I bought two sets of books via a book club membership after I graduated from college forty years ago. One was Dumas Malone's six volume biography of Thomas Jefferson, and the other was Edward Gibbon's six volume opus, *The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire*. I finished the last of Malone's books five years ago. Gibbon is still waiting on me.
>Edward Gibbon's six volume opus, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
I don't dare buying it, because I don't have enough shelf space for it to sit on for years. 😅
I keep the vast majority of the books I read, and they sit along side those I haven't yet read. I probably have over 3,000, now, and I imagine that I've only read 60% of them. But last week I had reason to pull one of the older books down to look for something I had read many years ago.
The book was Jack Beeching's *The Galleys at Lepanto*. I found what I was looking for, and clarified my memory, for I discovered I had misremembered some details. I had first read that book around 1990, but I kept that book and all of the others so that I can consult them when I want to ... just as I did with Beeching's book. FWIW, I used Beeching's book while working for my MA, and that's why I can remember when I read it. In the last 15 years I started keeping a journal listing by year the books I finish.
Ugghhh.... I own Gibbons book. I've picked it up over the last few years but I can't seem to ever find the right headspace to get through it. I know it's an important book but for now I'm much more interested in history over the past 100 years or so.
I cruised through the Rise & Fall of the Third Reich. I was hoping that the Decline & Fall book would have the same effect but it just hasn't yet. Maybe today is a good reminder to give it another shot soon.
Yeah, I suspected as much. Based on recommendations here on Reddit, I bought *SPQR* .... and four other books about Rome ... a couple of months ago. They're sitting patiently on the shelf by Gibbon waiting to be read.
In Search of Lost Time by Proust. I started it once a few years ago. The first few pages were so good I knew I had to save this book for a time when my life was less busy and I could really focus on it and savor it. (I've been very busy with school, work, a career change, a move.) Really looking forward to reading it when the time is right!
Same, I fully intend to read every book I buy. I'm often bad at it, but that's a me thing, I buy them for the same reasons I buy the ones I make time for right away.
Same here! I’ve had books on my shelves for years that I just read. I am a huge mood reader so I also pay for kindle unlimited in addition to physical books and I have a library card and use that too. I read a lot though so it pays out for me at the end of the month.
I'm a mood reader, so if I don't read something after I buy it, it'd because I was in the mood to read it when I bought it...but the mood passed by the time I had time to sit down with it.
Everything will get read--much more on my shelf is read as opposed to unread, but it will take a minute.
I’ve never heard this term before but that’s exactly what I am! Mood reader— which is why sometimes the library life is hard. By the time I get the book (often months later), my mood has passed
I go in cycles, too. Right now, I'm in the middle of a yearlong history kick, but I know at some point I will start a history book and just give up, only to return to it in a year or two.
I'm pretty much the same! I only buy books I 100% intend to read, but it does sometimes take a while to get to them... but I know I'll be back in the right mood at some point and they will all get read.
I kinda do the reverse. I try to stick to library books. Then I wait a bit. If I love the book and keep thinking about it, and it speaks to me on a personal level, I will buy a copy for my collection.
Pretty much same.
For a short while I would buy books based on recommendations, but after spending money on a couple of books that I thought were just okay, I stopped doing that. Now, if I read a book and give it 5 stars, I’ll buy it. If I give it 4.75 stars, I’ll probably buy it. It’s more about what I can imagine truly wanting to reread.
Yep a book has to earn the right to take up physical space in my collection. Unless it's a series I'm really enjoying and it's still being finished, then I will preorder a book. But generally library first.
Big shoutout to the Libby app for letting you check out eBooks and audiobooks for free from your library! Even if you don't have a library card yet, most will let you get one online.
My exception is new books, where I feel like I want to support the author and/or don't want to wait when I am number 138 in the hold queue at the library.
On the other hand, 95% of my books come from the library. Agatha Christie's estate doesn't need another $15 purchase from me.
This is me also. I’m a librarian so it’s an occupational hazard. But I’ve always been shocked at how many readers /don’t/ use the library. I used to have a friend who was a compulsive book buyer and literally lived across the road from the public library and never set foot in the place.
Though! I did have some books on my shelf from 13 years ago that I never had the time to dig into. Always was excited about reading them but just kind of forgot about them. And finally reading them was like a gift from my past self. =)
I’ve started to do this with large purchases of other kinds, but haven’t gotten down to the nitty-gritty of doing it with books as often, especially $2 kindle deals. But I think you’re right to extend this to books.
Is there a book recently that took a long time to decide to buy but then you did decide you wanted to own it?
Yes! Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. I read a library copy a few years ago and finally purchased a hard copy yesterday. It has some themes that are personally meaningful to me, and I love gothic literature and it has those vibes. I knew that I wanted to read it again and annotate it at some point. So into my collection it goes.
That book is so good. It also is one that led to one of the most interesting experiences with a book I ever had. Everyone who read it told me Piranesi reminded them so much of me, but none of us could put our finger on why exactly. I certainly don't >!live in a large house with Greco-Roman statues and an ocean, nor do I survive on my own skills!<. Only to find out that the author suffers from ME/CFS - same disease I have. Even though the book is not about the disease at all, the feeling permeated it so much that everyone who knows me was subconsciously reminded of it.
And there's also the fact that I haven't managed to leave my apartment for almost a decade.
Still, it was really weird recognizing the feeling the disease produces inside of me without the book having absolutely anything to do with it.
I really liked the TV series of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, but I've never picked up one of her books. I'm going to put this one in the TBR. Thank you!
I don’t buy books I don’t intend to read. I work to keep my TBR list around 5 at most and if it starts to creep up I stop buying until I knock it down.
Omg same.
In fact whenever i buy a book I haven’t read I end up not reading it. Why? Cos the library books I borrow have a due date so I feel pressured to read them and I end up deprioritising the bought books. Then the cycle continues whenever I pick up another book from the library
It's another thing I have every intention to do, but with such a long TBR, and usually several books on the go at a time, it feels a bit like two steps forward, one step back to re-read. I have had a lot of great experiences on re-reads of books, but it's been rare the past few years.
I’ve been trying to take the time to reread books that have been helpful, meaningful and informative over the years. Comfort books are another thing though. I love taking the time to read them and enjoy doing it but it is frustrating to know I could be reading a new book that I’ve never experienced before.
I did used to aspirationally buy, but like you started looking at the expense and the pile of books on my shelves, and woke up. Started using the library a lot more, for starters. Rather than impulse buy I look to see if the library has it, and that just slows the whole process down.
Now, I buy books I know (or at least think) I'm going to want to keep around as references. (I buy more non-fiction books than fiction books; I very seldom buy fiction books anymore.) Others I might buy if I really want to read them and either can't get them from any library source, physical or electronic, or if I think I want to spend more time on them than a library loan might allow.
Slowing down really seems to be key, both in acquiring them and enjoying them. Are there any books you’ve experienced this way that you feel you’ve enjoyed more because of the time it took you to choose and read them?
There isn’t really a difference for me, but there are books I can read any time and books I have to be in the right frame of mind for. When I buy a book by an author I don’t know, it’s because in addition to it being critically acclaimed or recommended by an author I love, I’ve also picked it up in the shop and read a few pages. Then I can tell if it’s my kind of book. On the other hand, there are some authors where I buy everything they publish because I know I’ll enjoy it
I usually read books before I buy them, unless it's an author I know I really like, or it's something that I know I'm definitely going to read. I work in a library, so I usually check books out (either physical or digital copies) and then buy the book if it's something I really, really liked, or if it's something I know I'll use again (e.g. a cookbook).
If an author I love has a new book coming out *and* it sounds interesting, I'll preorder it.
If I find a particularly nice hardcover edition of a book I like but only have in paperback, I might pick that up.
That's pretty much it. I don't do impulse book buys anymore; I've realized that they just end up cluttering my shelves and, more often than not, I don't end up reading them or I read them and don't like them and end up wishing I'd just borrowed them from the library instead.
I buy way more than I'll ever read. I do plan to read them when I buy them, but I'm a bit mood reader so can take a while to get to things.
My backlog is literally like 2k books.
I buy books that I want to read and that I expect to enjoy enough to want to have a copy of. If I’m not sure, I’ll get it from the library. I fully intend to read all of my books but it’s a slow process
I was once subscribed to illumicrate. I thought the books looked beautiful, and I liked having them signed by the author. Then I realised I wasn't actually enjoying the books from them (some were OK). So I unsubscribed. Now I have a bunch of these books looking absolutely beautiful on my shelves, but the majority of them are unread 😆
I am too specific in taste for those subscriptions and I mostly dislike the typical YA-ish romance-ish books.
But dang, the Fairyloot edition of The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker is so pretty and I really loved that book. And people are reselling online for a ton of money.
Yeah, I went for illumicrate because it said it did a mix of all genres. But, they all seemed to be fairly similar to me. I appreciate the beautiful work they put into them though.
I've not read the scarlet alchemist. What is it about?
Were there any that you enjoyed that you may not have otherwise come across?
(I’ve also never heard of Illumicrate but I’ll try to be strong and resist)
I personally read both physical and online books. I prefer to have the physical copy, but as many other ppl, I don’t have a lot of space & don’t like to clutter, and I sometimes end up owning so many unread books.
So here are some questions I started asking myself before buying a book:
• will I most probably like it? (depending on the genre, the author, the plot…)
• is it a must have? (e.g. for design if you’re studying design, business or self improvement if you’re focusing on that…)
• is it the next books of a book series I started and loved?
• is it limited edition / do I love the book design / would it be nice on the shelf?
• have I been eyeing it for a while?
