When I say “TBR” I mean “to-be-read”. And when I say “pile”, I actually mean “mountain the size of Everest”. But you get the idea, don’t you?! It’s actually okay to have an enormous pile of unread books! I think bookworms beat themselves up a lot for collecting books and not always reading them all. But why?! WHY DO WE DO THIS?! Why do we feel compelled to be guilty for owning the unread?
We shouldn’t be.
And here are 10 reasons why.
1. IT COULD BE WORSE. YOU COULD BE COLLECTING PINECONES.
Pinecones don’t even stack nicely. And they crumble relatively fast. And if you have a lot of them, your house looks like a tree has shed all over it. THESE ARE NOT DESIRABLE THINGS. Whereas having a house of books is not only visually pleasing, it’s useful! Books are useful. Pinecones are not.
(Unless you make pinecone art? Or you like to eat them? In which case I apologise for being so rude about my dismissal of pinecones.)
2. THEY ARE NOT MESSY TO COLLECT.
Like I said before, at least books don’t shed. They stack neatly. They’re portable and compact in small solid rectangles. When one lines them up, they could be a wall to protect you from your enemies.
3. HAVING A HOUSE OF BOOKS MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE A LEARNED SCHOLAR.
Even if you’re not, pffft. Be quiet. I have the memory of a very sad, very deranged little squid. I could plan my own surprise party, okay? But having a room of books makes me look intelligent and covers up the fact that I constantly forget my relatives’ names.
4. YOU’RE ACTUALLY SUPPORTING AUTHORS AND HELPING THEM TO LIVE AND CONTINUE CREATING MORE ART FOR YOU.
Unless you buy strictly 2nd hand, in which case skip this point, because you starving doing the artists. I’d say shame on you, but actually…THIS IS ME TOO. SHHH. I do try to buy new when I have the money though. BECAUSE ARISTS NEED SUPPORT!! Anyway. We must always remind the world that print books are absolutely necessary to human survival. They can never go out of print. Ergo we must buy!
And it’s nice to know that you’re also stopping an artist from starving by, like, giving them money for half a waffle or something equally nutritious and wonderful.
5. IT’S GOOD TO HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK TOWARDS, BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO FINISH ALL THEIR LIFE’S GOALS OFTEN DIE.
What?!? This is a fact! People without something to strive for often wither away. Knowing you have books to read is a gargantuan goal and will ensure you live well into your hundreds. I, personally, will be living until I’m 592 because of all the books I plan to read. I’ll be a toothless potato on my death bed with my audiobook blasting in my ears, saying “ONE MORE CHAPTER, BACK OFF DEATH.”
6. BOOKS CAN DOUBLE AS OTHER USEFUL ITEMS, SO THEREFORE YOUR COLLECTION IS MONSTROUSLY HANDY.
Like the apocalypse for instance. Who else is going to have so many weapons on hand but a dedicated bookworm?! And if you doubt that books can be dangerous, try dropping a massive hardcover on your foot. Trust me: danger and pain.
Books can also be handy as ladders. They can be built into igloos wherein you can hide from annoying people. Books also are pretty, so they can double as decorations. They are nice to cuddle if you’re sad (if you don’t mind being stabbed by pointy pages occasionally).
7. THEY’RE GREAT CONVERSATION OPENERS.
Sometimes it’s hard to have conversations with other humans…but with books?! There are endless ways to connect with people! Books to discuss! Subjects to argue over! They make great conversation starters, too, if you’re not sure how to approach to another human in your life.
Human: WHY THE HECK IS THERE A HUNDRED UNREAD BOOKS PILED ON MY BED?!?
You: Oh, oh I’m glad you’ve started this conversation! Let us discuss this strange phenomenon that I clearly had nothing to do with!
8. YOU WILL NEVER BE BORED.
If you have a house of unread books…you will not be bored. You won’t run out of books. You will always have something to pick up and snack on. And that’s very comforting.
9. BOOKS MAKE PEOPLE SMARTER. ERGO THE MORE YOU OWN, THE MORE SMARTNESS YOU CAN ABSORB BY BEING IN THE SAME ROOM.
Because I’m 10000% sure this is how it works, okay? If you own hundreds of books you will gradually absorb their knowledge and powers and be an amazing genius of your era. You might wake up one morning knowing the greatest riddles* of life! This should work perfectly for unread books too.
* Like: where do hair ties go?! Seriously. WHERE.
10. UNREAD BOOKS = POSSIBILITIES.
It is nice to have possibilities available, right? You have possible amazing adventures waiting for you in those unread books! You could possibly wear your unread books as hats! You could possibly develop a taste for eating books and ergo have limitless food options.
The definite point is: unread books do not equal a lazy reader or a bad bookworm. It means you have a collection. You are allowed to have a collection, read or unread. Life is kind of tough, right? It is perfectly acceptable to collect awesome things you love and have ZERO REGRETS FOR IT.
do you have a lot of unread books?! do you feel guilty about it?! SHOULD YOU FEEL GUILTY?!? or do you agree with my logical and sensible post?
I don’t have a LOT of unread books that actually sit in my house–right now I have rather more by which I mean –but I have a veeeeeery long list of books I want to read and also a lot of Bookbub deals in my Kindle. So basically I cannot weaponise this and I am very sad. *weeps* Pinecones would be terrible! Didn’t you know that squirrels crack out of pinecones like eggs? IF YOU HAD A PILE OF PINECONES SQUIRRELS WOULD BE EVERYWHERE SOON. *calms down* I actually think 2nd hand books might benefit authors in some roundabout way … after all, you read it and that’s word of mouth, plus you gave money to another bookworm to buy MORE books which supports authors! YAY!
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I was trying to say “by which I mean 5” but it looks like my computer is unable to accept that fact. Whoops!
Alyssa @ The Devil Orders Takeout recently posted…Chinese Culture: Teahouses (and witchy magical Starbucks!)
OMG. WAIT. I ACTUALLY DO HAVE PINECONES SHOULD I BE WORRIED ABOUT A HOUSEHOLD SQUIRREL INVASION??!?! (And yes, Alyssa, don’t roll your eyes at me…I decided to collect pinecones after this post to see if I was right. And tbh, I was. They’re messy and spiky and even though I’ve named them Hubert and Rupert, they’re not doing what they’re told. Little brats. Books are so much nicer.)
Ahem.
Also if one reviews books and LOVES it and promotes it, that helps the author even if it’s a 2nd hand purchase, right?!
I just reread my pinecone comment and realised I must have drank a bit too much tea before saying that. To clarify, it’s a reference to a theory I developed with a few rather odd friends and I explained it here (http://randommorbidinsanity.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-squirrel-theorem-infographic.html) if you’re interested, but to sum up it is ENTIRELY RANDOM. So do not worry XD
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BAHAH YOU’RE WONDERFUL. To be honest, I didn’t even think it was a random comment. 😂
10 – so much!
I actually have a quite small TBR and it’s pretty annoying, because I HAVE TO buy books when I`m in the mood for special genre that I don’t happen to have on my TBR. So many possibilities,. so many great reads to look forward to! I envy people with big TBRs!
Saaaaame. And plus who wants a tiny TBR anyway. Sounds panic inducing to me. *shudders*
The amount of unread books I have just sitting on my shelf is alarming. I always INTEND to get to them, but then I see a Shiny New Book in a store or in my library, and obviously I can’t walk past it. That would be criminal. What would happen to the poor book if I just left it there? Hah, an under control TBR? WHAT IS THIS SORCERY.
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The library is the real culprit here. THE LIBRARY. ALL BLAME TO THE LIBRARY.
Reason 585 that I love your blog, Cait. You make me feel better about all of my bookish obsessions and quirks.
YOU ARE MOST WELCOME. I AM HERE TO SERVE. ;D
My TBR is big and I mean big proably over 100 books. I just keep on buying books I can’t help it. My review books isn’t that big, it’s under 10 books but books that I have gotten ..yer haha. At least I always have a choice
Thanks for the post.
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But think of all those poor pathetically starving authors you’re feeding nutritious waffles. You are a SAVIOUR, Angel. *nods sagely*
I have definitely felt guilty before over having so many books I haven’t read, although when I think about it there’s really no reason to. I intend to get to them all at some point, so it’s not as if I have bought them specifically to waste them and have them sat there sad and unloved on a shelf!
Plus this post has inspired me to see their possible other uses, and I now have plans to use them to build a book fort! 🙂
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YES EXACTLY!! There is no reason to feel guilty…yet as a bookworm community, I feel like we do a lot?!? WE SHOULD OWN OUR MASSIVE TBRS AND AVAST YE WHO DOUBT US!! *charges forward with books and happiness*
Excuse me whilst I print this off and hand it out to my concerned parents and friends who give me quizzical looks whenever they see my bookshelves . . . THIS IS PERFECT. How are you always so insightful?! I refuse to feel guilty about having so many books because if I did I would have to resolve to one of two things: stop buying books, or die form guilt, Equally horrific outcomes. To the bookstore! *charges away*
GRAND IDEA. I fully support this. People need to know that our book collections are good and healthy and keeping us on the path to immortality. I mean, what more could we want??
Wait. Ten books qualifies as UNDER CONTROL?!?
