A gathering place to chat

I have noticed that this is a very active group with loads of books being discussed and ideas exchanged.

I thought I would start a general thread and see if anyone was interested in popping in for discussions/introductions/encouragement/etc.......

always a great idea, kiwidoc! How does everyone think they are doing thus far? (I'm over on the 75 Book Challenge group; my challenge has been to log all my reading and write something on each. So far, so good.)

Agreed, avaland - this is a great idea, kiwidoc, so thanks for getting it started!
This is the first time I've tried this, so I'm not really setting any clear 'challenge' for myself, but rather just keeping track of how many books I read this year. So far, only 16 (it's been a really hectic year at work so far), but it's still interesting and helpful to keep track of it all, and I've loved the comments I've gotten on my own thread and love to keep up with what the rest of you are reading!

kiwidoc - I think this is a good idea, too!

I think I'm doing okay with my challenge - I've done about 19, so it's possible that I get to 25 (it might be pushing it a little, though) by the end of the month, which would put me in a good place at the halfway mark.

My favorite part of this process is going through other people's threads and creating lists of interesting-sounding books. I will never, ever feel like I can't find anything to read again! Before I joined this group, I thought that I had a massive TBR list - boy, was I wrong!

So I really want to thank all of you for all of the suggestions you've given me. It's fabulous to know that there's a group of people who like to read about reading as much as I do!

I like to read other people's threads, but there are so many here that I've no idea who to read/comment on. This thread seems a good idea. I've recently finished university (i graduate this summer, fingers crossed) so I'm using the opportunity to catch up on some reading, and a 50-book challenge sounded like a good idea. Having a thread makes me write a few lines about each book, which is good, because it forces me to reflect on what i've read objectively. I'm always looking for recommendations too - my thread's around here somewhere...
Fasciknitting - I had a gander at yours. I also love to knit and i love Margaret Atwood, but the Atkinson book I read (case histories) I found deeply unsatisfying - terribly disjointed. Perhaps I was missing something, I shall add it to the tbr pile, but this a very big pile, and growing dailly...

Kudos, Kiwidoc--I've been envious of the "Kitchen" thread that the 75 Books group has for socializing. Now we have one, too!

I'm actually well ahead on my challenge--working on my 35th book. But I imagine that my reading time will slow down come fall--I'll be a TA next school year. These sweet fellowship days must come to an end. :)

I have found so many good books in other people's threads here. LT has revolutionized my reading life--I can hardly remember how I found books before it!

#5 Bencritchley, I felt the same way about Case Histories. I've been reading your thread, so I think I'll pop in and say my hellos over there...

I'm always reading different threads, but most particularly the ones where people comment on what they read. Librarything has become a serious addiction for me--especially this group--and added far too much to my tbr pile! As for me, I've been teaching contemp. lit. for two years, and I'm about to move to Pittsburgh to start work on a PhD. I'm at 31 on my thread, but part of that is because I made part of my goal this year to finish all those books I started, and then left behind. I've also been counting re-reads, which I think I won't do next year. My reading has been picking up lately, but soon I'm going to have to get down to the business of packing up and moving...

#7: Good luck on the move--and here I thought I had it tough in August, when I moved about 1/3 as many books as you own! (Minneapolis to Manhattan, now working on my PhD--DMA, rather--as well.)

Thanks....

Glad to meet you all in one place. I look forward to meeting you all!!

My thread has been updated to accommodate a user name change. I really enjoy getting to know everyone as they read but do feel overwhelmed by the number of contributors, so it would be great if people could introduce themselves. If we discover others with similar tastes it might provoke a wee bit more discussion, both here and on personal threads!?

I also know we have some reallly avid readers in this group - some reaching into the 100s or more!!

Hello, everyone. Book-obsessed people are the best people. I can talk about books for hours. Usually I read 80-something books a year, but this year I lowered my goal because I want to read more long books. I actually don't have a goal this year--however many books I read is a good number. But I want to reflect more on what I've read. Zipping through books and not catching at least a bunch of the nuances to me is not really reading. Sure, you've added lots of books to your list, but what is it worth? So no more zipping along for me. I've just started adding blurbs along with the titles of the books I've read, and it's a fun challenge to come up with something to say about each book. I love reading everyone else's blurbs too.

"Zipping through books and not catching at least a bunch of the nuances to me is not really reading."

It's interesting to me that you say that, since that's something I feel like I struggle with. I'm at 60 books so far this year (which is actually a bit behind, as far as my challenge goes, but that's another story) but do sometimes feel like I burn through my pleasure, as it were. Trouble is, I can't seem to slow down. Anyone else have that problem?

I'm currently getting ready to move from NYC to SF, in order to begin law school, at which point my pleasure-reading will no doubt diminish by leaps and bounds, but I wonder if I'll have the same trouble with legal texts- reading so quickly that I miss something. I guess time will tell.

As far as the various threads go- I had no idea there even was a 75 book challenge! Oops- I would probably be better off in there, but I've gotten used to you guys and enjoy following many of your threads, not to mention pilfering tons of book ideas. Hopefully lots of new people will post here, and we can all find lots of new threads to read! Or not, since I already spend way too much time on here. Hmm. . . but I see at least two people who enjoy knitting AND Margaret Atwood, and that is a tempting combo . . .

Fantastic Idea!

I also read lots of the threads here and really enjoy the ones where you can get a feeling for the book through the comments of the reader. I always try to make a few comments when I add to my thread; as has been said before, the act of writing these comments makes me think about the book and really consider what my reactions to it have been.

I am not setting a number for my challenge, but expect (hope) to make 100. I wanted to cut down on my TBR pile this year, but have read exactly 5 out of 50 or so! I guess that is the problem with working in a library - there are too many good books there that I recognise from your threads!!

I am really enjoying the challenge. It is good to take a moment and consider the book in order to write the mini-review. I like reading others threads, and I'm particularly interested when someone has the opposite reaction than I do to a book.

#12 - I often think I should slow down my reading to be more contemplative and to absorb nuances but find myself unable to do it. Especially when I'm loving something.

I agree, trying to slow down my reading is pretty much impossible. The only exception is if I'm reading an exceptionally dense book, where it actually takes longer to read and understand it because of how it is written. This has happened occasionally.

But that's part of why I reread books three and four and more times - if I liked it enough the first time to want to reread it, then I'll catch more nuances each time I go through it. I don't need to catch them all the first time. They're not going anywhere; they'll still be there the next time I pick up the book.

#12 -but do sometimes feel like I burn through my pleasure, as it were. Trouble is, I can't seem to slow down. Anyone else have that problem?

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I totally have this problem--that's why I'm trying to train myself to slow down. It depends on the type of book too--some books I'll continue to fly through, but I need to slow down on the books that have more substance.

Like everyone here I have found LT has introduced me to many 'must read' books that I did not know about - and I have taken my addiction in book buying to a ridiculous level of economic foolery.

I think my reading taste is quite broad, although I am not a great mystery reader (was as a child though). However, if it is done well, I will read anything, just anything. I always think it is like house design, art etc. If it is done well, the style is largely irrelevant.

I totally agree with you, Nickelini, that reading should be savoured, but when it is really engaging, it is hard to control the appetite to gorge.

Hope others will introduce themselves here so I can discover who you all are!!

I have the opposite problem with reading: I've started reading far too slowly. I think it began when I started keeping a list of all the books I read, maybe seven years ago. In order to put a book on the list, it has to be "complete", so if I feel like I may have missed a word I read a passage over again--even though I know that's entirely the wrong approach. Then I think it got even worse because of the subjects I studied in university: Latin, Greek, and math. Suddenly reading was about paying attention to all the word endings and to all the details of a proof, so going quickly just didn't work. I'm hoping that I'll eventually "recover" and be able to read at a normal pace again! Not that I have much time for reading now anyway, but the glorious summer is in sight....

I set my goal at 150 which is about what I read last year, but I'm pretty far behind right now to make it this year. However, I won't be devistated if I don't make it.

I'm really trying to get more exercising in and have been having a hard time sticking with books lately. I think I'm going through a transitional period where the kind of books I've loved in the past don't really entice me as much anymore.

I'm always getting great ideas by looking around at other people's suggestions and what they've read so I've had a lot of fun on this group as well.

Reading for me is rather like eating chocolate seems to be to many (not me - I hate chocolate), especially if the flow and understanding of the book is a revelation.

I did have a phase where I felt I had to understand the minutae of all books - especially classics - and I still struggle with balancing the two off - enjoyment and analysis - although they are usually connected.

When I get like that, I resort to 'light' quick reads that don't need the brain waves to move.

I don't really have a numerical goal for my reading, but I am up to 77 so far this year. (Coincidentally, I will be 77 years old in June!).

I'm retired, and my reading is listed on the 'Almigwin tries to keep track' thread in this group.
My favorites are listed on my profile.

I have been in love with literature since childhood. Luckily, my mother had a terrific library and I wallowed in it till college. Her favorites were Balzac and Gertrude Stein, but she also introduced me to Plato.

I have a large wishlist on 'Almigwinwishlist'. I probably won't live long enough to read them all, but I'd like to try.

Wow - Almigwin - you are a reading inspiration to us all. Is there anyone else here who has read 77 books this year!?!?! I think not. I imagine that you must devote 3-4 hours a day to reading?

No kidding! I just started reading Almigwin's thread - a book a DAY?!! I am so impressed.

jfetting: have been reading a book a day for most of my life, except when I was in college and grad school.

During my working years, and my adolescence I read a book a day or more. The exceptions were books in foreign languages which slowed me down, and complex philosophical or scientific books which took lot of study. I alternated chunks of those with light reading to clear the mental palate. I do that now also for tragic books, like holocaust memoirs, history and poetry.

My secret is napping. When I worked, I used to take a short nap after supper, and then read until the wee hours. I have always read more than 4 hours a day.

(I also paint, quilt, sing, write poetry, keep house and cook)

>24 almigwin: ... and so much more. almigwin, you ARE amazing!