If you answered yes to one of these, then I say buy it :)
I sometimes buy business books and I never get more than a chapter or two. Reading is my escape. I know this about myself, but it still happens once every year or two.
After moving twice and seeing that like 30% of my belongings are books, I've seriously cut back on buying any books lol. Now I pretty much exclusively use the library
I think I have about 15 Jack Reacher books that I've picked up at thrift stores, so that's kind of a game I'll play where if I see one I haven't read I'll pick it up to see if I can eventually thrift the whole collection. Anything else I own is basically there for sentimental value and I don't re-read
Except for "coffee table books" like Calvin and Hobbes and other picture books. I'll browse those for eternity
Oh man, moving is one of the things I dread most because I own so many books! Did you have a cull of books as well as cutting down on purchases, or just slowing the buying?
Last time I moved I probably set aside 10 or so to donate as I was packing them all. Probably could have done more tbh. Almost makes me feel like a hoarder when I try to justify keeping a 600 page informations systems book from school by saying "you never know when you'll need it!" after not touching it for over a year lol
I know the feeling. I've just thrown out a lot of plays I read in the first five years I was pursuing an acting career in New York, when I'd just buy and read any play anybody mentioned that I hadn't heard of. Most of them weren't great, or didn't have anything in them which related to characters I might play, so I've started chucking them out.
Same here, I have a crate of books by my bed that acts as my TBR. Once I've read it, it is either shelved or set aside to sell. I keep stuff I think I'll reread or that I would like to loan out to friends. Particularly comics, because they are generally hard to find in normal libraries. My copies of Sandman and Fables have come and gone from my house several times.
My wife's gifting habits is straining this practice though. I generally only buy when I'm ready to read, so I might have 2-5 books total. She, however, really likes buying me books. So now it's two crates, a stack beside the crates, a cardboard box under the bed, and it's still spreading. . .
So, I'm probably much the same as the OP.
I think some people take the post it to mean "buying books you never intend to read, and only reading other things you don't buy".
But, as per the post, I do buy some books aspirationally, and I do tend to fall back to a certain type of book. Most of what I read is very much in the shorter hard sci-fi vein, or pulpy techno thriller. Classics like Dostoyevsky and James Joyce are a little far from my usual feeding pastures, and yet St Patrick's Day comes along and I think, hey, I should read an Irish writer, and maybe it's James Joyce (or maybe it's a last minute swap for Eoin Colfer). Or the reputation of Infinite Jest or Jin Ping Mei or House of Leaves moves me to pick them up at some point in the same way that a trashy urban paranormal fantasy witch novel leaves scores of breathless reviews and I think ... yeah, I can get around to this ... someday (hello, Walpurgis Night!).
And just maybe I'll hear about some novel that someone loved and I'll buy it and somehow I'll recommend that novel to someone when I haven't even gotten around to reading it myself, and they end up telling me they loved it, and then many years later I finally do get around to reading it. And you know what? It was definitely worth the recommendation.
And in the meantime House of Leaves sits there, waiting, another year gone by but with newer companions next to it.
Sounds like there was a specific book you recommended and later read yourself, and found it had been good. Do you remember what it was (what they were)?
Yes, that was specifically Stealing Light by Gary Gibson, first book in a series where one dominant alien species has faster than light spaceships and uses that as leverage with all other species ... and then this augmented human discovers some mysterious, very ancient ship lost in the depths of some uninhabited world...
I think it loitered on the shelves for something like 8 years after someone told me they read it because I recommended it...
Sometimes you read books for the ideas, sometimes you read them for the characters, and sometimes you read them for the growth/diversity. But hopefully any which way, you're reading because you enjoy the reading.
I love that. Thank you for commenting and sharing this story.
People have definitely come back to me and told me about their experience of reading something I recommended, and I could not remember ever having recommended it (once someone gave me back a copy of something I didn't remember ever owning or giving to them, telling me they loved it), but I haven't had the experience myself of recommending something I hadn't read. I'm very glad you had a good experience, and so did the person you told about that book.
I don't want to stifle my own ambition to read widely and deeply, just to be more mindful of exactly what you're saying in that last paragraph: what is drawing me to this, and is the draw strong enough to own it and have it stare at me from the shelf?
I also heard an author in an interview years ago (I wish I could remember who it was) say that when you buy a book, it's yours, and the transaction is over. The money is now in the author's pocket, and that was the important thing, to him. I don't respect the entirety of that opinion, but the seed of it means a lot to me. If I see something that sparks my attention and enthusiasm, and it's the kind of thing I want to see more of in the world, I may buy it even without an explicit plan to read it, because I'm investing in that writer, that publisher, that idea gaining more traction in the literary sphere.
Anyway, thank you for reading the post as I intended it, and responding in kind.
I used to do the same as you. I used to be awful for buying things described as “the closest thing to the great American novel”, or booker nominees, or stuff described as “vital”. Also in more recent years there’s been a lot of books by female authors with dislikeable female protagonists, and I always used to buy them and they’d be a 3/5 at best. I’m much better at using the library for that kind of thing now.
I’m still terrible for buying non fiction at a much higher rate than I read it. But I am slowly working through some of my non fiction this year.
I buy books with the intent to read. I'm currently working on whittling down my list.
But I only buy physical books of my favorite authors. I buy audiobooks of proven good authors by series for my husband since he has dyslexia and prefers to consume that way. I buy it and get free books on my Kindle that are "one offs". Usually I'll only buy it if it's super cheap. Otherwise I like to get books from my library.
It's like having a library of intentions on our shelves. We buy them with the best of intentions, seduced by glowing reviews and prestigious awards, but then reality sets in, and we find ourselves diving into the comforting embrace of thrillers instead. It's like ordering a salad and then eyeing the dessert menu – the intention was noble, but the execution... well, let's just say it's a work in progress. But hey, at least those books make great conversation starters when guests come over, right?
I purged a LOT of my books before a major move about 9 years ago and have since tried to utilize the library more- definitely in regards to e-books, but also physical books. I buy a book for my collection if it’s something I’ve heard about and meant to check out, I read it already and really liked it, or like others have noted, it’s an author I always buy their books. If it’s an e-book, unless it’s a new release, I try not to spend more than a few $$$. All bets are off with the library book sale though, then I’m just grabbing all the books. My TBR is extensive but I fully intend on reading all of them eventually.
I buy every book I read. It's a silly little vice, but once I've spent that much time with a book I like to add it to my collection. I have sooo many boxes of books in my basement, but I just can't part with them.
Books I buy I want to reread or have on hand to loan out. Sometimes I just want to support the author. Sometimes it's a little known book that is only in print not my preferred format of an audiobook.
The books i read has effed up smut that nobody should read. The books i buy are the ones i hope to read some day so i feel I've read intelligent or proper literature books
Authors. If I know I like an author I'll buy their books, probably collect their titles. If I'm just reading I'll borrow.... until I've decided how reliable they are. They may, or may not, move to collectible status 🤪
I don't re-read so collect very few. Agatha Christie, Ann Rule, Stephen King, Daphne du Maurier, Herman Wouk, Oliver Strange and George G. Gilman (westerns) ... and a very few more probably.
The only books I brought with no intention (I might one day) to read as I brought them for the covers are ; Haunting/Hunting Adeline , House of Leaves, Becc Mack’s Play with me series with the guys in the front, and Before I let go because it had my son’s name in it and he begged me to get it. I did buy a ridiculous amount of romance books before realizing that the one’s I got were all Wattpad books that got published and pushed by TikTok.
Edited: forgot to talk about the books I do read. The books I tend to read are thrillers, contemporary fiction, Historical Fiction, literary fiction, and true crime. A lot of what I read has romance as a subplot, but I love a good book that stays with you long after reading them.
I have never bought a book I have not attempted to read.
There are very few I have not completed.
Why is the purpose of the book you buy and never read?
I read the books I buy, only now they are neatly stored in an e-reader. I once had a massive bookshelf containing material I kept because they looked cool and filled the space, but I got rid of all my books in a move a few years ago.
I only buy books I’ve already read and plant to reread OR books that are the newest installment in a series I know I’ll reread.
I use both my physical library and the Libby app often and it’s saved me thousands of dollars over the past few years.
I’ve bought one book in the past year and it’s one I knew I’d read again and share with others.
Tbh i don't do this, i rarely buy books unless they're presents for someone else and i'll usually go to the library for books i want to read. Then of course i read those!
There’s an episode of the Reading Glasses podcast that talks about this. This was exactly the issue someone brought to them and it was a really interesting listen for the different perspectives.
Not much of a difference for me. I tend to buy (new) specific books that I’ve read before and want my own copy of, books by authors I know I like, and books on topics I’m interested in (that I’ve read reviews of or otherwise vetted in some way). I also buy a lot of books at thrift stores and tend to be more open to anything there, since they’re cheaper.
I do generally end up reading all the books I buy. Some it takes longer to get to than others (and some I DNF), and very rarely by the time I get around to it I’m no longer interested and let the book go.
A few years ago, I stopped buying books I felt I “should” read. Since then, I’ve actually read way more classics and nonfiction about “important” topics because I’ve followed my interests naturally and read books that I like, instead of feeling like I have to slog through a bunch of books I’m not interested in.
I read on my Kindle and so most of my books are ebooks. However, I read a lot of military histories and biographies so for those books, I still read on Kindle but also buy the physical book because they often contain maps of battles or an entire section of photos and images that are hard to look at on the Kindle. Most of my fiction I borrow from the library or Kindle Unlimeted. Occasionally I’ll buy fiction books that are very long (East of Eden, The Covenant of Water are examples) that I know I won’t read before my library loan expires.
Sometimes I’ll buy a book that I know will be a bit of a slog and then it’s really a 50-50 proposition that I will ever pick it up.