I love the fact that people you know see your books and think you’re a scholar. People I know just think I’m a geek (not that that isn’t the image I’m going for). 😉
POINT FIVE. Oh my God, point five. All this cheer and positivity and then the morbidity of stop reading and you will DIE. *Shudders* I love it. 😉 Great post, Cait.
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YES 10 BOOKS QUALIFIES AS UNDER CONTROL. Last year the goal was 7 but that was even more laughable. I’m doomed. -_- ahem. And, tbh, not many people even come into my room and all the do is say “woah, that’s a lot of books” BUT I’M INTERPRETING THAT AS “OH YOU LITERARY GENIUS MASTER”. And when am I ever wrong? (Spoiler: never)
Totally agree-well, I have to with a physical tbr in my house of 600 books! I always tell myself that my generous actions are feeding poor helpless authors!
600!! OMG!! You win then. 😂 I have about 40, but that’s not counting the depths of my kindle and freebies I’ve acquired, hehe.
I have a few, but not many, probably under 20. I’m very into managing my budget and money and just naturally conservative when spending money so, even though I’d like to blast a load of money, and it would be well worth it in my opinion, my natural personality wouldn’t allow it.
I tend to buy, or borrow from the library, books I want to read as I want to read them. I do enjoy hunting around my local charity shops for bargains though .
(But yeah, seriously where do all the hair ties/bobbles go?)
I’m about around 40 books atm?!? I’ve won a fair few and get a lot of surprise ARCs and then, gah, library books. LIBRARY BOOKS ARE MY WEAKNESS. I’d love to spend a stack of money on books too…one day. 😂 When I’m a rich and famous author?! 😉
I go back and forth on this a lot but ultimately, it’s far better to have a large TBR then none at all. I went through a phase where whilst I was reading Harry Potter, I bought loads of books I thought I’d like as I transitioned into YA from children’s books. That worked out really well because I didn’t have to spend money on books for months. I’ve also been at the other end of the perspective though, where once I’ve read all the books I own, I end up in a vicious cycle of read a book, buy a book, read, buy, read, buy. Often its nice to have just finished a book and see a pile of unread paperbacks and have a great choice of options.
That sounds like a beautiful cycle. :’) My habits these days are usually “read 1 book, acquire 38593898 more.” AND THAT’S WHY I BASICALLY WROTE THIS POST TO COMFORT MYSELF. 😂 (Okay just kidding…I’m not that bad. Only sort of that bad.)
The gif of the baby trying to eat the food off the page is perfection! At this point in my life with the wonderousness (auto-c thinks this should be “wild oily mess”, ha ha) of ereaders, the hardcover books I do buy, of my most favorite titles, are only decoration! I will never read them because I have them as ebooks to read. Although I do have visions of teenage grandchildren wanting to be “old school” and reading grandma’s books when they stay at my house. My TBR is in my Kindle library, so at least I don’t have to worry about death by tumbling book tower. I only feel guilty about ARCs, but I do feel sad about stories that I personally want to read and don’t have the time because of those ARCs. However, all of those free and 99 cent books loaded on my Kindles with no rhyme or reason don’t bother me a bit. Great post, Cait, I laughed so hard. 🙂
I know right?!?! 😂 It’s my favourite gif of EVER now because that is literally me. If I was a cute baby. Which I am not. But the thought is literally me. *nods*
Omg how dare autocorrect dislike the word wonderousness. IT IS A GRAND WORD I HIGHLY LOVE.
And I do love how pretty books are. (Particularly hardcovers, omg, I have an obsession with hardcovers but they’re so expensive. wHyyyyyy.) My nephew is going to be book-borrowing-age in a few years (at least of my MG reads) and I’m still wondering if I’ll even let him borrow them. 😂 I’M HOPELESS.
*hides massive pine cone collection* I, um, I totally agree with you Cait. *nervous laugh* Why would someone collect /pinecones/ when they could collect books? *kicks stray pinecone out of sight*
But seriously, books are so useful. If you have shelves as tall as the ceiling all around the room, then you’re really just using your books as wallpaper as well, which is admirable.
You should totally plan your own surprise birthday party. That’s like a superpower or something. Because then you could make sure the surprise party was done right. *nods*
I don’t like having a tiny TBR because I get scared I won’t have anything to read or anything I feel like reading, and that is sad. It would make my little Vulcan heart shrivel up like a pinecone, and we can’t have that now can we?
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*casually hides own pinecones* So since writing this post I have begun collecting pinecones. I…I have no explanation. Except to 100% confirm they are messy and not as NICE as books to collect. So there. Research.
I WANT AN ENTIRE ROOM OF BOOKS WITH THOSE SPINNY LADDERS.
I would plan myself an EPIC surprise birthday, tbh. Me would be so surprised and happy.
I agree. I am CERTAIN that one day I’ll be crushed to death by a falling TBR pile. I’ve been meaning to get round to reading them for AGES – but I always seem to have some ARCS or new releases or books for school in the way. *sigh*
I don’t think I’ll be doing press ups on my books anytime soon. IT IS NOT RIGHT TO EXERCISE ON YOUR FRIENDS.
If you ever go missing we shall send a search party to DIG YOU OUT FROM UNDER YOUR TBR. *nods sagely* We are kind. I actually bolted my bookshelf to the wall…better safe than sorry, amirite?!
It’s not right to do pressups. I mean, C’MON. Maybe fitness, but at what cost?? *dies a little*
I have so many unread books that I really need to get to! The TBR just keeps getting longer and longer… I guess the worst part about having a never-ending TBR list is the pain in choosing which book to read next. Plus, you’re right! It’s not a bad thing to collect books! It’s a good habit (I guess?) and it’s helps everyone 🙂
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Saaaaaame. Mine will NOT stop growing. And if I don’t pay 100% attention to it all the time IT JUST GROWS SO MUCH THEY FALL ON MY HEAD. Not complaining though. I mean, I have a huge bookshelf in my bedroom, so I must be absorbing some of the intelligence of books, right?
Being a Library Huntress, I don’t actually own any books-the library is my TBR pile 🙂 I also deleted my TBR list a few weeks ago (will be blogging about that next week). I’m really embracing ‘free range’ reading this year, and so far it’s going really well!
Ooh, that sounds daring and awesome…although kind of scary?!?! GO YOU. But I would never be able to do that *hugs TBR list* hehe. Although I do miss the days when I’d just descend on the library and pick up whatever.😂
I recently counted how many read vs. how many unread books I owned (as you do!) and these were my results:
Read: 136
Unread: 55
I’m not sure where this rates on a scale of 1- holey moley where do they all fit
Is having 55 unread books uncommon? SOMEONE PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY
I HAVE ABOUT 40 UNREAD BOOKS?!? SO DON’T BE MISERABLE.
I love the Pippin gif, it makes me want to rewatch all LOTR movies.
I agree, book collecting (hoarding, whatever you want to call it) isn’t the worst possible hobby/obsession. I’m lucky to have a very, VERY book-tolerant husband (he’s actually a big reader and has bought more than half of our SFF collection) but every time a friend or relative says “What? You’re buying books again?” I say “Well at least I’m not collecting designer shoes, imagine how much money I’d be throwing out then.”
Eh, in the end, it probably comes down to whether or not you can afford it. If I had a super tight budget and couldn’t afford to pay rent, books would probably be one of the fist expenses to go (especially seeing as how we have public libraries that are practically for free). But we’re living comfortably enough and books are probably my only “luxury”, so I never feel super guilty about buying more.
Great post, as always, Cait! 🙂
Pippin gifs are ALWAYS appropriate. <3 Ahem.
That is awesome that your husband is a reader though!! I am the LONE reader in my family. My sister used to? but now she only reads like 2 books a year for school...AND IT PAINS ME. No one understands the need to own books. *sniffles* And I totally agree it depends on affording. Like I wouldn't want to throw money at books and then suffer in other areas right? People need to be smart. Even though being smart sucks. Omg. Adulting. GAh.
I have an … “okay” TBR pile, I guess. It could be less but I definitely won’t stop buying books because of that. I can’t and I don’t even try. It’s good that I have a choice and can decide WHAT I want to read based on my mood … I wouldn’t be able to do that if I only have a few unread books on my shelves. NOOOOPE.
Amazing post, I love all the reasons and thanks for making me smile with this! 😀
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Because mood is important right!! And if one is left with books that don’t suit one’s mood: IT IS BASICALLY A DANGER TO HUMANKIND. *hyperventilates* *gathers more books to self*
So, was there a point in your life where your family realized there was no going back and your house was forever going to be owned by books?
Most of them are still in denial actually. But I hear the despair in their voices when bookmail arrives and my mum sighs, “Cait…another book.” And I think they’re planning on never moving just because getting all my books out will kill us all.
Books are like the heaviest thing to move. Whenever someone in my family moves, I get all their books so they don’t have to take care of them. I’m pretty sure 8/10ths of my bookshelf is from my family moving
I love this post. Love it.
I used to not own any books I hadn’t already read, because just buying the books I had read (and, ok, a few that I hadn’t but which were in series that I’d read) stretched my budget to the limit. Also, there was the terror of “What if I buy this book and I don’t like it?” (Which is a real fear, just saying, no matter how much I love the author. And it’s especially terrifying if you’re not buying it at a book sale.)
