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With a fair number of us, the To Read Pile (or TBR as Abyss names it), is a large affair. It takes up lots of space. It's unwieldy, and there are books that have been in there for a long time.
Have you ever purged volumes without reading them?
I ask because I've done this. I get to a point where I peruse the pile and think "There's a reason I'm not reading that book that's 3 from the bottom of that stack." and I sell that book off.
Anyone else do this? Or am I crazy?
To Read Pile Have you ever...
#1
QuickTidal 
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 12:50 PM
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#2
Gothos
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 12:57 PM
I never buy books that I don't immediately start reading. As a result my library is less than extensive, but every book I haul around with me every time I move I can guarantee you I've read more than once (except for the fresh ones, you know.)
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
#3
acesn8s
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 01:16 PM
Sell the precious? Never!
“The others followed, and found themselves in a small, stuffy basement, which would have been damp, smelly, close, and dark, were it not, in fact, well-lit, which prevented it from being dark.”
― Steven Brust, The Phoenix Guards
― Steven Brust, The Phoenix Guards
#4
End of Disc One
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 01:55 PM
I'm fairly particular when it comes to adding books to my TRP. Usually a book will be on my radar for a while before I decide that I will indeed read it someday. The only times I will purge a book without reading it is if it's a sequel.
#5
Abyss
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 02:01 PM
Yes for the following reasons...
1) I had a whole series sitting in the TRP/TBR/TRPFHAB, read the first book or two, didn't like, decided it wasn't worth keeping when i have SO so much else sitting around in the stack (Eisler's Rain, Turtledove's Darkness and second Balance series, Rachel Caine's Weather Warden ...);
2) I have the series in ebook and no nostalgic reason to hold onto the dead tree version (Everything Gemmel except a first printing LEGEND and DARK MOON because you always remember your first, a pile of RK Morgan books i've replaced with signed versions, most of WoT);
3) The books have been sitting in the TRP forever and i just accept that whyever i bought them, i'm never going to actually read them (a stack of detective stuff, various Larry Bond and Dale Brown type military thrillers, some unfinished milSF series that are probably free on the BaenCD site...);
4) I've read them, i've enjoyed them, i kept them for eventual reread but have decided that's just never ever going to happen (Stackpole's Dragoncrown, Eddings everything, King's Dark Tower).
...all of this prompted a fairly major purge just recently.
1) I had a whole series sitting in the TRP/TBR/TRPFHAB, read the first book or two, didn't like, decided it wasn't worth keeping when i have SO so much else sitting around in the stack (Eisler's Rain, Turtledove's Darkness and second Balance series, Rachel Caine's Weather Warden ...);
2) I have the series in ebook and no nostalgic reason to hold onto the dead tree version (Everything Gemmel except a first printing LEGEND and DARK MOON because you always remember your first, a pile of RK Morgan books i've replaced with signed versions, most of WoT);
3) The books have been sitting in the TRP forever and i just accept that whyever i bought them, i'm never going to actually read them (a stack of detective stuff, various Larry Bond and Dale Brown type military thrillers, some unfinished milSF series that are probably free on the BaenCD site...);
4) I've read them, i've enjoyed them, i kept them for eventual reread but have decided that's just never ever going to happen (Stackpole's Dragoncrown, Eddings everything, King's Dark Tower).
...all of this prompted a fairly major purge just recently.
THIS IS YOUR REMINDER THAT THERE IS A
'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT
ALLOWS YOU TO VIEW NEW CONTENT
'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT
ALLOWS YOU TO VIEW NEW CONTENT
#6
QuickTidal
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 02:44 PM
It's just one of those things I feel loathe to do, but every time I do it, it feels cathartic. Like I'm no longer being nagged to get "around to it".
It's interesting to note clean living like that Gothos, where you buy only what you will read immediately. I wish I could do that to be honest.
It's interesting to note clean living like that Gothos, where you buy only what you will read immediately. I wish I could do that to be honest.
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#7
Kruppe's snacky cakes
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 03:52 PM
QuickTidal, on 25 August 2014 - 02:44 PM, said:
It's interesting to note clean living like that Gothos, where you buy only what you will read immediately. I wish I could do that to be honest.
Amen to this. Having switched to kindle, I feel less of a cloud over my head, though. My growing e-TRP takes up no physical space and is made up in large part by free or $0.99 books. And now my print-TRP will eventually shrink down to nothing.
I'm George. George McFly. I'm your density. I mean...your destiny.
#9
QuickTidal
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 07:44 PM
I'd be much more inclined to use my kindle for ALL purchases, if new releases weren't almost the same price or actually the same price as a hardcover. Sadly, a lot of the time they are, and that means it's more cost effective to buy then physical book.
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#10
worry
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 07:59 PM
How is it more cost effective to buy a physical copy of the book? Even if the ebook was pennies less, it's still pennies less. I'm not quite understanding the "might as well just go for the hard copy then" logic.
They came with white hands and left with red hands.
#11
Kruppe's snacky cakes
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 10:08 PM
QT, the trick is to have a huge wishlist and base your purchases on what's currently cheap, rather than what you "feel like" reading at that moment. Sort of the book-buying version of extreme couponing.