Almigwin, you have unwittingly provided me with a goal for when I am 76!

See, Almigwin, you are confirming my belief that I will never, EVER make it through my tbr list!

Sometimes I wish I read faster, because there are so many more books to read, but I think I do fairly well. I have read 34 books so far this year, in addition to having a full-time job, two children and friends that I actually hang out with, ;-). I am also currently studying for a big certification test this weekend, which is seriously cutting into my reading time.

To introduce myself, I am Susan, I have a 10 year old daughter and a 5 year old son. I work as a Project Manager for software development projects, although if I could do anything at all, I would go back to grad school and get a PhD in some sort of social science, not sure which exactly. I read a lot of different things, but mostly science fiction, mystery, general fiction and non-fiction, with an emphasis on health, the environment, poverty, women's issues, and science in the non-fiction area.

Sorry, I didn't mean to post that twice!

I had ground into a routine with reading, staying with tried and true authors and little experimentation. Full time job, raising twins, caring for elderly parents, etc., etc. Then I discovered LT. Like kiwidoc, my book buying habits suddenly exploded as I discovered genres and titles I hadn't known about. I began to truly read again, in the way I did as a a younger person.

I've set 60 books as my goal this year because I don't retire until the end of June. I spend approx. 8-10 hours a day on a computer, so have considerable eye strain already. Sometimes I'm too tired to read at night (even after a nap, Almigwin!). However, once I retire, I hope my reading time will increase daily. I too used to read a book a day when I was young.

There was a time when I had to read for my studies, hard reading and in depth. Now I read for the sheer pleasure of it: to be swept away somewhere else, to learn something new, to savour the roll of words around my mind, to be shown a new world, new way of thinking. I can read quickly but it really depends on the work. Some books absorb you into themselves so quickly that you devour them but scarcely notice it. Others require a steady, determined approach (e.g., Bleak House, every time I've read it). Others are plodders but the plodding is worth it. I don't read books I don't like. Life is too short.

I forgot to introduce myself earlier! I'm currently in grad school, getting my PhD in biology. So far, I think I'm doing well in my 50 book challenge, but this summer I need to write a paper, and come this fall I write my dissertation, so I'm enjoying all the literature I can until then. I've used LT as a catalog of my books for a couple years and just discovered the forums a few months ago.

I'm not sure how to describe the kinds of books I read - lots of literary fiction, classics, British humor, and books-that-are-on-lists (1001, etc.) Not much science, though. My TBR list has increased exponentially from reading other peoples' threads, and I get the biggest kick when I see that someone else loves a book I've loved. Oh, and I have kiwidoc's problem with reading quickly, especially when I'm really into a book. At times I've had to make myself physically get up and walk away so I can enjoy the book longer.

I challenged myself to 75 this year, and have so far read 45. I admit they weren't huge tomes however. The second part of my challenge was to read at least ten classics I had not read before ( contemporary classics mostly because that's the area I've neglected.) I think I have already met that challenge...if Flowers for Algernon can be counted as a contemp. classic.

I used to try to read any book I started just because it was there, but once I started reading modern novels I became a lot pickier. Like the above poster said...life is too short.

#31 Oklahoma - I read Flowers for Algernon last year - what a wonderful story, such a sad tale. Worth the read.

To introduce myself, my name is Karen, I work in the medical field, I have 2 teens, a dog, two cats, and I have always had a passion for reading (also like travel, photography, music and gardening)

Sometimes I worry that my reading habits are anti-social and I have been known to disappear from life for extended periods of time.

My training and having very young children severely cut into my reading time for a few years each so I have a lot of catching up to do.

I am glad to meet all of you (I am clicking on your pages as you make your comments) and will follow your reading with interest.

Forgot to introduce myself (just dove into the reading part of things). I work at a Canadian university but am about to retire in June after 26 years as the college administrator for one of the colleges. Started my Ph.D. in English Lit. but the aforementioned twins and full-time job made finishing it unrealistic. I've never regretted choosing my sons over the degree.

I'll read anything (incl. cereal boxes and bumper stickers) but for comfort reads I love an English comedy of manners or a good English mystery. I have the new War & Peace to dive into this summer and for next autumn and winter I'm going to (finally) read all of Remembrance of Things Past by Proust. I read bits of it in my teens, in French, but my French is now only passable, so I'm going to read it in translation. I have branched into reading African Lit. this past year (thank you, LT) and am checking out Australian and Scandinavian Lit. (thanks again, LT).

I am enormously heartened by how many readers there are here from all over the world. Who says books are dead!

ETA kiwidoc, isn't reading the study of life and all of humanity's thoughts over the centuries?

I guess I didn't really introduce myself either. I'm a Classics prof. at a small liberal arts college in the middle of Ohio. I'm married, with a cat, a dog, and our first child on the way (due in Sept). I'll read just about anything, but I'm happiest if I'm making my way through some sort of reading list. Currently I'm reading through the books in 100 Banned Books, and I'm really enjoying them so far. I'm sort of a slow reader right now because my job keeps me pretty busy, and I have the sneaking suspicion that, come September, my reading time will dwindle even more. But, I try to read a little every day, even if it's just a couple of pages before bed. Also, I've usually got at least 4 books going at once, and these are determined by fairly strict rules (if you're curious, check out the first post in my challenge thread, which gives the details of where all my reads come from).

I'm having trouble finding some of your (plural) threads. Is there a way to click on someone's name and get them that way?

Taking my cue from the previous introductions, then. I'm a composer and a grad student, living in Manhattan (as an escapee from Texas, born and raised). I spent the two school years prior to this one in Minneapolis, and I pine for it every day. I'm blissfully married to my high school sweetheart--we've been together 10 years now. Novels and books on subjects other than music are my sanity preservers. :)

I haven't been reading much non-fiction for pleasure as of late, just novels. I read mostly literary fiction, with some science fiction thrown in. I'm a sucker for magic realism, Jungian psychology, and themes of identity, consciousness, and memory. I also like novels which address my non-fiction interests, which include mythology, folklore, fairy tales, popular science (particularly physics) and, of course, music. I also adore a good literary love story.

Edited: #35 has a good point: here's my thread:
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=26115
(Mine is probably buried toward the back, as I'm at the end of the semester and crawling through The Magus for the last week.)

Here's my thread:

http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=26248

and mine:
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=26776

Medellia, I think you might like Robertson Davies "Fifth Business" (1st book in his Deptford Trilogy), if you like Jungian psychology and magic realism. Always pumping Canadian authors!

#38: I just bought the Deptford Trilogy recently, after a friend of mine told me that I *must* read it. :) Great minds...

Hello Challengers....or Challengees... I'm Terri, living in Portland Oregon (yes, it rains a lot and yes it's a wonderful city!) - I work as a technical writer/web builder for the county health department and I'm retiring in November. Yippee!! More time to read! I love to write and play music, raise organic vegetables, and read, mostly fiction. Like Tiffin, I've been introduced to a wide range of fiction here at LT, lots of books I never would have heard of, let alone read. It's fabulous, it feels like being back in school (hey, is LT accredited??).

My 100 book challenge is already in two parts (there was lots of discussion at a couple of points on my thread and I have lots of graphics, so I started a second thread when it topped 200 posts (lest the thread police come after me). You can find Part One here and Part Two here.

Thanks, kiwidoc, for starting this little nook.

Excellent idea, bencritchley.

My thread is here and everyone is welcome to visit anytime!!

Hi, everyone! I'm Christina. I feel like I already know several of you from following your reading habits through this challenge, and I owe thanks to many of you all here for the inspirations and leading me to books that I wouldn't have found otherwise.

My challenge this year is 100, although I'm just a little behind. If anyone wants to follow, I'm over here.

Hi, I'm Joyce, I live in Vancouver, BC and I'm a part-time corporate writer and part-time 40-something university student (English, Humanities). My full-time job these days seems to be carting my kids between their various activities.

My thread is here:

http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=29181

Hi fellow LTers! My name is Yvonne, I live in Uden in the Netherlands, together with my boyfriend (7 1/2 years together and counting) and our cat Bear (8,1 kilos and counting...). I'm an executive secretary in a software company. Next to reading, I also play the drums and do some non-profit translating and some profit freelance writing.

I've discovered LT through StumbleUpon and it was love at first sight. I can still remember the look on my boyfriend's face when I told him about LT and how great it is ^^ But ever since coming here, I found out that I'm not weird in my reading habits, not at all! Actually, I think I might be one of the less obsessed, which is the first time where books are concerned. Next to A LOT of new books I now want, I've found some wonderful new words here on LT. LTers are well read (duh) and are usually not afraid to use 'difficult' words, which has been great for my vocabulary (I don't like to look up words when I'm reading, it disturbs my flow and I usually get the gist anyhow). I mostly read English books, because overall I like them a lot better than Dutch books. I never read translations from English to Dutch, since I feel that books lose a lot of their appeal when translated.

As for my challenge, I'm planning to read at least 50 books this year and I'm up to 22 books now, with some in progress, which is nicely on track. I don't like to really push myself as I feel it makes me enjoy reading less. I like reading classics, general fiction, humour (like Pratchett and Douglas Adams) and more recently science fiction. Then sometimes a little horror or chick-lit, just to mix it up. And I'm a nut for dystopias and post-apocalyptic fiction.

Oh, and you can find my thread here:
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=29932

I link to my threads (last year's and this year's) from my profile.

Thanks for setting this up, kiwidoc!

I'm Chris, I live in Connecticut with my husband and three kids, and I'm the associate publisher for a puzzle-magazine company (we also publish some fiction and horoscope magazines). I have always been an avid reader (like tiffin, I'll read cereal boxes and shampoo bottles when nothing else comes to hand), and I'd probably define my comfort zone as literary fiction and classics, with some biography and nonfiction (particularly about the history of science) thrown in. Like others, LT has expanded my reading, particularly in global fiction.

My reading goal this year is pages rather than number of books, and I'm currently at 11,175 out of a planned 36,600, so a little behind. I'm also trying to read more global fiction and more nonfiction this year, and to whittle away at my giant TBR mountain--the last goal with less success than the others, unfortunately.

