Author Topic: Reading Books  (Read 3778 times)

Trying225

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Reading Books
« on: February 09, 2014, 10:35:56 AM »
I have a habit of impulsively buying books (I'm trying to stop) or even taking out books at the library, never finishing them and finally taking them back. I blame the internet. I've decided that I will not allow myself to buy or take out any new books until I've read all of the books in my house.

herisff

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Re: Reading Books
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2014, 10:50:14 AM »
I did this years ago, and stuck to it too. My pile of to-be-read books is now less than 4 (and they're all from the past few months), my books are returned early to the library, and house is much less cluttered (a nice side effect). I used to force myself to read the whole book and now if a book doesn't catch my attention by the 2nd or 3rd chapter, I return it to the library or put it up for swap. My time is too valuable to waste on books I don't care about. Have fun!

Alfred J Quack

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Re: Reading Books
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2014, 12:07:43 PM »
Aside from the library option I personally use Google Play Books, most all books have a free preview which you can read to decide whether you like the book. If I like it I buy it at Google  Play/Kobo/other ebook supplier (whichever is cheapest). For me this has 2 advantages 1) I don't have a pile of books, 2) I can buy the cheapest digital version which I can store in my personal storage online just in case.

rocklebock

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Re: Reading Books
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2014, 12:20:10 PM »
I used to be terrible about this. Then one year I made a New Year's resolution to read 10 books that year. Any 10 books. They could be short, or dumb, but I had to read them from beginning to end. The resolution wasn't so much about reading a certain number of books, but getting myself in the habit of finishing them. It worked!

One thing I don't ever do is force myself to finish a book that I don't like. With all the great literature humanity has produced, my life is too short to waste any time reading something I don't enjoy.

I get almost everything from my public library's ebook service.

ohyonghao

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Re: Reading Books
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2014, 03:21:10 PM »
About two years ago I set out to read 100 books, I think I made it up to around 30 or 40.  I still enjoy reading books and have since read quite a bit.  I even refreshed myself up on Algebra through Pre-Calc.  I had never taken Calculus before so it was pretty fun.  I wore myself out though on the math and have yet to pick it back up.  Hoping to do that soon, but first I'm reading on how to make my own beer.

horsepoor

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Re: Reading Books
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2014, 09:03:21 PM »
I really need to make an effort to get through my Kindle books.  They seem even worse than physical books in that I buy them, and then they shuffle down on my list and I forget all about them.  Yesterday on the plane I realized I had 4 Hour Chef by Tim Ferris.  I remember wanting to read it, but have no recollection of actually buying it.  I found some other things on there that I really ought to read as well.  Too easy to drop money on digital media!

rocklebock

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Re: Reading Books
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2014, 08:16:04 AM »
Too easy to drop money on digital media!

Horsepoor, you sound like the perfect candidate for Boise Public Library's ebooks service. http://www.boisepubliclibrary.org/They have Overdrive, the same package my library system uses. Free library books appear on my Kindle just like magic. Right now I'm reading Predictably Irrational.

horsepoor

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Re: Reading Books
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2014, 08:37:14 AM »
Too easy to drop money on digital media!

Horsepoor, you sound like the perfect candidate for Boise Public Library's ebooks service. http://www.boisepubliclibrary.org/They have Overdrive, the same package my library system uses. Free library books appear on my Kindle just like magic. Right now I'm reading Predictably Irrational.

Thanks!  We live outside of city limits, and last time I checked, Ebooks weren't available from the Ada Co. libraries, but that was a couple years ago, so I should check again.  Tradeoff is having half the property tax.  Really, if I just read what I already have, I should be good for quite a while. 

herisff

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Re: Reading Books
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2014, 10:43:46 AM »
Too easy to drop money on digital media!

Horsepoor, you sound like the perfect candidate for Boise Public Library's ebooks service. http://www.boisepubliclibrary.org/They have Overdrive, the same package my library system uses. Free library books appear on my Kindle just like magic. Right now I'm reading Predictably Irrational.

Thanks!  We live outside of city limits, and last time I checked, Ebooks weren't available from the Ada Co. libraries, but that was a couple years ago, so I should check again.  Tradeoff is having half the property tax.  Really, if I just read what I already have, I should be good for quite a while.
Check to see if the Ada Co library has a reciprocity arrangement with Boise (the information should be on their website). If they do, then you can get a library card from Boise and then check out ebooks. I'm two hours and a couple counties away from Seattle, but can borrow ebooks from Seattle (and King County) - it's great! You may have to link from county to county as I did, which means having library cards from all the intervening library regions. I had to go to each region to get a card in person, but it's just one trip and then you're gold. And it means I have 4 library systems to look for books I want to read :-P

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!