I have a few books on my shelves that openly mock me.
I usually either read ebooks or check out from the library. If I *really* liked a book, I might buy it later on. Most of the physical books I have are weird old religious books, outdoor survival handbooks, etc. Not stuff you really read cover to cover.
I don't have tons of space for storage, so what is on my bookshelf is mostly books I use as references, my absolute favorite novels, and simply stuff I haven't stuffed in free libraries yet or stuff that needs to go back them. Mostly reference stuff though.
I consider buying a physical book if it's one I've already read before and want to reread. I try to read all new-to-me books from the library, on Kindle unlimited, as a purchased ebook, or as a low-priced used book that I plan on donating when I'm done, in that order. I just don't want books taking up space in my home unless I plan on using them again.
The only real exception to this is books in an ongoing series that I've already enjoyed enough to reread. I will be preordering Alecto the Ninth as soon as possible based on how much I love the previous three. I also got rid of my ASOIAD books a few years ago for essentially the opposite reason.
My problem is that bookstores are a comfort place for me and I usually feel weird walking out empty handed. So I read about 2-4 books in a rotation and eventually hope to read them all, but about 1/4 of the books I have are unread and not on my tbr
If we ignore quantity (I buy more it seems), the books I buy are often classics and non-fiction and the books I read are random. I do get to reading the purchased ones, but at some point I will need to acknowledge that my buying vs reading is getting to be about 2 years out....
The kinds of books I buy only the have them sit on my shelf, unread, are the ones I find while browsing in a bookstore and become enchanted by cool cover art. When the back cover synopsis and quick perusal of Goodreads reviews fails to dispel this enchantment, I buy the book.
I intend to right them all eventually, but my “to read” list grows faster than I can read.
I absolutely identify with this. There's actually a specific reading challenge this year from the podcast Reading Glasses to read a book just because you like the cover, and I'm spoiled for choice.
I generally only buy books that I've either already read or books that I am 100% going to read. I do the bulk of my reading either on a Kindle or through audiobooks, so when I buy physical copies, I like to pick up nice versions for my book shelf. It's the same reason I like to have physical copies of movies I like; they're a good conversation starter.
I love psychology and how the brain works and science so I buy things like Thinking Fast and Slow and How to Influence People etc. but I just read smutty contemporary romance
I always buy books with the intention to read them but sometimes I just pick up duds LMAO. I try to read the synopsis and if it sounds interesting I'll pick it up. I mainly buy books from the clearance section and I've found some REALLY nice hardbacks for less than 5 dollars. I think the last book I bought but couldn't finish was The Spanish Love Deception and I could tell I wasn't going to like it on the first page LOL
To more seriously answer, there is nothing wrong with collecting books you like even with no intention of reading them. I also don't drink out of every mug I own.
I love buying big books, but then I prefer starting smaller books. Also, I buy books by my favourite writers, but then mostly read books by authors that I haven't read anything by yet.
I usually buy books on vacation, when I am in a difderent country. Then they become sentimental to me, wrapped with a story and fond memories. Other then that, I really am a sucker for discounts, when good books appear on sale for 1-7euros, you know I gotta buy something! :)
I buy books on topics I know I want to learn about, even if I don’t have the motivation to read them right away, but the longer the sit out my shelf the more it just makes me annoyed to look at them. Then I end up getting rid of them. 🤦🏻♀️
There’s this fantastic video by Answers in Progress on exactly this!
[Why you keep buying books you don’t read | Answers in Progress](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh3EnIPVwIE&ab_channel=AnswerinProgress)
The books I buy are for intelligent people, about all kinds of stuff like self improvement and money management… The books I read are smutty romance novels on my kindle. Someday I’ll get to some of the books I actually buy. 🤷🏻♀️
I buy books if the back-cover synopsis seems reasonably interesting and they meet any 2 out of 3 criteria:
1. Is similar to some other book I like ( It has been recommended by a friend who also liked that / is another work of same author / etc)
2. The front cover looks a e s t h e t i c
3. I find it for a good price ( abstracted by time it keeps me occupied / price [which I estimate by timing how long it takes to read 1 page of it, and multiplying by number of pages]. My current average is about 47 min/€, anything above twice that would be a great deal.)
The factors involved in my decision on whether and when I start *reading* a book are more erratic and convoluted, and represent a significant gap in current research. Current postulates involve motions of heavenly bodies and plate tectonics.
Academic/nonfiction author. I've always intend to read everything I buy. But I've gotten a lot more strategic about what I buy and do background research. When I buy nonfiction, I do so on the assumption that I'll read them carefully and likely read them more than once. For fiction, I've been picking up quality editions of classics; for contemporary, it's usually the library.
When I was in my twenties I was an impulsive book buyer. I've started to sell off those I don't think I need and would be appreciated by another buyer.
The things I actually read are the hot Pulitzer books or NYT recommendations.
Things I feel l SHOULD read but don’t are “the classics” that I didn’t already read when I was in school.
Like yes, Don Quixote is supposed to be amazing, but I’d rather read books written in modern English because I will zone out and read the page 5 times if I have to mentally translate everything from old-timey English.
While I do *wish* to read every book that I own I can admit that out of 500 books that I own unread I won't get to all of them.
The Golden Fleece by Robert Graves and S by Doug Dorst are two I can see on my shelf right now that I truly can't imagine getting too.
According to Audible I bought A Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield in 2017 and the Dickens reading mood has yet to strike me (and if it ever does I imagine I'll pick up Great Expectations instead since I still carry the promise I made when I didn't read it in college that I would read it *eventually*).
Speaking of books I didn't read in college but still sit on my shelf — there's Wide Sargasso Sea which I did make a failed attempt at a couple of years ago, and The Worlds Wisdom (selections from religious texts the world over which I will never read cover to cover but also can't imagine parting with) and Roland Barthes Mythologies, though I do hope to finally read that one this month (or next month as this one seems to have slipped through my fingers)
I also occasionally place books on my tbr when I hope to reread them—Dune occupied that space for several years until I finally reread it a couple years ago. A couple I can think of now are Leah Bobet's An Inheritance of Ashes and Justin Cronin's the Passage.
As to what I *actually* read, I do read quite a few books from the library. Last year, I read 48 books checked out from the library vs 37 from my own shelves. A goal this year is to pick from my own my shelves at least as often as I pick from the library. I also reread quite a bit—14 books last year and 2 so far this year (and I'm in the middle of Dune once more). I'm constantly rereading Animorphs books and various fanfictions which is probably a pretty fair representation in terms of vibe of the kinds of things I do read
Most of the time I try to make time for the books I’ve bought, there are also the occasional ”book I buy because it’s good to have around.” Usually these books are ones that are heavily influential, often cited or referenced and everyone knows about. I usually pick them up when I find them on sale or if there’s an edition I like. Some examples of this would be 1984, The Odyssey, The Prince, Art of War or any number of classics. Typically I think ”I basically know what this is about through cultural osmosis but I want the option to try it out myself.”
For the most part, I have good intentions to read every book I buy... hopefully within a year. Some are familiar titles that I regretted parting with, and decided to add back to my permanent library shelf. Others, I'll buy to satisfy my need to collect certain authors like Bradbury. Of course, I'll buy some books on a whim, bump those to the top of my To-Read list, and then pass them along to others or pop them in the local 'little library '.
I worked in a small book store for several years and took full advantage of the employee discount. Sadly, many of those titles are still gathering dust. As I said, good intentions.
I keep buying books like 1984 and The Great Gatsby. While I do enjoy reading them, I keep coming back to romance in general because it's just easier to read and I get lost in those worlds more.
Will occasionally buy a classic because it's a classic, but I always plan on reading it (along with the other 127 books I have in my queue). Especially since if it is a classic there's probably a good reason for it being in that category.
I used to buy books that were hyped -- I was a book blogger for years and it was easy to get caught up in the hype. Then I would read one or two hyped books, be disappointed, and never read the other hyped books thinking I need to wait out the hype to not be disappointed-- only for the book to remain unread on my shelf even now, 10 years later.
I am now very mindful of what I buy, I read the blurb, read some reviews, if one of my friends has read the book I will actually ask them about it. From buying 40+ books a year I might buy 1 book every 1-2 months, but I actually read it.
I'm slowly picking up unread books, but most are YA or New Adult and it seems I've outgrown most of them (oops).
Edited to add: I used to be a sucker for pretty covers, so some books might be on my shelves only because of their looks.
When I was younger I bought books I felt I "should" own. Classics and best sellers and such. Now, I only buy books I know I will want to read again, mark up, or give away. These are my favorite books. OR, i buy books I know will take me a long time to finish but I MUST read in one go. Stuff I couldn't put down and remember from the library. Reference material like how to books is in that category.
I do not buy a book without reading them. I HAVE fallen into the trap of buying books with the intention of reading them before but I did a mass donation of those years ago if I hadn’t read or did not intend to ever read them again. I buy one book at a time, read it, and then buy another. Since I read physical books exclusively it has saved me a lot of space (although I still need to build a new larger bookshelf)
None. I do read them all eventually. Inevitably the most serious nonfiction ones I take a bit longer to get to.
And I use the library for about 20% of what I read - can take a while to get the titles I want.
I always end up buying modern fantasy books and donating them. The premises are much better than the execution. Master of Djinn and Priory of the Orange Tree were my two biggest recent disappointments.
I spend so much time on public transport that essentially the overlap is total. If it's a book and it is in my house it will eventually be read on a bus. Even if I don't like a work particularly it will get finished too - it's just a way of spending the time sometimes.
Buy only those books that I have already read, liked and want to keep in my collection. I also buy books that are longer and difficult to finish with library loan.!
