There are a number of reasons why I should not join My Friend Amy's Buy One Book and Read It Challenge. For starters:
Amy's initial goal with this challenge was to encourage non-readers to read at least one book this year. With the economy suffering as it is and the publishing industry struggling as a result, she thought readers could do a little something to try and help, even if in the smallest of ways.
Participants are given two options:
1. This past year I more than did my part to support the publishing industry and authors. If you knew the number of books I bought, you would recognize that I probably paid half their salaries for the year (I actually kept a count of all the books that came into my house in 2008, notating which ones I spent money on. I refrained from mentioning it in my year end wrap up because it was an embarrassingly high amount--so much for my only buy if I wasn't to read it right away idea).Then why am I joining this one anyway? Because no matter how many restrictions and limits I try to set on my book buying, I nearly always fail. So, I am taking an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach. I also I want to show my support for my favorite authors and ones I have yet to discover.
2. Have you seen how many TBR books I have? No, really. You should take a peek. The last thing I need are new books.
3. My house is falling apart. I should be saving money to invest in keeping my house standing.
4. My husband's sanity.
Amy's initial goal with this challenge was to encourage non-readers to read at least one book this year. With the economy suffering as it is and the publishing industry struggling as a result, she thought readers could do a little something to try and help, even if in the smallest of ways.
Participants are given two options:
1) The first option is to simply buy one book and read it. The book you buy and read should be a book you have chosen for yourself for pleasure. It should not be work related and books read to your children do not count.
2) The second option is to buy one book a month and read it. I am asking that those of you who will probably already have one book read by January 2 choose this option. Books can be on your other challenge lists, it is only necessary that you buy them and read them!
Restriction: Books should be bought in 2009, although an allowance is being made for up to 3 books purchased before that time.
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009
Option one is very tempting, but I might as well go for the second one. It's probably more realistic for me. Although, option one certainly would be more challenging. Imagine me only buying one book all year . . .
Now, where did I leave those car keys? Bookstore, here I come!
One more thing. Stop by my husband Anjin's blog for his list of favorite books of the year! For those who want to skip the gaming, movie and TV bits, just read the 7th bullet point. Do say hello if you have the time. He'd love to hear from you (and maybe he'll go easier on me when he sees this post, which I know he'll read if only because of the warning at the top. Or maybe it's just me who thinks a big "do not read" message means to do just the opposite . . .)
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009
Option one is very tempting, but I might as well go for the second one. It's probably more realistic for me. Although, option one certainly would be more challenging. Imagine me only buying one book all year . . .
Now, where did I leave those car keys? Bookstore, here I come!
One more thing. Stop by my husband Anjin's blog for his list of favorite books of the year! For those who want to skip the gaming, movie and TV bits, just read the 7th bullet point. Do say hello if you have the time. He'd love to hear from you (and maybe he'll go easier on me when he sees this post, which I know he'll read if only because of the warning at the top. Or maybe it's just me who thinks a big "do not read" message means to do just the opposite . . .)
Good luck with your challenge. I have actually bought more books since I started blogging and receiving review copies than I did before. I can think of a lot of vices worse than this one, though.
ReplyDeleteI think you may want to edit the post to say 1/1/09-12/31/09. I am going to join this one too.
ReplyDeleteYou may want to check out my challenge "For the Love of It" Reading Challenge. It's mega easy!
Happy New Year. I love your blog!
Kathy - Thanks! The easy part is buying the books. The hard part for me is reading them right away. I really am going to cut down on my book buying this next year. I need to, which I know kind of goes against the grain of this particular challenge. I figure this is a good compromise.
ReplyDeleteSheri - Thanks for letting me know. I was already writing 2009 before the New Year and now I'm stuck back in 2008. It never fails.
You aren't really trying to tempt me with another challenge are you? That's not very nice! It would fit in with this one though, wouldn't it? Only buy a book I really want to read? And I've already decided to only accept books for review that I really want to read. The feeling never behind would be a problem for me though. I always feel behind. It's a natural state for me, I think. Would I have to make a list or could I be impulsive?
