Does your to-read list haunt you?

[CraftinFool]

I feel sort of silly about it but my to-read list sometimes haunts me – like I feel like it’s one more thing to do, instead of something that should be enjoyable. There are so many books waiting on my shelf yet I continue to add to the list. It’s sort of masochistic. There’s a part of me that feels like I should chuck the list b/c it makes it seem like an obligation rather than just a list of juicy someday-I’ll-check-this-outs.

[Craft Forums]

[brdgt]

My "pleasure" to-read list is my saving grace - my "work" to-read list on the other hand is hundreds of books that have to be read by this fall!

[mele]

Yes! I am in a community book discussion group, so I have a book to read a month. Some of them I am glad I read ,others i wish I had never opened. I too feel like it is my second job, because I have to make myself read. I try to offset the reading with sewing or crafts.

[Ratti Pillo]

Yes! My To-Read list is a bunch of books taking up space on my bookshelf that I picked up before I quit my bookstore job (and lose my discount) along with the books that I pick up used when I'm out and about in other cities. It is the sucks. Also, I've been reading the same book for the last 2 months bc I just started a new job and am still adjusting to it all. I'm waiting for summer, so I can lounge in the backyard and read.

[Vigilantesjustice]

My amazon wishlist is nearly 900 items. 544 of those are books, generally craft books, fiction in series I have enjoyed, and a stunning number of cookbooks and biographies. I'm chipping away at it, but damn. Everytime I buy something it makes me feel all frustrated because I can't buy more. Of course, if I did, I likely wouldn't have the time to read them as leisurely.
-Corinne
Leisurely my ass. I've finished two books, 400 and 272 pgs, since Tuesday night.

[jaimers]

my "to-read" list is dauntingly long. but i'm a huge dork, so i love to admire all of my unread books, and think about the treasures that i'm going to eventually get to unlock. and what a pleasure it'll be to spend my time devouring the words of authors that i admire, have just discovered, or aspire to write like.

[quaisior]

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by my TBR pile, but since I committed myself to reading more of my own books this year and getting less books from the library, I've been enjoying myself so much. I still have a lot more unread books than read books and it seems like for every book I pick up and like, I end up getting at least one more book by that author, but I've discovered so many great authors that it makes it all worth the stress.

[womwom]

I don't feel like I'll ever read all the books, etc... that I want to - there's just so much out there. There's so many classis that are must reads plus new books keep coming out - and then I really like to read current affairs articles too...

[Fonzarella]

Chuck the to-read list! Nobody should read under the feeling that it is mandatory (except for school or work) since this would destroy the whole pleasure of reading. How can you have a to-read list in the first place? (Do you have a sexual-intercourse-deadline list? A to-eat-icecream list? I bet not... : ))

[CraftinFool]

You know what Fonzarella? You're absolutely right.

i realized maybe I posted this to find out if anyone had a convincing argument for chucking my to-read lists. And i think you do. I chucked them last night. It was liberating.

What was I worried about anyway? That I'd walk into a bookstore and suddenly forget what my interests are? "Hmmm...let's see...am I interested in knitting? yachts? breeding gerbils? I JUST CAN'T remember."

Maybe once I've actually read everything on my bookshelves I should start a to read list. Until then, no more.

Thank you!