Or I'll even come to pick them up :P
I suddenly feel so much better about myself. :o) I don't know exactly how many books are in the TBR (I have Readerware on the Mac that's in the hospital) but the last time I checked it was right around 275. There have been additions and subtractions since my last check but it should be about that still. Go me for not having the biggest TBR! :o)
(Let's just not talk about Keeper piles, okay??) ;-)
I'll have to count mine 'cause I think I can give you a run for your money *sigh* I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.
TBR piles give me hives. I think mine is acceptable only because I haven't wanted to read a historical in almost 2 yeras and all the books in my TBR pile are historical...oh, and they were all given to me.
So, I actually read the books I buy, so it's ok that I have somewhere around 3000, right?
:P
I missed you.
AARRachel - I can't make myself sit long enough to type all my books into a database - I'm lucky to remember to log the books I've read! Also, I culled the book pile there two years ago so I know most of my pile has solid reads in it - which should take some anxiety off it all but still. You may cry when you first start culling but after a while it's cathartic!
KarenS - Uh, oh. You have more or less? (say more, say more, say more ;))
Tara Marie - TBR piles are crazy and seem to grow when you're not looking! You're a very fast reader so I can see that you would need more than just a few books around. It was probably 8 years ago now when I went to my bookshelves and had only 10 books in the TBR pile. None of them struck my fancy and when I told Bob at 9pm he packed me into the car and took me to the nearest bookstore (at the time 20 minutes from home). So it's all Bob's fault ;) Oh and you can look at them on your bookshelves and not have a clue just how many there really are!
Ames - *mwah!!* You are my new best friend! The anxiety does get to be a bit much though doesn't it?
Megan - ah, but soon you will live in a bigger house and you will find that the TBR pile gets bigger when given room to grow ;)
Mailyn - that's my problem - I get anxious if I look too long at my bookcases but lucky for me it's because I'm all, ohhhh, want to read that, oh, that one - dang, no time!
Nath - Whenever I get flack about the number of books I buy I point at the TWO pickup trucks in the driveway - stops every thing ;) Bob has said that sooner or later I can't use the trucks anymore and I said as soon as I spend 20 000 bucks we can renegotiate ;)
C2 - You only *think* you have 275 ;) My keeper pile (more like shelves) are in behind my TBR books so I pretty much have 400 keepers. Now some are old Garwoods that I may be able to part with (so what, subtract 12?). I pretty much culled the JAK/Quicks from the pile. Uh, oh, I'm beginning to think my keepers may have to be culled. Nah.
Kristie to the rescue!! I was worried because I have seen your awesome library but I couldn't remember if you had read the majority of books or if they were your keepers. Still, you have a huge library!
Holly - I'm so glad you are back safe and sound and you probably enjoyed not being tethered to the computer - I really need to get out more! I have a lot of historicals in my TBR pile also - the killer is when you read an author and discover she's not quite your thing - then I look at the TBR pile and see 5 more books by that author. Bad Cindy!
Shall we compare keeper piles next? Hey, and where's Jennie? Here TBR pile must be close what with that cute video - I'm tellin' ya, she feels my pain ;)
Cindy
Cindy, I had to go count my TBR pile (bookcase, really) after reading your post. I stopped after hitting 300. :sigh: And my TBR is relatively recent -- grown in the past 2 and 1/2 years.
Plus 8 library books checked out and 7 more preordered.
I'm so glad you are back safe and sound and you probably enjoyed not being tethered to the computer
I enjoyed nothing of the sort. I had hives and couldn't breathe properly. Although I was able to stop myself just short of phoning one of the SF girls and forcing them to read all of my daily blog list aloud to me.
;)
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