Well, I'm actually doing a "no-buy" in 2009 challenge of my own. I was reading Nan's challenge to herself over at Letters from a Hill Farm and talking about it to my husband. We discussed how many, many, many books I owned. He guessed the number was 1223 on the shelves. I told him he was silly and of course it was not that much. I counted my books. Sigh. More than 1223. Actually more like 1310. I'm planning on reading a lot of them and really, really trying not to buy more for this year. Since I have been looking over the shelves and peeking behind the double stacked items, I've found all sorts of treasures that I had forgotten I had. Most of them were "must" haves when I bought them.
ReplyDeleteSince I work at a library, I'll use that for the new ones that come out this year.
We'll see how it goes. I really think I can do this.
Kay - I have tried to make that pact with myself numerous times in the past, not to buy books for long stretches, and it's never worked out for me. I may be able to avoid buying anything, but once I pass the deadline, I make up for lost time immediately after. That kind of defeats the purpose. My will power is just not that strong, I guess.
ReplyDeleteAs long as I'm reading the books I buy for this challenge right away, I'm serving the purpose of the challenge and my own personal one of not buying a book unless I plan to read it soon after.
I haven't officially signed up, but I like Amy's challenge and I may end up doing it. In my case, I'd try Option 1, but it would be "Buy One Book and Read It RIGHT AWAY," rather than send it to TBR Purgatory. What do you think :-)?
ReplyDeleteI give up buying books during Lent every year, but some years it sticks better than others. Then again, when I DO buy books, I rarely leave the bookstore with just one.
Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I are always buying more books, we console ourselves that it is not such a bad addiction, but it does result in messy book piles around the house! ;)
This one sounds great! I may want to join this. Thanks for the heads up, Wendy! :)
ReplyDeleteI still bought books this year, but I actually did pretty good with not buying too many. That is my claim to fame.
ReplyDeleteFlorinda - I like the idea too. My rule for this challenge is that if I buy the book I have to read it within a month. I think that's a fair balance for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm a multiple book buyer too. It's probably my biggest downfall.
Tome Treaveller - Happy New Year to you as well. My husband is a reader too, only he is better at reading his books faster--or maybe it's that he buys fewer books so he is able to read them without accumulating too many unread books.
It is nice though to share an addiction like that with your spouse. Less guilt and lots of enabling. :-)
Melody - You should join! It'd be fun!
Kelly - I wish I had been so good. This year, I'm going to try to be better.
Sounds like a great excuse to buy a book!
ReplyDeleteShana
Literarily
yup--for me it's a join em because I can't beat em. I actually have a category in my Quicken for "books" and I haven't looked at the numbers for 2008, but I'm sure it's crazy. Have fun with the challenge!
ReplyDeleteI'm dying to join (since I can't stop buying) but then... I'm trying to instill some discipline into my no-buy effort again. It went bust last year with me ended up buying heaps. Like you, I can't mention the figure I spent on books...
ReplyDeleteShana - Yes, it most certainly does! :-)
ReplyDeleteTrish - Haha! Exactly!
Alice - I know you have the will power to stay away from book buying, Alice. Be strong. Just slip your family and friends your wish list so that they can give you a book as a gift during those weak moments. That will help the economy and won't cost you a thing. And you can't refuse a gift, right? So, you have no choice in the matter but to take it and add it to your TBR stack.
I buy 4-5 books every month. I shouldn't be joining this challenge either. But as you said, I might join it too.
ReplyDeleteEliza - Yes, that's me too (or sometimes I'll come home with even more).
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how many times I try to restrain myself from buying yet more books and I never, ever win so I think it's about time I just quit trying. lol.
ReplyDeleteDar - It is very difficult, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteLOL! Have fun buying and reading some new books. This sounds like a very enabling challenge :)
ReplyDeleteSamantha - Yes, it definitely is that. LOL
ReplyDelete