Now I’m more willing to buy/win books I haven’t read yet- and then let them sit on my shelf unread because there’s library books that MUST be read before the due date (and are often the things I reallyreallyreally want to read). Though, if I actually bought a book at full price (rather than just winning it in a giveaway or getting it at a book sale) and I haven’t read it already, it’ll probably be the next book I read once it arrives, because it’s enough of a priority that I’m willing to spend 10-15 bucks on it.
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Also, thought that I forgot before I posted my main comment . . . regarding buying books at book sales: the vast majority of books at book sales are books that are read by three hundred fifty-three million people (or more) already. So, the authors probably aren’t really starving. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy their books new; it just means you can feel less guilty about buying them used.
(Actually, most books at book sales are Twilight and sequels. Which I have Strong Opinions about. But I digress.)
Sarah recently posted…A New Year’s Hopes
But at library sales and things? I think it’s well and truly past helping the author. 😂 but I’m not sure so I believe you too!
AND I’M INFINITELY GLAD YOU LIKE THE POST. <3 It is full of my sound logic and wisdom so what's not to love? #humbleCait I only started buying books really last year? Like just buying ANY book I felt like (like, I mean, not that many a month tho because I'm poor 😂) and OMG NOW I HAVE SO MANY AND I LOVE IT AND IT IS JUST THE BEST FEELING OF NEARLY EVER. Library books are always my top priority though. Because I haaaate fines. How can I spend money on fines when I could spend it on books?!?!
*looks at HUGE TBR book list* OH THE CLEVERNESS OF ME!!
YOU ARE CLEVER. OWN IT. OWN THE BOOKS. OWN CAKE. All clever suggestions.
Ok, this makes me feel so much better. But yet, I do still feel a little guilty for having a massive TBR pile. I mean, those poor books don’t understand why they have to just sit there in a pile while I buy more books and check out other books at the library. Books have feelings too! But at least I have reasons to give my fiance as to why I can have that many unread books. 🙂
DON’T FEEL GUILTY. Canoe through the sea of your unread books and feel PROUD. This is excellent advice from me, purely excellent. *nods*
LOL – this post made me laugh out loud more than once (at work haha – oops) I love it <3
Sometimes I do feel guilty about hoarding books – especially after attending BEA for 3 years in a row…but then reading all your good reasons for collecting books made me feel better. There definitely ARE worst things to collect, books aren't messy, since they stack up nicely on bookshelves, or tables, or closet, or floor O.O And as readers, we TOTALLY always have something to talk about 😀
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WELL THAT JUST ABOUT MADE MY DAY. 😂 Ahem. But just think of all the books you’re mentall ABSORBING just by owning them, right!?!? You will be the world’s bookish genius in NO TIME.
I’m actually a very poor bookworm and generally buy food whence receiving money instead of books. I know, it’s ridiculous. My priorities are completely messed up. But this leaves me a smallish TBR of the books I actually own (like, 30 out of 150 books. I’m making a little progress, okay!) Plus I get to frolick to the library daily and this makes me very happy.
Okay, but I cannot blame you for buying food. Like buying clothes and, like, shoes and things? Pfft. Rags suffice. BUT FOOD IS KINDA HELPFUL. Unless one can take up eating pinecones? I like frolicking to the library too! And it’s a TBR that doesn’t take up space because you can return it. HUZZAH.
This was a wonderful post, Cait!
I sit in my room writing this whilst being surrounded by stacks and stacks of (approx. 1,000,000) unread books.
But I really appreciated this post! I do occasionally feel bad because I really DO intend to read a book when I buy it, I just am never sure when. I do wholeheartedly agree with the thing about it being a collection, I love all of my books and I just enjoy having and collecting them.
I think no one should ever feel guilty for having unread books!
Olivia @ Fluttering Pages
Olivia @ Fluttering Pages recently posted…2015 End Of Year Book Survey
But that means you have chances of being 1,000,000 times smarter than everyone else BECAUSE ALL THOSE BOOKS TO MENTALLY ABSORB. #legit
Number 9 is my favorite. I definitely feel myself getting smarter just by being near a book, haha x)
I be sure to have books by my bedside table so I can absorb them while I sleep too. #legit
My book collection is one of my greatest points of pride, honestly. I adore it. Nonetheless, I feel guilty about how many books I haven’t read yet, because I want to have read all of them. I want to know their stories.
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I want to read them all too!! I actually flailingly panic over the fact I might miss out on a GREAT book. GAH. I NEED TO BE IMMORTAL.
Reason #509238403294 I love your blog: THIS MADE ME FEEL SO GOOD ABOUT HOW I’M DROWNING MYSELF IN A SEA OF UNREAD BOOKS. THANK YOU. All your arguments are super convincing. I especially liked the one about building and igloo to hide from people.
I also collect pine cones too though, and thought your comments under the first point were very rude. I await your formal apology…
REASON #39583989 I LOVE YOUR COMMENTS. <3 AHEM. But now you can go paddle a canoe through your unread books and feel happy and satisfied. :') My arguments are ALWAYS convincing. I argue like this in real life too and no one can win against me.
I shall apologise over the pinecones MOST sincerely because I, too, now collect pinecones. I wanted to see if my assumptions were right? The prickly little devils keep biting me and they DO NOT STACK. I've since named the two I have now, Egbert and Ian.
I HAVE DISCOVERED A GREAT TRUTH ABOUT MYSELF TODAY! See, when people are CONSTANTLY bored (and texting you about it) and you reply with “I’m never ever ever ever bored, WHAT IS THIS BOREDOM YOU SPEAK OF?”, they tend to look at you funny. But BOOKS, MAN! It’s books! IT’S ALL SO CLEAR TO ME NOW! The next person who texts me is getting a book shoved in their face! Just yesterday I received a double copy of a book I already own, so I CAN DO THAT NOW. (And when bored in school / at work – UHM, PLOT YOUR STORY, OBVIOUSLY? What do normal people do in these situations? Does anyone even know?)
I LOVE THIS POST and will proceed to frame and admire it for many years to come. Or possibly a few days, because eventually someone will come tell me how they hate having nothing to do, and I’ll hurl the aforementioned book AND this post at them!
But here’s the real question – what did I do before I discovered PaperFury?! I have only vague recollections of those times, but they were darker, and with far less dragons. Sadness. Sadness galore.
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I am a full supporter of shoving books in people’s faces. Or thumping them with books. I MEAN. I DON’T HAVE ANY IN REAL LIFE FRIENDS ANYMORE??? BUT I’M NOT SURE WHY. Surely people like to be thumped with books??? Surely?!?!?!? Ahem. But yes! Books = never bored. And if you don’t want to read them, you could always photograph them, or stroke them, or teach them the polka.
I’m pretty sure your life barely existed before Paper Fury. *nods sagely*
Before I started blogging, I never had the crazy TBR pile I do now. I’m not sure if that is a good or a bad thing! *laughs* At the moment, I have around 400-500-ish ebooks waiting to be read. I may never actually read them all. And my physical TBR shelf has… *checks* 64 books.
Not included in those numbers, I have 3 ebooks waiting on my Kindle to be read (including an ARC I shall start tomorrow!) and am ‘next in line” for 2 ebooks at my library.
If we’re also counting books that are in the house, I have 10 bookcases worth? One bookcase isn’t full, it’s sitting empty waiting to be filled. And one is only half filled, but the rest are packed full of books I have read and cannot get rid of. (These are the big floor to nearly-ceiling sized bookcases… I have a book hoarding problem. *nods*)
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I never did either. 😂 But tbh, I didn’t really buy books at all? I just libraried a few before book blogging and I didn’t even read 100 a year. LIKE I ONLY READ A FEW. GAWSH. Those dark ages.
My kindle is like a BLACK HOLE of books that should’ve been read 3 years ago. Buuuut, it only has 3 ARCs that I need to read, so that’s manageable. :’)
I saw the title of this post, and came into it thinking, “Hell yes!” Then I actually read its contents and started dying of laughter. This list is absolutely perfect! I especially love your point about having goals to live for, with a full bookshelf… none of us shall perish, at this rate. The well-read toothless potatoes shall inherit the Earth!
WE will all be IMMORTAL. And when people are asking us the secret, we’ll be like “READ BOOKS” and it’s basically the best book promotion program in the world. :’)
I do have quite a few unread books, though not as much as most. The thing is they are always coming in the mail. Either from giveaways, or just random complementary books. I mean, I won’t say no to free books. But now the pile has been growing. I don’t think you should feel guilty because books are something that makes us happy like chocolate, and cake(*wink*). I will get to my TBR pile eventually.:)
Who could say no to free books, right?!? I get quite a few unsolicited and I’m really bad at going to library sales…I MEAN REALLY GOOD. 😂 I just can’t help myself when a book is $1, right?!
My TBR pile tends to be library books, not my own books, and that’s the problem. I’ll have a stack of fifteen library books and two weeks to read them, but then the books I own go unread until my library book stack is finished. But I feel more comfortable with a large stack rather than a small one, because it means I always have something to read.
YES. Plus small stacks are scary, because what if you feel like reading NONE of those?!??! It’s not a good feeling *shudders* I try to keep my library stack manageable because last year I was getting to like 15 books at a time and was terrified of fines. 😂
I totally thought I had a reasonable TBR – then I stacked up a whole pile of books I’ve been meaning to read. I’ve got over 60 on my Good Reads list, plus at least 10 sitting in my house. I didn’t realize that this was a little out of hand, until I was facing down a stack of books. Whoops!
