#Microblog Monday 335: The Post-it TBR
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Modern Mrs Darcy posted about how she works her way through her TBR list. It involves a shortlist on a post-it note, which wouldn’t work for me with library books—I’m at the whim of the holds list—but is a brilliant way of working my way through my book guilt list. These are certain books I purchased that I haven’t read yet, and I feel guilty that I haven’t read them.
I walked around the house, constructing my list from various book piles. I ended up with 18 paper books and 18 e-books that burn a hole in my stomach. 36 books in total.
I decided I would read one per month. It wouldn’t cut into my new library holds, and it would only take me three years to work my way through these 36 purchases. By that point, I could start tackling another 36. But I would only worry right now about these 36 and choose from this list.
How do you choose what you read or watch next?
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6 comments
Sadly, I have no system at all… But once I found a word (Tsondoku: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-44981013 ) for my affliction, I’ve made my peace with it. It’s ok if a book-buy is aspirational, I hope to get to it sometime :). And for my DNFs, I put them in the Little Free Libraries or pass them on. Book clubs have been great for making me finish things I may not have picked up by myself…
I didn’t have anything written for #MM yet, but I saw your post and started writing a response, which got kind of lengthy — and then I realized, hey! there’s my post! lol So I’ve answered your question there! 😉
I mostly stopped buying books because it’s too much trouble to keep moving them. So I rely on the library, which is excellent in my area. Thus, I don’t really have a system.
I do have a book I bought on my nightstand waiting for when I’m out of library books. And Goodreads is great for figuring out what I want to request
Apart from library requests — which I will generally just check out and read as they become available — I usually just pick up whatever strikes my fancy next. The one exception is that I read my book club’s monthly selection each month, and I try to read it as close to our meeting as possible (though I sometimes read it a week or two before).
This year, I am following The Unread Shelf Project to work through some physical books that have been waiting on my shelf for years/months. I gave away a fair number of books and hope to get through most/all of those titles I kept by the end of 2021.
My current read for this is Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X Kendi, which I bought last summer. I have to take it in small chunks, as it is dense and (for me) heavy subject matter. My original goal was to finish it in January but realistically, it will probably take me through February as well.
I have been interspersing non-fiction with fiction, and that seems to work well for me. I can’t have two fiction books going at once but like switching back and forth between two books, depending upon my mood.
I’m interested in other people’s strategies, if I can apply them to my stash of fabric instead of books… I finished up a quilt this weekend and now I’m trying to decide which quilt to make next.
I’m a little bit at the mercy of the library holds system, but for e-books, so when they come due I can click for “deliver in 7/14/21/28 etc days” if I’m not ready for them.
I very much choose my books on how I am feeling at the time. Am I ready for a heavy book or do I need a light, fun read to get my reading mojo back? Fiction or non-fiction? Local or foreign? Asian, American, British or Scandi? I look at titles that are available, or that are on my kindle app waiting to be read, and just see what appeals. No system, just at the mercy of what appeals at the time. Perhaps that is my system: whim-based! It’s how I choose things on Netflix/other streaming services too. And how I decide to make my next knitting project!