Buying books is a guilty pleasure I'm beginning to feel truly guilty about indulging in. I think I may have a habit that's becoming an addiction. Cold turkey may be the only cure. The trouble is. . . well the additional trouble is, I've been a Kindle owner since December of last year and it's like mainlining heroine for a person whose fondest hobby is reading. There was a time (BK -- Before Kindle) when I knew how far behind I was in my reading just by looking at my nightstand.
No more.
Bought and yet to be read books are now stacked on my book case where normally I only display those I've read. That other trouble is I also have unread books "stacked" on my Kindle. Plus unread samples of unread books. I am becoming buried alive in books I've yet to read.
And that's not all.
My TBR stack is out of control beyond unread tree books and eBooks that I've purchased. I'm also looking at library books that will be gathering dust if another week goes by. Those might be my savior.
I noticed a couple of months ago that my overdue library book fines were mounting up to the point that I could endow another public library like Andrew Carnegie once did. Can you be considered a philanthropist if you pay a LOT in overdue book fines? It's so bad that I deliberately hide from librarians who seem to glare at me knowingly, when I ignore the message "You Have Fines" on the automatic check-out screen (what I use to avoid personal contact with librarians at the check-out desk). That message bites my conscience far harder than the other computer reminder that I also ignore, "You Have Mail."
Anyway, my mounting TBR stack and library fines combined with my emptying wallet have provoked me to Change My Ways.
I hereby resolve to ONLY check out CD books for "reading" in my car when I go to the library. And to return overdue books. And to get right with MDPLS.
I also hereby resolve NOT to buy any more Kindle content (except for the eReaders & Book Lovers Club) until I've read 50% of the volumes presently in my various categories. [GULP!]
I also SWEAR to read ALL the tree books in my TBR before another year goes by.
And I PRACTICALLY PROMISE not to buy any readable bargain for myself when I go to the Miami Book Fair International in November. Dear Readers, will you forgive me if I fall off the wagon at this event?
Since it's important for a sinner to not just confess in general to a transgression but to enumerate the offenses in order to really do some good for her soul, I will do so now. Partially. I'm too ashamed to reveal the full extent of my weakness. Here are some books in my TBR stack that have been there over a year a while. (Tree books only.)
The Vagabond Colette
The Immoralist Gide
Snow Falling on Cedars Guterson (I saw the movie! Do I get points?)
A Spot of Bother Haddon
The Camel Bookmobile Hamilton
The Emperor's Children Messud
A Fine Balance Mistry
My Name is Red Pamuk (Can you believe I checked out and read The Museum of Innocence knowing full well this book was at my fingertips? How bad is that!?)
The Master Tóibín (See above. The offending title is Brooklyn )
The Book Thief Zusak
That's enough. Yes, I know, there's more but it's time for you to come clean about what's in your TBR stack. . .
"Hello, My name is User Name, and I'm a TBR-aholic."