Amongst book collectors of a certain type there is an acronym - tbr - as in my tbr pile is now bigger than my bed. TBR stands for to be read. So you buy or find or collect books on the expectation that you will read them some day. You buy more than you could possible read in one week, knowing that you will want them in the future.
But something happens as books sit in the tbr pile... they start to grow, not so much dusty as stale... somehow not as fresh and appealing as they were when they were glistening on the store book shelf.
So I was watching hoarders: buried alive last night (and DH goes, why does anyone watch that show? Tivo recommended it, how could I resist...) and I have instituted a new law for myself: if it's in my tbr pile for more than 3 years, I have to accept that I am not going to read it. Especially as now I have a kindle, and am buying new things on it constantly (but no tbr pile there, the thought of a virtual tbr pile terrifies me, the amount of money I could spend there!) When I buy a kindle book, I read it. Done.
Today I went through piles of literally and figuratively dusty books and have created 4 neat piles - those that go to the local charity store (Housing Works is down the block) those that go the local library (I bought an entire series because all the library ones were stolen, perhaps they'll want new copies...) those that go to paperbackswap and find a loving home, and those that are somehow still too fresh to give away and I have reluctantly put back on my shelf and definitely plan to get to and read - by the end of this year!
So here is my oath - no more new books until these ones are read! No matter how shining and pretty they are, I have get through this pile first. Just getting rid of these first 3 bags (there are plenty more bookshelves to go through, but those are books I have read, this were books I hadn't read yet...) but the feeling of space that I am reclaiming is beautiful...