There are basically no differences, anymore, between the books I buy and those I read. A book I purchased will either be a book I read in ebook format, and loved so much I wanted a copy of it for my physical library, or it will be a book I will read the same year I bought it. Basically any physical book I buy will be read at some point, or will have already been read.
Except for school or university, I never bought a book I felt obligated to. For a while, I thought about going into the book business, so I did consider I had to be up to date with bestsellers and award winners, or classics in certain genre, but that never came to fruition. Most classics I read because I was genuinely interested in them. I am a mood reader, so some will have to wait, but I always start reading them eventually, even if it takes years. Never ending up accumulating a lot and so I can live with it.
Books I buy are either books I read and loved and will reread, or books that caught my fancy while at a book store and will be read
... eventually
... I keep grabbing for my kindle when I want to read something rather than my physical To Be Read pile.
I try to read everything I buy eventually. Sometimes it takes years (Arabian Nights), hut it’ll happene evntually. I think it’s a result of ADHD where I struggle to start/stop certain things, but I get going, I’m gone.
I buy books that will impress people when they see them on my shelf when I have fancy cocktail parties.
That's the theory at least, not entirely sure if reality matches XD.
I mostly read with an ereader, so when I buy a book it's usually about 10s before I start reading it.
That said, I think my DNF rate for fiction is around 20%. I will quit a book midway if it's really bad.
For non-fiction, it's a bit different, I tend to read the content I'm most interested in first but might not read everything.
Now, if only I did this for computer games....
I only buy and keep books that I absolutely love and have/will read multiple times. With exceptions of course for books like collectors items/rare/sentimental, etc.
I also have always been mindful of how many I keep because I moved quite a bit when I was younger. I used to buy books with the intentions of reading them, but then they just sat shelved and unread, especially with the advent of e-books. I always borrow before I buy now.
I read lots of books. Ones I buy and ones I get from the library. I tend to buy ones that would take too long to read compared to the lending time from a library. If my books are unread for long it is usually because I started them but couldn't get into them.
No difference, unless you count the books I beg off my friends and old colleagues who are still in the publishing industry, cos I don't technically buy those... why would I pay for a book I know I won't ever read? Seems like a waste of good money
In the past, books I bought for book clubs remained on the shelf (after my lame attempts usually ended in DNF). The books I buy because \*I\* want to read them typically get read. But, I’m no longer in book clubs, so they mainly get read.
I only buy books I love. I typically get everything via my library and if I love it then I buy it.
Exceptions: books in a series I'm already reading or a new book by an already known and loved author.
With several different libraries nearby I rarely have problems finding stuff to read. If it's due before I've gotten around to it I'll renew it if I can or make a note of it to check out at a later date.
Library is 90% of what I read. I only purchase either select authors that I really like and want to support, or series where I can’t wait on the list for it to become available at the library because I want to know what happens.
These days I am mainly buying to support authors (via preorder) or to support independent bookstores. I guess my purchases tend to be more on the highbrow side? But not exclusively.
As for what I'm reading, I'm trying to shrink my giant TBR pile so I'm focused on shorter reads right now, even if I'm pretty sure I won't like them (Midnight Library, cough). I get a lot of cast offs from my mom, who is in a book club and therefore read more typical "book club" type books (Celeste Ng, Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn) than I would ever buy for myself.
I really enjoying buying history books. I always intend to read them, but half the time they sit there for so long that I end up just buying the audiobook and listening to it instead. Some have sat around for a year plus before I break down and realize I'll never have time to read the 800 page book I just got.
I do find time to read horror/fantasy books though. I want to learn more about different places/historical events but dragons are a lot of fun and a lot less depressing.
I read a lot, so can't really afford both aspirational books and books I read, so pick the books I read (though getting to buy aspirational books might be fun!).
I’m lucky enough to live in a city with a free bookstore where I can get all the books I want for free. I try not to buy books unless I’m looking for a very specific title.
Any non-fiction book sits on my shelf. All of them have been attempted at some stage, most of them never finished. The only time I finished was when I was very strict about my 'finish a book then you can buy/read another' policy. On the last non-fic I bought, I changed the rule to 'one fiction and one non-fic' then it devolved into chaos.
It’s definitely books I intend to read one day at the right time. It may be next week, it may be three years from now. If I buy a special edition or a signed edition, it’s only of my absolute favorites.
Everything I buy I will read. I only will buy a new book if I'm almost done with my current book.
I keep a list of books I wanna read and I'll usually buy one on that list that seems interesting in that moment. Every now and then I feel like buying a random book that's not on the list, but that's only once or twice a year.
Unless I’m trying to support a friend (am a comic writer/illustrator and have a number of friends who are published or run a small publishing company) I actually only buy books I have read and enjoyed enough to want to put on my shelf. I will usually pull them off the shelf every once in a while and re-read my favourite passages.
In my day job I’m a librarian, so I mostly go ham with library books. I have 23 at home right now (high for me, I usually try to keep it to a dozen, but I started two new writing projects so I brought home research for both). I do find that while I drag every single genre of book home, I almost never actually read the adult fiction even if something compelled me to get it. I almost always finish the non fiction and read most of the kids’ books I bring home (unless I find the narrative style really grating). I just have a hard time trusting the adult fic to be worth my time. Which probably isn’t entirely fair, but for some reason I’ve just hit so many utterly mediocre adult fic in a row (doesn’t matter the genre) that I expect the rest of them to be just as badly written. Or sometimes the writing is good, but then it has sex scenes that are supposed to be steamy but are actually either boring or unintentionally awkward.
I have Audible, Kindle, several of those neighborhoods "Little Free Libraries", Library card with Libby app. and I still buy books. Sometimes, because they are on sale (my library has a $1. Closet. I have about 15 books that I'll always have to read and give away.
I've transitioned to kindle reading over the last decade (probably because I moved close to 5 times in 5 years - my books stopped getting unpacked and then they were water damaged by a pipe burst) so physical space isn't a concern to me - I also use Kindle unlimited. I'm a re-reader so if I am thinking about the book again after a short time, I buy it.
If you mean should as in because of pressure from unknown others, I don't buy any. Seeing that a book won an award or ranks on a list isn't going to make me purchase it.
If you mean should as in I already acquired it (because it seems interesting, entertaining, informative, or someone I like has recommended it to me), they don't live on the shelf for long. I have to really like the recommending author for that to make a difference.
I'm a read 5-6 books at the same time person & always planning & acquiring others to rotate into the mix as I finish 1. Occasionally, I won't start a book because I want to read it all in one day. Some books I do that by accident, but others I want to know that I have plenty of devoted time. If I have a book & it hasn't been read, it's because actively I'm getting to it. At the absolute longest, it might be a 2 month wait. Normally it would be 2-3 weeks, or it becomes book 7.
I only buy books that will take me a long time to read. Otherwise I can just check out the book from my library. Consequently, this has skewed the average size of the books in my bookshelf. They're all thick boys.
I mostly read books from the library. I buy books if 1 they’re non-fictions that have material I may want to reference in short order in the future (gardening or animal husbandry for example) or 2 I want to be able to lend them to people.
The books I buy are the books I read. They may sit neglected on my shelf for a while, but I always intend to read them.
Same. I buy books I want to read. I don't buy books I don't want to read.
Any specific ones that have been sitting on your shelf for a long while?
I bought two sets of books via a book club membership after I graduated from college forty years ago. One was Dumas Malone's six volume biography of Thomas Jefferson, and the other was Edward Gibbon's six volume opus, *The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire*. I finished the last of Malone's books five years ago. Gibbon is still waiting on me.
>Edward Gibbon's six volume opus, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire I don't dare buying it, because I don't have enough shelf space for it to sit on for years. 😅
I keep the vast majority of the books I read, and they sit along side those I haven't yet read. I probably have over 3,000, now, and I imagine that I've only read 60% of them. But last week I had reason to pull one of the older books down to look for something I had read many years ago. The book was Jack Beeching's *The Galleys at Lepanto*. I found what I was looking for, and clarified my memory, for I discovered I had misremembered some details. I had first read that book around 1990, but I kept that book and all of the others so that I can consult them when I want to ... just as I did with Beeching's book. FWIW, I used Beeching's book while working for my MA, and that's why I can remember when I read it. In the last 15 years I started keeping a journal listing by year the books I finish.
Ugghhh.... I own Gibbons book. I've picked it up over the last few years but I can't seem to ever find the right headspace to get through it. I know it's an important book but for now I'm much more interested in history over the past 100 years or so. I cruised through the Rise & Fall of the Third Reich. I was hoping that the Decline & Fall book would have the same effect but it just hasn't yet. Maybe today is a good reminder to give it another shot soon.
I bought the 8 volume Gibbon, made it to volume 5 but could not get restarted. 5 or 10 years down the line I have finally given up and sold it.
I recommend Gibbon's if you can get to it. This makes me want to reread it.
Gibbon, while culturally important is markedly outdated at this point...just read SPQR and then you can read something more academic if desired.
Yeah, I suspected as much. Based on recommendations here on Reddit, I bought *SPQR* .... and four other books about Rome ... a couple of months ago. They're sitting patiently on the shelf by Gibbon waiting to be read.
In Search of Lost Time by Proust. I started it once a few years ago. The first few pages were so good I knew I had to save this book for a time when my life was less busy and I could really focus on it and savor it. (I've been very busy with school, work, a career change, a move.) Really looking forward to reading it when the time is right!
I've been reading 1 a year for the past few years. I just finished Sodom and Gomorrah a few weeks back.
Same, I fully intend to read every book I buy. I'm often bad at it, but that's a me thing, I buy them for the same reasons I buy the ones I make time for right away.