I'm tracking my progress at:
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=27070
but I've been trying to write reviews of everything I'm reading, and I'm a little behind.

Hello everyone, and thanks to kiwidoc for setting up this thread!

I'm Laura, and I live in Pennsylvania with my husband, two teenage daughters, and lots of animals. By day, I'm an IT Director (aka former geek, now in leadership positions!). At all other times, I'm an avid reader and LT addict!

As others have mentioned, LibraryThing has really broadened my horizons by exposing me to new authors and genres. I used to rely heavily on "professional" reviews and bestseller lists. Now LT is increasing the size of my TBR pile on a daily basis!

Last year was the first year I kept track of how many books I read. I thought 50 was an impossible goal, but finished 2007 at 72. I'm on the same pace this year but did not set a quantitative goal. My 2008 reading goals are more about what I read, not how many. More on my 50 book challenge thread: http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=26854

Great to get to know all of you!

Ben - I have to say that I enjoyed Case Histories more than any of the other Kate Atkinson books that I've read so far... so I'm a little bummed that you didn't like it :( However, we still have Atwood and knitting in common, so we're okay! ;)

I guess I forgot to introduce myself as well - I'm Katie in Texas and live with my boyfriend and dog. I'm currently working at a large university as an administrative assistant/academic advisor (also known as peon) and cannot wait until August, which is when we plan to move to Maine! I'm considering Information Studies for grad school (I, of course, think I would love to be a librarian), but really need to take one step at a time and start saving money for it first.

The link to my Challenge thread is in my profile page.

Good idea kiwidoc - I'm another who's been enviously reading 'The Kitchen' in the 75 book challenge.

Hey there, I'm Mirya, currently working in an admin role (supposed to be a rest break from call centre management - but not really turning out that way lately) which has meant that my possible reading time has increased by not having to work on the weekends anymore - YEAH!!! Living in Australia by myself (means if I decide to skip cleaning the house to finish a book no-one minds) but considering moving again (and have been for the last year... I don't like to rush a decision - and I don't look forward to the bother).

My thread is here. I set myself a fairly aggressive target this year on the principle that it would force me to finish some of my half-read books I've got lying around - hasn't quite worked that way - I've finished some of them only to replace them with others. However, one thing I didn't expect was that the number of my re-reads would decrease. There's some books I think I was re-reading every few months last year - now, just don't have the time - so at least I'm expanding my range.

Not that you'd think it looking at my list but I have a marked tendency towards F/SF & Romance - just haven't been completing many of them lately. I'm very much a 'mood' reader - I'll get in the mood to read a certain genre and go crazy over it. One of my other problems (alluded to above) is that if I'm reading a book and a more interesting book arrives (by gift/ shopping / library) I'll tend to stop reading & move onto the new one - result... lot's of half-read books.

I'm going pretty well with my count but my secondary goal of getting my 'TBR' list up to 10% completed isn't going as well. Victim of the common reading other's threads & adding to the list - I give myself a rule that I can only read threads on the first page - still, that's quite a few of them!!

(edited to fix grammer - I should know better)

My thread should be here

If the HTML thing worked

ETA: Oh my goodness it did! Yay HTML tutorial!

My thread is here.

I don't have a particular goal, just wanted to keep track of the books I read this year. I also don't plan ahead too far, just pick up something from the TBR shelf that seems to fit my mood. I love LT and my TBR shelf has certainly expanded since joining!

Terrific thread, kiwidoc! It is fascinating to read about all you other readers, and like Vonini, LT makes me feel "normal!" Just reading through here has been an education, and I made several forays to other threads as I read through this one.

Although I read passionately and enthusiastically, I do not read as fast as many of you do -- I tend to read slowly and savor every word. If the book is really stimulating, I even go off on a mental tangent related to the story, the words, the philosophy, and then return to the story, which slows me down even more. And I mark passages with post-its, and jot down words that interest me. As a result, I didn't read more than 39 books last year. This year, I am going for 50 and should make it comfortably, unless moving, writing, and parties slow me down this summer!

I prefer fiction that is character-driven, requires some mental gymnastics, leaves me with food for thought, and is beautifully written. I pay a lot of attention to language. Only about 15% of my reading is non-fiction. Like many of you, I am an eclectic reader. Although I prefer literary fiction, I enjoy the best of sci-fi, an occasional mystery, or exceptional historical novel. The only books I have trouble sticking with are humor and/or fantasy.

I was a teacher for (gulp) 30 years (English, Art, technology). I'm American, but have lived the majority of my life abroad. I've just resettled in the US, and now that my three boys have grown up, I stay home and write books. LT is my social life!

Here's my current thread: kambrogi in 2008

#52 Although I read passionately and enthusiastically, I do not read as fast as many of you do -- I tend to read slowly and savor every word. If the book is really stimulating, I tend to go off on a mental tangent related to the story, the words, the philosophy, and then return to the story, which slows me down even more. And I mark passages with post-its, and jot down words that interest me.
---------

Wow, kambrogi, that's exactly what I'm trying to train myself to do. When I have accomplished it, I find it so rewarding. But if I like a book a lot, or am bored with a book, zipping along just seems to be my natural mode. But I will continue to try to slow down.

M 53: Indeed, indeed. I try to do that, but, before I know it, my eyes have taken me three more pages and I've forgotten what I was going to jot down. What is your magic?

I realize that I, like several others, wrote about my reading issues without writing much about me. As I did remember to mention, I am in the process of moving from NYC (goodbye, beloved NYPL- oh how I will miss you!) back to San Francisco, in order to attend Hastings Law School. Now that I'm almost 30 and have been teaching test prep (and tutoring it, and writing it- it's all test prep all the time over here) for seven years, I decided I was ready for a grown-up job. Switching from 10-20 hours/week, which is what I've been working for the last 7 years, to 80-100 should be quite a shock, but I'm trying to psyche myself up.

My goal this year was 150, which I set a bit low in the expectation of my reading coming to a grinding halt in September. Alas, I am less then halfway there and am not likely to increase my reading any time soon, so oh well. C'est la vie. I've still got about four months, so hopefully I'll at least make it to 100, if I can do 10 books/month.

Traditionally I've mainly read classics, children's fantasy (not such a big fan of most grown-up fantasy), and some sci fi. I've been trying to branch out for quite a while, adding in more historical works (since I teach history and really ought to know more than I do), modern lit, and non-fiction. LT has helped immensely with that- even though I haven't loved everything I've found, I have loved plenty of it and the stuff I haven't loved was still worth reading. I double-majored in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (focus in, of course, literature and languages) and Religious Studies (focus on Western Church (ie Catholic) history. Thus, I love authors like Umberto Eco, Salman Rushdie, and C. S. Lewis. It's like they wrote their books just for me! Esp Eco, since I spent a lot of time studying heretical orders in medieval Italy and conspiracy theories. Good times.

So that I don't sound super-stuffy, I've been reading Jasper Fforde and Christopher Moore a lot recently, for relaxation, and desperately love Terry Pratchett. Oh, and I read a fair number of graphic novels- that usually helps lower the pomposity levels. Preacher, Watchmen, Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, and 100 Bullets are some of my favorites. And I LOVE cheesy gothic novels, as in the ones with ghosts and dead maidens. I don't know why, I just do. The Monk by Matthew Lewis has to be an all-time favorite.

And now I'm rambling. Here's my thread, if you'd like to check it out:

Tada!

and my book journal, which is currently almost identical:

"Voila!"

The journal is a new thing, in an inchoate stage. I've got the incubator on, but she may not make it.

Hi everyone!

I'm Shauna, and I'm in my mid-twenties. I'm finishing my BA in History at Sacramento State, and I'm more excited than I can say about graduation next weekend. For awhile, I was double majoring in English and History, but decided to finish the History degree and put the English degree aside for now.

I don't know what I'm doing after graduation; my employment status changed rather unexpectedly last month, and so my immediate post-college plans involve looking for a job and of course, reading for fun without the headache of assigned reading dangling over my head. I'm the human of a temperamental grey calico named Sparkles.

My progress on the fifty book challenge has been pretty slow until now; I've only read twelve books. However, I'm really hoping that will change and that I'll have a bit more time, even with my job search.

Like everyone else, my TBR list has exploded since joining LT. I've already bought more books this year than I did in the whole of 2006.

My challenge thread can be found here . I try to keep up with various threads on this list, but it's hard sometimes with so many members. I look forward to continuing!

Shauna, I think I've bought more books this year than I did in the whole previous decade!

Congratulations on the graduation! Whooopeeee!

Thanks, Terri! I've been looking forward to this for a very long time.

Fasciknitting/Katie - as I said, it's back on my tbr pile and I'll give it another chance. It's a bally long list though, so don't hold your breath.

I always buy more books than I can possibly read, it's part of the fun, I think

Zoe: I don't think your approach to reading is "wrong". I'm probably a slower reader because I don't like to miss anything in the use of words. And as someone else said, a dense book requires slowing down. I only read quickly when I'm not too engaged in the book and I want to get it over with.

I enjoy all of the threads, especially those with mini-reviews. My challenge this year was to reduce my TBR pile but I'm not doing as well as I had hoped. I'm also not reading as many books as I had hoped, but that really doesn't matter. As long as I'm enjoying my reading.

I am glad you started this thread, Karen/kiwidoc...I actually enjoy reading the other challenge threads as much for the conversation as for the book reviews! I love to read about how other people are touched personally by the books they read.

My TBR pile hasn't exploded; it's shrunk! (thank god!) Now that I am in a community of readers, it encourages me to read more and more, so that I can keep up with what everyone else is doing and reading and so that I can join in the conversation. I think cataloguing my library has shown that I've read uncomfortably less than I've wanted to of my books (and it seems like I've also discovered that, somehow, I've read a few books something like 10 times!)

Glad to see you all on here, and will definitely see you around :)

Wonderful to meet you all - I have been persuing all your threads with great interest. What a bunch of talented people. It gives me lots of threads to keep an eye on, and lots more book fodder.....