I'm George. George McFly. I'm your density. I mean...your destiny.
#12
QuickTidal
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 11:17 PM
worry, on 25 August 2014 - 07:59 PM, said:
How is it more cost effective to buy a physical copy of the book? Even if the ebook was pennies less, it's still pennies less. I'm not quite understanding the "might as well just go for the hard copy then" logic.
If an ebook price is the same as the hardcover or more than...then owning a physically produced item...makes more sense to me.
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#14
QuickTidal
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 11:32 PM
Kruppe, on 25 August 2014 - 10:08 PM, said:
QT, the trick is to have a huge wishlist and base your purchases on what's currently cheap, rather than what you "feel like" reading at that moment. Sort of the book-buying version of extreme couponing.
Awesome idea, and I think I'll take to doing that! Thanks!
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#15
QuickTidal
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 11:33 PM
worry, on 25 August 2014 - 11:22 PM, said:
That's not more cost effective though. You're just a paper fetishist!
Don't judge meeeeeeeee!!!!!
But yes. Quite.
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#16
amphibian
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Posted 25 August 2014 - 11:35 PM
It puts on the dust jacket or it gets the hose!
My TRWLEDPL* is not all that huge and I tend to read very quickly, travel some and try out various foods/drinks often, so the backlog is actually in the movies and music section, rather than the reading/eating/doing section. I tend to not play videogames other than Dark Souls and the occasional other stellar game, so those barely register at all.
I have cut movies and TV shows off the list because I'm just not going to get to them or those pushing for their consumption/viewing are the groups of people I really have problems with.
*TRWLEDPL = To Read Watch Listen Eat Do Pile/List
My TRWLEDPL* is not all that huge and I tend to read very quickly, travel some and try out various foods/drinks often, so the backlog is actually in the movies and music section, rather than the reading/eating/doing section. I tend to not play videogames other than Dark Souls and the occasional other stellar game, so those barely register at all.
I have cut movies and TV shows off the list because I'm just not going to get to them or those pushing for their consumption/viewing are the groups of people I really have problems with.
*TRWLEDPL = To Read Watch Listen Eat Do Pile/List
This post has been edited by amphibian: 25 August 2014 - 11:36 PM
I survived the Permian and all I got was this t-shirt.
#17
amphibian
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Posted 26 August 2014 - 04:36 AM
I threw away a Jeremy Scahill book on Blackwater.
It was the shittiest book that was just compiled newspaper columns which repeated the same information 3x for 40% of the book. Such a shame because the intent behind it was good.
It was the shittiest book that was just compiled newspaper columns which repeated the same information 3x for 40% of the book. Such a shame because the intent behind it was good.
This post has been edited by amphibian: 26 August 2014 - 04:37 AM
I survived the Permian and all I got was this t-shirt.
#18
Gothos
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Posted 26 August 2014 - 05:52 AM
QuickTidal, on 25 August 2014 - 02:44 PM, said:
It's just one of those things I feel loathe to do, but every time I do it, it feels cathartic. Like I'm no longer being nagged to get "around to it".
It's interesting to note clean living like that Gothos, where you buy only what you will read immediately. I wish I could do that to be honest.
It's interesting to note clean living like that Gothos, where you buy only what you will read immediately. I wish I could do that to be honest.
It could be that I don't have a kindle or any other sort of ebook reader. After all, I've dozens of titles on Steam I've not played or played for like an hour or two and just cast them aside. I have never, however, felt compulsive about buying books, I normally need several people recommending stuff to me to try it out. These days anyway. Witcher and Malazan were a spur of the moment all those years ago.
I blame games being my first and foremost hobby, with books arriving a few steps behind.
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
#19
Serenity
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Posted 26 August 2014 - 10:02 AM
I take a couple of trips a year to the local hospice shop with a couple of bags full of books. Quite often there are books in there that I was interested in when I bought them, but they've sat on the shelf for ages and been forgotten about and surpassed by others and are now never likely to be read. It's always driven by shelf space, of which I have a limited amount, so as soon as the shelves start getting full I have to move some books on. Like you say, QT, it can be cathartic.
My Kindle is causing problems - or, rather, Amazon's Christmas sales and daily deals are, because I keep picking up books for 99p, like all Cornwell's Sharpe novels in one splurge. Often they are books I know I will buy eventually, but sometimes they're books I just take a chance on because they're so cheap. That really doesn't help the TRP!
My Kindle is causing problems - or, rather, Amazon's Christmas sales and daily deals are, because I keep picking up books for 99p, like all Cornwell's Sharpe novels in one splurge. Often they are books I know I will buy eventually, but sometimes they're books I just take a chance on because they're so cheap. That really doesn't help the TRP!
#20
acesn8s
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Posted 26 August 2014 - 12:06 PM
My pile is all electronic at this point...I guess I should start referring to it as a To Be Read File? Like Serenity, I pick up a lot of stuff on sale and archive it.
“The others followed, and found themselves in a small, stuffy basement, which would have been damp, smelly, close, and dark, were it not, in fact, well-lit, which prevented it from being dark.”
― Steven Brust, The Phoenix Guards
― Steven Brust, The Phoenix Guards
