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Tuesday, October 08, 2024
Top Ten Tuesday: The One Where I (Bookishly) Brag and Confess
2:51 PM
It's Tuesday and you know what that means...it's time for my favorite weekly book blogging event! Today's TTT prompt is: Top Ten Bookish Brags or Confessions (What are you proud of or not so proud of in your bookish life?). This topic was suggested by the incomparable Lydia Schoch, who deserves a shout-out for being so awesome at leaving thoughtful comments on everyone's TTT posts each week. Bragging is something I try not to do and I can't think of any big confessions, so this topic is a bit tough for me. How about I do half and half and see what I come up with?
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Bookish Brags and Confessions
Brags
1. I'm lucky to be at a point in my life where I have a very flexible schedule that allows me to read pretty much whenever I want and for as long as I want. Yes, I have a house to clean (which is where audiobooks come in handy), a family to take care of, a church "calling," several volunteer positions, a couple other hobbies, and more, but I also have a lot of free time. If I want to read all day, I can! (And often do.)
2. I have a lovely home library. Is it the Beauty and the Beast library of my fondest dreams, with books to the ceiling and rolling ladders to help me reach them? Not exactly. But, the long wall in my living room is lined with stuffed bookshelves that extend far above my head (I'm short, but still...). Pretty much the first thing people say when they come into my house for the first time is, "Whoa! That's a lot of books." I'm a proud book nerd and I love my cozy home library. It makes me happy.
3. Speed reading is not a skill I've ever learned, but I do read faster than the average person. That helps with #4:
4. I consistently read over 200 books a year. Like I said, I've got a lot of free time in my schedule; I don't watch tv; I listen to audiobooks whenever I'm driving, cleaning, or exercising; I don't have a lot of other hobbies; and I read quickly.
5. I've been blogging here at BBB continuously for 18 years without ever taking a scheduled break from it. Some years I've put in a lot more effort than others, sure, but I've been hanging out here for almost two decades. I'm still having fun with it, so I'll keep trucking along. Thanks for all your support over the years!
Confessions
1. Like many (most?) of you, my TBR "pile" is thousands of titles long. I'll never read all the books I want to, even in several lifetimes (not that that's ever stopped me from trying)!
2. Even though I've become much more selective about the books I accept from publishers, authors, and publicists, I still get many more than I can ever possibly read/review. And yet, I can't stop myself from greedily perusing publishers' catalogs on NetGalley and Edelweiss, saying yes to email queries offering me the latest and greatest new releases, and loading up at bookstore sales. When it comes to books, I'm just a girl who can't say no. No one else can relate, right?
3. Despite my college degree in English, I'm not big on the classics. There are tons that I have never read, a bunch I have DNF'd because they were boring me to tears, and several I suffered through but didn't enjoy. These days, I don't even pretend to prefer more highbrow choices; I just read what I feel like reading!
4. I've never experienced a reading slump. Ever since I learned to read at 5 years old, I've done so voraciously. When other bloggers talk about their months-long slumps, I just can't relate at all. Some months of reading are better than others in terms of how much I enjoyed what I read, but I've never gone more than a day or two without reading at least a couple pages in a book.
5. I rarely buy used books. Is this weird? I love a good book bargain, but I prefer to purchase volumes that haven't been read by anyone else. I adore brand new books with their crisp, unblemished pages and delicious inky smell. Even though they cost so much more than used books, it's worth it to me to buy new. Since I'm not made of money (more's the pity), I am (paradoxically, perhaps) also a huge library user. I just have to grit my teeth and ignore the evidence of other readers who have gone before me—you know, the food stains, stray hairs, folded-down corners (*shudders*), torn pages, etc. Library book sales always tempt me, but I never end up buying from them because I just...can't. It's weird, I know.
There you go, five bookish brags and five confessions. Do you relate to any of them? What are your bookish brags/confessions? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this blog post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. I also respond to comments left here (although I'm still a tad behind from last week).
Happy TTT!
Labels:Top Ten Tuesday
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THANK YOU for this: " I'm not big on the classics. There are tons that I have never read, a bunch I have DNF'd because they were boring me to tears...." I have never made it through any Dickens (except A Christmas Carol) for this reason. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteOut of everyone's bookish brags, yours are the ones I'm most jealous of! I want to read as much as you do and have a library that sounds as gorgeous as yours!
ReplyDeleteAww, thank you for the shout out!
ReplyDeleteAre you also a stay at home spouse, then? I’ve been one for ages and love it. :)
Your home library sounds lovely.
Here is my Top Ten Tuesday.
Wow! 18 years! What an amazing accomplishment Susan! 🙌
ReplyDeleteI must be your book twin….. I can especially relate to never being in a book slump! Yes some times are slower than others, but a true slump? Never! There are a few classics I’ve loved but some others 🤔😞🤷♀️ ~Carol @ ReadingLadies
I consider myself a fairly fast reader, but I've only hit over 200 once in 17 years of book-blogging. That's impressive!
ReplyDelete18 years?! That's amazing!!! Congrats! I also don't love used books... I just love the smell and feel of a brand new book. I want to make it my own. Are you a mood reader? My mood heavily impacts my reading.. and how slumps happen, at least for me. Also, if a book is just terrible, it can dampen my mood and reading! It's amazing that you have never had a slump before!!