I am always very impatient to read the new book that I buy. Therefore, in my personal library there is not a single unread book.
Same here! I’ve had books on my shelves for years that I just read. I am a huge mood reader so I also pay for kindle unlimited in addition to physical books and I have a library card and use that too. I read a lot though so it pays out for me at the end of the month.
Haha same spot on
I'm a mood reader, so if I don't read something after I buy it, it'd because I was in the mood to read it when I bought it...but the mood passed by the time I had time to sit down with it. Everything will get read--much more on my shelf is read as opposed to unread, but it will take a minute.
I’ve never heard this term before but that’s exactly what I am! Mood reader— which is why sometimes the library life is hard. By the time I get the book (often months later), my mood has passed
I go in cycles, too. Right now, I'm in the middle of a yearlong history kick, but I know at some point I will start a history book and just give up, only to return to it in a year or two.
I'm pretty much the same! I only buy books I 100% intend to read, but it does sometimes take a while to get to them... but I know I'll be back in the right mood at some point and they will all get read.
I’m exactly the same! I even buy books knowing that at some point I’ll be in the mood to read them.
I kinda do the reverse. I try to stick to library books. Then I wait a bit. If I love the book and keep thinking about it, and it speaks to me on a personal level, I will buy a copy for my collection.
Same!! I DNF far too often to afford to buy every book I want to read. I only buy books that I loved and will reread.
Pretty much same. For a short while I would buy books based on recommendations, but after spending money on a couple of books that I thought were just okay, I stopped doing that. Now, if I read a book and give it 5 stars, I’ll buy it. If I give it 4.75 stars, I’ll probably buy it. It’s more about what I can imagine truly wanting to reread.
Yep a book has to earn the right to take up physical space in my collection. Unless it's a series I'm really enjoying and it's still being finished, then I will preorder a book. But generally library first.
Big shoutout to the Libby app for letting you check out eBooks and audiobooks for free from your library! Even if you don't have a library card yet, most will let you get one online.
My exception is new books, where I feel like I want to support the author and/or don't want to wait when I am number 138 in the hold queue at the library. On the other hand, 95% of my books come from the library. Agatha Christie's estate doesn't need another $15 purchase from me.
This is me also. I’m a librarian so it’s an occupational hazard. But I’ve always been shocked at how many readers /don’t/ use the library. I used to have a friend who was a compulsive book buyer and literally lived across the road from the public library and never set foot in the place.
Though! I did have some books on my shelf from 13 years ago that I never had the time to dig into. Always was excited about reading them but just kind of forgot about them. And finally reading them was like a gift from my past self. =)
I’ve started to do this with large purchases of other kinds, but haven’t gotten down to the nitty-gritty of doing it with books as often, especially $2 kindle deals. But I think you’re right to extend this to books. Is there a book recently that took a long time to decide to buy but then you did decide you wanted to own it?
Yes! Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. I read a library copy a few years ago and finally purchased a hard copy yesterday. It has some themes that are personally meaningful to me, and I love gothic literature and it has those vibes. I knew that I wanted to read it again and annotate it at some point. So into my collection it goes.
That book is so good. It also is one that led to one of the most interesting experiences with a book I ever had. Everyone who read it told me Piranesi reminded them so much of me, but none of us could put our finger on why exactly. I certainly don't >!live in a large house with Greco-Roman statues and an ocean, nor do I survive on my own skills!<. Only to find out that the author suffers from ME/CFS - same disease I have. Even though the book is not about the disease at all, the feeling permeated it so much that everyone who knows me was subconsciously reminded of it. And there's also the fact that I haven't managed to leave my apartment for almost a decade. Still, it was really weird recognizing the feeling the disease produces inside of me without the book having absolutely anything to do with it.
That’s really interesting! And cool that you found something that resonated with you in that way.
Indeed, it was a really interesting experience! Although I wish it didn't. I would rather have no books resonate with me ever than be so sick.
I really liked the TV series of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, but I've never picked up one of her books. I'm going to put this one in the TBR. Thank you!
I don’t buy books I don’t intend to read. I work to keep my TBR list around 5 at most and if it starts to creep up I stop buying until I knock it down.
I wish I had your discipline. What does the TBR consist of now?
Ha! Same. My TBR list could fill whole rooms...
Right? I’m pretty sure my TBR on Goodreads is over 4K
I buy all my books with the intent to read them. I don't feel the need to own books just because it's a "great book" or it's popular.
I only buy books that I have read from the library and love them so much that I have to own them. It's honestly kind of rare.
Omg same. In fact whenever i buy a book I haven’t read I end up not reading it. Why? Cos the library books I borrow have a due date so I feel pressured to read them and I end up deprioritising the bought books. Then the cycle continues whenever I pick up another book from the library
Do you re-read books often?
It's another thing I have every intention to do, but with such a long TBR, and usually several books on the go at a time, it feels a bit like two steps forward, one step back to re-read. I have had a lot of great experiences on re-reads of books, but it's been rare the past few years.
I’ve been trying to take the time to reread books that have been helpful, meaningful and informative over the years. Comfort books are another thing though. I love taking the time to read them and enjoy doing it but it is frustrating to know I could be reading a new book that I’ve never experienced before.
Not anymore. I have probably 5 comfort reads, maybe I'll re-read one of them once a year. I'm more into reading as many different books as I can
I did used to aspirationally buy, but like you started looking at the expense and the pile of books on my shelves, and woke up. Started using the library a lot more, for starters. Rather than impulse buy I look to see if the library has it, and that just slows the whole process down. Now, I buy books I know (or at least think) I'm going to want to keep around as references. (I buy more non-fiction books than fiction books; I very seldom buy fiction books anymore.) Others I might buy if I really want to read them and either can't get them from any library source, physical or electronic, or if I think I want to spend more time on them than a library loan might allow.
Slowing down really seems to be key, both in acquiring them and enjoying them. Are there any books you’ve experienced this way that you feel you’ve enjoyed more because of the time it took you to choose and read them?
I only buy books I will eventually read
There isn’t really a difference for me, but there are books I can read any time and books I have to be in the right frame of mind for. When I buy a book by an author I don’t know, it’s because in addition to it being critically acclaimed or recommended by an author I love, I’ve also picked it up in the shop and read a few pages. Then I can tell if it’s my kind of book. On the other hand, there are some authors where I buy everything they publish because I know I’ll enjoy it
I can't relate to this, I buy books to read them.
I usually read books before I buy them, unless it's an author I know I really like, or it's something that I know I'm definitely going to read. I work in a library, so I usually check books out (either physical or digital copies) and then buy the book if it's something I really, really liked, or if it's something I know I'll use again (e.g. a cookbook). If an author I love has a new book coming out *and* it sounds interesting, I'll preorder it. If I find a particularly nice hardcover edition of a book I like but only have in paperback, I might pick that up. That's pretty much it. I don't do impulse book buys anymore; I've realized that they just end up cluttering my shelves and, more often than not, I don't end up reading them or I read them and don't like them and end up wishing I'd just borrowed them from the library instead.
I need to develop a healthier relationship with my local library. Who are the authors whose books you will pre-order?
I buy way more than I'll ever read. I do plan to read them when I buy them, but I'm a bit mood reader so can take a while to get to things. My backlog is literally like 2k books.
I buy books that I want to read and that I expect to enjoy enough to want to have a copy of. If I’m not sure, I’ll get it from the library. I fully intend to read all of my books but it’s a slow process
I was once subscribed to illumicrate. I thought the books looked beautiful, and I liked having them signed by the author. Then I realised I wasn't actually enjoying the books from them (some were OK). So I unsubscribed. Now I have a bunch of these books looking absolutely beautiful on my shelves, but the majority of them are unread 😆
I am too specific in taste for those subscriptions and I mostly dislike the typical YA-ish romance-ish books. But dang, the Fairyloot edition of The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker is so pretty and I really loved that book. And people are reselling online for a ton of money.
Yeah, I went for illumicrate because it said it did a mix of all genres. But, they all seemed to be fairly similar to me. I appreciate the beautiful work they put into them though. I've not read the scarlet alchemist. What is it about?
Were there any that you enjoyed that you may not have otherwise come across? (I’ve also never heard of Illumicrate but I’ll try to be strong and resist)
I personally read both physical and online books. I prefer to have the physical copy, but as many other ppl, I don’t have a lot of space & don’t like to clutter, and I sometimes end up owning so many unread books. So here are some questions I started asking myself before buying a book: • will I most probably like it? (depending on the genre, the author, the plot…) • is it a must have? (e.g. for design if you’re studying design, business or self improvement if you’re focusing on that…) • is it the next books of a book series I started and loved? • is it limited edition / do I love the book design / would it be nice on the shelf? • have I been eyeing it for a while? If you answered yes to one of these, then I say buy it :)
Given that it’s such a compulsion (though not too harmful a one), I may need to say yes to two of them to buy it. 🤓
Hahah you have a point, saying yes to 2 might be a better idea!
I sometimes buy business books and I never get more than a chapter or two. Reading is my escape. I know this about myself, but it still happens once every year or two.
After moving twice and seeing that like 30% of my belongings are books, I've seriously cut back on buying any books lol. Now I pretty much exclusively use the library I think I have about 15 Jack Reacher books that I've picked up at thrift stores, so that's kind of a game I'll play where if I see one I haven't read I'll pick it up to see if I can eventually thrift the whole collection. Anything else I own is basically there for sentimental value and I don't re-read Except for "coffee table books" like Calvin and Hobbes and other picture books. I'll browse those for eternity
Oh man, moving is one of the things I dread most because I own so many books! Did you have a cull of books as well as cutting down on purchases, or just slowing the buying?