Hmmm...I forgot to give a proper introduction. My name is Jayme, and I've always been a chronic reader. I'm 25 and am currently in the middle of a home renovation project which leaves me less time to read than I might like, but is worth it.

I've always kept reading lists, but last year was the first time I had challenged myself to a certain number per year since I was fifteen. That year I challenged myself to 100, but fell short by four. I've always enjoyed classic novels more than any other genre. I started reading them when I was nine and have been in love with them ever since. I have a particular fondness for Russian Literature, having read my father's discarded copy of The Idiot when I was ten. I also enjoy mysteries,historical fiction, southern literature, science fiction and historical biographies, not necessarily in that order. That said, I think this is a great thread and I am enjoying reading about everyone and their books!

My name is Laura. I work full time as a billing analyst. It is not what I want to do forever, but my husband is in college. Once he graduates maybe I will figure out what I want to do when I grow up. You'd think that by 31 I would know.

I have always loved reading and tend to read 2 or more books at a time. My thread is found here. I am trying to read 150 books this year. I have read 68 so far this year. This month I have really slowed down. I tend to read a lot of historical fiction and mysteries, but I will read pretty much anything that sounds interesting.

Wow Laura, 68 books already! Almost twice my total.

Don't stress about not knowing what you want to do when you grow up. I'm 57 and retiring in a few months, and I still don't know! LOL!

Hello, I am Paola and, although I am not participating to the 'Challenge' (I am way too disorganized to keep a neat list of what I read), I read your threads with great interest.
I have no idea how many books I shall read this year, and always pick my next read from my TBR mountains (YES, mountains!!) on the spur of the moment.
I greatly admire your organization and the wonderful reviews you guys post, and have already found a lot of interesting material among the books you all read.
:-))

#65 Ah, Ciao Paola! Benvenuto.

Grazie, Amanda!!!!

Glad you are here, Paola! I know you are very well read and I hope you feel free to add comments on any books/authors on my thread!

Oh yes, Christine, I certainly will!
As you already know, we have many common interests among authors, and I always enjoy visiting your thread.
:-))

Ditto, Paola, glad you came out of the shadows! LOL!

Yes, Terri, call me "the lurker".....

I was wondering how long it would take for Paola, Terri. Amanda and Christine to arrive!!

Very impressed with the 68 book total, Laura. You join Almigwin in super-reader status!!

Jayme - I am also rather a big fan of Russian literature - mostly reading 19th and 20th century up to now. My next project is to read We (wrong touchstone) - which has been recommended to me from several LTers.

Hi, I'm Richard (or Dick or hashiru depending on context)

Speaking of TBR piles. Way back in 1992, mine was 40 books and I decided to read more and clear it out. Well, I wound up reading 194 books that year:

http://webpages.charter.net/hashiru/reading/1992.html

and at the end my TBR "pile" was 100 or so. You see (y'all probably know this already) reading books begets buying books, so the more you read the more you have left to read.

My pile is now more like several shelves full, the last time I counted it was about 500 books. Assuming 1 inch per book, that's over 41 feet in a pile!

(My count so far this year: 64 with 5 or 6 in progress. I'm afraid to count my TBR books)

Hello Richard and welcome to the mega-reader club with Laura and Almigwin!!

I totally agree about the TBR pile - it is impossible to combat it!!

"reading books begets buying books"
Truer words were never spoken!
Hi. I'm Linda, and this is my second year on the 50 Book Challenge. I really don't view it as a challenge, though. I started using this thread to keep track of what I was reading, and to record my impressions, something I had tried sporadically to do in notebooks over the years, without consistent success. This, so far, is working better for me. I've been slowed down, in both reading and writing about it, for the last few months. Too much traveling. I mean to catch up with myself soon.
My current thread is here It contains a link to the first one.

*chorus of addicts reply somberly and in unison: "Hi, Linda."

Hi Linda, welcome! ;o)

Hi Everyone! Chris told me about this thread and I'm glad to have found it. My name is Marcy and I am an Associate Project Director for a reference publisher. I work on our online products. Although this is only my 3rd year in this job I have worked in internet jobs for the last 10 years.

This is my first try at a number of books read challenge since I was in elementary school and I am really into it. I have definitely stepped up my reading this year because of this challenge. I have been a big reader since I discovered my parents' bookshelves around the age of 9, but since joining LT and especially this challenge I've realized that compared to a lot of you guys, I hardly read anything! Even so, I am only inspired to read more and expand my reading tastes. I largely read contemporary literary fiction, but have been trying other genres here and there this year. And, of course, I do like Chick Lit for escape reading.

My TBR pile is an ever-growing thing, but I have come to accept it as something I enjoy. I like looking at the shelves and deciding where to go next. I can't resist buying books and I'm not sure I ever want to. I completely agree that "reading books begets buying books."

Thanks everyone in this challenge for the inspiration. My thread is here.

Welcome, marcyjill. Nice to meet you.

Have popped over to your thread and see you have a great line up of books read, including the controversial Oscar Wao book which has had variable reviews by LTers!

Richard, you are singing to the choir. Exactly the same thing happened with me. My TBR pile used to be a sedate 19 books or so. Now it is approx. 100, teetering on my bedside table in piles, with the alarm clock and kleenex riding shotgun on top.

And welcome to you and to marcyjill as well. Off to snoop on your profiles.

Oh hi. I'm Laura. *waves* I'm working on my PhD in Creative Writing. I'm in the middle of comprehensive exams now, so my reading should reflect that this summer (so far, not so much). I read mostly literary fiction and classics (chiefly British), though I enjoy history, science, lit crit, fantasy, science fiction, and (occasionally) mysteries as well. This is my first year on the 50-Book Challenge, though, like several others, I see it less as a challenge and more as a list of what I have read. I've been keeping such a list in notebooks since sixth grade, but I like the opportunity to share my impressions and see what other people are reading as well. I typically read between fifty and sixty books a year, and while I'm not necessarily looking to increase that this year, I am trying to cut down on TV and read in that time instead. (Seriously, how many times can I see the same episode of Law and Order?) Each semester, I teach two sections of first year English as part of my GTA-ship at my grad school, so books I read in conjunction with those courses will pop up in my list. I'm originally from northeastern Pennsylvania; my studies have taken me to central PA (college--BA in English and history); Scotland (study abroad); southeastern Ohio (MA in Creative Writing); and now eastern Tennessee. Incidentally, laytonwoman3rd is my mother.

My thread is here.

Ok, FINALLY managed to find this thread after an invite.

I'm Joyce, 71, retired chemist/nursery owner, currently living in the República de Panamá with 3 dogs, 2 cats, and a partner, formerly lived north of the Seattle area in the state of Washington (and LOVED to visit Vancouver!). And, I might add, I got here because I, too, am someone who us always reading--anything, no matter what. Utter boredom just before Mass while waiting for the priest (always late) to get there so we could process in, meant I did something I never would do otherwise--read the church bulletin board. I wound up in Brasil which then led to my move here to Panamá.

I'm fairly eclectic in my reading tastes. However, I do adore mysteries/police procedurals, and always have something in the genre going. My main obsession is with the US Civil War and the periods just before and, recently, afterwards. I like to read about war because it confirms my conviction that it's the most wasteful and idiotic activity conceivable and usually not only solves nothing but creates more problems. I have no worry about having to retract this statement any time soon.

I also really love reading "internationally", especially Latin American authors, but love the Canadian Robertson Davies, a favorite for decades.

Time is a problem. Those of you who are ready to retire and think you're going to have more time? HahahaHAHAhahahaha!!

I detest writing in HTML code, so those who want to check out my reading list (current) and find my thread (boring--mostly an adjunct to my book journal) can search my profile.

I must say, almigwin, I'm just a tad annoyed at not being the oldest! Dear god, how I love to throw around my weight by claiming Great Age and therefore Superior Experience. I remember when I turned 50 and could FINALLY say, especially to my children "From the vantage point of a half century's worth of experience...." A memorable day, truly! :-)

A Davies fan - yay! I thought I had read everything but just found "The Merry Heart" in a 2nd hand book shop here (Canada), a collection of speeches he had given at various functions. Great fun. He used to be the editor of our local newspaper and it certainly hasn't had an editor of his calibre since.

Hello Laura - nice to meet you, and have heard lots of good things about you from your mom......

Joyce - great that you popped over here.
You and Almigwin are the'sages' of the group...

Davies is a writer that I recently discovered, thanks to others on LT (including Tiffin). I must read more of his - having finished Fifth Business recently...

Ah, I've made it to Sage! Another life's ambition reached!! I may have to include it in my Profile. :-)

Fifth Business is the first in the Deptford Trilogy. I've always thought that The Cornish Trilogy was even better. And I can't even imagine what it would be like to have a newspaper edited by someone like Davies. Most of today's print media is a waste of forests.

Joycepa, it was brilliant. He was so wickedly funny and astute. I used to pass him walking to the paper on my way to high school. He would tip his hat and say "good morrow, fair maiden". The first time he did it, I replied "it is indeed, kind sir" and he was delighted. Spoke to me every time we passed after that. The challenge, for me, was to have something piquante to say in return! He had the twinkliest, sparklingest, laughingest eyes.

You know, this is EXACTLY the sort of thing that I would expect based on photos of him that I've seen and on his writing. Especially the eyes. What a wonderful memory to have! And good for you for the riposte!! In typical fashion, I would have remained tongued tied, unable to rise to the occasion.

*waves to Joycepa*
Good to 'see' you!

Where ya been, woman? Did I read somewhere that you're having an especially busy year? Plus that expected baby.

Oh goodie - I have the Cornish trilogy enroute to me, so glad to hear it lauded. I loved Fifth Business too and am looking forward to more. Tiffin, that's a great story, I didn't know that about you and Mr. Davies!!!

Allright, I'm checking in to keep kiwidoc from nagging me..! ;D

I will try to post more later this week when I have more time.

