Before going to work today, I decided to count just how many novels I had in my many "books to read" piles. And those are the real deal, not the "maybe" pile.
I was aware that there were a lot of books, but I was shocked when I reached 125 novels with more to go. We're talking about books by Neil Gaiman, George R. R. Martin, Tad Williams, China Miéville, Gene Wolfe, C. S. Friedman, David Weber, L. E. Modesitt, jr., Glen Cook, Neal Stephenson, Haruki Murakami, Ian McDonald, Peter F. Hamilton, Kate Elliott, Janny Wurts, Katherine Kurtz, Alastair Reynolds, Ian M. Banks, Jacqueline Carey, Dan Simmons, Terry Pratchett, Richard Morgan, Tim Powers, Daniel Abraham, Jim Butcher, Stephen King, Mark Z. Danielewski, Greg Keyes, Paul Kearney, J. V. Jones, Stephen R. Donaldson, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Tobias S. Buckell, David Farland, Kim Stanley Robinson, Greg Bear, Peter S. Beagle, and many, many more. And that's just the "big names"!
To my dismay, if I were to stop accepting new review copies and ARCs today, a quick calculation showed me that at the rate I'm reading (40-something books a year) it would take me three years to go through my back log!!!! Christ!
But it's all a question of perspective, I know. For instance, Larry could go through those books on a slow weekend, while Aidan will have grandchildren before he can ever hope to get such a task done. Still, over three years' worth of reading material awaiting my attention! Much more than that if you consider all the new releases I want to read ASAP. . .
If every author could be like GRRM and Patrick Rothfuss, maybe I could work my way through at least a pile or two before their new titles came out. But no, we have writers like Steven Erikson cranking up new books like its a bodily function! What can a poor book blogger do!?! I try to keep up, but I'm in over my head.
So when you're shocked that I haven't read something, just know that it's in one of the piles, somewhere in my apartment. . . I'll get to it, eventually. Promised!
I was aware that there were a lot of books, but I was shocked when I reached 125 novels with more to go. We're talking about books by Neil Gaiman, George R. R. Martin, Tad Williams, China Miéville, Gene Wolfe, C. S. Friedman, David Weber, L. E. Modesitt, jr., Glen Cook, Neal Stephenson, Haruki Murakami, Ian McDonald, Peter F. Hamilton, Kate Elliott, Janny Wurts, Katherine Kurtz, Alastair Reynolds, Ian M. Banks, Jacqueline Carey, Dan Simmons, Terry Pratchett, Richard Morgan, Tim Powers, Daniel Abraham, Jim Butcher, Stephen King, Mark Z. Danielewski, Greg Keyes, Paul Kearney, J. V. Jones, Stephen R. Donaldson, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Tobias S. Buckell, David Farland, Kim Stanley Robinson, Greg Bear, Peter S. Beagle, and many, many more. And that's just the "big names"!
To my dismay, if I were to stop accepting new review copies and ARCs today, a quick calculation showed me that at the rate I'm reading (40-something books a year) it would take me three years to go through my back log!!!! Christ!
But it's all a question of perspective, I know. For instance, Larry could go through those books on a slow weekend, while Aidan will have grandchildren before he can ever hope to get such a task done. Still, over three years' worth of reading material awaiting my attention! Much more than that if you consider all the new releases I want to read ASAP. . .
If every author could be like GRRM and Patrick Rothfuss, maybe I could work my way through at least a pile or two before their new titles came out. But no, we have writers like Steven Erikson cranking up new books like its a bodily function! What can a poor book blogger do!?! I try to keep up, but I'm in over my head.
So when you're shocked that I haven't read something, just know that it's in one of the piles, somewhere in my apartment. . . I'll get to it, eventually. Promised!
23 commentaires:
I know how you feel. I have around 250 in my to be read pile. Admittedly probably 60% of them are books that I got when I bought a Baen Webscription that weren't the primary reason I bought that month for, but there's a pretty significant pile that I bought specifically to read as well. I normally read about a hundred books a year so if I can just slow down the rate of acquisition sooner or later I'll catch up.
If you want, I can mail you a Stanek book. That would immediate go to the top of the pile and allow you to forget that other books even exist ;)
I'm snowed under with over 900 I've yet to read.. but I keep my head above water with 1330+ read.. Thats not a life time total.. but its the last 10 years or so.. however many since I joined Good Reads + what I can remember reading previously..
