So Many Books, So Little Time

(Image by Prettysleepy on Pixabay)

This is following on from the end of last week’s post where I’d written, “life is short, and choices must be made”, and I’d already touched on this in a post I’d written last year.

Back in the day, I could easily get through a couple of books a week.

In our homeschooling days, it was usually a book every couple of weeks, depending on our schedule.

I still have books on my various bookshelves that I haven’t read, and I’ve occasionally wondered if I’ll ever get around to reading them.

With each passing year, I discover more and more books I want to read, some of which I buy, but that, inevitably, pushes the ones I already have further down the list.

So, is rushing through my reading the answer to get through all the books I own?

I don’t believe it is.

First, it’s not pessimistic to say, none of us will ever read all the books we want to read, something that’s become rather obvious to me as I’m now getting on in years.

Second, speed reading does me no favours as it doesn’t allow me the time to immerse myself in the story, it doesn’t allow me the time to think about what the author is trying to convey.

During my year of reading Tolkien, I made a point of slowing down.

At some point, I realised the extent to which this made the story come alive, and it gave me much food for thought.

It also made it easier to appreciate the words and phrases he used, which added to the story experience.

I want that to be my reading method going forward.

I still want to read new (to me) books, but I also want to re-read, more than once, books I’ve read recently and not-so-recently; top of that list being Tolkien, what a surprise.

And that is why I not only have to accept I’ll never get around to reading all the books I own, but it’s time to be discerning about choosing which fantasy books to add to my TBR list.

I specifically mention fantasy because, while I enjoy reading that genre, I also want to read more classics and more non-fiction.

Does all this mean I’m going to stop buying books just to get through the ones I already have on my bookshelves?

In a word – no.

Circular book display at the British Museum bookshop (own image, taken in 2014)

Way back in my childhood days, I’d already decided the best shopping experience involved books… and stationery.

I still take great pleasure in buying books (and stationery), whether online or in an actual bookshop, and I don’t see why I should stop now.

I’ve accepted the fact that I will never read all the books I own before I shuffle off this mortal coil, but I don’t accept that as a good enough reason to stop buying books altogether.

The Japanese have a word for it, ‘tsundoku’, which means the art of buying more books than you can read.

I think it’s wonderful that they not only consider it an ‘art’, but there’s no negative connotation attached to it.

Though, to be completely honest, it’s not as if I need an excuse to keep buying books.