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Oh, I am in the mood to muse, so let's check out, from the pages of Just One More Page, what question Rececca has for us this week.
Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about recording your reading…
Do you keep track of what and/or how many books you read? How long have you been doing this? What's your favorite tracking method, and why? If you don't keep track, why not?
Do I keep track of my reading? Awww...no. Well, not with a spreadsheet like some people who will remain nameless. (sssshhh...don't tell anyone, but it's Rebecca.) Actually, my inner OCDness loves the idea.
My lazy caiteness makes it unlikely.
I am not good at maintaining lists. I am realistic enough to know that. I could create a lovely little Excel sheet...and in 2 or 3 months I would stop the upkeep on it and it would become just another questionable file on my computer.
So that makes the next two question moots. I have been in a state of book disorganization all my life...because I was born that way.
Ok, that is not totally true. As you, my dear reads, know if you read my Library Thing posts, I joined Library Thing to at least bring order to the books I own. I did that after the Great Brideshead Revisited Fiasco. In case you forget, I went to the bookstore, bought a nice hardcover edition of BR...came home to put it on my bookshelves, only to find that I already had another copy...the exact same edition.
I was going to create a spreadsheet at that point, but again the Caite-laziness kicked in and in looking for an online alternative, found the perfect Library Thing. Now, as a side effect, it does also help me keep track of my reading. When I remember to update the library, rate the book or post a review there. I am good about updating the library because I have established a physical barrier. Books do not come into the library space until there are entered on Library Thing. No matter how much they beg and cry.
The updating the ratings and reviews there...not quite as good a situation.
If you read a fair number of books (and we will not get into the question of what is a fair number, which is why I do not count the number of books that I read) it is easy to forget what you have read and certainly what you thought of them. I have a number of books in my library, going back many years, that at this point I am not sure whether I have read or not. Am I remembering the movie or a review I read about it or what someone told me about it? I am solidly into middle age and what I read decades ago is becoming a wee bit vague. Which is one reason, beside my quest for fame and World Domination, that I started the blog.
I sometimes will read an old (old being a relative term since the blog has not been around that long) review and be surprised at what I thought of a book. I figure it will be useful by the time I am collecting Social Security.
The fame and World Domination thing is not coming along too well either.
this is interesting, how did you get it to post on monday when its only sunday?
ReplyDeleteanyway, im glad to be the first to comment! my mom has a book called "the booklover's book" she got it on amazon two summers ago; she writes all the books she reads in there and a little one sentence review.
she likes to look back at all the reading she's accomplished and she thinks she may have to buy another because she's running out of room in the "g" section. evidently all her favorite authors start with g?
incidentally, have you ever read "into the wild"? aunt elly is reading it, she told me its about this guy who hitch-hikes to denali nat'l park and then loses his mind. but apparantly there's a lot of interesting info about ALASKA. of course i thought of you, and im going to tell grandma about it, too!
well bandit, I posted it and then changed the scheduled post date to monday....so monday appears on the date. I just don't want to post Monday Musing on Sunday, although I posted it on Monday.
ReplyDeleteI know, it makes no sense. :-)
Your mom is better organized than I am..many people are..lol
Into The Wild...no, I have not read it. I remember reading about it..the whole starving to death thing sort of turned me off. But I did not know he was in Denali..I thought it was Canada. I would be interested to know what Elly thinks of it...maybe I should rent the movie.
I am thinking that most bloggers started blogging to keep track of their stuff...or is it just me? I kept trying different systems over the years, but I couldn't stick with one. It was becoming a problem for me too. Buying books I already had, forgetting completely what they were about once I read them...
ReplyDeleteAs for Into the Wild, I've not read the book, but saw the movie, which was awesome. A bit disturbing, but it stays with you days after you finish it.
I loved this post! Good luck with the world domination thing. Not sure why anyone would want to dominate this messed up world, but okay - maybe you'd be the one to make things right.
ReplyDeleteBandit, the world's cutest dog,(he gives me a quarter every time I call him that) knows that I will be in Denali(and many other places in Alaska) in May/June. I have no intention of starving though...maybe fly fishing instead.
ReplyDeleteDisturbing or not, I will have to rent the movie...
Kathy, I will cure all the world's problems when I take over. First, all will be required to wear funny hats. Because everything is better when wearing a funny hat!
Hey! Are you outing my craziness on your blog? This deviousness will no doubt help you in your plans for word domination...