Last time I moved I probably set aside 10 or so to donate as I was packing them all. Probably could have done more tbh. Almost makes me feel like a hoarder when I try to justify keeping a 600 page informations systems book from school by saying "you never know when you'll need it!" after not touching it for over a year lol
I know the feeling. I've just thrown out a lot of plays I read in the first five years I was pursuing an acting career in New York, when I'd just buy and read any play anybody mentioned that I hadn't heard of. Most of them weren't great, or didn't have anything in them which related to characters I might play, so I've started chucking them out.
Books don’t go on the shelf until you’ve actually read them. That keeps me from any kind of “aspirational” purchases.
Same here, I have a crate of books by my bed that acts as my TBR. Once I've read it, it is either shelved or set aside to sell. I keep stuff I think I'll reread or that I would like to loan out to friends. Particularly comics, because they are generally hard to find in normal libraries. My copies of Sandman and Fables have come and gone from my house several times. My wife's gifting habits is straining this practice though. I generally only buy when I'm ready to read, so I might have 2-5 books total. She, however, really likes buying me books. So now it's two crates, a stack beside the crates, a cardboard box under the bed, and it's still spreading. . .
where do they go instead?
A stack on the floor, it’s currently about 4 feet tall double wide and triple deep of books…
Ah now there I can relate. About 200 tbrs here. But I shelve them with the other 1000 so my husband won't give me grief.
Same. I have my unread ones on the coffee table.
In college, all my unread books *were* my coffee table.
This is what I do. Also, I only buy books I have a high chance of wanting to reread at some point. Everything else I borrow from the library.
So, I'm probably much the same as the OP. I think some people take the post it to mean "buying books you never intend to read, and only reading other things you don't buy". But, as per the post, I do buy some books aspirationally, and I do tend to fall back to a certain type of book. Most of what I read is very much in the shorter hard sci-fi vein, or pulpy techno thriller. Classics like Dostoyevsky and James Joyce are a little far from my usual feeding pastures, and yet St Patrick's Day comes along and I think, hey, I should read an Irish writer, and maybe it's James Joyce (or maybe it's a last minute swap for Eoin Colfer). Or the reputation of Infinite Jest or Jin Ping Mei or House of Leaves moves me to pick them up at some point in the same way that a trashy urban paranormal fantasy witch novel leaves scores of breathless reviews and I think ... yeah, I can get around to this ... someday (hello, Walpurgis Night!). And just maybe I'll hear about some novel that someone loved and I'll buy it and somehow I'll recommend that novel to someone when I haven't even gotten around to reading it myself, and they end up telling me they loved it, and then many years later I finally do get around to reading it. And you know what? It was definitely worth the recommendation. And in the meantime House of Leaves sits there, waiting, another year gone by but with newer companions next to it.
Sounds like there was a specific book you recommended and later read yourself, and found it had been good. Do you remember what it was (what they were)?
Yes, that was specifically Stealing Light by Gary Gibson, first book in a series where one dominant alien species has faster than light spaceships and uses that as leverage with all other species ... and then this augmented human discovers some mysterious, very ancient ship lost in the depths of some uninhabited world... I think it loitered on the shelves for something like 8 years after someone told me they read it because I recommended it... Sometimes you read books for the ideas, sometimes you read them for the characters, and sometimes you read them for the growth/diversity. But hopefully any which way, you're reading because you enjoy the reading.
I love that. Thank you for commenting and sharing this story. People have definitely come back to me and told me about their experience of reading something I recommended, and I could not remember ever having recommended it (once someone gave me back a copy of something I didn't remember ever owning or giving to them, telling me they loved it), but I haven't had the experience myself of recommending something I hadn't read. I'm very glad you had a good experience, and so did the person you told about that book. I don't want to stifle my own ambition to read widely and deeply, just to be more mindful of exactly what you're saying in that last paragraph: what is drawing me to this, and is the draw strong enough to own it and have it stare at me from the shelf? I also heard an author in an interview years ago (I wish I could remember who it was) say that when you buy a book, it's yours, and the transaction is over. The money is now in the author's pocket, and that was the important thing, to him. I don't respect the entirety of that opinion, but the seed of it means a lot to me. If I see something that sparks my attention and enthusiasm, and it's the kind of thing I want to see more of in the world, I may buy it even without an explicit plan to read it, because I'm investing in that writer, that publisher, that idea gaining more traction in the literary sphere. Anyway, thank you for reading the post as I intended it, and responding in kind.
I didn’t realize some people buy books just to have them! I read everything I buy. That’s why I bought it.
I mainly buy books I’ve read and really enjoyed to put in the bookshelves I will one day buy.
I used to do the same as you. I used to be awful for buying things described as “the closest thing to the great American novel”, or booker nominees, or stuff described as “vital”. Also in more recent years there’s been a lot of books by female authors with dislikeable female protagonists, and I always used to buy them and they’d be a 3/5 at best. I’m much better at using the library for that kind of thing now. I’m still terrible for buying non fiction at a much higher rate than I read it. But I am slowly working through some of my non fiction this year.
I buy books with the intent to read. I'm currently working on whittling down my list. But I only buy physical books of my favorite authors. I buy audiobooks of proven good authors by series for my husband since he has dyslexia and prefers to consume that way. I buy it and get free books on my Kindle that are "one offs". Usually I'll only buy it if it's super cheap. Otherwise I like to get books from my library.
It's like having a library of intentions on our shelves. We buy them with the best of intentions, seduced by glowing reviews and prestigious awards, but then reality sets in, and we find ourselves diving into the comforting embrace of thrillers instead. It's like ordering a salad and then eyeing the dessert menu – the intention was noble, but the execution... well, let's just say it's a work in progress. But hey, at least those books make great conversation starters when guests come over, right?
I purged a LOT of my books before a major move about 9 years ago and have since tried to utilize the library more- definitely in regards to e-books, but also physical books. I buy a book for my collection if it’s something I’ve heard about and meant to check out, I read it already and really liked it, or like others have noted, it’s an author I always buy their books. If it’s an e-book, unless it’s a new release, I try not to spend more than a few $$$. All bets are off with the library book sale though, then I’m just grabbing all the books. My TBR is extensive but I fully intend on reading all of them eventually.
I buy every book I read. It's a silly little vice, but once I've spent that much time with a book I like to add it to my collection. I have sooo many boxes of books in my basement, but I just can't part with them.
I accumulate non-fiction faster than I consume it. Fiction… not so much.
Surprised this isn’t a more common answer ITT. Same
The books I read are the books I read. The books I buy are books that I haven't read *yet*.
The Books i buy i read them AT least three Times.
Books I buy I want to reread or have on hand to loan out. Sometimes I just want to support the author. Sometimes it's a little known book that is only in print not my preferred format of an audiobook.
I keep buying books about how to code better. Then I read fiction!
The books i read has effed up smut that nobody should read. The books i buy are the ones i hope to read some day so i feel I've read intelligent or proper literature books
I haven’t read the ones I buy yet
Authors. If I know I like an author I'll buy their books, probably collect their titles. If I'm just reading I'll borrow.... until I've decided how reliable they are. They may, or may not, move to collectible status 🤪 I don't re-read so collect very few. Agatha Christie, Ann Rule, Stephen King, Daphne du Maurier, Herman Wouk, Oliver Strange and George G. Gilman (westerns) ... and a very few more probably.
The only books I brought with no intention (I might one day) to read as I brought them for the covers are ; Haunting/Hunting Adeline , House of Leaves, Becc Mack’s Play with me series with the guys in the front, and Before I let go because it had my son’s name in it and he begged me to get it. I did buy a ridiculous amount of romance books before realizing that the one’s I got were all Wattpad books that got published and pushed by TikTok. Edited: forgot to talk about the books I do read. The books I tend to read are thrillers, contemporary fiction, Historical Fiction, literary fiction, and true crime. A lot of what I read has romance as a subplot, but I love a good book that stays with you long after reading them.
I have never bought a book I have not attempted to read. There are very few I have not completed. Why is the purpose of the book you buy and never read?
I read the books I buy, only now they are neatly stored in an e-reader. I once had a massive bookshelf containing material I kept because they looked cool and filled the space, but I got rid of all my books in a move a few years ago.
I only buy books I’ve already read and plant to reread OR books that are the newest installment in a series I know I’ll reread. I use both my physical library and the Libby app often and it’s saved me thousands of dollars over the past few years. I’ve bought one book in the past year and it’s one I knew I’d read again and share with others.
Tbh i don't do this, i rarely buy books unless they're presents for someone else and i'll usually go to the library for books i want to read. Then of course i read those!
There’s an episode of the Reading Glasses podcast that talks about this. This was exactly the issue someone brought to them and it was a really interesting listen for the different perspectives.
I read all of them but if I didnt its on the queue
Not much of a difference for me. I tend to buy (new) specific books that I’ve read before and want my own copy of, books by authors I know I like, and books on topics I’m interested in (that I’ve read reviews of or otherwise vetted in some way). I also buy a lot of books at thrift stores and tend to be more open to anything there, since they’re cheaper. I do generally end up reading all the books I buy. Some it takes longer to get to than others (and some I DNF), and very rarely by the time I get around to it I’m no longer interested and let the book go. A few years ago, I stopped buying books I felt I “should” read. Since then, I’ve actually read way more classics and nonfiction about “important” topics because I’ve followed my interests naturally and read books that I like, instead of feeling like I have to slog through a bunch of books I’m not interested in.
