The Book Pile

I had an entire shelf of a small bookcase devoted to books I owned but had not yet read. Some of them were from paperbackswap. A few were loaners. The rest were books that looked really good, but had gotten pushed to the bottom of the pile over time, as newer, shinier titles took the coveted "next to be read" spot.

Two weeks ago, I mercilessly went through the entire shelf. I kept one fiction book, and consigned the rest to the box. I culled the remaining books, as well, and the culled books in their box have been sent to the storage building, to await their eventual freedom when I live in a new abode.

Naturally, of course, I immediately began the cycle anew, and soon found myself with additional books to the now smaller pile on my bedside table. Someday, I'll catch up. Until that day, I'll bemoan the lack of time I possess to read.

Currently in the to be read pile, I have...

01. The Intellectual Life: Its Spirit, Conditions, Methods, A. G. Sertillanges.
02. 365 Manners Kids Should Know, Sheryl Eberly.
03. The Calculus Diaries, Jennifer Ouellette. (There's an interview with the author from Science Friday available online here.)
04. A Disturbance of Fate, Mitchell Freedman, the lone fiction book I spared.
05. Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends, Sarah, Stephen, and Grace Mally.
06. The Digital Pandemic, Mack Hicks.
07. Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, Daniel G. Amen, M.D.
08. Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation, Kate Bornstein & S. Bear Bergman.
09. The Mabinogion, translated by Sioned Davies.
10. Deadly Decisions, Kathy Reichs, also fiction, but spared by being in another room at the time of culling.
11. Cornered: The New Monopoly Capitalism and the Economics of Destruction, Barry C. Lynn.
and finally, I'm in the middle of
12. The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell.

This sounds reasonable, given I read quickly, read at least 30 minutes a day (and often much more), and in theory won't be buying any books for at least another ten days or so (I refuse to commit beyond that point. Some women buy shoes, some women buy purses; I buy books.). In practice, though, I'm sure that some new, shiny book will once again leap to the top of the pile...

ETA, 10/16/10: Hooray! I've managed to finish four of the books listed above. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming...

ETA, 10/27/10: I finished two more, and started a third, but then I went and added four more books. Oops.

ETA, 12/09/10: I finished two more, am not sure where number one nor number seven are(!), read all but one of the four I added in October, added four more in November, and read two of those. And now I feel like reading nothing that I already own. Hmph.