ReplyDeleteI rarely buy used books either. I don't know that I've ever really thought about the why, but I think I always prefer new. I did used to buy from Amazon marketplace so I guess those were generally used...? So maybe it's been more recently that I buy new. Either way, there is something great about a new book! Thanks for visiting my list today... and ditto. Lydia deserves a shout-out for the consistency of her blog visits. Always appreciate that. :)
ReplyDeleteBetween #1 and #2, I say with utter sincerity that you are winning at life.
ReplyDeleteAnd wow, EIGHTEEN YEARS? Your baby blog is ready for college?? I've been blogging in one form or another for over half my life, but none of them have lasted that long. How lovely to have such a permanent home base on the internet.
and...confession #5 made my jaw drop! I understand the appeal of a brand-new book, but...never buying from a library sale?? Can't even fathom. On a related note, I'm going to two this weekend.
Congrats on keeping it going for 18 years! That's quite a streak :) and also on no reading slumps, I'm jealous!
ReplyDeleteOh I do love used books though - such a money saver
It’s nice that you have plenty of time to read but you sound so busy to me. Audiobooks while exercising is an interesting concept. I’ve tried podcasts but wasn’t able to concentrate. Wondering if an audiobook would be different.
ReplyDeleteYes to reading what you feel like reading! I don’t really buy books but I get what you’re saying. When magazines were still a thing, I bought them a lot and would get so irritated if someone read it before me. Same with newspapers back in the day.
18 years is SUCH an amazing achievement! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteOh wow! 18 years, that's awesome!! I'm coming up on 16 in January myself. I prefer buying new books as well, but I have been known to buy a used book if I am looking for a "collectors" item. You gotta accept what you can find at that point! Lol. Happy to meet another English major who couldn't get into the classics! I tried to read others to "challenge" myself at one point but then I found I wasn't enjoying it, I didn't know what was going on and I was very unhappy. So that didn't last long! Lol. I do still want to read Frankenstein at some point as I do think I might enjoy that one. hopefully at least! Lol.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my TTT!
Few interesting reveals up there. I am jealous you can read whenever you want. I feel like school or my job have always ruled my life. Lucky you! Eighteen years of BBB - wow! An English major not all loved up to the classics - look at that!
ReplyDeleteYou and I are very much the same. I am retired now, and I have time to read, and I don't watch tv, and I read fairly quickly!
ReplyDeleteGreat list, Susan! That's amazing you read over 200 books a year. I'm lucky if I finish 30 or 40. LOL. And I'm with you on the classics. I don't care for them much either. I've tried reading Pride & Prejudice SO many times, but I still haven't been able to get past the first couple of chapters. Happy Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing. fascinating! I resonate with many here. I didn't realize we were the "same generations" you are just 4 years older than me for book blogging.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what a reading slump is either!
#2 would be a dream: we are renting, small house, small budget, so I rarely buy fiction. BUT we use our public library a lot.
For classics, you know, tons are NOT highbrow at all, and there are in so many genres. Currently, I love classic scifi
I think a lot of us aren't big on classics, style has just changed irrevocably since then 😂 thanks for dropping by my post! Athena @ OneReadingNurse
ReplyDeleteAn excellent list. That book wall is the stuff of dreams! I'm a very slow reader. I tried speed reading once but it took the joy out of it for me. I like yo read every single word. Always will 😂
ReplyDeleteI have had one reading slump and it lasted for 9 months. It was during the whole of my second pregnancy. As soon as my son was born though my love of reading came back. It was super weird 😂 but I have to admit that for a time I was worried.
Have a great week!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
I love your list, and I am so jealous of your #1 brag. I wish I had a lot of time to read. But with my full-time job, and then my family needs once I get home, my reading time is small. It's one of the reasons I love my school breaks so much. I devour as many books as possible during my breaks!
ReplyDeleteI love this!! Most of my books are used books, LOL! I have found great bargains, otherwise I would not have even half the books I own, I just wouldn't be able to afford them. I do LOVE new books, the smell especially, and I do buy new, when I can :) I don't have a ton of time to read, but I do maximize the time I do have, also with audiobooks.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your brags and confessions. My home also features bookcases, which is a perfect reflection of who I am (we are). I retired in January so I resonate with the "time to read" vibe--it's lovely to take a break mid-day and read another chapter.
ReplyDeleteI am also a big fan of audio books, and listen when I drive, cook, walk, etc.
Happy reading!
Very fun bookish brags and confessions, Susan! :D
ReplyDeleteI had a similar Netgalley confession this week...Self-control is just not a thing I possess. I hope you have a fabulous rest of your week. - Katie
ReplyDeleteHere's my TTT if you wish to visit - https://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2024/10/top-ten-tuesday-bookish-brags-and.html
Audiobooks and cleaning really do go hand in hand. Never experiences a reading slump? You have been blessed!
ReplyDeleteYour library sounds lovely! I have quite a few bookcases, but when we move, I want more...
ReplyDeleteLove this! I'm working on my library and am really loving having all my shelves to arrange. It'll never be the Beauty and the Beast library but like you I'm satisfied with mine! I do get mild reading slumps from time to time but it's normally when I'm overstressed and nothing like I've heard some people describe.
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool that you've been blogging consistently for so long! What an accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteI also used to have my bookshelves in the "main" room because we had such a small apartment and people would always be amazed at how many books I had. Now I have my own "library" room but I suspect we'll have to get more bookshelves soon... XD