#90 Oh, that tiffin----full of surprises, that one. Bears watching, she does. *wink, wink*

#81 Welcome, sprout. Glad you'll claim me!

Hi, I'm Mary, Sage-in-Training (60 this year), and I live in an old, converted-to-lofts building in downtown L.A., just 2 blocks from the Central Library (the most important reason I moved here). :) This is a really cool thread! Thanks for inviting me over, kiwidoc/Karen. :)

I'll go get my challenge thread link and edit this post. Be right back.
***************

ETA a link to my thread: http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=26393

My name (obviously) is Robert. My thread is called 50@50 because I started it on my 50th birthday. I live in Jakarta, where obtaining books hasn't always been easy.

I'm an editor and translator, working in a law firm where my main job is helping the Indonesian lawyers navigate their way through the English language.

I started my thread with no clue how many books I read in a year except that the TBR pile never seemed to get any smaller and occasionally put on spurts of growth. Anyway it's now standing at 62.

The only reason it isn't a lot bigger is that I made a conscious decision that until it was below 52 (1 book a week for a year), I would not buy any more books except for continuations of series I was reading and books for the online reading group I belong to. This excellent resolution tends to get forgotten in closing down sales and my annual trips back home to England.

This makes trips to bookshops emotionally stressful. JOY at the sight of books.
PANIC look at all these books. How can I possibly read ALL of them?
GUILT what are you doing! You've got 60 books at home you haven't read and there are people starving.

kiwidoc -- thanks for the invitation and for starting this thread.
tiffin -- you knew Robertson Davies!! Swoon!!

This place is getting more interesting every time I check the messages. Now even Joyce is here! Hurray!!!!!!

Robert (#94), I have stopped feeling guilty about the number of books I buy, which increase my TBR mountains. If it is true we only live one life, then let's try to live it the way we like - surrounded by books, for example -!

Robert (#94), I tend to think of my unread books pile as a kind of 'Savings Account' ..... deposits can only be good! I've been thankful for it at times when I haven't been able to get hold of many English language books because I've been abroad!

#94 You've got 60 books at home you haven't read and there are people starving.

Robert, that made me laugh, but I know how you feel. I have not bought a book (except for work, gifts or reading groups) since 2008 started, but I did not do the numbers like you did. Realizing it will take me a couple of years to read what I have is discouraging -- I may have to return to unfettered buying again to drown my sorrows ...

klarusu, I am with you -- I first let things get out of control because one day in a foreign country I realized I had run out of new reading material. It's only happened to me once in my life, but I have been running scared ever since.

Just in case anyone is wondering, I paid aluvalibri for that burst of applause. Of course, getting her the money will take some time.......

I, too, have slowed down on my book acquisitions. I figure I have close to 80 on my TBR shelves which, even at the rate I read, is something like 6 months worth minimum and probably much more at the moment given the sudden disappearance of whole chunks of time.

My other problem as I've whined extensively about elsewhere, is shipping costs--which have just risen again--no surprise. And Paola, I can't use Better Books because for all intents and purposes, we don't have mail service here in the pueblo and haven't had for months. Given the increasing load of mail in our major town, David (20 miles away), the postmistress was pulled from her full-time job here to work there. Supposedly the post office would be open here 2 days a week. Well, this is Panamá, and you're never surprised when promises don't live up to reality. Basically, it's erratic. There are weeks at a time when it isn't open.

So, I've cut down to about 10-15 books a month, and close my eyes when at times I'm actually paying more to get the book to me than the book costs. As far as I'm concerned, it is the biggest single--and possibly only--drawback to living here.

Well, even Paradise had its down side.

I think I have a problem. I have almost 700 unread books, and I've purchased 25 so far this year. Maybe next year, instead of a 50-book reading challenge, I need to do a 50-book buying challenge, where the goal is to buy fewer than 50....

Zoe, it sounds like we're about on the same scale--I'm not sure because I haven't entered all of my books, and I haven't kept track of how many I've bought, but I'm guessing I've got between seven and eight-hundred Unread books...and I've probably bought twenty or so too. I rationalize it by thinking that this is my retirement plan in part--I'll open up a used bookshop that I already have the stock for...

Great idea, Zoe. We could start a new group.

Wow, it's wonderful to see so many Robertson Davies fans here! (And tiffin, who knew him!) Some family friends gave me an omnibus of The Cornish Trilogy a few years back, and it made me an instant fan. I love how he acknowledges the mystical side of life.

That said: intro time! I'm Memory, 24 years old, living right smack-dab in the centre of North America. It's bitterly cold in the winter and broiling hot in the summer, and the wind is strong enough to carry small children away.

I read entirely too much, as my reading list can attest. I blame the bus; the amount I read has risen dramatically as my bus ride has lengthened. I'm willing to try just about anything; the only genres I haven't yet explored are Westerns and conservative political books.

When I'm not reading, I'm usually writing, thinking about writing, contemplating something I've just read, watching TV on DVD or making things.

And that's me, in a nutshell.

Count me as a Robertson Davies fan as well. I have read 9 of his books, mostly in a spurt in '91 and '92. I deliberately stopped way back then because I wanted to have some of his works to look forward to. I guess I got distracted, since I haven't read anything new since '94. Of course, the 7 or so that I own and haven't yet read are part of that annoying multi-hundred book TBR pile :-(

I always thought he looked a lot like the semi-obscure televangelist Dr. Gene Scott, but I can't imagine two more disparate people.

I'd welcome all the newcomers, but then I'm one myself so I still feel a bit Johnny-come-lately.

_Zoe_: don't even think about a buy less than 50 books challenge. Owning them is just as much fun as reading them.

You people who know how many unread books you have are frightening. Or is it the fact that I wouldn't DARE count my "to be read" collection that's frightening?

Linda, I would NEVER EVER count how many unread books I have, I am not brave enough!

whoa, I have to clarify something here. I didn't know Robertson Davies. I walked by him on the sidewalk on the way to high school, as I had to go by the Peterborough Examiner office to get there. Our paths crossed. To claim anything more than that would be false. However, another tidbit of trivia: the house where he lived, a fine old Victorian slash Georgian place, is named Marchbanks. The founder and first President of the university where I work lives there and I did, as a consequence, get inside. I could detect no eau de Davies in the air, although the bookshelves in the place were magnificent.

I hope some of you have read Davies' Samuel Marchbanks stuff. Howlingly funny.

About 100 books on the TBR pile on the bedside table. About 20 unread stuck on the edges of the shelves in the den. Some on the way as we speak, in the mail. I shall forever console myself that I'm not as bad as Zoe. *evil chuckle*

lol; my TBR pile can only be estimated because I painstakingly did my best to review everything I'd read as I entered my library into LT. It made for slow entering...but I figure that years from now it will be worth it as, even now, I sometimes have trouble keeping track of what I have and haven't read--especially with the more prolific authors of present and past who I follow. My nemesis is the person(s) who decide to re-issue fairly recent books with brand new covers--growl. I realize it boosts sales, but only because it confuses us long-time readers...

{{I've been thankful for it at times when I haven't been able to get hold of many English language books because I've been abroad!}}

Now that is when you REALLY start to learn the language of the country you're in.

Hi everyone :) I'm a bit late in seeing this thread; thanks for starting it up. I'm a writer, and read obsessively; I made myself a goal this year of reading 100 books in 100 days, and completed it in April. I have far too many unread books - about 200 at last count - and I recently discovered paperbackswap.com, so that number is only likely to get higher.

I tend to read science fiction, fantasy (mostly urban/contemporary fantasy), memoirs, some mainstream fiction, some YA, anything dystopian, and random things that sound good to me. Normally I don't read much nonfiction (with the exception of the aforementioned memoirs); my reading this year has been unusually heavy on nonfiction though. (I went almost an entire month without reading a single novel! Now that's a sign of the apocalypse.)

My thread is here. I often get behind in posting there, though. The books I've read this year are also tagged "2008" in my library.

>94 Robertgreaves:, I love your description of going to a bookstore! I felt that way last night, as I was thinking of the 60 or so books I have already purchased this year, and the only 35 books I had completely read (36 now! I finished one last night!). I need new bookshelves, too, so another good reason not to buy more books. It doesn't seem to slow me down at all, though.

>104 laytonwoman3rd: I have an unread tag in my library, that's how I know what I have. It's not completely accurate--I don't tag reference works or cookbooks with unread, for example, and some of the books are low enough on the priority list that they are not likely to ever be read. It is kind of scary, though.

#110: I have an unread tag in my library

I recently tagged my unread fiction works "TBR" and, well, I have rather a lot of unread books. :) I don't feel guilty about it, though, because I'm reading like a fiend these days, and I like having a large pool of books from which to choose.

The term "mega-reader" has been bandied about herein. After reading post #109, I think we need to invent a new term: maybe "giga-reader" :-) Welcome, zcannon; I wish I had time to read a book a day: maybe if I took an Evelyn Wood course - that is, if they still give them.

>111 Medellia: Now, if I did that, I'd have to tag a lot of the other books "TBRA" or To Be Read Again!

#113: Actually, I've considered that! For the past couple of years, I've not done much rereading (I've wanted to broaden my palette and experience a lot of new things). But every time I read a very good book, I set it aside in my mind as "TBRA."

I have a TBR tag as well. I don't do a lot of re-reading so that works out OK for me ...

I use "not yet read" as a tag, and I just checked (WHY??)--I have 170 books tagged "not yet read". But I also have a lot of recently acquired books cataloged but not yet tagged, none of which I have read...it's hopeless.

Everything in my main library is TBRA; I don't keep books unless I plan to return to them. I've got a secondary account for TBRs; it's currently at 145, despite my best efforts to bring it down to a reasonable level. I want to have it at 100 or less by the end of this year, but I find myself adding to it almost as quickly as I read things.

