Depending on my steely inner resolve and willpower - which to date hasn't been much in evidence, this may be one of the last months where I actually buy, pursue, swap or otherwise acquire additional material for the shelves!
If people want to send me stuff - hey it would be rude to stop them. So if I can reduce the additions to a trickle, I can make inroads in the unread - in theory.
My aim is to bring some order to the chaos that is my book collection. After being evicted from my study in the interests of world peace nearly a year ago - alright, so my two teenage daughters could have separate bedrooms, my books previously a picture of harmony, order and calm were unceremoniously re-homed in my attic in a haphazard fashion.
They still haven't been sorted so when I want to read something I can't find it - though it could be in one of the 9 boxes in my mother-in-law's loft also!
Anyway with the milestone of 50 looming, I ought to spend the next 25 years or so - fingers crossed - reading what I already have and reducing the mess so the kids don't have the problem of doing it when I'm gone. If I catalogue my books and order them I can read what I want when I want. Simple!
Anyway before my New Years Resolution for 2014, kicks in at the end of October, I'll enjoy my hobby unrestrained.
Some of September's additions.........
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| Aussie author 2nd book. |
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| 1st taste of Robotham for me. |
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| Hap and Leonard novella! |
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| Free e-book! |
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| Argentina in the 70's |
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| Charity shop buy! |
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| A present from my wife! |
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| A present from my wife! |
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| 2nd book in the trilogy from the library - and I haven't yet read the 1st! |
hey nice post meh, I love your style of blogging here. this post reminded me of an equally interesting post that I read some time ago on Daniel Uyi's blog: How To Set A Goal .
ReplyDeletekeep up the good work friend. I will be back to read more of your posts.
Regards
Daniel thanks - hope you're reading some good books!
DeleteCol - Ah, the never-ending attempt to get through that TBR. It's a huge challenge for me, too. You've got some great reads there, too. I'm especially interested in what you think of the Robotham, the Neville and the Miller.
ReplyDeleteMargot thanks. Jose enjoyed the Miller and the Neville so I will try and get to them this side of Christmas! Live in hope and die in despair....is the saying, I think!
DeleteI love the cover of the Lonsdale, lovely pic, though not too bothered about the content. Have heard very good things about the Derek Miller book. Good luck with the rationalization of book-buying and reading and organization. There's no reason to think you are doomed to failure just because every single other person who does this finds it doesn't work out.... (or is that just me? Have made this resolution about once a year for the past 10 years.)
ReplyDeleteMoira, I'm sure Lansdale would grow on you given the chance. I'm doomed to failure then? Probably but I ought to attempt it at least!
DeleteGood luck with your book resolution! Book blogging has made me very, very aware of how slowly I read, which also helps me stop acquiring so many books. I just have a crazy long wishlist instead. I also had external motivation to stop buying books and purge tons as we just sold our house. For some reason I thought I'd read lots of long Indian sagas a few years ago, among other odd books on my shelves.
ReplyDeleteRebecca, thanks. I think I try to read fast because of the number of books waiting for me. Hopefully I can, if not totally go cold turkey with the book buying, at least keep things in a sensible proportion - maybe allowing myself 1 new book for every 10 I read! Did you keep the Indian sagas or did they fall victim to the purge?
DeleteI bought the Nathan Englander book...and I really need to stop purchasing books. I have too many already. I've yet to read Lansdale so I am looking forward to reading The Bottoms (the one book of his I own). Good luck with the book resolution. I hope you succeed because I know I want to just focus on what I own, too.
ReplyDeleteI was reading your sidebar about Justified (TV) and you own all the seasons or two seasons is that right? I finished the first three seasons. That is an excellent show. I think my favorite seasons were season one and season three. Season three was the best so far. Just thought I'd share.
Ok - the books are just mad and sooooo out of control. When I start sorting I will take some photos of the chaos and post them. I ought to read what I have and concentrate on what I own - hey I bought them at some point in time for a reason, so the reason should still stand as my tastes haven't evolved too much in the past 20 years.
DeleteRe Justified (and The Wire) - I have a friend who travels frequently and acquired me a few of the series box sets cheaply (Wire - all of, Justified 1st 3 for sure) - but I just haven't devoted time to watching them. I could quite easily sit through Justified from 1st episode to the last and watch them all, irrespective of whether I had seen them previously or not. My wife would be a bit less tolerant of repeating stuff we saw a year or two ago. I know when they came on in the UK, I tried to watch or record, but ended up missing a load.
I think I'll probably watch them on my laptop early in the morning - but that eats into my reading time!
I know what you mean! I am a big fan of The Walking Dead (don't laugh) and season 3 finally made it to Netflix so I plan to binge watch this weekend. I loved The Wire too as well as The Shield. The Shield was just intense.
DeleteWe started watching The Walking Dead season 1 over here, but kind of lost interest after a while, but it wasn't awful. I looked at The Shield when giving my friend a shopping list for his trip abroad, but at 6 or 7 seasons decided to pass. I think I bought my son Lost and Fringe instead. Fringe was great.
DeleteCol, I think the worst resolution we can make is the one about "no more new books." I don't think it's going to work. Seeing the splendid covers above I'd think twice before making that resolution.
ReplyDeletePrashant, hmmm...... it won't be easy. Maybe I will allow myself 1 additional book for every 10 I read and move on? Sounds a sensible compromise....and I'm not going totally cold turkey.
DeleteI'm wavering already!