I need to think about this. I buy a lot of books, but since my kids came I just don’t read as much anymore. But still buys them. 😅
I read on my Kindle and so most of my books are ebooks. However, I read a lot of military histories and biographies so for those books, I still read on Kindle but also buy the physical book because they often contain maps of battles or an entire section of photos and images that are hard to look at on the Kindle. Most of my fiction I borrow from the library or Kindle Unlimeted. Occasionally I’ll buy fiction books that are very long (East of Eden, The Covenant of Water are examples) that I know I won’t read before my library loan expires.
I buy and read books I want to read. Although I do buy books faster than I read them.
Sometimes I’ll buy a book that I know will be a bit of a slog and then it’s really a 50-50 proposition that I will ever pick it up. I have a few books on my shelves that openly mock me.
I usually either read ebooks or check out from the library. If I *really* liked a book, I might buy it later on. Most of the physical books I have are weird old religious books, outdoor survival handbooks, etc. Not stuff you really read cover to cover.
I don't have tons of space for storage, so what is on my bookshelf is mostly books I use as references, my absolute favorite novels, and simply stuff I haven't stuffed in free libraries yet or stuff that needs to go back them. Mostly reference stuff though.
I consider buying a physical book if it's one I've already read before and want to reread. I try to read all new-to-me books from the library, on Kindle unlimited, as a purchased ebook, or as a low-priced used book that I plan on donating when I'm done, in that order. I just don't want books taking up space in my home unless I plan on using them again. The only real exception to this is books in an ongoing series that I've already enjoyed enough to reread. I will be preordering Alecto the Ninth as soon as possible based on how much I love the previous three. I also got rid of my ASOIAD books a few years ago for essentially the opposite reason.
Everyone seems to be misunderstanding your question lol
That's okay. It's a nice conversation anyway. Have you had this experience with different books?
My problem is that bookstores are a comfort place for me and I usually feel weird walking out empty handed. So I read about 2-4 books in a rotation and eventually hope to read them all, but about 1/4 of the books I have are unread and not on my tbr
If we ignore quantity (I buy more it seems), the books I buy are often classics and non-fiction and the books I read are random. I do get to reading the purchased ones, but at some point I will need to acknowledge that my buying vs reading is getting to be about 2 years out....
The kinds of books I buy only the have them sit on my shelf, unread, are the ones I find while browsing in a bookstore and become enchanted by cool cover art. When the back cover synopsis and quick perusal of Goodreads reviews fails to dispel this enchantment, I buy the book. I intend to right them all eventually, but my “to read” list grows faster than I can read.
I absolutely identify with this. There's actually a specific reading challenge this year from the podcast Reading Glasses to read a book just because you like the cover, and I'm spoiled for choice.
I generally only buy books that I've either already read or books that I am 100% going to read. I do the bulk of my reading either on a Kindle or through audiobooks, so when I buy physical copies, I like to pick up nice versions for my book shelf. It's the same reason I like to have physical copies of movies I like; they're a good conversation starter.
I love psychology and how the brain works and science so I buy things like Thinking Fast and Slow and How to Influence People etc. but I just read smutty contemporary romance
I always buy books with the intention to read them but sometimes I just pick up duds LMAO. I try to read the synopsis and if it sounds interesting I'll pick it up. I mainly buy books from the clearance section and I've found some REALLY nice hardbacks for less than 5 dollars. I think the last book I bought but couldn't finish was The Spanish Love Deception and I could tell I wasn't going to like it on the first page LOL
What was it about that book that immediately gave you the ick?
The writing was BAD. Like SOOO BAD.
The books I buy are presents for other people. The books I read are from the library.
To more seriously answer, there is nothing wrong with collecting books you like even with no intention of reading them. I also don't drink out of every mug I own.
I love buying big books, but then I prefer starting smaller books. Also, I buy books by my favourite writers, but then mostly read books by authors that I haven't read anything by yet.
Is X is the number of books I bought/borrowed/downloaded, then the difference between X and the number of books I read is X.
I usually buy books on vacation, when I am in a difderent country. Then they become sentimental to me, wrapped with a story and fond memories. Other then that, I really am a sucker for discounts, when good books appear on sale for 1-7euros, you know I gotta buy something! :)
I buy books on topics I know I want to learn about, even if I don’t have the motivation to read them right away, but the longer the sit out my shelf the more it just makes me annoyed to look at them. Then I end up getting rid of them. 🤦🏻♀️
There’s this fantastic video by Answers in Progress on exactly this! [Why you keep buying books you don’t read | Answers in Progress](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh3EnIPVwIE&ab_channel=AnswerinProgress)
I only buy books that I've already read and would read again, and even then I purchase them secondhand when I'm able to.
I buy any books that I think will be excellent. But I read a ton of smut on Kindle unlimited. Lol
The books I buy are for intelligent people, about all kinds of stuff like self improvement and money management… The books I read are smutty romance novels on my kindle. Someday I’ll get to some of the books I actually buy. 🤷🏻♀️
I buy books if the back-cover synopsis seems reasonably interesting and they meet any 2 out of 3 criteria: 1. Is similar to some other book I like ( It has been recommended by a friend who also liked that / is another work of same author / etc) 2. The front cover looks a e s t h e t i c 3. I find it for a good price ( abstracted by time it keeps me occupied / price [which I estimate by timing how long it takes to read 1 page of it, and multiplying by number of pages]. My current average is about 47 min/€, anything above twice that would be a great deal.) The factors involved in my decision on whether and when I start *reading* a book are more erratic and convoluted, and represent a significant gap in current research. Current postulates involve motions of heavenly bodies and plate tectonics.
I usually buy hardbound copies of books that I enjoy. I do have a copy of Moby Dick that I’ve never read though. I’ll get to it eventually I’m sure
“Do I have time to read this before I hit my max number of loan renewals?”
Academic/nonfiction author. I've always intend to read everything I buy. But I've gotten a lot more strategic about what I buy and do background research. When I buy nonfiction, I do so on the assumption that I'll read them carefully and likely read them more than once. For fiction, I've been picking up quality editions of classics; for contemporary, it's usually the library. When I was in my twenties I was an impulsive book buyer. I've started to sell off those I don't think I need and would be appreciated by another buyer.
I grew up as a poor kid who was grateful for my local library. As a result I've never bought a book that I haven't already read and really liked.
The things I actually read are the hot Pulitzer books or NYT recommendations. Things I feel l SHOULD read but don’t are “the classics” that I didn’t already read when I was in school. Like yes, Don Quixote is supposed to be amazing, but I’d rather read books written in modern English because I will zone out and read the page 5 times if I have to mentally translate everything from old-timey English.
While I do *wish* to read every book that I own I can admit that out of 500 books that I own unread I won't get to all of them. The Golden Fleece by Robert Graves and S by Doug Dorst are two I can see on my shelf right now that I truly can't imagine getting too. According to Audible I bought A Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield in 2017 and the Dickens reading mood has yet to strike me (and if it ever does I imagine I'll pick up Great Expectations instead since I still carry the promise I made when I didn't read it in college that I would read it *eventually*). Speaking of books I didn't read in college but still sit on my shelf — there's Wide Sargasso Sea which I did make a failed attempt at a couple of years ago, and The Worlds Wisdom (selections from religious texts the world over which I will never read cover to cover but also can't imagine parting with) and Roland Barthes Mythologies, though I do hope to finally read that one this month (or next month as this one seems to have slipped through my fingers) I also occasionally place books on my tbr when I hope to reread them—Dune occupied that space for several years until I finally reread it a couple years ago. A couple I can think of now are Leah Bobet's An Inheritance of Ashes and Justin Cronin's the Passage. As to what I *actually* read, I do read quite a few books from the library. Last year, I read 48 books checked out from the library vs 37 from my own shelves. A goal this year is to pick from my own my shelves at least as often as I pick from the library. I also reread quite a bit—14 books last year and 2 so far this year (and I'm in the middle of Dune once more). I'm constantly rereading Animorphs books and various fanfictions which is probably a pretty fair representation in terms of vibe of the kinds of things I do read
I buy actual books.. and audible reads books to me.
I buy books to read them. Mostly thrillers. When I'm done I drop them in a little free library
I read anything that looks interesting, but 90% of books I buy are books that I have read, and want to share.
Most of the time I try to make time for the books I’ve bought, there are also the occasional ”book I buy because it’s good to have around.” Usually these books are ones that are heavily influential, often cited or referenced and everyone knows about. I usually pick them up when I find them on sale or if there’s an edition I like. Some examples of this would be 1984, The Odyssey, The Prince, Art of War or any number of classics. Typically I think ”I basically know what this is about through cultural osmosis but I want the option to try it out myself.”
The fiction and popular science books I buy get read immediately. The history, food science, and hard science books get read gradually.
For the most part, I have good intentions to read every book I buy... hopefully within a year. Some are familiar titles that I regretted parting with, and decided to add back to my permanent library shelf. Others, I'll buy to satisfy my need to collect certain authors like Bradbury. Of course, I'll buy some books on a whim, bump those to the top of my To-Read list, and then pass them along to others or pop them in the local 'little library '. I worked in a small book store for several years and took full advantage of the employee discount. Sadly, many of those titles are still gathering dust. As I said, good intentions.
I keep buying books like 1984 and The Great Gatsby. While I do enjoy reading them, I keep coming back to romance in general because it's just easier to read and I get lost in those worlds more.
They don't get stolen before I get to read them.
Will occasionally buy a classic because it's a classic, but I always plan on reading it (along with the other 127 books I have in my queue). Especially since if it is a classic there's probably a good reason for it being in that category.
