5 votes

How do you keep track of your reading list?

This is an issue I've had for a while. I've quickly gotten myself a list that's too long for me to be able to read it in any practical amount of time. I read comments online, have conversations irl, walk through a bookstore, and I write a quick note on my phone, or on my laptop. In any case, it's messy, unorganized, I don't remember why I added a book, there's no way to prioritize which books I should/want to read next. So how do you handle having too much to read in too little time?

15 comments

  1. [4]
    cfabbro
    (edited )
    Link
    Sort of related post: https://tildes.net/~books/1eo/how_do_you_log_your_reads I personally use the goodreads wishlist and the amazon wishlist as well, to keep track of books I want to buy/read...

    Sort of related post: https://tildes.net/~books/1eo/how_do_you_log_your_reads

    I personally use the goodreads wishlist and the amazon wishlist as well, to keep track of books I want to buy/read next, which works for me since I primarily read on my Kindle these days. I can't even remember the last physical book I bought. :/

    2 votes
    1. [3]
      Tenar
      Link Parent
      Hmm, I use a kindle but I don't use amazon or goodreads. When it's time to read a new book do you just end up reading down the list & picking one that sounds good at the time?

      Hmm, I use a kindle but I don't use amazon or goodreads. When it's time to read a new book do you just end up reading down the list & picking one that sounds good at the time?

      1 vote
      1. [2]
        cfabbro
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        I always find it hard to predict what I will be in the mood for next so the wishlists are mostly just to help me remember books so I don't forget them, but I don't strictly abide by their order....

        I always find it hard to predict what I will be in the mood for next so the wishlists are mostly just to help me remember books so I don't forget them, but I don't strictly abide by their order.

        E.g. I just finished reading a depressing, incredibly heavy, non-fiction book called "The Authoritarians" by Prof. Bob Altemeyer. And after that I am certainly not in the mood for another heavy book so I just purchased a book recommended by someone on ~. which I plan to read next, called "Vicious" by V. E. Schwab. I did this despite having a huge backlog of other books I want to read on my wishlists but decided to go for that recommendation instead since the user said it was a fun read. :)

        1. Tenar
          Link Parent
          Fair enough. I have found that the times I think "no, I should read this" are the times I most struggle to read a book (or just end up never reading it). Maybe the current system I have isn't too...

          Fair enough. I have found that the times I think "no, I should read this" are the times I most struggle to read a book (or just end up never reading it). Maybe the current system I have isn't too bad then.

          1 vote
  2. [3]
    EightRoundsRapid
    Link
    I don't have a reading list. I go to the library once a month or so and pick whatever books appeal to me at the time.

    I don't have a reading list.

    I go to the library once a month or so and pick whatever books appeal to me at the time.

    1 vote
    1. [2]
      Tenar
      Link Parent
      Sounds chaotic. Nice though. Have you ever ran into an issue about wanting to read something but your library not having it?

      Sounds chaotic. Nice though. Have you ever ran into an issue about wanting to read something but your library not having it?

      1 vote
      1. EightRoundsRapid
        Link Parent
        Yeah, occasionally. But they're very good at getting books that are requested.

        Yeah, occasionally. But they're very good at getting books that are requested.

        2 votes
  3. [3]
    IncreaseTheDosage
    Link
    Collections on LibraryThing

    Collections on LibraryThing

    1 vote
    1. [2]
      Tenar
      Link Parent
      Why did you settle on this? (I have no experience with it;) does it handle books you don't have well?

      Why did you settle on this? (I have no experience with it;) does it handle books you don't have well?

      1 vote
      1. IncreaseTheDosage
        Link Parent
        I find it nicer than Goodreads. You can log all kinds of details for each book and you can organize them however you want. This also means that UI is a bit more cluttered and less user friendly,...

        I find it nicer than Goodreads. You can log all kinds of details for each book and you can organize them however you want. This also means that UI is a bit more cluttered and less user friendly, so it takes a bit more time to get used to it and discover all its capabilities. I just put books I don't have in separate collections (to read, borrowed from library, etc). There are also official iOS/Android apps for it.

        2 votes
  4. [2]
    DonQuixote
    Link
    I keep books in Calibre which works because everything I read now is ebooks. When reading a particular book or when finished, I make a journal entry in OneNote.

    I keep books in Calibre which works because everything I read now is ebooks. When reading a particular book or when finished, I make a journal entry in OneNote.

    1 vote
    1. Tenar
      Link Parent
      Interesting! I've gotten a bunch of paper books as gifts so I want to read those too, so kindle-only isn't happening for me yet. What do you put in the journal entry? I tried doing something like...

      Interesting! I've gotten a bunch of paper books as gifts so I want to read those too, so kindle-only isn't happening for me yet.

      What do you put in the journal entry? I tried doing something like that for a while, writing some thoughts on what I had just read, but I'm very bad at any type of journalling.

  5. musicotic
    Link
    I use Goodreads. It helps you track books that you've read, are reading and want to read. You can actually create a ton of labels.

    I use Goodreads. It helps you track books that you've read, are reading and want to read. You can actually create a ton of labels.

    1 vote
  6. Forty-Bot
    Link
    I have a text file in orgmode-ish format.

    I have a text file in orgmode-ish format.

  7. Khoo
    Link
    I don't have one. I'm just lucky enough to have a close friend that also enjoys similar books so we can discuss books. If a sequel for a series we enjoy is about to be released then one of us will...

    I don't have one. I'm just lucky enough to have a close friend that also enjoys similar books so we can discuss books. If a sequel for a series we enjoy is about to be released then one of us will probably remind the other.