But now I feel validated. Yay!
YES! DON’T FEEL BAD! Think of the book tower you can build and how wonderful that is. :’) I have about 40? But let’s not talk about the depths of my kindle. 😂
I do not have a lot of unread books, unless you count unread library books, in which case let’s change the topic. xD I know that makes me an unusual bookworm, but a) I can’t afford to buy books and b) if I do get a book, I want to make sure it’s one I already know I’ll read over and over. I like the idea of owning books simply because they are pretty and because having them around makes me happy, but unfortunately it’s not practical right now. I do agree with your list of reasons why people shouldn’t feel guilty about having unread books, although I also think people should sell or donate books they no longer have any intention of reading.
#5 is SO TRUE. It’s good to always have a goal, even if (especially if?) that goal is READ ALL THE BOOKS.
The gif with #10 is my favorite, hahaha.
I’m definitely going to be immortal. DEFINITELY. Because of my notoriously huge TBR *nods* And I only started being able to buy books last year? So the books I’ve bought for me are still a minimal pile. Which is nice. :’) But I think someone should invent book benefactors who pick bookworms in need and GIVE THEM COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF BOOKS. There is no downside to this plan.
Sign me up! I could use a book benefactor. Seems reasonable. 😀
WHY are you such a brilliant overlord? Seriously. Awesome post Cait!
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I TRY. I DO TRY. <3
That’s right, no guilt! Huge toweing about to tip over mountain of books. is. okay. Like all those reasons, and sometimes life does suck and it’s good to have an escape. And #8- sometimes I’m grateful when people say their bored that I have books, it’s hard to be bored when there’s a ton of books to get to. And what else would I do? Watch TV when bored? Ugh no thanks.
BOOKS ARE BETTER THAN TV. And also people will like spend a lot on a movie ticket, so why not spend that on a book and then you get to KEEP the book infinitely?!? #bookwormlogic
This is why I love book bloggers, we understand a huuuge TBR. My co-workers are always surprised when I buy a book and don’t read it right away. DON’T JUDGE ME OKAY. And can you imagine trying to stack pinecones? No thank you!
We bookworms must STICK TOGETHER and support each other. Bookworm CULTURE. <3 And also I am currently collecting pinecones to prove my theory and I'm 1000% on point. They're useless to stack. And they stab you. Gee. Books are so much nicer in personality.
This was an awesome post, Cait! I AGREE COMPLETELY. There are a lot of books that I haven’t read, but I don’t have them actually available to me a lot of the time. I do like to buy books to support writers, but I guess by buying second hand then you’re keeping the books moving through the world? I don’t know, but second and first hand books are both good. I do feel a little bit guilty about it, but I know that I will read them eventually.
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That’s true about the 2nd hand books! And also, I mean, if we review it’s STILL being good and helpful right?!? Same with library books. *nods* And I’m like 99% sure authors would prefer people be reading even if it was a library book or a 2nd hand one. 😂
My TBR used to be big… like really big… we are talking 400 books… on Goodreads of course, my room is not big enough for 400 books and also I’m student so there are no money for 400 books. But soon I realized that a big TBR stresses the helll out of me. There are so many books and so little time! When am I going to read all of them? I need more time! *faints dramatically* So since then, I cut my TBR to 100-ish books and I still feel a little pressure to read them all. And I can’t delete them because what if I want to read one of them and I won’t remember her title? And what the books was meant to be my favourite one? What if the book was meant to change my life and I didn’t read it and therefore my life is totally different… Okay, clearly I’m exaggerating but still… huge TBR pile makes me stressed out so that’s why I own like 10-20 books that I haven’t read yet. That’s normal amout right? Considering, my friend has 100 books that she hasn’t read, I think I’m good.
But I must say that your arguments are quite right. I mean who doesn’t want to cuddle with a book? I give my favs a cuddle permanently. Also, they are pretty so they could definitely work as decoration and room without books just looks awful. So yay for books!!! 😀
I do get that the huge TBRs can be kind of panic inducing. I DO UNDERSTAND. *nods* I have this vague dream of having 10 on my TBR at a time? But once I got down to 3 and OMG IT WAS NOT FUN. It was awful. So now I’m embracing the large TBR and telling myself not to stress. There are too many good parts to owning many books. <3
I have about 40 in my house? And like 1000 on Goodreads wishlist. 😂
HAHAHA! OMG, I absolutely LOVE THIS! I especially enjoyed the “ONE MORE CHAPTER, BACK OFF DEATH” bit.
Anyway… I totally have a lot of unread books, and I think it’s perfectly fine. Do I want to get it down to a more manageable quantity? SURE! But is it bad that I have so much on my TBR that it may be an addiction? Not at all. I mean, there could be worse things I could be addicted to besides book buying/reading. I think, I’m fairing quite well. It’s just my poor, poor bank account that might be screaming “STOP ALREADY!”
YES. We could be addicted to, omg, I don’t even know…BAD CHEESE OR SOMETHING. At least books are a healthy addiction and they look nice. <3 Bank accounts are so rude though, so dampening on the art of collections. *heavy sigh*
I have an entire shelf of TBR and half another shelf…… and that is only wit the book I own…. My mum has even more I want to read and my sisters both do…… I only very occasionally buy new books though. And sometimes I do feel guilty, but you make very logical points, especially the pine-cone one.
The pine cone one is my favourite point, tbh, except I was very hypocritical yesterday and went out and started collecting pinecones. No joke. I have several shedding on my carpet and stabbing me recreationally. So this just further proves that books are better to collect.
THANK YOU CAIT. You have no idea how much I needed this. As someone who has surpassed an entire bookcase stacked 2-deep of unread books, and averages like six read books a month, I RELATE. *flails* I always do feel guilty… especially when I get things from libraries?? BUT I SHOULD NOT FEEL GUILTY BECAUSE IT’S OKAY TO COLLECT AWESOMENESS. So thank you. <3 And this was also one of the most hilarious things of ever and just LKJDLFKSJD;FLKSJ;L I adore it. I read it aloud to my mom and sister and we laughed uproariously over the "half a waffle" part and other bits… GLORIOUS HUMOR AND GIFS (Lord of the Rings and Peter Pan and pushups and adorable baby eating book food!) AND AN IMPORTANT TOPIC TO BOOT. <3 THANK YOU. *feeds you cake*
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yes yes YOU SHOULD NOT FEEL GUILTY!! YOU SHOULD EMBRACE THE BOOKWORM CULTURE!! (We seriously have our own culture, right?!) Library books are trickier because of fines and all that (heavy sigh) so I do try not to let them build up because I hate paying money on fines when I could pay it on books, you know? BUT OTHERWISE. HUGE TBRS = NO REAL DOWNSIDE.
Cait, remind me not to read your post whilst I’m supposed to be doing homework (shhhh procrastination) because I just make cackling faces. THIS IS SO FUNNY. The pinecones, and the weapons (totally true btw), and… everything.
Seriously though- books are fabulous weapons. I once dropped Les Miserables on my foot, and OUCH.
I SHALL NOT REMIND YOU. *stamps foot* Just pretend your homework is really funny. OMG MAYBE I AM HOMEWORK. I’m teaching you glorious important life lessons here. *nods* Also, btw, after I just finished dissing pinecones…I went out and collected some. Um, yeah. So now I’m collecting pinecones AND books and my parents are just 1000% done with me.
I love this post Cait! I totally agree with having books to finish before you die. I swear my books will keep me alive for 150 years! I keep collecting more books that have no business on my TBR, I don’t even have plans to get to them this YEAR. Eventually I will enjoy them.
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I’m pretty sure I will be IMMORTAL. Because omg, they KEEEP publishing such good sounding books!! and I need them all!! There is NO GOING BACK!! *flails*
I don’t have a gigantic pile… and it makes me cry… although I do have a massive TBR, inside of my brain. The reason I don not pay attention in school, is because I have no room in it for more information. Some people fill their rooms with books until there is no more room. I fill my brain up. This is quite bad, as I can’t comprehend things anymore. Everything I learn just dissapears, there is not room for learning. Only for books. One solution is to buy every-single book I keep in my brain. Because um I want books… logic….
That makes PERFECT sense to me. I tell myself this is why I can’t do small talk, because my brain is 100% full of books and how can I talk about the weather when my noggin is calculating paperbacks? Sheesh. All the non-bookworm-humans need to understand.
I only feel guilty if I have a lot of books I need to read for review. Otherwise, I just wish I could read faster to get to them all. haha But yeah, I have a HUGE, MASSIVE collection of unread books. One of these days, I tell you!
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Oh I do get that! 😛 I try to make sure I’m up-to-date on my review books…although that’s probably why my personal TBRs are so crazily out of control these days. 😂
You could also build yourself a cave with all of the books you own. You’d be surrounded by intelligence which would rub off on you when you write. And it would protect in case of an apocolpse or if you need to a quiet place to hide from siblings.