Hi, I'm Ashley, and I'm a twenty-something law student. I attempted to keep track of my reading last year, but I didn't really start til about halfway through, so it wasn't very accurate. This year I'm doing it properly from the beginning, and surprising myself with how much reading I get done. I actually got to the point where I was reading books on Project Gutenberg during boring lectures in class; I felt bad, but then I looked at the computer screens around me and realized pretty much everyone was playing solitaire, or watching golf (seriously!), or chatting. We'll just have to see if my new habits are killing my grades.

How weird, something like half my message disappeared. To summarize, I like YA and fantasy books, but I'm branching out some since finding LT. I'm a little hard up for book money, so I'm going to the library with alarming frequency. I've come to have a lot of respect and affection for libraries and librarians.

And my thread:
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=26642

How about a TBF (to be finished) tag for those books you've started and not finished for whatever reason (started reading something else, got sidetracked, misplaced the book, etc.) I know I have quite a few of those - in fact, I've finished at least three or four this year, some of which were started several years ago.

#188 legxleg: Aha! I *knew* there was a good reason why I don't allow laptops in my classes... ;)

#120 -- good idea! I've sat in class and watched students play solitaire, watch a basketball game, shop e-bay, cruise cosmetic sites, and write papers for other classes. Personally I'm too busy taking notes, but I'm a geek that way I suppose.

I don't have a TBR tag, since I don't add books to my catalog until I've read them, but I do have an "unfinished" tag for books I put aside. Of course, I only remember to add an unfinished book about 50% of the time :)

heh, #120, it's probably smart; although I must admit, when one of my profs banned laptops, there was a huge backlash. Oh, and in my own defense, most of the time I do pay attention and take notes, but sometimes my mind wanders; I was a prolific margin-doodler in the pre-laptop era, so it's me, not the machine.

I lectured in the pre-lap top era. I don't know whether it would have been better to hear the clicking of keyboards wafting up from the "audience" or to have heard the snores of the football team in the back row. I might have been able to delude myself that the keyboards were recording my words, whereas the snores left no illusions.

I always ban laptops from the first day on; some of the students don't like it, but they grudgingly understand also. Now if I can just get them to turn Off all those phones instead of just putting them on vibrate....

I've had teachers who answer their students' phones when they go off during class...

My Shakespeare teacher last term warned that he would be most unimpressed if he heard a cell phone ring during class, but if anyone actually answered it, he would immediately cancel the class. The person who answered the phone would then be left to explain to the other 79 students why the call was more important than the rest of us getting the Shakespeare lecture we all paid for. Thirteen lectures, zero phone calls (although I suspect there were some vibrating phones out in the crowd).

blue: I'm one of those teachers. I'm the only one allowed to answer cell phones in my class, and believe me, you don't want me to answer your cell phone. I particularly like it when it's a parent on the other end, so I can give my "do you know that your son/daughter is interrupting the class that you've paid for by leaving his/her cell phone on during my class?" speech. Somehow, I still get the occasional student who forgets to turn it off. Oh, and vibrate counts - I'm too easily distracted for that to be acceptable either.

You know, I've heard a lot of teachers give scary warnings about phones in class, but I've never seen anyone actually go through with their warnings. They usually just glare or else ignore it. The only time it has really bothered me was during exams; they have this whole bold-faced warning in the exam rules saying no one is allowed to bring cell phones into the testing room, and if one goes off, the owner of the phone will be kicked out. During one of my exams this last semester, someone's phone went off during an exam - and not just vibrate either, it was this whole fancy ringtone and everything. And the proctor didn't do anything! I'm not mean enough to want the person kicked out, but it was frustrating since it messed with everyone's concentration, we'd gotten all these doom and destruction warnings, and the proctor didn't even look up. That's the only time phones going off have ever really bothered me.Of course, I might feel differently if I was a teacher.

ETA:
Actually, in high school there was some special situation where we were going to be having joint classes with another school. I wasn't actually in the session that this happened in, but apparently one of the girls from the other school's cell phone went off while being taught by one of the strictest teachers in my high school. The student answered the call, and was having an entire conversation without even leaving the room. To say the teacher was mad would be an understatement.

I was at a concert where a fada singer, Marisa, was singing her heart out when a cell phone went off. The entire audience, largely comprised of Portuguese speaking people who had been hanging off of her every word, turned and hissed venomously at the offender. I've never heard a cell phone stifled as quickly and believe you me, it wasn't answered!

A prof where I work was rumoured to have crushed a cell phone under his heel during an exam. The class apparently applauded.

Don't get me started about cell phones! A couple of weeks ago, there I was, in a church full of proud parents, friends, and relatives, listening to the priest giving his sermon at my godson's First Holy Communion, and guess what. Yep, someone's cellphone went off. And not just a genteel beep-beep or ring-ring, but a full-on rap tune! Grrr. I also hate when they go off at movies, concerts, restaurants, in the library, in office meetings. What's with everyone ~ we can't turn the darn things off for an hour or so? Afraid we'll miss some call of earthshaking importance? Sheesh!

Don't get me wrong, I've got one too ~ you never know when you'll need a phone in an emergency, and it's almost impossible to find a public phone booth anymore ~ but I try to remember to turn mine off when I'm at church or at other public gatherings, at movies and in meetings, at least.

Okay, end of rant. *climbing down off soap box*

The best (or worst) cell phone story I've heard was about a woman at a panel oral interview where I work. She was the interviewee. Cell phone rings -- and she answers it!!! During the interview! Three times!!!!! (She didn't get the job.)

Cell phones in class are such a pain. I remember in my undergrad days in one lecture the same student's phone rang twice, and she answered both times!

Another funny story, this happened just a couple weeks ago: last day of class for the semester. The professor is lecturing on the last bit of information we'll need for our final and a cell phone rings. It was the professor's : )

I'm just now getting to this thread so let me introduce myself. My name is Laura, I live in California with my cat, Phoebe. I work full time in Business Operations for a software company; my team supports one of the sales divisions. I'm also going to school part-time to get an MLIS with plans to make a career change and become a librarian. I'm thinking of specializing in Archiving. This fall will be the beginning of my second year in the program.

I've always been an avid reader, so ordinarily the 50 book challenge wouldn't be much of a problem. But between work and school I'm finding it difficult to find time to read so I'm a bit behind so far this year. At least I have the whole summer to catch up.

I started this challenge because I was in a bit of a reading rut and figured this would be a good way to not only track how much I read but what I read so I could branch out a bit more and broaden my horizons.

My thread can be found here: http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=27149 It's called "Absurda's 2008 Challange" and I just realized I spelled challenge wrong. Sigh, for all my reading, my spelling leaves a lot to be desired : )

So when I was in college (1,000,000 years ago) was it wrong to have a logic puzzle book inside my text book to alleviate my boredom? lol

#129: It was, in fact, difficult for me to stick to my word about the cell phone policy the first time around. I hate having to yell at students or discipline them - it's just not my thing (and that's exactly why I don't teach high school or grade school, and I salute those who do!). But I'm really glad I did. There few things worse, in my book, than rules (and punishments) that don't get exercised properly - they lose all meaning, in particular in a society that seems to be ever increasingly filled with people who believe that the rules simply don't apply to them. At least in the little part of the world in which I'm in charge (my classroom), the rules apply equally to everyone. Including me - if my cell phone ever went off in my own class (it never would because I can't ever remember to charge the silly thing, let alone take it with me places!), I would let one of my students answer it for me and embarrass me to their heart's content. Fair's fair!

I know teachers who answer it as well--I tell the offending student to leave if it full-out rings (this has never happened in an exam yet) And they get counted absent, which will affect their grade. I did meet a man though who taught at a university (I wish I could remember which, but it was a small public one in the south I know) that wrote into the school's guidelines that, if a student's cell phone rang in class, the professor was then allowed to kick the student out of the class And fail them for the class....

129. As both a student and a college instructor, to be honest, I find that my professors' cell phones ring more than my students'. /shrug

If one of my students answered it, though...I just can't imagine kids that are that bold.

Hey, who is that at #38? I am getting no name ...

Okay, reading this thread, I decided I had to go count my TBR books -- they have their own bookcase. There are 120. As I went through, I realized there are a few I probably won't ever read -- things that folks gave me, or that I feel I "should" read. They will stay on the shelf, just in case I am ever caught without a book or in the mood for something different. And a few will perhaps be started and then ditched altogether. So that is close to two years of reading for me. I have stopped buying new books in an effort to get this reading done, but realize I will have to modify my no-buy policy, or buy nothing new for 2 years! So I will let myself buy one new book for every 10 I read. What do you think? :-)

I also have a TBR tag and a TBRR (to be reread) tag, for things I buy specifically to re-read. This includes all of Faulkner and some others I read decades ago, especially classics I hardly remember. However, I do not hang on to books I don't care for. If I don't intend to reread or lend them, I let them go. My little residence will not accommodate every book I read!

Hey, there ought to be a "book-storage solutions" thread on LT, where we could discuss good cheap shelves to buy, ways to store extras (on the stairs? under the bed?), etc. Is there such a thing?

#139 Make it so, Kathi.
And, yes, who IS that in #138? How do you post a message without leaving your name behind??

their handle is a comma and for some reason it doesn't show up on the message bar.

ETA honest a comma appeared there!

>139 kambrogi:

The group

Bookcases: If You Build/Buy Them, They Will Fill

does talk about making more room for books on some of its threads.

- from a 'watcher'.

I had the 'no name' on a post happen to me once; turns out that somehow I had gotten logged out of LT and I went in and posted like normal on a group that allows anyone to post, and no name appeared (at least that's my theory). That's when I figured something was wrong and discovered I was not logged in.

>118 legxleg: I was just asking in my head how a law student had time to read any books, when you answered my question. Clever. Isn't it great on LT that readers on both sides of the podium can get together and talk reading and books?

