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blueflower

New Year Resolutions for Books and Reading

Go through mountain of books and dispose of all books that-

1. I have read and won’t read again
2. Books I doubt I will ever read

These will be swapped, given away or go to a charity shop.

Try to read at least one of the book choices per month.

Don’t buy or acquire any books unless I really really need them.

Started on No one today and got a box of larger books to go to charity shop. Another couple of days work left yet to sort the rest.

blueflower · Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 6:01 pm Post subject:

Oh, I have just remembered no 4 - write notes in my book journal for every book I read.

dingsy · Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 7:34 pm Post subject:

Good luck! But I can't get rid of books. I never re-read, so don't keep them for that reason. Partly keep them for family and friends, but also because it's just lovely to have rooms full of books. We've got a study with floor to ceiling books on 4 walls, so there's always space for another few hundred! We also have bookcases dotted around the hall and the staircase,and the bedroom so I have great fun rearranging (and dusting!), our collection.It's surprisng how often someone wants a book we have-should rename the house, "Elaine's library".
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Currently reading,
"The Mathematics of Love", Emma Darwin

annecater · Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 7:37 pm Post subject:

Gwen, I admire you, I really need to do something like this. After Christmas and my Waterstones splurge today my TBR is no around 440! It's just ridiculous, I'm never going to read them all.
I dont actually keep that many that I have read, just a select few so that's not the problem. The main problem is acquiring new books that I JUST HAVE TO HAVE!!

I have been a bit better of late, turning down lots of swaps. I've booked a table at the local table top sale for the end of January and hope to get rid of some then, and I'm going to do a charity shop sort out too.

Good luck to you!
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Currently reading: The Tent The Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy and Granny The Pag by Nina Bawden

1001 Challenge Books read in 2009 - 3
1001 Challenge Books read in 2008 - 8
1001 Challenge Books read in 2007 - 13

blueflower · Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject:

lovely treez · Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 10:43 pm Post subject:

I intend to look at my keepers and see if I really, really want to keep them....going to be difficult but has to be done!
I am also in the process of looking at my TBR collection and sifting out the ones which I can't ever see myself reading, impulse swaps and buys etc. Wishing all us the very best of luck with these resolutions.

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Currently reading - The Italian Boy - Murder and Grave Robbery in 1830s London - Sarah Wise

dingsy · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 9:33 am Post subject:

Gwen, I too enjoy rearranging and playing with my books-there's worse ways to spend ones time! I used to feel that I "should" do periodic clear outs, but why? Unless of course, space is an issue, which with card making, could just be the case!Most weeks I find that I can pass a book on to someone. I also have dvds/cds/PC games which I'm not likely to use again, but don't face the compulsion to clear them out, so apply the same principle to books, and I'm glad that I do.
Recently Iain(our son) has started reading sci fi, and Rebus, neither of which he would have considered, had they not been at home. Jennifer is much more of a reader, and she's been working her way through Kathy Reichs, which she admitted she wouldn't have looked at in a shop.
I'm also regressing and re-reading novels from uni-in Spanish/Portuguese, again, something I wouldn't have done had they not beeen sitting neatly on a shelf!
Brian is the one in our family who regularly re-reads books, and will often dip into things that I bought (primarily for me), years ago. A few years ago he worked his way through all the Agatha Christie books we have-and I started buying those when I was 11!
So, I keep all the books which come into our home-unless we've disliked them intensely, in which case they go on risi. It's amazed me over the years, the number of books which do get dusted down and used again, either by friends or family-but not by me, as I don't think I've ever re-read a book!!
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Currently reading,
"The Mathematics of Love", Emma Darwin

annecater · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:53 pm Post subject:

I do love re-arranging my books, but unfortunately for me, space is a real issue. Our only spare room is overtaken by books so we have no spare bed to offer to guests.
I doubt very much we will ever leave this house as we love the area, so constant pruning of the books is a necessity I'm afraid.
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Currently reading: The Tent The Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy and Granny The Pag by Nina Bawden

1001 Challenge Books read in 2009 - 3
1001 Challenge Books read in 2008 - 8
1001 Challenge Books read in 2007 - 13

blueflower · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 2:22 pm Post subject:

Elaine, you are talking me out of getting rid of some books.

But I agree that you never know when you want to read them again. Over the years I have got rid of loads of books, then regreted it. I have even had to buy some book again because I missed having them. (I have 'rescued' a couple of the books I was sending to the charity shop).

I must admit that most of the books going to charity shops are my old accountancy text books and some books that Paul has had from work as samples etc. I have a novels that are going but even after the clear out I will still have about 1200 books.