😀
YES. All writers should live in caves of smart and clever books just to absorb the awesomeness. #bucketlist
It’s true. Someday we’ll all live in a bookcave community. It will be brilliant. 😀
I have a lot of unread books on my pile and most of them I haven’t even added on my Goodreads account yet. *cringes* THERE ARE JUST SO MANY.
I always love the fact of having so many books I need to read piled up on my shelf, though. Mainly because, like you said, it means I won’t end up crying in frustration and staring off into space due to the lack of new books to read. I will forever have a reason to lie on my bed and laze around while people are thinking I’m probably so smart from all of the times they’ve caught me reading a book and ignoring the rest of the world. (If only school books were like fiction books…)
Oh, but my parents aren’t happy about my TBR pile though. Whenever they see me buying a new book, they say “What about your other books at home? DIdn’t you just buy a new one yesterday? Are you already finished reading those?” In which I reply, “Parents, bookworms have urges. Please do understand.” And immediately hand over the book to the cashier before they can say anything else.
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And mood matters, right?! Like sometimes a book just isn’t RIGHT for now, so it’s better to read something else *nods* Ergo we need to have lots of reading options. And if books make us happy…WE SHOULD LET THEM AND BE OKAY WITH IT.
But omg my parents are the same. They do not understand. Every time I say, “I need a new shelf” they’re like “Just sell books”. OMG NO. THAT CANNOT HAPPEN.
Ahh, Thanks, Cait! I feel so good after reading this post and have found ample reasons to tell my husband. I have more than 70 unread books on my shelf *facepalm* And I keep buying the books every month. Argh! BUT I’M TRYING TO LOWER THE NUMBER THIS YEAR, PLANNING TO READ 15-20 BOOKS FROM MY SHELF. HOPEFULLY!!!
P. S. YES, this IS a LOGICAL and SENSIBLE post ^_^
YOU GOT THIS. YOU CAN DO IT. I mean, I have this vague wish of having only 10 books on my TBR at once. I know: HAHHAHAAHHHA. It’s much more comfortable to have a ton and not worry about running out of reads.😂
Oh my god, Cait, A+ gif usage as always. Hilarious list! I don’t buy a lot of books, it’s mostly the library for me, but I don’t know why everyone makes such a big deal about unread TBR piles. I would LOVE to have a random piles of books that I have yet to dive into just lying around. 🙂
Eeeep. Why thank you! *beams happily* I DO LOVE MY LIBRARY TOO. I find it hard to return books I really really love though. XD Because they are so delicious I want to ADOPT THEM FOREVER. So basically library sales are my favourite. hehe
Do I even WANT to admit to you how bad it is? Can I even if I wanted to? I don’t know, because my shelves are stacked like, so deeply that counting would take probably all day. A rough count puts me somewhere around 400. That’s just physical books, and it is also a low estimate. When Val comes to visit, I will put her to work and make her count them all. And then check her bags before she leaves to make sure she doesn’t steal any. My “own-ebook” shelf on Goodreads ays 122, but I haven’t updated that in ages so probably not. Plus I have at least 40 eARCs. The bottom line: It is BAD.
BUT I can also build shelter during the apocalypse (or bankruptcy)- don’t forget shelter! Not that I would use the books, goodness no, but the boxes that the books come in are fair game! Plus, the boxes could be a camouflage as well! And if I get really desperate, I am sure I can sacrifice the 1 and 2 star books. And I am definitely never, ever bored. Ever.
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Put Val to work and make her READ THEM ALL and then like transfer the knowledge over to you with some epic sci-fi brainwave dream thingy, that someone is surely going to invent someday. Tbh, sometimes I do wish we could download books into our brains. I mean, it’d ruin the reading experience? bUT JUST TO CATCH UP. I REALLY WANT TO KNOW ALL THE BOOKS OF EVER.
We could just cover ourselves with books and that would be a GREAT hideout, don’t you think? Apocalypse = WE ARE SORTED.
YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With that precise amount of exclamation marks. I ALWAYS FEEL SO GUILTY FOR NOT HAVING READ SO MANY BOOKS. I need more time in the day for reading. I DEMAND it! Also, points for the Peter Pan GIF. ❤
We need like a bookworm day. LIKE AN ENTIRE DAY FOR JUST BOOKS. Omg it would be so delicious.
(And Peter Pan gifs make everything more awesome. *nods sagely*)
I am super glad you have written this post, makes me feel lots better about my own enormous TBR pile, however I won’t be leaving a proper comment as I’m going to be writing a blog-post about this kind of topic (so thank you in advance) 🙂
Ooh, I look forward to your blog post then.! 😀
HAHA remember your New Year’s Resolution for your TBR? Good one, Cait.
But yep, I don’t see anything wrong with a mountainous TBR. In fact, I find it comforting. At least even if there are no shiny new books to read, I can read some seventh book in a series that a publisher sent me. It’s nice to know.
WHAT RESOLUTION? *whistles innocently* Oh yes. That. Hmph.
(Why do publishers send like the end of series? It drives me BATTY. I feel so bad for wasting it, but omg did you ever get Red Queen…that like 800-page beast? There is no way I’m reading 6 mammoth books to get to there. NO WAY.)
You’re absolutely right. It’s a GOOD thing that I have a room full of books. It means I’m SMART, can hold conversations about books and I’m never bored.
Mainly because I need to dust all the shelves in that room once every month. Uggggh.
And if anyone disagrees with you, you can THUMP THEM WITH A BOOK!! THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE TO THIS! (Except perhaps criminal charges, but pfft. Don’t let the muggles get us down.)
This is really funny because I just put up a post yesterday about how blogging has made my bookshelves explode. I did say at the end that this is mostly a positive thing – but my husband has warned me I get no more shelf space! 🙂
OMG. REALLY?!?! AHHHH. I have to go read your post now. XDXD We are like bookworm mind twins right now, Nicole.
This makes me so happy! I feel sooo glad I’m not the only one. One of my biggest problems in my life. So how do I handling it? Well, I try not to think about it. I love reading books, but I love buying them faster than I reads. So yeah… My friends and family think it’s weird, they have zero interest in books and don’t understand how hard it is to not buy books at times 🙂
Trying not to think about it is a GRAND way to handle things. *nods sagely* I only really started buying books in the last 2 years and already they take up more room in my bedroom than me. I think they’re going to smother me? BUT WHATEVER. IT’S WORTH IT FOR THE RISK. (My family doesn’t get book collecting AT ALL. It’s very sad.)
OH YAY THANK YOU FOR A POST TO TEACH ME HOW TO NOT FEEL GUILTY FOR NOT READING.. that’s sort of what this is, right? heh. I mean I like reading, but I NEVER DO IT. Whyy. idk. I just am so busy doing other things. xD WHY YES I DO EAT PINECONES ALL THE TIME. I AM NOW DEEPLY OFFENDED AND SHALL HIDE IN THE CORNER AND CONSPIRE WITH MY PINECONES TO SPAM YOU WITH SAP. OF SOME KIND. xD just kidding in case you thought I was real. ahem. I AM NOT REAL I AM A FIGMENT OF YOUR IMAGINATION.
“They’re portable and compact in small solid rectangles.” < OKAY SO. Am I the only one who is EXTREMELY ANNOYED (it's kind of OCD I know…) when a book won't fit nicely on a shelf with the others?? Or even if it FITS, but it's of a drastically different height I'm just like, "URRM YOU NEED TO GO ON A DIFFERENT SHELF NOW BECAUSE YOU'RE KILLING MY AESTHETIC." idk maybe all books are the same height now. My house is mainly composed of children's books. xD
“…giving them money for half a waffle or something equally nutritious and wonderful.” your philosophy is life. Just saying. AND WAFFLES ARE LIFE. Like…when I come to Australia one day (it’ll happen) we shall eat waffles and by then you’ll have a bookstore and everything will just be great. Okay yes so the “not being bored” point is incredibly true too. I see SO MANY KIDS THESE DAYS WHO DO NOTHING EVER (wow because hi i’m an old lady now) and I’m like, “DUDE if I had as much time on my hands as you apparently have, I’D BE READING ALL THE BOOKS THAT I NEVER HAVE TIME TO READ.” Basically I need to recruit people to read books for me, download the entire experience onto a flash stick and insert it into my brain. yep. #scifistoryidea #yourwelcome
omg don’t even get me started on hair ties. this post has comforted my soul.
love,
abbiee
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LIFE CAN GET RATHER BUSY RIGHT?! I always read on the weekend but for some reason this weekend = no reading and CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW SAD I WAS? I nearly ate a pinecone to appease myself. *sniffles* Speaking of pinecones. I literally went out and collected some after dissing them in this post. Yes. I did. They stabbed me and are both shedding, but I’m nurturing them into trees. (That’s how pinecones work right? If I leave them by my bookshelf they’ll get to be big smart trees?) AHem.
YES. I hate when books don’t fit. OMG. Or when series change heights?!? THAT IS LITERALLY THE WORST.
Oh yes, but see better yet, I’ll OWN a bookstore/cafe so I’ll sell BOOKS AND FOOD and life will be perfect and I’ll have the best business of ever.
Wonderful post, as always! I have to believe it is acceptable, especially since my owned tbr is I think over 400 books. And, no, that is not an exaggeration. It might even be more than that. And let us not get started on the ebooks, which is also at about 300 atm. THAT IS A SCARY TBR!!! >.< IT'S LIKE A TBR HOUSE!!!