Decided it was time to introduce myself so here goes...
My name is Martine, I live in Amsterdam with my boyfriend and I work in a bookstore. I've always read a lot and when I got the bookseller job I started to read even more. Also my bookcollection exploded and I learned the heartbreak of having to get rid of books. Amazingly when I discovered librarything I discovered that I wasn't as well read as I thought, it opened up a whole new world of books for me, I read more, but mostly I read better thanks to all the wonderful suggestions. It is also extremely helpful in my job. Of course I am forever frustrated because I can't read fast enough to keep up with my ever growing pile of unread books. (which aren't in my library, because then I would have to spend hours cataloguing them instead of reading them, as if LT doesn't rob me of enough reading time)
Also I am a budding photographer and I hope to start a literary translator's course (english/dutch) in the fall.
Right now I am reading The town that forgot how to breath which is bonechillingly creepy.

Message 138 posted by HorusE. I have no idea how it happened that my ID did not appear. Have been having trouble keeping the wireless connection while traveling.

Aha, the mystery person revealed. Thanks, HorusE.

Hi Marvas *waving happily*
I have been lurking around your reading thread and I have found some interesting books suggested. The Town That Forgot How to Breathe sounds like another one so I am going to check it out. thanks.

#138, I love the idea of only buying a new book for every 10 read. I have a HUGE TBR pile and not having as much time to read, or even time to go to the bookstore hasn't seemed to stop the collecting (curses online shopping!). I've tried moratoriums on new books, but invariably a favorite author will come out with a new book and I just have to have it.

I have gotten very fond of the local used book store. I usually only bring the books I have no intention of rereading, I didn't like, or were passed along to me by someone who doesn't want it back. They don't always give me store credit for all the books I bring, but at least they take them off my hands. My poor little apartment can't support my collecting habit. I dream of a condo or apartment with a spare bedroom I can turn into a library. Maybe it will happen some day.

139, 148 - I've posted this in a few other places this week, but seems appropriate to repeat it here:

Near the end of War and Peace:

Pierre is talking about Nikolai: "Here he's collecting a library and has made it a rule not to buy a new book before he's read what he's bought."

Made me laugh out loud.

#149 "Here he's collecting a library and has made it a rule not to buy a new book before he's read what he's bought."

-----------

For a large part of my life that seemed that a completely reasonable and unquestionable comment. It's only the last five years or so that things have gone wild and completely out of control. "Books Gone Wild". That's my house. But it wasn't always that way.

So far I set my original goal at 100 and I am at 82 so I am way ahead. I would have been even further ahead but I have been doing too many other things like writing too many articles and doing too much work. I'm going to bump up the challenge once I hit 100.

My thread is here.

My TBR pile extends from beside my bed, under the bed, into the walk-in closet. There is also a big double shelf downstairs full of TBRs.

I definitely agree that I should do the 'ten read, one buy' rule, but I CAN'T. I am too weak. WAY too weak. There are too many MBR (Must be reads). What if I miss one!?!

On the subject of cellphones, my blood boils rather. I think we haven't refined the modern manners of mobile/cellphones yet. My policy at work is that if a cellphone goes off in the room and the patient answers it, I immediately leave, see 2-3 other patients and then come back, starting with the sarcastic comment; "Are you ready now?"*

" What I don't understand is why people want everyone around them to hear their conversations - it is so intrusive both ways?
Sorry to rant......

*(Well actually that is what I mentally do in my head!!)

Karen, I think it's a perfect response. Obviously the patient thinks the phone call is more important, so why should they waste your time?

I agree, much of our current communication modes have been developed and become common before there was ever a chance to address etiquette. I appreciate shops with No Cell Phone signs posted. I loathe listening to others' conversations on buses, in restaurants, stores, at work -- and have almost been hit several times by drivers talking on cells. Oh better not get me started this morning, I feel my blood pressure rising already.

I recently told myself I could buy another couple of books once my TBR pile was down at 140 or lower. I've read quite a bit since then and it's still firmly at 144. I have no willpower.

Last year I tried to limit my book buying by only buying one book for every two I read. That didn't last very long.

As for cell phones - having to listen to other people's phone conversations doesn't particularly bother me, but I don't like having to carry my cell phone around. I don't want to talk to people everywhere I go. Most people don't have the number anyway, though, so it doesn't really cause problems. The other problem, though, is that most places where I live don't have good cell phone service, so when I try to talk to someone on my cell phone it can be hard to hear what they're saying.

One thing I don't like is when people use a cell phone in place of a land line. I know they have good reasons for doing it, but it bugs me because then I have no way of knowing whether they're at home or not when I call. I don't want to interrupt someone at the grocery store or wherever.

Cell phone carriers' motto: "If I ain't on the phone, I ain't livin' "
One hand on the phone, one hand with a cigarette, and who knows how they're steering.
More than once I've had a cell phone wielding driver start to come into my lane - I wish I lived in a state where driving while on a cell phone was illegal.
I get annoyed by seeing people (usually but not always in airports) with 4 or 5 electronic appurtenances hanging off their belts, but particularly annoying are those blue tooth ear cancers. Get a life, people.

Me: I'd rather be readin' :-)

>156 hashiru: -- I actually saw that scene a few days ago, woman driving her big station wagon, cell in one hand, cig in the other. She got The Look from me. Not that she was paying attention.

>152 kiwidoc:: but I CAN'T. I am too weak. WAY too weak. There are too many MBR (Must be reads). What if I miss one!?!

I am so with you there. Just today I saw that Joyce Carol Oates has another new book coming out in June. This woman alone is going to be the death of me!

This was a nice thread to come across. So many academics. Makes me wish I could retire and go back to college.
I work as an attorney. In the courtroom the rule on cellphones is simple. If it rings, it becomes property of the judge. They don't ring. This is my second year with the challenge. Last year I took 3 weeks to read War and Peace and dropped out. I work at it but just seem to stay on pace. I read a lot of history and can't seem to keep just one book going at a time.
My biggy for this year is The Landmark Herodotus, 850 pages. So far I'm at page 329.
To date I am at 22 books, 8,500 pages. It seems like very little compared to some that I see.
I have so many unread books I don't even count them. I just had to buy some shelves to get about 50 books off of the floor. My wallet slows down my buying more than my tbr lists. I subscribe to Library of America and work next to a used bookstore.
It's nice to chat, like sitting in an outside cafe in the afternoon. I'll use this thread as an excuse to visit and hope you have the time to drop by. I'll try to figure out how and come back and edit with my thread.
(edit for grammar 5/27)

I would be toast if I worked next to a used bookstore, wildbill. And I'm grinning at you dropping W&P but picking up the Landmark Herodotus. Wiping that grin off my face, looking at W&P waiting there beside the entire Remembrance of Things Past....

Tiffin - I am wading my way through Swann's Way - very slowly indeed.....It is dense but beautiful.

tiffin, I finished War and Peace. I dropped out of the challenge because I got so far behind. I also have the entire Remembrance of Things Past grinning at me from my bookshelf. I bought it on sale at the used bookstore

wildbill, I read it back in my callow youth when I was about 16. In my middling years, with the new translation out, I feel obligated to read it again. we'll see how I make out! I have read snippets of the Proust but have always wanted to tackle the entire thing. I do this to myself now and then: one summer in my teens I decided to read the entire Bible cover to cover, just to say I had. Nearly expired in all the "begats" but did make it out the other end. My friends were reading the just published Lord of the Rings and thought I was nuts. Must say, LotR was a breath of fresh air after that.

I think I missed the introduction part in my earlier posts. I'm a grad student in classics, finishing up my MA this summer and starting a PhD in the fall. School means I usually don't have very much time to read and am horribly behind in my challenge, but I just finished exams and am hoping to catch up a bit in the next few months. My thread, such as it is, is here.

>101 teelgee: I'm always up for a new group! But don't worry, hashiru, it probably wouldn't really manage to reduce my purchases much.

#152, #158 We need BBA...Book Buyers Anonymous. "My name is Linda, and I can't stop buying books." Well, you have to WANT to...

#159 wildbill, RE: The Landmark Herodotus -- it's currently keeping my coffee table from defying gravity. A weighty (but delightful) tome.

#159 - what do you think of Herodotus so far? He's one of my favourites. I find that he sometimes reads just like an old gossip, depending on the translation.

>165 laytonwoman3rd: yes, I haven't hit bottom yet. What would bottom look like for you? For me: Buying books instead of food. Buying books instead of paying the mortgage. Going to the bookstore instead of going to work.

#167 - Going to the bookstore instead of going to work.
-------------

Oh. Is that wrong?

ROTFLMAO!!!

166, xicanti: I always thought if he didn't know something, he made it up, at least in The Persian Wars. Or, perhaps to be more fair, he always leaned heavily in favour of his personal biases. But he tells a wonderful tale.

#152 - On the subject of cellphones, my blood boils rather. I think we haven't refined the modern manners of mobile/cellphones yet. My policy at work is that if a cellphone goes off in the room and the patient answers it, I immediately leave, see 2-3 other patients and then come back, starting with the sarcastic comment; "Are you ready now?"*

*(Well actually that is what I mentally do in my head!!)
_____________________________________________

I had a friend who was addicted to her cell phone. Everytime we were out either together or as part of a group if her cell phone rang (which it always did) she'd answer and have a full on conversation ignoring the rest of us completely. Every time we went somewhere together I always wanted to bring a book in my purse and whenever she answered the phone, I'd pull out my book and start reading, even if we were out to eat. I never did it, but I always thought about it. I now wish I had, just to see the look on her face.

I have a friend like that--we now live states away, so this doesn't happen, but when we used to hang out on a one-or-two-times a week basis, it always did: she'd always have her phone ring, always answer it, and have a full conversation. When her phone rang, I'd take papers out of my bag to look over or read. I don't think it particularly changed her habits, but then again, I was satisfied too with that extra few minutes to read.

I also had a friend who did that routinely. I threatened to throw her phone out the car window one day, and I think she knew I meant it. On one occasion in particular we were having dinner together after not seeing each other for a long time. I found it insulting and disrespectful.

One of my lads answered his phone at the dinner table when he was out for dinner. Quite spontaneously, the rest of us at the table began making loud barnyard noises: mooing, hee hawing, oinking, clucking, whatever came to mind. As loudly and obnoxiously as we could, effectively ending his call. It hasn't happened again, nor will it.

