Friday, March 17, 2006
Theory # 17: Readerly Theories: Hoarding Books
I just read this post on RTB and boy, did it sound familiar:
This is so me. I have a notebook with a page for each month, and in it I keep track of all the books I must have and when they're released. And each month, I fill up my shopping cart at Barnes & Noble online with the latest releases. And when the box comes, I drop everything to open it immediately and ooh and ahh over my new treasures.
Then I take them upstairs and put them in the TBR pile.
It'll be months, maybe years, before I actually read them.
My absolute favorite authors are Jim Butcher, Carole Nelson Douglas, Elizabeth Peters, Terry Pratchett, & Nora Roberts. Oh, there are others who I think are excellent, even better, writers (well, maybe not better than Pratchett--is that even possible?), and whose books I even enjoy more, but those 5--I have all their books, and I've read, and re-read them. Jim's books, well, there's no problem with those. And Nora's--well, thanks to the JDRobb list, I have an excuse reason for reading those in a timely manner. But Going Postal and Thud! are still in my TBR pile. As are Guardian of the Horizon, The Serpent on the Crown, Cat in a Hot Pink Pursuit, and even Blue Smoke (it arrived too late for me to join the discussion, so into the TBR pile it went).
Now, I know why I stick books someone else has recommended into my TBR pile--it lets the hype die down, so I'm less influenced by it. Contrary as I am, raves about a book will make me read it with a cynical eye, and I'll enjoy it less than I otherwise might.
But why do I hoard the books I know I'm going to like? The RTB post suggested it was avoiding the let-down after finishing a highly anticipated book, and I'm sure that's part of it. As long as I haven't read the book, I can still have that anticipation going. But that's not all of it. For one thing, I tend to forget that anticipatory feeling once I've acquired the book.
Maybe it's all that childhood training: save the best for last; eat your veggies or you can't have dessert. Of course, now I prefer veggies to dessert 9 times out of 10, so carrying that analogy further, maybe I've learned to enjoy reading the books I don't like as much?
Maybe it's as I tell people, I like to know I have something great waiting in case I really, really need a good read. Though it never occurs to me to pull a long-anticipated book out of the TBR pile when I need a pick-me-up.
Maybe it's masochistic tendencies, and I just enjoy making myself wait.
Maybe separating the acquisition from actually reading the book is a case of double your pleasure, double your fun.
Or maybe I am, as I've long suspected, just odd.
...the rest
Categories: Theories, Reading
I find myself wanting to read it, yet not wanting that feeling of delighted expectation to go away. This is a book I want to savor, one I want to read on a rainy day or a lonesome evening by myself. I’ve waited anxiously for months for this book to come out, yet now that I have it, I can’t bring myself to actually read it.
This is so me. I have a notebook with a page for each month, and in it I keep track of all the books I must have and when they're released. And each month, I fill up my shopping cart at Barnes & Noble online with the latest releases. And when the box comes, I drop everything to open it immediately and ooh and ahh over my new treasures.
Then I take them upstairs and put them in the TBR pile.
It'll be months, maybe years, before I actually read them.
My absolute favorite authors are Jim Butcher, Carole Nelson Douglas, Elizabeth Peters, Terry Pratchett, & Nora Roberts. Oh, there are others who I think are excellent, even better, writers (well, maybe not better than Pratchett--is that even possible?), and whose books I even enjoy more, but those 5--I have all their books, and I've read, and re-read them. Jim's books, well, there's no problem with those. And Nora's--well, thanks to the JDRobb list, I have a
Now, I know why I stick books someone else has recommended into my TBR pile--it lets the hype die down, so I'm less influenced by it. Contrary as I am, raves about a book will make me read it with a cynical eye, and I'll enjoy it less than I otherwise might.
But why do I hoard the books I know I'm going to like? The RTB post suggested it was avoiding the let-down after finishing a highly anticipated book, and I'm sure that's part of it. As long as I haven't read the book, I can still have that anticipation going. But that's not all of it. For one thing, I tend to forget that anticipatory feeling once I've acquired the book.
Maybe it's all that childhood training: save the best for last; eat your veggies or you can't have dessert. Of course, now I prefer veggies to dessert 9 times out of 10, so carrying that analogy further, maybe I've learned to enjoy reading the books I don't like as much?
Maybe it's as I tell people, I like to know I have something great waiting in case I really, really need a good read. Though it never occurs to me to pull a long-anticipated book out of the TBR pile when I need a pick-me-up.
Maybe it's masochistic tendencies, and I just enjoy making myself wait.
Maybe separating the acquisition from actually reading the book is a case of double your pleasure, double your fun.
Or maybe I am, as I've long suspected, just odd.
...the rest
Categories: Theories, Reading
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I don't do this with books, but I used to hoard chocolate as a child. That way I knew I'd have some available when I really, really wanted it. Sometimes when something is a very good thing (chocolate/book) you don't want to rush through it, or read it when you're tired/in a bad mood/can't concentrate properly. You want to read/eat the book/chocolate at a time which will make the experience absolutely perfect. That might be why 'it never occurs to me to pull a long-anticipated book out of the TBR pile when I need a pick-me-up'. That sort of chocolate/book isn't a sort of medicine to make you feel better. It's a rare and precious thing you want to savour. And as you can only read a book for the first time once (unless you have the memory of a goldfish), it's particularly special if it's a good book. It's almost painful, because you worry you might not do justice to the book. Hmm, well, that's another theory/possible explanation.
