The Truth About That Haunting TBR Pile

10 January 2020

Every reader knows how intimidating to-be-read lists can get. With millions upon millions of amazing works of literature in print today, it's hard to narrow it down and prioritize which books you want to read someday before you die. TBR lists grow at a much faster rate than one can realistically read through all the books. This causes them to become inevitably long, to the point where a reader can have an existential crisis over the fact that there is no way they can ever read all the books in their lifetime.

I keep my TBR shelf on Goodreads. I am constantly updating it, adding books of interest for later, and deleting books I know I'll never pick up. Despite my maintenance, however, my list is still well over 300 titles. When I only read just shy of 50-60 books a year, my reading cannot possibly accommodate to the speed at which my list grows. While it is intimidating at times, I honestly love my long TBR and I hope it never shrinks.

I think too many readers get overly committed to their TBR lists and piles. They feel as if they have to stick to it. This is how a list of books you're genuinely excited about turns into a required reading list. If you're a reader who loves structure in their reading, I'm sure you thrive over following your TBR list and crossing titles off one by one. But for me and other mood readers, it can be burdensome. There needs to be a healthier view of TBR piles.

For me, I have found it incredibly helpful to keep my TBR list curated to fit what I am truly interested in reading. Again, I am always editing my list, and I try to be honest with myself about what I know I will read in the future and what I can't see myself picking up any time soon. There are readers who think that once they add a book to their TBR it's set in stone. But I think that this sort of thinking can be discouraging. Every time I finish a book I love turning to my TBR since I know it's a place where I can find a new book to read that I know I'm excited to read.

More than a required reading list, I like to view my TBR as a "remember this for later" list. When a friend recommends me a book, or when I hear about a new release on a podcast, I immediately add it to my TBR so that I won't forget it. I get so many recommendations thrown at me from so many different sources, and remembering them all in my head would be impossible.

I know I won't ever be able to read all the books on my to-be-read list. It's a fact I have come to accept in the past several years of being a serious reader. But I still get so excited to scroll through the hundreds of titles and new authors I have yet to discover. Because the truth is, on these lists are new stories that will become new favorites, that will teach me something new, that will make me feel. And the fact that there will always be something new for me to read is the reason why I will always have a TBR list.
--------------------
Wherever you fall on the spectrum in regards to to-be-read lists: love them, hate them, disregard them entirely, I would love to hear what your system is and how you view your TBR.

10 comments

  1. I feel this!! I recently wrote down a list of books I wanted to read in 2020 and . . . there was absoluTELY no way I'll ever get it all done, unless maybe I make reading my full-time job, hahaha. My TBR shelf has a lot of variety on it, and I really like that: it allows me to browse through books I want to read when I'm in a reading slump and pick out a book I'll enjoy! It's a little stressful, yes, but I love it :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love that! That's pretty much how I use my TBR, just a bunch of variety to choose from. Thanks for your comment, Hanne!

      Delete
  2. My TBR list is a possibility list more than anything. When I see books recommended and think I'd like to try them. I can't pull fiction off the shelves or order it without expecting some level of quality, so I need a TBR list for a place to start. I am more likely to find nonfiction I'd be interested in although I struggle at actually reading a lot of it. So I actually need a long list, it's like a narrowing of my choices, but it's still something to choose from rather than a must. I'm very much a mood reader, but I'm trying to make that work or at least not be too dominated by that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah I find it intimidating to buy books sometimes because it's more of a commitment. If I spend money on a book I want to read and enjoy it. A TBR list has less commitment, you can just add whatever books sound interesting. That's definitely the best way to do it as a mood reader.

      Delete
  3. To be completely honest, my TBR on Goodreads is a mess. *hides* I mostly just add any book that "seems interesting" without pausing to check if I'll actually like it. That does have a benefit, though, because when I want to try something new I have a LOT of options. :)

    This was a super relatable post, though, because I agree that reading everything in your TBR just isn't possible or practical, haha! <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh mine's a mess too, but it's a beautiful mess of possibilities!

      Delete
  4. I have a small TBR list to both keep up with it and accomplish more. Large lists overwhelm me, therefore lost of the list is also in my head haha.
    In general I take the time about once a month to find one book I've wanted to read for awhile and get it at my local library or buy it thrift. <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I totally understand how having a smaller TBR list can be helpful. You don't want to get too overwhelmed by all the unread books there are in the world.

      Delete
  5. This is such a great perspective. I, too, have a ginormous TBR pile and it’s not shrinking anytime soon. I do sometimes worry about the books I’ll never get to, especially if they’re recommended by a friend who is waiting for me to read and fan about them with me. But at the end of the day, there are bigger things to focus on, right?
    For the most part, I base which book I read next on a combination of: what I’m interested in at the moment or what recommendation strikes me the hardest. I also have a pile of books I’ve bought at thrift stores that I’ve never read (part of my plan this year is to read through some of them).
    I do love that you edit your TBR pile once in a while. I need to do that too, and I think it’s a super helpful way to keep an often overwhelming thing, less overwhelming.

    Wonderful post as always, Hannah!
    cheers.
    k.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comment Keira! It's always good to hear from you! I definitely understand the struggle of feeling pressure to read something recommended by a friend. But it's super interesting to hear about your system! It is good to trim down a TBR every once in a while though.

      Delete