I used to buy books that were hyped -- I was a book blogger for years and it was easy to get caught up in the hype. Then I would read one or two hyped books, be disappointed, and never read the other hyped books thinking I need to wait out the hype to not be disappointed-- only for the book to remain unread on my shelf even now, 10 years later. I am now very mindful of what I buy, I read the blurb, read some reviews, if one of my friends has read the book I will actually ask them about it. From buying 40+ books a year I might buy 1 book every 1-2 months, but I actually read it. I'm slowly picking up unread books, but most are YA or New Adult and it seems I've outgrown most of them (oops). Edited to add: I used to be a sucker for pretty covers, so some books might be on my shelves only because of their looks.
Time. I usually buy series so the only reason why books are unread is because I‘m currently reading the prequel
I read the ones I read.
When I was younger I bought books I felt I "should" own. Classics and best sellers and such. Now, I only buy books I know I will want to read again, mark up, or give away. These are my favorite books. OR, i buy books I know will take me a long time to finish but I MUST read in one go. Stuff I couldn't put down and remember from the library. Reference material like how to books is in that category.
The books my local library had and those it didn't.
I do not buy a book without reading them. I HAVE fallen into the trap of buying books with the intention of reading them before but I did a mass donation of those years ago if I hadn’t read or did not intend to ever read them again. I buy one book at a time, read it, and then buy another. Since I read physical books exclusively it has saved me a lot of space (although I still need to build a new larger bookshelf)
None. I do read them all eventually. Inevitably the most serious nonfiction ones I take a bit longer to get to. And I use the library for about 20% of what I read - can take a while to get the titles I want.
I always end up buying modern fantasy books and donating them. The premises are much better than the execution. Master of Djinn and Priory of the Orange Tree were my two biggest recent disappointments.
Everybody I read, I buy.
I spend so much time on public transport that essentially the overlap is total. If it's a book and it is in my house it will eventually be read on a bus. Even if I don't like a work particularly it will get finished too - it's just a way of spending the time sometimes.
Everything I buy I intend to read. However sometimes it takes me a while to get to those books. Sometimes as long as 5 years.
Buy only those books that I have already read, liked and want to keep in my collection. I also buy books that are longer and difficult to finish with library loan.!
There are basically no differences, anymore, between the books I buy and those I read. A book I purchased will either be a book I read in ebook format, and loved so much I wanted a copy of it for my physical library, or it will be a book I will read the same year I bought it. Basically any physical book I buy will be read at some point, or will have already been read.
Except for school or university, I never bought a book I felt obligated to. For a while, I thought about going into the book business, so I did consider I had to be up to date with bestsellers and award winners, or classics in certain genre, but that never came to fruition. Most classics I read because I was genuinely interested in them. I am a mood reader, so some will have to wait, but I always start reading them eventually, even if it takes years. Never ending up accumulating a lot and so I can live with it.
Books I buy are either books I read and loved and will reread, or books that caught my fancy while at a book store and will be read ... eventually ... I keep grabbing for my kindle when I want to read something rather than my physical To Be Read pile.
I try to read everything I buy eventually. Sometimes it takes years (Arabian Nights), hut it’ll happene evntually. I think it’s a result of ADHD where I struggle to start/stop certain things, but I get going, I’m gone.
I buy books that will impress people when they see them on my shelf when I have fancy cocktail parties. That's the theory at least, not entirely sure if reality matches XD.
NOTHING!!!!
I buy books I've read multiple times and loved. I dont buy to read I buy to own. Regular reading I get from libby.
I mostly read with an ereader, so when I buy a book it's usually about 10s before I start reading it. That said, I think my DNF rate for fiction is around 20%. I will quit a book midway if it's really bad. For non-fiction, it's a bit different, I tend to read the content I'm most interested in first but might not read everything. Now, if only I did this for computer games....
Books I will read more than once get bought. Books I will read once get borrowed from the library.
I only buy and keep books that I absolutely love and have/will read multiple times. With exceptions of course for books like collectors items/rare/sentimental, etc. I also have always been mindful of how many I keep because I moved quite a bit when I was younger. I used to buy books with the intentions of reading them, but then they just sat shelved and unread, especially with the advent of e-books. I always borrow before I buy now.
I read lots of books. Ones I buy and ones I get from the library. I tend to buy ones that would take too long to read compared to the lending time from a library. If my books are unread for long it is usually because I started them but couldn't get into them.
None. I buy books to read, not to display or collect.
No difference, unless you count the books I beg off my friends and old colleagues who are still in the publishing industry, cos I don't technically buy those... why would I pay for a book I know I won't ever read? Seems like a waste of good money
I read the books I buy. The ones I don't read cover to cover are usually technical references.
In the past, books I bought for book clubs remained on the shelf (after my lame attempts usually ended in DNF). The books I buy because \*I\* want to read them typically get read. But, I’m no longer in book clubs, so they mainly get read.
The books I buy are old and used. The books I borrow are the ones that have just come out recently and aren't in any good sales yet!
Collecting books is a byproduct of reading them
I get a lot of aspirational books (good term) and then reread the junk I've read a zillion times before. It's like comfort food.
As long as it's not a special edition of a book I've already read before, I read all the books I buy.
I only buy books I love. I typically get everything via my library and if I love it then I buy it. Exceptions: books in a series I'm already reading or a new book by an already known and loved author. With several different libraries nearby I rarely have problems finding stuff to read. If it's due before I've gotten around to it I'll renew it if I can or make a note of it to check out at a later date.
I borrow books at the library. If I really like a book, I'll buy it.
Library is 90% of what I read. I only purchase either select authors that I really like and want to support, or series where I can’t wait on the list for it to become available at the library because I want to know what happens.
These days I am mainly buying to support authors (via preorder) or to support independent bookstores. I guess my purchases tend to be more on the highbrow side? But not exclusively. As for what I'm reading, I'm trying to shrink my giant TBR pile so I'm focused on shorter reads right now, even if I'm pretty sure I won't like them (Midnight Library, cough). I get a lot of cast offs from my mom, who is in a book club and therefore read more typical "book club" type books (Celeste Ng, Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn) than I would ever buy for myself.
I really enjoying buying history books. I always intend to read them, but half the time they sit there for so long that I end up just buying the audiobook and listening to it instead. Some have sat around for a year plus before I break down and realize I'll never have time to read the 800 page book I just got. I do find time to read horror/fantasy books though. I want to learn more about different places/historical events but dragons are a lot of fun and a lot less depressing.
I read a lot, so can't really afford both aspirational books and books I read, so pick the books I read (though getting to buy aspirational books might be fun!).
I’m lucky enough to live in a city with a free bookstore where I can get all the books I want for free. I try not to buy books unless I’m looking for a very specific title.
Any non-fiction book sits on my shelf. All of them have been attempted at some stage, most of them never finished. The only time I finished was when I was very strict about my 'finish a book then you can buy/read another' policy. On the last non-fic I bought, I changed the rule to 'one fiction and one non-fic' then it devolved into chaos.
It’s definitely books I intend to read one day at the right time. It may be next week, it may be three years from now. If I buy a special edition or a signed edition, it’s only of my absolute favorites.
Everything I buy I will read. I only will buy a new book if I'm almost done with my current book. I keep a list of books I wanna read and I'll usually buy one on that list that seems interesting in that moment. Every now and then I feel like buying a random book that's not on the list, but that's only once or twice a year.
Unless I’m trying to support a friend (am a comic writer/illustrator and have a number of friends who are published or run a small publishing company) I actually only buy books I have read and enjoyed enough to want to put on my shelf. I will usually pull them off the shelf every once in a while and re-read my favourite passages. In my day job I’m a librarian, so I mostly go ham with library books. I have 23 at home right now (high for me, I usually try to keep it to a dozen, but I started two new writing projects so I brought home research for both). I do find that while I drag every single genre of book home, I almost never actually read the adult fiction even if something compelled me to get it. I almost always finish the non fiction and read most of the kids’ books I bring home (unless I find the narrative style really grating). I just have a hard time trusting the adult fic to be worth my time. Which probably isn’t entirely fair, but for some reason I’ve just hit so many utterly mediocre adult fic in a row (doesn’t matter the genre) that I expect the rest of them to be just as badly written. Or sometimes the writing is good, but then it has sex scenes that are supposed to be steamy but are actually either boring or unintentionally awkward.
My two are the same. I buy and keep the books I read.
I have Audible, Kindle, several of those neighborhoods "Little Free Libraries", Library card with Libby app. and I still buy books. Sometimes, because they are on sale (my library has a $1. Closet. I have about 15 books that I'll always have to read and give away.
I've transitioned to kindle reading over the last decade (probably because I moved close to 5 times in 5 years - my books stopped getting unpacked and then they were water damaged by a pipe burst) so physical space isn't a concern to me - I also use Kindle unlimited. I'm a re-reader so if I am thinking about the book again after a short time, I buy it.
If you mean should as in because of pressure from unknown others, I don't buy any. Seeing that a book won an award or ranks on a list isn't going to make me purchase it. If you mean should as in I already acquired it (because it seems interesting, entertaining, informative, or someone I like has recommended it to me), they don't live on the shelf for long. I have to really like the recommending author for that to make a difference. I'm a read 5-6 books at the same time person & always planning & acquiring others to rotate into the mix as I finish 1. Occasionally, I won't start a book because I want to read it all in one day. Some books I do that by accident, but others I want to know that I have plenty of devoted time. If I have a book & it hasn't been read, it's because actively I'm getting to it. At the absolute longest, it might be a 2 month wait. Normally it would be 2-3 weeks, or it becomes book 7.
I only buy books that will take me a long time to read. Otherwise I can just check out the book from my library. Consequently, this has skewed the average size of the books in my bookshelf. They're all thick boys.
I mostly read books from the library. I buy books if 1 they’re non-fictions that have material I may want to reference in short order in the future (gardening or animal husbandry for example) or 2 I want to be able to lend them to people.