I don't feel guilty about my ridiculous TBR. I feel rather proud and happy with it and have no plans to stop buying books. I dream that one day I will get to retire — hahahahahahahahahaaahaahahahha!!!!!!! The way this country is going retirement won't be around by the time I am old, you'll literally work till you die! — and then will be able to sit around all day and read every unread book! A GIRL CAN DREAM!!! =D
You could BUILD A HOUSE AND LIVE IN IT, CHARNELL. But I’ve seen your shelves and omg, they are the most gorgeous collection of the universe. But SEE. If you keep your tbr huge YOU’LL NEVER DIE BECAUSE YOU’LL ALWAYS HAVE TO COMPLETE IT!! It’s a perfect plan. :’)
I agree with you, it is totally okay to have numerous unread books at home and still buy new ones. Writers need to eat. And we readers can never have enough of books. Can you imagined if they stopped printing books? That would be tragedy.
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We are basically putting FOOD in writers mouths omg. It’s nice of us. And AHHHFDHHGHHH STOP PRINTING BOOKS?!?! That is an evil dark though *sobs* I know they predicted that with the rise of the ereader, but tbh I don’t think it’ll happen. I HOPE ANYWAY.
ahhaha 😀 hilarious as always 😀 One more chapter death hehe. Very good one Cait! I’m looking forward to the other discussions you mentioned on Twitter 😀
Why thank you, Stefani. ;D I will be FEARSOME as an old (possibly immortal) human reading my books and refusing to die. XD
But… I love my pinecone collection……. 😛
Personally, I think that complaining about a huge TBR is ridiculous. Not to say that I don’t DO it…. buuuut, I actually really love having a huge TBR. It means that I will never run out of books to read. And that would be a TRAGEDY. I almost always know what I want to read next. Or, at least, I always have options. Lots and lots of options. Lol. This is a good thing.
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OMG ALLY. I HAVE INSULTED YOUR PINECONES. *pets pinecones comfortingly and sings kumbaya to them*
Hehe, I do complain. SOMETIMES. Sometimes it makes me feel panicky? But I think that’s ridiculous too, because why should we feel like we HAVE to have all the books read if we own them? Pfffft. And last year I actually got down to 3 books on my TBR and IT WAS AWFUL. I didn’t feel like reading them and I had nothing to read and omggg. Not doing that again.
HAHAHAHA THIS POST DESCRIBES MY (past) LIFE. past as in a couple of years ago. Now I have less than one book on my TBR aka half a book aka NOTHING AT ALL.
I have so many books I WANT to read and I WANT to own but combine being poor with being a college student and having no time to even GO TO THE LIBRARY?! = a bored human being who is in denial that they have nothing to read and even if they did have something to read they wouldn’t have time to read it or would read it but would feel guilty the whole time.
HECK. WHAT EVEN IS LIFE ANYMORE.
OMG, HAWWA. ARE YOU OKAY? THAT SOUNDS UNHEALTHY. You’re like fading away there. *heaps more books on your plate* Being a poor student is the worst though. THE WORST. I think there should be like book sponsors? Who find bookworms in need and regularly give them books *nods*
YES TO ALL OF THIS. YES YES YES IT ALL MAKES PERFECT SENSE NOW.
Having a large TBR is like a comfort blanket – at least you know that if something awful happens, like a zombie apocalypse, instead of having to venture into the dangerous outside world to seek more books to satisfy your cravings, you already have a gazillion of them in the house already. It’s called being prepared! Now, I’m off to stare menacingly at my book mountain. Then perhaps attempt hugging it because awww the books look so sweet piled up like that. Loved this so much, Cait!
P.S Yes, where do hair ties go?? Perhaps the books eat the hair ties. If bookworms live solely off a diet of books and cake, I think books might live off a diet of unsuspecting bookworms’ souls and hair ties.
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EXACTLY. I wont’ be bored with the apocalypse comes. No electricity? PFft. I have books. And I can have long naps. Tbh, I see no downside in the apocalypse except for potentially starving or being eaten by those darn zombies.
(I’m sure there’s like a hairtie monster…somewhere. AND IT LIVES ON A PLANET OF STOLEN HAIR TIES AND IT’S NOT FAIR.)
Fantastic post, Cait! I see a lot of bloggers beating themselves for their big tbr-piles lately, but I personally think that no way a reader should feel guilty because he has a lot of unread books. Your last point “unread books = possibilities” especially resonates with me. I love that moment in my reading life, when I finished a book, but haven’t decided yet what my next book would be. It’s so exciting! So many possibilities, so many roads before me.
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I see it too! And it makes me sad! I mean, obviously people need to be happy and comfortable with their TBRs…but I think, as a community, we should stop all this “TBR freak out shaming”. xD WE SHOULD EMBRACE THE ENORMOUS TBR AND BURY OURSELVES UNDER IT WITH HAPPINESS. *ahem*
your post is totes logical and much sensible *nods head* LOVE THIS POST THO SERIOUSLY IT’S GREAT ^_^ I tend to not buy books unless I’ve already read it and I loved it xD So I don’t own a ton of unread books, but MY GOODREADS LIBRARY TBR IS CUURRAAAAZZYYYY!
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I am always so infinitely logical, right?! :’) It’s so nice of me. OH. But I do hear ya with the buying-books-you-know-you’ll-like. Although I get caught between wanting to buy ones so I can read them, because I very rarely reread…aaand, not wanting to buy sucky books. LIFE IS HARD WHEN IT COMES TO BOOK BUYING.
1140 books total, not counting library books and ARCs.
I have a problem. And I don’t think it’s really a problem.
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There is no problem with this problem. YOU CAN BUILD A BOOK FORT.
This is such a fantastic list!! I’ll admit, I have felt slightly guilty about my extensive TBR pile. My husband has had breakdowns over the number (and weight) of books we have to transport whenever we move to a new home! But such is life. As you said, it could be worse. (Oh, and I’m pretty sure I get smarter just from sitting next to my bookshelves.)
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Omg, I can’t actual imagine moving. I think my family is going to die when they realise exactly HOW MANY BOOKS I have if we ever move. But pfffffft. I am infinitely smart from just absorbing my books by living in the same room as them all the time. It’s worth it.
Well, I do have an enormous TBR but I don’t really mind too much. I just kinda look at the list and panic because I’m not going to finish everything before I die. (By the way, I could totally see you as a tootless 592 year old in a maze fortress of books that are designed to keep Death occupied until you finish your chapter. (Then another, then another.))
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It is a GLORIOUS picture of future old, scary me, with my books and my dragons. :’) Death will be too scared to even knock on my door. Omg, such a beautiful image. *sniffles happily*
Ahhh . . . thank you so much for this post! My TBR is out of control and it just keeps getting worse (or maybe it keeps getting better, depending on how you look at it). I have so much guilt for all these wonderful books that remain unread and this post makes me realize there is no need for it. And I really do have a book for every possible mood, so I can’t go wrong, right?
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It keeps getting BETTER if you plan to read them all before you die. *nods* You and I will live forever, Cynthia. I’m like 99% sure of this.
HAHAHA this is so true. I have, literally, no joke over 1000 books on my Goodreads TBR… but as you said, it could be worse! 😛 Great post as always, Cait!
SAME. My goodreads is just…omg, I read one book and add 398429 so basically I’m going to live forever.
Originally I felt very guilty but I like where you’re going with the collection idea. People collect all sorts of things! People collect stamps and post cards without using them. I’m allowed to use or not use my collection however I see fit!
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SEE. THIS IS EXACTLY TRUE! And I mean, what’s the purpose of stamps, really? But yet they’re a total legit collection. *nods* NO SHAME FOR BOOK COLLECTIONS.
I freaking love this post oh so much! You make me laugh every single time!!! I love having an EPIC TBR….somtimes. Sometimes it makes me panicky because I have so many books to read and not enough time to read them!
~Sara
AHHH THAT IS GLORIOUS NEWS. *happy dance* I do get the panicky feeling too. Like there are books I NEED TO READ NOOOOOOW and then the day is done and agh, when am I going to fit this all in? *clones self*
I have a ton of unread books haha. I don’t usually feel that guilty about them but when I’m book buying, I definitely feel pretty guilty because it seems silly to go buy more ebooks when I already have so many waiting to be read on my Kindle! I mean I definitely agree with alot of the points in your post because it’s very nice knowing I won’t run out of things to read (but at the same time, I have this feeling of being held back…). I’m totally trying to make my tbr smaller >> it usually consists of about 20-30 books but at soon as I finish a few, I end up adding more…and sometimes I’m not in the mood to read some books so I take them off the tbr until later. I basically just move books around on my kindle in the hopes that I’ll eventually read some of them 😛
My kindle is like a black hole of infinite books at this point. 😂 I once won a ton of indie ebooks?!? So I’m literally SWAMPED. My kindle is scary to open. heeh. AHEM. But hey. Knowing we always have a book to read is SO GOOD and comforting. I would like to have a smallish TBR too, though? But I’m kind of realising this isn’t going to happen unless I lock myself away from the library. -_-
This makes me feel less guilty about my 160 unread books haha. I need to save this post and show it to my mum so she stops complaining about the piles of books all over my room XD
YOU WILL PROBABLY LIVE FOREVER, BEC. ISN’T THAT SUCH A NICE THING? *keeps adding books to TBR happily*
I do have a lot of unread books, and about five or six months ago I started referring to it as my TBR pile that turned into Mt. Everest. It might even be its own country at this point. Maybe even an entire continent. I do feel guilty about it…but then I feel guilty about feeling obligated to feel guilty and not allow myself to just enjoy books. I just can’t look at my bookshelf at this point. Just walk away…walk away… 🙂
I think TBRs should just be a term that’s done away with and we ALL refer to it as our “Mount Eversts”. Like ” ohh, I added more books to Everest today!” IT’D BE SO MUCH COOLER. *nods*
I think we bookworms should do away with the guilt and just enjoy blogging! 😀
Yup I definitely feel guilty about my unread books because I just keep on buying more, and getting more from the library lol! But you are right, it’s a collection of useful things that we take joy in and we’re proud of. Lovely post Cait!