ReplyDeletehehe
btw, I'm so glad to see you're so happy to be up first, I never get to be first :(
You are just so funny. You always crack me up. And isn't your blog a good record of what you read? And how does laziness and OCD NOT go together? And I've been known to order the same book off Paperback Swap in the course of the same week.
ReplyDeleteyou make me laugh--
ReplyDeleteI'm as lazy as you, no I don't keep lists. I have memories but I am also at an age where they aren't always credible. I recently discovered library thing and when I remember a book I read--I add it.
I have to keep a record because like you I've bought and borrowed books I already have or have read! It was getting to be a problem - I don't say I'm more organised now because although I list books in different places I don't remember to look at the lists sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAnd books I read years ago are now vague enough for me not to be sure I've read them!! I use Library Thing too, which does help.
Caite, I bet I could out lazy you any day of the week but I do keep track of my reading, it's probably the only thing in my house that is organized. Okay, my husband made me do it. He started the database and we enter all the books we buy and read, the date we read them, the year they were published, where we got them from and what we have that we havne't read yet. Yes, this may seem obsessive but I have been married to this guy for 43 years and my laziness has not rubbed off on him yet and the older I get the more I appreciate his organizational skills and persistence. If it were up to me, chaos would reign! I would be wearing a funny hat, asking the penguins if they had seen my glasses and reading a book I read last year but couldn't remember.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your reply. As usual, mine is brief (like my reviews).
ReplyDeleteshe hasn't finished the book. but she really likes it so there may be hope she will finish before my first birthday, lol! i know..thats not fair.
ReplyDeleteshe finds it quiteeee disturbing, but one of those things where you just HAVE to keep reading.
Your post makes me laugh....along with you, because I have done the same exact thing. Just last week, I checked a book out from the library (the 2nd in the No.1 Ladie's detective agency) to read, only to find it on "one" of my bookshelves later.
ReplyDeletesigh.
I loved the 1st one, bought the
2nd one and then set it on my shelf.
2 questions...
I don't have HBO, was the No.1 Ladies good?
And was Brideshead revisited good? I've thought of buying it... but I better check my bookshelves first. LOL
Good and funny post.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry -- I've also brought home a copy of a book, all excited, only to realize that I already had the exact same copy sitting in a pile at home. (In my case, it was Meg Cabot's Big Boned.)
ReplyDeleteI've kept pretty good track of the books I've read since I started blogging, but I was pretty lax before that! :)
Maybe you should work more on the world domination thing. I think you could definitely improve things.
ReplyDeleteRebecca, if you don't want people to know you are a little...hmmm...over organized, you shouldn't post about it...lol
ReplyDeleteJenners, it is hard to be as organized as my OCDness would like...because I am just too lazy. but i do my best.
kaye...Library Thing saved me! all those statistics make me feel so good.
BooksPlease, LT is not perfect . Because you do actually have to good at it for it too work. I have found that out..lol
Kaye, you have something against funny hats??
Mary, I am rarely brief. I do like to go on...and on...and on...
Bandit..I am waiting for a book report!
Debbie...Debbie...you don't know me too well yet. I Tivo'd No.1 LDA...and have not watched it yet. After a 12 work day i don't have a lot of time to watch stuff I recorded..it will have to wait until I am off Wednesday.
and Brideshead..well, yes, I have those two copies, neither of which I have read yet.
I am hopeless sometimes.
thank you zetor!
writemeg...at least now, if I bought two of the same books I could hold a giveaway on my blog!
carolsnotebook...I am laying the groundwork! Pointy, funny hat are on order, one for everyone! and a chicken in every pot...
I can totally relate to bringing home a "twin" book. I've done it often. And it's so ridiculous! I always go to put it exactly where the old one is! BTW, I'm on LT too! I use GoodReads and Shelfari too, but not nearly as well. I think its the forums on LT that help me come back more often.
ReplyDeleteI can relate - to the lazy part, bringing home the same book part, getting old and what I read years ago is vague. However, because what I read years ago is vague, it is just as fun to read a second time. I don't have much of a system, except for my blog. I tried library thing but haven't kept it up. I like Bandit Jack's mother's book and will have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteyou know the only books i read are in italian!!!! im not sure anyone will benefit from my book report..
ReplyDeleteAND WHERE IS THINGER, WITH THE PICTURE OF ME AND THE LOVELY ANIMATION I SENT YOU!?
ReplyDeleteI did the same thing you did with Love in the Time of Cholera. Bought a copy at a yard sale only to find another one at home. D'oh! At the time I just said, well, I guess that means I should read it! :-)
ReplyDelete