Isn’t it interesting to see how conversations develop. Last week’s MM sparked this week’s question when Joseph asked:
how you keep track of your tbr list. Do you have a paper list or on your computer? Do you take it with you when you go shopping? How do you decide what gets added to it?
following up on: keeping track of what you read from last week .

The answer to both is this blog! I started this blog a) because Becca made me - that’s my excuse when my family start to bemoan burnt offerings (dinner), half answered homework help or drowned rat syndrome (caused by waiting at the train station in the rain for a lift that is long overdue).

And
b) to keep track of both what I’ve read: I plan to add a list ‘read in 2009’ AND want to read. It seems so appropriate to have a bookshelf on my blog when I can’t fit anymore bookshelves into my home. I love shelfari although I’m finding it a bit quirky and not as intuitive as someone like me (a little techno-useless) needs so I’m experimenting with goodreads now too.

And
c) to broaden my reading horizons.

In a past life, while working as 2IC in a children’s library, I was responsible for book-buying. Selecting books from publisher’s catalogues and warehouses was my idea of heaven and they paid me too! There was no way I could keep track of everything I wanted to read as it passed through my hands on its way from purchase to the shelves so I started a reading list on index cards that included TBR and WIR (what I’d read) complete with subject see references to allow me to help patrons who wanted to read a good book about magicians, ponies, pirates etc. Unfortunately is was tossed away in a moment of madness as my study made way for a nursery.

The next time I remember pausing for a breath, 19 or so years later, I realised that for the longest time I’d been wishing I still had those cards. I was finding myself bereft of TBR’s. My somewhat overkill response was to go back to school in my 40’s to do English at uni – well it certainly cured my TBR problem. As well as all the books that were added to the TBR list through uni, I add constantly from my blog surfing which can sometimes lead to TRB anxiety.

We do read to know we’re not alone, but C.S. Lewis’s words have taken on new meaning in this a global reading group in which I can now take part.