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YES. And plus there are MUCh weirder hobbies to have. At least we have something to show for our hobbies right?! Like a movie ticket costs the same as a book sometimes…but you get to keep the book. sO MUCH MORE WIN.
This makes me feel better about my piles of book allll over my apt.
You are most welcome. MY JOB HERE IS DONE.
Pretty much 70% of the books I own, physical and digital, are unread… and I do agree, they’re very much better than pinecones….I wouldn’t want a rodent infestation in my house. My cat and 4 dogs are enough animals already to make me go crazy. I don’t plan on turning into snow white and hoarding animals anytime soon.
And seriously, where do hair ties go?!
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I actually collected some pinecones yesterday. IDEK WHY. THEY WERE ON MY BRAIN??? and I’ve definitely proved that they’re not good for collections. My dog tried to eat them and now they’re shedding over my carpet. -_- Ahem. I digress.
THE HAIR TIE MONSTER. SOMEONE OUGHT TO CATCH HIM.
This post makes me happy because I have at least 70 unread books piled around my house I feel incredibly guilty about. I am slowly powering through them, but it does make me feel bad that I have so many. You raise many good points, and these are the things I have previously used to justify so many of my purchases and may use again, but I am determined to halve my TBR pile so it takes over a bit less of my house, also I’m scared the piles of books may one day kill me.
It’s true that us bookish people should stop feeling so guilty, though. Having too many books is better than not having enough, and as a mood reader having options is essential.
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NO MORE GUILT, BECKY! Embrace the enormity of your TBR and how long you’ll live because of it *nods* And seriously, I read 300 books last year and barely DINTED my TBR…ergo I decided that I’m just going to have to be immortal to handle this. And we shouldn’t feel guilty for our hobby!! NOPE. Some people’s hobby is eating at restaurants, and they don’t feel guilty about it, right?! (I mean, idek. I’m making this all up as I go along.)
Immortality is a good thing to aspire to, especially to guarantee finishing your TBR pile. I may have to look into that option when it comes to reading, there must somewhere you can opt in to that option in life, right? I’m sure I could sign up for it online. But, just to cover myself, in case my immortality request doesn’t go through, I’ll try clearing out a few books from my TBR. This is partially due to my wish not to be killed by a collapsing tower of books one day because I didn’t get around to reading and shelving them. I suppose I should stop feeling guilty they’re unread, though. Guilt will have to go off the table.
Not being killed by your own TBR is a very wise decision, and I think I’ll support you in that. I actually have my bookshelf bolted to the wall. Bookwormish safety first *nods sagely*
And I’m sure you can sign up for immortality online??? MAYBE THEY’LL EVEN HAVE A SALE OMG.
This post makes me happy. I agree with everything you said, why do we view it in such a negative light? I DON’T KNOW.
THANK YOU. I THINK IT OUGHT TO CHANGE! Enough glaring at enormous TBRs! MORE POSITIVITY!
Once people reach their life goals, they often die? 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 My goodness I can’t stop laughing.
I have almost an entire bookcase of books I’ve yet to read, but yet, I still keep buying more and most aren’t even on my Goodreads TBR list either. I find that unsolicited review copies take up most of my reading time and this year I’ve vowed to change that so I can read books I’ve purchased, otherwise it feels as though I’m spending money and not being able to enjoy them. That’s so funny, because books really do make you look well learned. My main bookcase in my lounge is full of classics and big long books, most I haven’t even read yet. But they make me look smarter to anyone popping over. War and Peace, oh yes, that one was magnificent (haven’t even read it yet). But then I have my home library with everything else stuffed in there (AKA the books I’ve read). No one is going to tell me that I’ve a fully grown adult reading kids books. NEVER!
WHAT?!?! YOU CAN’T QUESTION MY LOGIC HERE. I am always full of facts and wisdom and logic. *nods sagely* Who can doubt me?
Omg, I hear ya with the unsolicited review copies. Not that I mind TOO MUCH because I often find new favourites in there? But I get kind fo frustrated that I never seem to get the books I actually request. Just random ones. -_- AH WELL. The universe is conspiring to tell me to read out of my comfort’s zone. 😂
You can strategically leave the smart looking books EVERYWHERE when you have humans over. That way they know you’re uber smart. I ought to leave the dictionary on the doormat or something, to assure people I know how to use photosynthesis correctly in a sentence.
XD Fair enough to all of these. I do think that for me it’s like I don’t want to invest in things I am not going to keep or enjoy, and when it comes to physical books, I don’t want to keep books if I’m not going to reread them or if I’ve stopped enjoying them and know that somebody else would enjoy them way more. And sometimes I’ve read those books and other times I haven’t gotten to them yet, but at least for me, it’s a constant battle between what I want to read and what I figure I should read or just get rid of. *nods*
I used to be like that…but then SOMETHING HAPPENED. Idek, did aliens suck out my soul? Was I brainwashed by a book monster?! But somehow now I just want to own all the books of ever and collect them and make pretty piles and live amongst them in happiness. *nods* There’s no saving me, Heather. Run while you can.
Ahhhhh I have WAY too many TBRs. The rest of the Vampire Chronicles (I’m on the 5th out of 14), the rest of the Wheel of Time series (7/15, plus the prequel), The Peoples of Middle-earth by J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien, and Made You Up by Francesca Zappia. I feel quite guilty for having so many and as a consequence often rushed to finish the ones I’m on, but I’ve concluded it’s much better than finishing a book and having nothing to read next!
BTW, you get 100 Awesomeness Points for your use of they LOTR gif. That had to be one of my favorite moments in the entire movie. xD
– Ellie
http://ontheothersideofrealitynew.blogspot.com
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DON’T FEEL GUILTY. JUST THINK HOW LONG YOU’LL LIVE. Probably hundreds of years *nods* in order to get them all finished.
It is always an appropriate time for A LOTR gif. <3
Sometimes I feel guilty about having a large TBR, but what if I didn’t have a TBR at all? I wouldn’t have anything else to read next. I would be so lost! And sad.
Perhaps gravity takes different forms for different people, and for bookworms it is their TBRs. Their souls are tethered to their TBRs, therefore they do not float off into the dark unknown called space.
I like the pinecone point. Some people collect bottle caps. At least, books are a little more useful, and reusable. Then again there is bottle cap art. . . There’s also book art. *cough*
(If you wake up one morning and suddenly know where are the hair ties have gone, LET ME KNOW!)
THAT IS TRUE TOO. I didn’t think of that. What if I read all my books and I just floated away? That would be sad. The internet would miss me. *heaps more books on TBR*
And it’s true, books are USEFUL. I mean, you can stand on them and be taller too?!? So that’s even more useful than just looking pretty.
(We should hire Sherlock for the hair tie question.)
This made me laugh so hard — because it’s funny, and because it’s true, and because I see myself in those reasons/excuses. I have a lot of books. A. Lot. Of. Books. Read, and unread. I have 700+ books on my Goodreads to-read shelf, another 500+ on my Goodreads someday shelf, two tall bookcases full of unread print books, and hundreds of unread Kindle books. (Yes, there’s some crossover between the Goodreads lists and the actual books I own, but not as much as you’d think. In other words, a fair few of the books on those “unread” shelves aren’t on the Goodreads lists yet.)
So on the one hand, you’ve made me feel better, even justified, in having so many unread books. On the other hand… when it’s too many to easily choose between them, maybe it’s just too many?
AW THANK YOU, LARK. 😂 I AM SO GLAD. Omg I have like 1,000 books on my to-read Goodreads shelf. I am utterly going to live forever at this rate because I will NEVER EVER FINISH THEM ALL.
Now that you feel happily justified you can go out and get more books. :’)
I love this post! I have always hated TBRs. I feel that they give you way too much pressure to read what you think you need to read, not what you want to read. Reading is supposed to be for you and for your pleasure, not about what everyone else is reading or what has been sitting on your shelf for the longest. I also feel that I get super slumpy and get absolutely no reading done when I make a TBR. When I just read what I want to at that time, reading becomes so much more enjoyable.
YES EXACTLY!! I think reading can easily get competitive, which isn’t always good. D: It can quickly suck the fun out of things. And all the TBR challenges and TBR jars and things sort of scare me a bit because of the pressure and emphasis that too many books are bad. THEY ARE GOOD. <3 I love my pile of books. <3
My TBR list is REALLY extensive (500+ books), but as far as an actual pile of books I own and need to read there are like 40? I still feel overwhelmed a lot by how many books I have to read, but at the same time I AM ECSTATIC that there are so many fantastic books I have to read. There is no such thing as too many books (says my overflowing bookshelf, room, and life).