Space isn't too much of a problem as there are only two of us in a reasonably sized three bed house but I feel a little bit guilty that I take up so much of the space. Paul is very neat and doesn't take up much room but is happy for me to have my 'mess' as long as I make an attempt to keep some control.

We both have loads of music in the form of LP's, tapes and now CD's which need looking at sometime but don't really want to part with them either. I doubt we will ever be able to 'downsize' but that is unlikely to happen as like Anne we love where we live and would hate to have to move.

Frangipani · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 3:49 pm Post subject:

eightlegs · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 6:39 pm Post subject:

My resolution would be to get the TBR pile down too, probably below 50. I know that sounds low to many of you but we really don't have room - family of 4 in a 2 bed terrace. And of course there's my keepers which are only about 20 or so but are definitely keepers.

My strategies are to lend to friends and family, several at a time each, so they rarely come back but it's not like giving them away (I'm usually a bit vague about whether I want them back and leave it to fate!!

)

I did try a journal but it was half hearted, I knew I was unlikely to keep it up! But I am now keeping a list of what I read each month on the PC, so that's a step forward from last year.

And I also plan a clear out of the books I am unlikely to read, many from the days when I had fewer to choose from on my shelf and need to a keep a selection but now I have so many more, and of course RISI if I get short so I can clear some.

Will let you know how I get on!!

Ruth · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 6:56 pm Post subject:

My resolution is not to buy any more books until I have read at least half of my tbr pile. And when I do start buying books again, I can never buy more than one day. I don't know how long I will last!
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"People say that life is the thing, but I prefer reading."

Tigerlily · Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 1:09 am Post subject:

I have a resolution to read more classics during 2008 and to read more than the 32 books I read this year.

Love the sound of your shelves Elaine, would love a mooch in your house. My dad's got books he's had for years, some of which are my childhood books so I like to look at them when visiting. It wouldn't be the same if he got rid of them. I keep books if I'm attached to them, if you get my meaning, however now regret getting rid of books I thought I would never read as my tastes have changed and I'd appreciate them much more now. I'd love more space for books, but wouldn't go mad buying books to fill it. I haven't swapped on RISI in months and don't plan to. Have far too much to read.

[Digression warning!!] I'm terrible; if I love a book, I feel the need to buy a collectors' or Folio Society copy, but I don't often give in - too expensive! I bought a hardback copy of A Spot of Bother from a charity shop recently, but when I tried to read it was put off by a foisty smell issuing from the pages, so it'll be going back. Such a shame as it's in excellent condition and I love hardbacks. On the other hand, I love old, battered, yellowing books that tell a tale of where they've been, with inscriptions, turned page corners, price in old pence etc. I have a habit of leaving bookmarks in books I read and post it notes or postcards with what I thought of the book, receipts etc. so that when I pick them up again I get a nice surprise. The bits and pieces remind me of where I was and what I was doing at the time (e.g., reading on the bus to work). I'm just a sentimental fool who loves to wallow in nostalgia! Have gone on enough now! [/digression]
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Reading: Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg
Reading Challenge 2009: 8
2008: 4
2007: 10

annecater · Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 5:27 pm Post subject:

I'm similiar Glynis, I too love hardbacks. If I've read a paperback and I really love I've often bought the book in hardback. I love signed books too and have a nice little collection now.

I usually get them second hand, I've founds some real bargain hardbacks in charity shops (that dont smell) and some real gems on E Bay too. I got a first edition hard back copy of Shadow Of The Wind from EBay for 90p plus £2.50 postage - I was thrilled.

If I lived in a big house, I would definitely have loads more books but living here I cant do that, so the ones I do have as keepers are extra special to me, I often look through them and often remember where/when I was in life when reading them, or who gave them to me - I think that makes my collection extra special to me.
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Currently reading: The Tent The Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy and Granny The Pag by Nina Bawden

1001 Challenge Books read in 2009 - 3
1001 Challenge Books read in 2008 - 8
1001 Challenge Books read in 2007 - 13

sirg1006 · Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:41 pm Post subject:

My book related resolution this year is to read something

Haven't read a book in months but luckily haven't been getting any to add to the pile. Really need to get rid of loads and then clear out cupboards a bit

D

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I'm an auntie! Kelvin

Tigerlily · Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:17 pm Post subject:

Bless you Debbie

You'll soon get the reading bug back.
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Reading: Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg
Reading Challenge 2009: 8
2008: 4
2007: 10

lisa2062 · Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:59 pm Post subject:

My book New Year's resolution is to read more as well, I watch loads of films but don't sit down often enough and get stuck into a book. Lisa x

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Currently Reading - Want to Play? By P.J Tracy (again)

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