Let’s Talk Bookish: Buying More Books Than You Can Read?

What does it say about me that my instinct is often to buy a book instead of borrowing from the library? What else does it say about me that I forget which books I bought in the first place?

            So, yes, I buy a lot of books.

            Do I read all the books I buy right away? Unfortunately, I do not. When I first started building my book collection, I usually read new books within a few weeks of purchase. Then, when I started making my own money, my collection grew exceptionally each month. To the point where it often takes me years to read the books I bought.

This is something I’d hoped to change in 2023. My book buying habits of 2022 in particular made me reevaluate how I spend my money on books with an admittedly spotty, uncertain work history. The only time I really stuck to a book buying ban was in 2019, and that was because I did not have a choice. After that, I’d attempt book buying bans, only to last no more than a month at a time. I would also break the ban by buying books I knew I would not get to right away. On top of that, I frequently buy too many books at once. It is why my collection is overflowing. As the saying goes, I lack “shelf” control.  

In short: I buy more books than I can read.

How do I choose which books I buy? For a long time, I bought books I was most excited for in the moment. This year, I came up with a method.

The idea I had is to save the books I want to buy on the Word document listing my physical to be read pile. The books I want to buy are listed on the Word document in the order I want to read them. My idea is to buy them as I read through my physical TBR. In my mind, this ensures I read them shortly after purchase. Lately, though, that is not what I’ve been doing.

My financial situation aside, I have not stuck to this plan. The books I bought were not higher on my TBR document. Most of them were bought on impulse. It does not help I’m finding out about new books almost daily and my mood reading has led me to pick up library books or audiobooks over my physical TBR books.

Turns out, it is shockingly easy to get me to read a book. That said, these days, it is not as easy to convince me to buy one. I am, after all, a wannabe librarian. I should practice what I preach and borrow from the library. Age has helped me reevaluate what I’m willing to risk money on, and what I won’t.

Until, of course, the next new book sale comes along.

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