Ooh, my Gooreads must have at least 1,000+ books I’d like. XD But my actual physical at-home-right-now pile is probably only around 40 too. NO REGRETS. 😂 And isn’t exciting too?!? Just to have books and look forward to books and BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS!
I find people who don’t have books displayed in their living area highly suspicious. If you don’t have any books in your bedroom or your living room or even your kitchen . . . what the heck are you doing in your free time?? Not even a single magazine? Comic book? COOKBOOK?
But looking at a full bookshelf makes me so happy! 🙂 Sometimes I do get distracted and end up staring at the pretty spines and covers instead of actually reading something . . . oops. But like you said, there are worse things to collect, right? I remember collecting bottle caps when I was younger. That was a sticky mess. xD
That is a GOOD QUESTION. Very suspicious. Clearly they’re demons or supernatural slugs or something and we must call Sam and Dean (and nearly wrote that as one name…SalmonDean…Seriously. THAT’S WHAT MY BRAIN SAID.) and leave it to them to deal with. *nods*
OMG GETTING DISTRACTED BY SHELVES?!?! ME TOOOOO.
I collected junk mail when I was younger. -_- Yes. Magazines of, like, clothes and furniture. I then cut them out and organised them. I…I don’t even know.
YESSS. Having a huge TBR pile is strangely comforting to me…mine is alarmingly small right now because I’ve been on vacation and such and it’s making me squawk in alarm.
AGH, alarmingly small ones are scary. NOPE. CANNOT HAVE THAT. *begins to throw books at you*
This is a great post. It is nice to think that I may live longer as long as there are goals that I haven’t finished. Hell, I may live forever with a TBR like mine.
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We’ll probably live till we’re AT LEAST 400y years old, tbh, with all these books we have to read. :’) OR IMMORTALITY? HERE WE COME.
I was holding city of bones once and a girl in the eyeglasses place started TALKING TO ME. She was like: “i read that, too & liked it!” I was like, “no way! you should read anna and the french kiss!” (lol I should’ve recommended something more dystopian but back then, I recommended ANNA to anyone basically.)
my TBR continues to grow into a crazy gigantic monster and I have not a problem supporting it. hehehe.
confession: that second GIF of that guy working out over the fabulous books is kinda sexy. lmao. i’m tempted to erase my whole blog header and just paste that, instead.
Ooh, In real life recommendations? GO PEACH. YOU ARE CLEARLY THE BOOKWORM WONDER HERE. ;D And I’m like 99% sure TBRs grow on their own. Like they literally multiply. Omg.
What a great post! I completely agree with everything you’ve just said. I do have a couple of books that need to be read in my TBR shelf… well, not that much, but still, and I can’t STOP adding more books. Because everyone in the book blogging community has always advice on what book to read, and I am WEAK. But I like it. We shouldn’t feel guilty at ALL, because…Even if it’s scary to have SO many books waiting for us, it is kind of AMAZING too. So many worlds waiting to be discovered, and the idea that we can never run out of things to read makes me SO happy.
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I HEAR YA. I HEAR YA. I mean, TBRs would be much smaller of other bloggers didn’t keep TELLING US HOW GREAT BOOKS ARE. Omg. I’m weak. I’m not even ashamed. But still. Very weak.
Suddenly I feel so good about my pile. Problem: many of mine are ebooks! Which feel very cluttery and guilt inducing. BUT I just recieved 6 wonderful free books yesterday (paper books) and I now can officially justify another bookshelf >D
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Oh my kindle is like a BLACK HOLE these days. I don’t even know what’s on there. *shudders* But someday I’ll read all of those too, because clearly I’m on the path to immortality. *nods sagely*
Lol. My TBR on my Kindle is at least 400 books deep… and I’m just getting started!
The depths of my kindle are…rather dark.😂 I AVOID IT. hehe. But at least if I’m ever caught out of the house without a book, I’ll be right?!?
Yes! Many reasons why we are doing good for hoarding books 🙂
It turns out there is NO DOWNSIDE TO HOARDING!! Except maybe running out of room in your house to live? But pfft. Minor details.
I don’t have that much books on my TBR pile, BUT there’s enough to feel guilty about every time I pick up a new book at the bookstore. (Such that the boyfriend has implemented a rule where I can only buy a book once I have finished reading 50 books, which kinda failed because did I follow through? NOPE.) But I do agree with the fact that books make VERY amazing weapons against enemies aka annoying brothers who like to bully me. And and I’m pretty sure the part about absorbing all of books’ knowledge is 110% true. *stands next to a pile of books* YUP, I can feel myself becoming smarter OOOOH WE SHOULD INVENT A MICROCHIP GPS THINGY INSIDE ALL THE HAIR TIES.
Anyway, such an amaaazing post, Cait 😀
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What a fantastic post! I’m glad Andi sent me over. I like the idea of looking at Mt TBR as a collection. It engenders so much less guilt.
My partner is a shameless encourager. I think he’s just grateful I want him to buy me books instead of shoes or expensive jewellery.
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Omg buying books instead of shoes/jewellery is a FANTASTIC idea. *nods* Plus you could probably wear a book if you got desperate right?? As like a hat?? SO ERGO BOOKS ARE USEFUL FOR CLOTHING TOO!! ;D
And you could certainly use books as jewellery!
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But but Pinecones smell great! But apart from that little detail I’m with you. I often get shudders of equal delight and frustration when I look at all my unread books, I love the selection that I always have to choose from but the guilt that I have yet to read them can get to me. So I resolve no more books shall enter this house but as soon as I hit the bookshop that thought dies an instant death.
Okay they DO smell great. And I actually have since collected one or two as an…experiment. So far, they are cantankerous and non-stakeable AS I ASSUMED. But. They are kind of pretty. AHEM. BUT ANYWAY. WHAT WERE WE SAYING?!? I do get the guilt too, a bit! I used to feel really overwhelmed, like I was failing someone if I had a mammoth TBr?!? But I mean, where does that feeling even come from?! They’re my books and they make me happy and I should LET them make me happy. xD
This is perfect! I will keep this list around so I have the perfect comeback for when my mom asks why I keep buying books when I haven’t finished reading the ones I own yet!
Thanks! haha.
PS. I have wax pinecone (candles). They don’t stack nicely, but they do smell nice (:
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I need to totally show my own mother this post. 😂 SHE ASKS WHY I HAVE SO MANY BOOKS ALL. THE. TIME. hehe. Ahem. But pinecones do smell nice, so I’ll give them that. *nods sagely*
I love this post. With my entire heart. My book-loving, book-collecting soul. 🙂
I especially like the last one, I like having possibilities. I often wait to read a book by my favourite authors for months or years, just so I know I still have a good book to read. Although I still feel bad sometimes about my to-read pile, especially my review pile as I know all those authors are waiting for a review. The books I bought myself and the freebies, I feel much less bad about those. I like having enough options and know that no matter which mood I am in I have a book to read. Knowing you always have a book to read is a good feeling. Great post!
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All of these points are so true (especially #1). Normally, I am an extremely organized person, but when it comes to my TBR, I am a complete mess. I am constantly adding and taking away from it until I cannot remember what books are even on my pile anymore. I really agree with #5 (maybe a little less extreme though). I love knowing that there is always another book for me to read. It is much worse to run out of books to read than to have a huge TBR. Books are like chocolate, you never really can have enough, right?
I, for one, tend to have smallish TBR stacks, because it stresses me or having too many books in the que… BUT I have so much love for this post. ^_^ Especially points #5 and #6. XD And #8 IS A GOOD POINT. Maybe I shall be less afraid of mounting TBR stacks in the future.
I currently have 4 piles of books that need attention. 😂 I like piles. PILES ARE NICE. Ahem.
That’s pretty impressive. :O
I do have a lot of unread books, but I don’t feel guilty. I feel like I should be reading faster to get to them ,so then I spend my whole day reading, because even though the book I’m reading is good, I’m thinking, I NEED THE NEXT ONE!! Also, all my hair ties disappear too. Once I bought a 50-pack, and a week later, only two were left!
Ahhh, I DO THAT TOO. 😂 I’m always thinking about what books I should be reading next and how many and not to get too behind, omg. But it’s ridiculously easy to just collect them. :’)
HAIR TIES WALK AWAY ON THEIR OWN ACCORD, I KNOW IT.
I’m at over 200 in my TBR bookshelves and it just keeps getting more and more out of hand. And yes I do mean bookshelves, I have 3 of them that sit there taunting me whenever I go into my bedroom *cries* It’s so overwhelming, there’s JUST. TOO. MANY!!!!
Eeeep. I do get that feeling.😂 I have dozens on top of my bookshelf in absolutely TOWERING PILES. But hey, at least we’re sorted if the zombie apocalypse comes, right?! Everyone else can run about screaming but we’ll finally get on top of our TBRs. :’)
Oh yeah, definitely, that’s always a plus side. And the hardbacks can be used to defend ourselves from zombies! Now I’m kind of wishing for a zombie apocalypse….