It's a lot easier to read not-so-good books. You're not going to be so disappointed if you don't like them, you can rush through them without feeling you might have missed something, all you're expecting is a happy suspension of disbelief and no-wallbanging.
The 'I have a notebook with a page for each month, and in it I keep track of all the books I must have and when they're released' makes absolute sense given that a lot of books, especially romances, don't stay in the bookshop for very long, so if you want the book it's got to be purchased quickly. And once it arrives it's a new, shiny book. So of course you admire it. But you're sort of admiring its bookness, rather than the text, and also you're probably feeling relief that you now have those books in your hands and you don't have to worry that you'll miss out on them. Maybe it's just me, but until a book parcel arrives, I'm never quite certain it will. Once it's here I can sit on it like a dragon on its hoard (though I am usually a very, very greedy dragon, so I have almost no TBR pile at all). And if you just sit on the books, it does avoid disappointment if they're not as good as anticipated.
It's a lot easier to read not-so-good books. You're not going to be so disappointed if you don't like them, you can rush through them without feeling you might have missed something, all you're expecting is a happy suspension of disbelief and no-wallbanging.
The 'I have a notebook with a page for each month, and in it I keep track of all the books I must have and when they're released' makes absolute sense given that a lot of books, especially romances, don't stay in the bookshop for very long, so if you want the book it's got to be purchased quickly. And once it arrives it's a new, shiny book. So of course you admire it. But you're sort of admiring its bookness, rather than the text, and also you're probably feeling relief that you now have those books in your hands and you don't have to worry that you'll miss out on them. Maybe it's just me, but until a book parcel arrives, I'm never quite certain it will. Once it's here I can sit on it like a dragon on its hoard (though I am usually a very, very greedy dragon, so I have almost no TBR pile at all). And if you just sit on the books, it does avoid disappointment if they're not as good as anticipated.
# posted by 
: 3/17/2006 9:31 PM
: 3/17/2006 9:31 PM
That makes a lot of sense, Laura--I tell myself that I'm saving a book for a time when I really need it, but the times I'm envisioning aren't really good for reading a long-anticipated book. If I'm feeling miserable or sick, I won't appreciate it, and if I'm feeling great, I don't need the pick-me-up.
This: relief that you now have those books in your hands and you don't have to worry that you'll miss out on them is very true. I have in the past missed out on books that I'd put off for later and not been able to find them again, so I'm sure that's in the back of my mind.
The idea you had about wanting that first read to be perfect really resonates as well.
This: relief that you now have those books in your hands and you don't have to worry that you'll miss out on them is very true. I have in the past missed out on books that I'd put off for later and not been able to find them again, so I'm sure that's in the back of my mind.
The idea you had about wanting that first read to be perfect really resonates as well.
This resonates with me too, but I think there's also another side to it. When I'm upset or stressed, I buy books, lots of books, and mainly books that I want to read. But because I'm upset or stressed, I can't read them at that time (see Laura's theory on the perfect first read). Later on, I think I subconsciously associate those books with the stress or upset that surrounded the time when I bought them, so am not keen to read them, EVEN THOUGH it might be a book I was really enthusiastic about. So my TBR pile has a whole host of great books that have faintly negative associations, and that are likely to remain in the pile.
Oh, that makes a lot of sense. I don't have too many books like that left in my TBR pile--since moving overseas, my book buying has become pretty regimented (I place one or two orders a month), and thus removed from emotions, but there were some in there that were giving off faintly negative vibes, and I'll bet that's why.
Excessive book-buying has become a key stress indicator for me, so when the TBR pile grows a lot suddenly, I know it's time to take a break. I think my record is about 78 in one week (yes, I buy a lot of used books ;) ). This week, I'm up to 43 so far...time for a bit of R+R.
Wow! You buy more books than I do! I was feeling overwhelmed because 2 weeks ago I ended up with 47 new books over a period of about 6 days.
It was worse when I could go to the flea market and buy grocery bags full of books at 3/$1.
The ironic thing is that when you buy books when you're stressed, you don't particularly feel like reading them right then. Still, there's something about the acquisition of something you know you'll enjoy, at least eventually, that fills a need.
Hope your stress levels go down soon.
You know, it just occurred to me that even though I've regulated my book buying somewhat, it's still pretty stress-related. I may limit myself to one or two orders a month, but if I'm stressed, I tend to go through my wish list and order a lot more books. If I'm not stressed, I only order the ones on my must-buy list.
As far as addictions go, it could definitely be worse.
It was worse when I could go to the flea market and buy grocery bags full of books at 3/$1.
The ironic thing is that when you buy books when you're stressed, you don't particularly feel like reading them right then. Still, there's something about the acquisition of something you know you'll enjoy, at least eventually, that fills a need.
Hope your stress levels go down soon.
You know, it just occurred to me that even though I've regulated my book buying somewhat, it's still pretty stress-related. I may limit myself to one or two orders a month, but if I'm stressed, I tend to go through my wish list and order a lot more books. If I'm not stressed, I only order the ones on my must-buy list.
As far as addictions go, it could definitely be worse.
As far as addictions go, it could definitely be worse.
Oh yeah! And if I got rid of my book addiction, I'd have to work on chocolate next, and who wants to do that? ;)
Oh yeah! And if I got rid of my book addiction, I'd have to work on chocolate next, and who wants to do that? ;)
Chocolate addiction is glorious, and sometimes gets me through the day. I meant, if I was working on eradicating addictions (which obviously I'm not), chocolate would be up next after books, and as I can't contemplate erasing choc from my life, I'd better not cut down on the books either. Just to be on the safe side. Now where did I leave those Lindt balls?
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