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Sandi Shilhanek | TBR Stacks, Rooms... Organized or Not?
September 7, 2008
 I have to say I love the Internet! I learn such interesting
things, and things
I never knew I was truly interested in until someone either in one of my Yahoo
groups mentions it, or I see it posted on a bulletin board at one of the
websites I like to visit. This week what is grabbing my attention is To Be Read piles, from here on out
to be known as TBR’s. TBR’s are mentioned a lot as I visit different places,
and they provoke a slew of different emotions from people. Some people I’ve noticed are proud of their TBR’s and will gladly tell you all
about how they have it organized, how much time they spend perusing it, and how
it’s taken over their homes. Others are aghast that people allow books to have
free range over their homes and lives, preferring to limit themselves to a
small number.  Me? Well, my TBR is vast and definitely has overtaken the
space in my small
home. I unfortunately don’t have it organized well at all, and when I see or
read about people who have alphabetized or arranged by publisher, or by size
their TBR piles I want to say, “Hey don’t you realize that takes time, and you
could be reading instead?” Then when I get over that I want to say, “Would you
like to come organize my pile?”
I’m curious do you have a TBR? How old do you think the oldest book in the pile
is? How often do you cull it? Is it a pile or more like a mountain range? Are
your friends amazed by it? Have they given you a wish list based on it? I will share that I don’t think I could read my TBR in my lifetime. I plan on
it being my children’s inheritance. I’m sure that there’s a book or two, or
even maybe a hundred that might be worth something on the open market. I will
not ever admit to how many actual books the TBR contains, because isn’t it
already enough to have admitted that it’s not in any way organized? So now that you know something about my TBR I have some questions about yours.
I’m curious do you have a TBR? How old do you think the oldest book in the pile
is? How often do you cull it? Is it a pile or more like a mountain range? Are
your friends amazed by it? Have they given you a wish list based on it?
Comments
9 comments posted.
Re: Sandi Shilhanek | TBR Stacks, Rooms... Organized or Not?
Sandi-
Yes I have a TBR or I guess I should use the plural here as I keep borrowed books separate from my own collection to avoid losing them.
The longest a book has been there would be something over a year I think at least for the fiction, non-fic probably quite a bit longer.
Cull the TBR's - never. I expect to read all the fiction ones eventually just don't know when.
Pile, mountain range? - More like shelves. I finally separated them by TBR and read/reference material as well as fic & non when I got tired of tripping over the boxes on the floor. And yes each section is alphabetized by author/editor/publisher depending on which is listed - makes it easy to find what I want if looking for a specific book. I still have two boxes on the floor but limit it to that and stack any others on the shelves which seem to expand exponentially. The boxes are books to be read for reviews and borrowed books as I try to prioritize the ones I am committed to reading by dates and the borrowed ones are separated so I cna return them when done and not have them buried with my other "just because" reading.
No wish lists from my friends yet though I do ocassionally lend out books - some books anyway. So many of my friends are also readers so they are not amazed by the TBR phenom around here as some have their own if not physical then virtual (as in lists in their head). Many of my books are listed in my Shelfari and Goodreads profiles and I update them ocassionally to add new books so my friends could always look there.
Looks like my comment grew as exponentially as my TBRs seem to. LOL
(Melissa M 12:22pm September 7, 2008)
I have my TBR pile in boxes and I don't want to think how many years I have had some of them. I wish they were in alphabetical order.
Nice article that definitely hits home.
(Joyce Mandle 12:56pm September 7, 2008)
I have my TBR books organized. I have 11/2 bookcases of organized TBR book by line and then date in line and sometimes series. At the beginning yeah it was time consuming but as books come in the house and I keep it up, so now it doesn't take time.
Not sure which books might be oldest. I have some Diana Palmer that are from the 80's but they might be on the read bookcases and have some Jackie Collins books written in 70's again in read pile.
Maybe there could be a new career path for me, book organizer. LOL. I love playing with books
(Christa Runge 1:22pm September 7, 2008)
Nice topic. My TBR is way to big and I could probably never be able to read them all in my lifetime. I don't mind my book friends knowing its size but it is a bit embarrassing for non-book friends/family to see. The contents of my TBR include all kinds of books. Each one represents a friend or stage of my life when certain ideas of auhors interested me more than others. In an ideal world, I try to keep every book I own and would have every copy of every book but I have moved so much in my life that I have not been able to keep them all and a flood took out half of my personal library as well. I don't lend books out for fesr of never getting them back except to one friend many years back. She and I shared books a lot. Right noe my TBR and my husband's too are everywhere in every nook of the home. I do like to organize them but life has been too crazy this year to catch up.
(Merri Crawford 1:29pm September 7, 2008)
As always, a good subject and well written.
Yes, I have a TBR pile. Not sure how many books, but still a pile. I know there are books that I have had over a year. One book my daughter gave me several years ago. I'll read it when the mood strikes! Nothing is organized at the moment as I just moved. The books are all in boxes!!! Keepers & TBR!! Can't wait to start unpacking those. The other day I bought two new books & ordered another one!! First time I have bought books in awhile. What fun. When I was getting ready to move I did get rid of some of the TBR pile as they were books given to me that had been gathering dust for several years. Time to say bye-bye!! I also weeded through a lot of books that were hiding in various places. The library loves the donations for their book sale. The next one is in October. Will I go? Probably!
(Donna McClure 3:36pm September 7, 2008)
LOL a TBR pile? Hummmm, looking around, how about a TBR home? I won't say how many, okay I will I have 2000 books in my TBR pile. The oldest is probably some of my early first edition books, not all are romance though most are. I know I have romances that are at least 20yrs old.
I have decided I need to make a plan to read at least one book from my older TBR books each month. I'm like you though I'll never read them all. Hubby says I'm covered for when he retires and money is tight, I won't have to buy new to find new reads.LOL
hugs,
WendyK
(Wilma Keel 4:10pm September 7, 2008)
I like the term tbr home. I can relate to that. Even though most are in my room, I have a bookshelf in the hall (and looking for another one), a case in the living room and boxes in the shed. I don't have an exact count, but I'm guessing I have around 2000 books, w/at least 1500 not read. I started to organize them last year, but its a project not totally finished. I started mostly because I sometimes buy books I already own. Sooooo, if I was just a bit more organized . . .
Oh, on the friends opinion of my books, I have one who tells people she's going to the Erdly library (and she's not a straight romance reader, she only borrows my mysteries/paranormals. I did get her to read the JR Ward series though). Everyone one else thinks I never have to buy another book ever again. But what fun would that be? And like everyone else, I'll have plenty to read when I retire and money's tight!
(Amanda Reeder-erdly 8:39pm September 7, 2008)
All the books in my TBR are now crammed and wedged two-deep into the upstairs hallway bookcase, which is where I had to move them when we have the house Flea Busted last year. Couldn't leave a tower of books sitting in the middle of the bedroom carpet for the Flea Buster guy to knock over.
Great blog, Sandi! Your wonderful sense of humor comes through and makes it lots of fun.
Suzanne Forster
(Suzan Forster 1:26am September 8, 2008)
My TBR pile is taking over the bedroom, on the nightstand, dresser and now has spilled over onto the floor. Friends give me books then I buy new books and put those on the top of the pile, so the ones on the bottom get pretty old, at least a year or more. Hubby is threatening to feed them to the wood stove this winter..he knows better or the wood stove will be the only thing keeping him warm. lol
Great topic for a blog Sandi.
(Cindy Boucher 9:31am September 14, 2008)
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