I will never forget my nephews (both adults, 30-something) texting each other across the table at a busy noisy restaurant. It was sort of a joke but then they started arguing back in forth in the text messages. My sister (not their mom) picked up a notepad and wrote a message to me and handed it across the table. That was her text message!

I agree about friends taking cell phone calls when you're hanging out. Once I was out with two friends, and both took cell phone calls so I was left sitting between two conversations with nothing to do. This went on for something like ten minutes.

Of course, as far as cell phone manners go, some (a minority) of my friends think I'm rude because I don't take calls while I'm driving.

176: I would tell them it's rude to expect me to potentially put my life and the lives of others at risk just to avoid inconveniencing them.

I'll have to put it to them that way next time! I don't imagine there's a good response. Thanks :-)

A friend's brother was killed by a guy talking on his cell phone while driving. Drove right off the road and her brother didn't have a chance. I get really snarly when I see people driving and yacking now. The guy I saw eating with chopsticks, his lunch perched on top of his steering wheel, while driving on the 401 (the Canadian version of the autobahn), gave me pause too.

ETA back to talking about books: lagging behind with my challenge but am going to put on turbo packs when I retire in three weeks and catch up. Want to get me one of them thar turtles Teelgee had for W&P.

ETA a verb

I always figured I had a cell phone for MY convenience, not for the people calling me. I always figure whoever calls can leave a message and I'll get back to them later; just because it's a good time for the caller to talk doesn't mean it has to be a good time for me to talk.

Tiffin, just let me know when you're ready for your turtle, I'll be your geek.

ETA, if anyone read that out of context, I wonder what they'd think.

Watch out Teelgee, Tiffin is getting turbo packs.

One last comment about cellphones - aside from the dangers of driving, the biggest thing about cellphones is the social exclusivity it invokes. One minute you are face to face with someone, the next minute they are into a different conversation with someone, and you are excluded.

I also have War and Peace in my TBR pile Tiffin, and will be getting to it in the summer - the prevear translation.

ETA? Ok, I had to look it up. The website acronyms.thefreedictionary.com gives 68 translations. I'm 99.44% sure it must be the 5th one in that list. Look it up - there's a bunch of interesting ones.

ETA: I think a colon after the abbreviation makes it clearer; at least to my feeble brain :-)

#181: that line works if you sing it to a Paul Simon tune..."I can get a turtle counter and you can be my long loooost geek"

kiwidoc, that's the edition I got too: Pevear and Volokmumblesomethingsky (don't try to touchstone that)

Hashiru, my ETAs will be coloned from henceforth.

Hiya ! I've been doing pretty well with my challenge . I just finished #24 , YAY ! Which means , obviously LOL , I'm almost halfway done ! Back in the early spring I slowed down alot . I blame Sense and Sensibility for it , LOL! But I've regained my speed with the last two books I've read . Here's a question , has anyone else included a classic amongst more modern novels and found their speed thrown off because of it ? I do plan to add a few more classics in this year's list , but now I won't be so shocked if I slow down again .

>185 AquariusNat: AquariusNat

Well, don't get too excited now. I'm also on #24...and have been for two weeks! I don't really get bogged down by classics as I read them on the side, but I read a couple of short ones in the beginning of the year to build some momentum and now I'm tackling a rather hefty one. Still, we're way ahead, so no worries :)

I do get bogged down a bit by classics, it's a shift mentally to language usage and tempo, plus I tend to look up historical references (eg w/ War and Peace).

I found I had a lot more books than usual going at the same time with W&P too, which was probably a mistake. The intimidation factor enters in there too.

Sometimes, when I read a book (often a classic, sometimes a newer novel) that is amazingly wonderful, it takes me a day or two for me to "come down" from the "high," and during that time I can't seem to settle in to read anything, and that throws off my pace. Last one that did it to me was The House of the Spirits by Allende. Also in that category was The Road by McCarthy, Hotel du Lac by Brookner, and The Lions of al-Rassan by Kay. Still, I'd rather have the experience of reading such brilliant novels and having them cut down on my book count than reading a thousand so-so books. :)

Sometimes, and not just with classics, I love the experience of reading a particular book so much that I purposely slow down, just to savor it and keep it from ending too soon. That's happening to me now with At Swim, Two Boys. Glorious.

I've tried to include more classics in my reading but I do notice that they take longer. Mostly they aren't quite as engrossing for me as modern fiction. The hardest part is always the first 50 pages or so. It usually takes me that long to adjust to the language and writing of a different era so I'm always picking the book up, reading a few pages, then putting it down again. If I get through the beginning and get involved with the characters and story I can make steady progress but it sometimes takes me a while to get there. Other times it fails to grab me altogether and I give up.

I did that with The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. I went back to it about a year later and managed to get past the beginning and ended up enjoying it a lot.

>180 Absurda:, I am so with you on the phone being for my convenience, not my callers! My dad gets really irate with me when I don't answer my phone, and if I do answer the phone but tell him I need to get off because I am with a friend, he is even more offended. So, I have pretty much stopped answering the phone when he calls.

I do think it is rude to answer a phone while you are talking with someone else, unless there is a particular reason, and you explain ahead of time. And I always turn my phone off for movies, plays, classes, and other places where it would be disruptive. But I really don't mind when people have conversations around me when they aren't supposed to be interacting with me (on the train, in a store--when they don't work there, etc.). To me that is no different than if they were talking to a friend who was physically present--you can frequently overhear people doing that, and I don't see a real difference.

As to my challenge--I am technically behind in my pace, with 37 out of 100 (and the year is nearly 42% complete), but summer is about to start. I anticipate my pace picking up quite a bit shortly!

Maybe I imagine it, but I find people tend to talk louder when they're on cells than they do in ordinary conversation.

I agree with you, teelgee. I think it's because they are worried about static and street noise.

As for classics, it depends; I read some at my usual pace earlier this year, but Middlemarch has caused me to hit a snag. Not just with reading the book itself, but my post-Middlemarch reading has been slower going as well; brain fatigue, maybe?

I've finally completed Middlemarch so I can now justify introducing myself. I'm an Australian, living out in the country, chasing after school children and farming activities.

LT has been great fun and enoyably expensive even though I'm switching to 2nd hand bookshops and libraries - I just love to browse other people's reading and find inspiration.

My 2008 reading list is here.

What should I read next??

Congrats on finishing Middlemarch! I've been following your thread (as I recall, I commented once a while back)--so many good books there. Have fun choosing your next read--I always find that sense of freedom after finishing a big reading project simultaneously exhilarating and anxiety-producing. ;)

I am conscious that I talk more loudly on my mobile than otherwise. I think it's because I find it difficult to hear the other person.

I turn it off at church and at the cinema, but otherwise it's pretty much always on. It's as much a PDA as a phone, so if someone I'm with answers their phone, I just take mine out and get on with my ebook.

One friend is very considerate and I try to do likewise. She texts first to see if the other person is available to take the call.

I try not to talk loudly on my cell phone, but a lot of times I find that I do it anyway. The problem, I think, is reception - it's rare to get good reception on my phone, so I often have trouble hearing the other person, and consequently assume that it's hard for the other person to hear me.

hello? hello? Can you hear me now? Is this the cell phone thread? How about now?

:-) (I couldn't resist)

It's good to see so many people here, and put names to the names, if you know what I mean.
I have a euphemism for my TBR pile - I call it a "library".
On the subject of cell phones, my pet hate is cell phones at the dinner table! My three boys (when they're home) think it's OK to read and send text messages at dinner, leaving strange gaps in conversations.
Karen: Swann's Way is one of the loves of my life. I hope you enjoy it but you will have to travel slowly.

My favourite is people who use their mobile phone on the train to provide rolling commentary, "Be there in 15 mins....10 mins....5 mins....going through tunnel....almost there....almost there....standing up....doors opening....stepping through them....being battered to death by disgruntled fellow passengers..."

jargoneer, LOL! On the bus too. Whatever did these people do before cell phones?

LOL...Whatever these people did before cell phones, i'm sure reading is not one of them!

#166 xicanti, I am enjoying the Herodotus. As you say he is like an old gossip and he and Thucydides are worlds apart. My 2008 reading list can be reached with this link, http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=27337.

200-202: My favorite conversations to overhear are ones in which the person says that they're somewhere other than where they really are - those are particularly interesting...I always wonder why they're not telling the truth...

Or when people are having a fight on their cell. I give commentary in my head "She's got a point there" "Now that's just mean" "I wouldn't put up with that" :)

Ohh #204 - that is me...... saying I am on my way home after work, when I am actually browsing in a bookstore. Thank god bookstores are usually quiet so they don't give me away!!!

"Yes Dear, but I phoned work and they said you left two hours ago!!"

Biblio-liar, that is me!!

my mobile phone just seems to enable peoploe to get in touch with me when I'd rather they didn't.

Classics-wise, I'm planning an assault on the works of James Joyce, starting with the easiest (maybe Dubliners) and working up to Finnegan's Wake. Unfortunately, other books keep getting in the way

bencritchley, I've been trying to attack Finnegan's Wake for years. The closest I've gotten was over St. Patrick's day, when some other grad students and I would open the pages randomly, ask the book a question, and pick a sentence randomly for our fortunes--and let me say, James Joyce delivers some cryptic fortunes! Even that little bit of it has daunted me...I always think that I'll read it after the *next* light book...and then fifty light books down the line...

angry, it's really fun once you get into it but I found I had to be able to let it absorb me. Trying to read it while you are having to read other things might not work.

In highschool we had to read Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and the only thing I remember about it is how torturous it was. At that time I swore off of Joyce forever. Now that I'm getting older, though, I'm thinking of trying one of the others, but I'm not quite to the point of picking one up yet : )

#210- Absurda,

James Joyce has some great short stories, so you don't need to start off with one of the intimidating novels.

Look how quickly this thread hit the 200+ post mark...Kiwi, I'll start a Part Two, to avoid the dreaded loading drag (and the Thread Police, of course.)

Here's where to find Part Two