I read about 100-150 books (fiction and non fiction) a year..
You know, it's a crying shame that all those excellent books just have to sit there and be neglected. Wait! I have an idea. You can send me all the ARC's for things like "The Crippled God" and "The Wise Man's Fear" and "Republic of Thieves" etc. Just drop me a line and I'll give you my address. I promise to send them back to you when you get to the bottom of your pile. Remember, I'm just trying to help you, and the books. ;)
Jeff
See, you should never have actually calculated how long it will take you to read your TBR pile - that's depressing. If you hadn't done that you could still be happily living in a dream world where you (almost) believe that you can read all those books (I have about 90 unread books at home) within the next 12 months if you're really focussed and determined.
No,you've ruined everything.
I too, have a big pile to read, 102 books, mostly were bought when I used to sell old unused things at "vide-grenier" I made a lot of money that I transformed in books, these 102 books are 2 years of reading at my side, I decided to stop my buying frenzy, for a year. Next books before january: stone wielder, the dragon reborn, a world too near, the way of kings, I also hope to discover a new french author....
Mormegilmarseille france
I dread to think of how long it would take me to read through my TBR pile if I stopped accepting any new books from this point on. I tend to average around 60 books per years, and I know I have hundreds on the pile (thankfully, some of that pile is virtual!), so yeah, I'm looking at the better part of a decade to get through everything, and that's a very generous estimate!
Kinda of daunting. That's why I try not to think about it!
I'm in a similar state, but in my case there's no panic; I'm living my childhood dream of having my own library I can walk into and pick something I haven't read off the shelf, knowing everything I've put there is of interest to me.
You could heve a few friends or relatives as co-bloggers or co-reviewers. Maybe they would welcome the chance to read books they would otherwise not buy and also have a small-voice on a well known book review blog like yours. At the other side, you'd be able to concentrate more on what you really want to read.
I've got about 80 on my to-read list, at last count. It's quite daunting.
I don't even want to count how many books I have on my TBR pile, and I don't even get many review copies. But I can't seem to stay away from bookshops and charity shops and the internet doesn't help!
i really hope the "Hunger Games" books by Suzanne Collins are somewhere in that pile - i can really recommend those (plus the final book of the trilogy is coming out in a few days! can't wait)
since you made me read some of my now favourite books, i can only try to return the favour :-)
just don't think about the sheer number of books as a chore, enjoy as you go!
Hey! I resent that statement!
It's true, though.
Having a huge to-read pile is depressing because reading becomes an endurance test of how many books can you read. I've finally managed to discipline myself and simply NOT buy as many books anymore. I've been somewhat succesful and my to-read pile is at a mere 7 books.
Give some away to thin the herd, but either include or post a questionnaire. Then the resipient will have a chance to review the book along with winning it.
About 3 years ago, I realized that my TBR pile was way too large. In my attempts to reduce the pile I severely limited my purchases, and I no longer have the patience to complete books that don't show promise early on. I'm now down to about 50 books.
What Jeff said...share the wealth!
But seriously I have a TBR room with too many books to count.
I'll never finish them and that, my friend, is depressing.
Troy
I will do my best to reduce the size of my "to be read" pile. Here's why: two years ago I was diagnosed with a ( begnin )cancer at 41 years old, I immediately thought about my family, but also at one moment I thought at what bring me great pleasure in my life, my books...... The tumor has been cut off, I needed only radiotherapy ( 5 years of great vigilance to respect).
But can you imagine dying without having read or finished to read: ASOIAF, Malazan book of the fallen, WoT.....
Before two years these great books, will be read, no doubt about it !
Mormegilmarseille france
Just have Chuck Norris tell you all their secrets.
P.S.: In case of Gene Wolfe I can help you out: "Christ rulz (but pulp literature is sort of cool)"
Yeah. I own way too many books, and I'm currently downing 1-3 a week at peak reading times.
I have around 160 unread books. I buy/receive 5 to 8 books per month. when I'm lucky I read 6 books per month - during vacation more. That means if I don't speed up reading I will never finish my TBR pile ....
I know how you feel. I am backlogged for years also. Actually, I am overwhelmed and it causes me to lose my desire to blog!
I've got about 600 or so unread books on my shelves. I average about 15 or so a year, so who knows when/if I'll ever finish all of them (especially when I keep buying more!).
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