I enjoy reading. I've found that when people ask what my hobbies are, reading is the first thing I say. I would rather read than watch TV, even if it's a movie. I have pretty much always been a reader. When I was a little kid, I loved to go to the library (thanks, Mom!). I wanted to work in a library when I grew up. Even within the last couple of years, I looked into what it would take to become a librarian. (More money and work than I wanted to put in at this point in my life, it turns out.) In college, like most people who are not working for a literary-type degree, I didn't read much for pleasure. When I met MT, he read novels along with his text books, and I got back in the groove of it, too. We own hundreds of books. MT has always been a buyer. I do buy books, but mostly I borrow from the library. When T was little, he read a lot. I'm sorry to say that he isn't in the habit as much anymore. I hope he returns to reading some day.
Today I was looking through my emails, and there was one in particular from Goodreads, I think it was. The email listed books that were coming out in January. I usually don't look at those types of emails because, frankly, I have lots of books on the to-be-read (TBR) list, both on Goodreads and at the library, and stacks of physical books that I want to read or re-read. Still, I clicked on this list and looked through the blurbs to see if anything sounded interesting. I made a list of the ones I thought I'd like to read. There were, like, nine or ten.
Then I remembered that one of my favorite authors, Jasmine Guillory, has just come out with another book. I went to the library's online ebook site, Overdrive, to add the book to my wish list. Surprise! The book was available now, so I downloaded it, of course. A bit later in the day, I got an email from the library letting me know that I book I'd reserved and have been looking forward to reading has finally become available and that I needed to pick it up in the next three days.
Suddenly, I felt a little overwhelmed. Here's why: I am currently reading three very good books, one on my kindle and two physical books. I just downloaded the Guillory book, and I'll be picking up the book that's on hold at the library in the next couple of days. On my wish list on Overdrive, there are 42 books. There are 87 books on my Want to Read list on Goodreads (I think all 42 from Overdrive are on the Goodreads list). I wrote down nine or ten more books that haven't even come out yet that I'd be interested in reading. I received two books on Christmas that both sound great, plus a three month membership to Book of the Month Club. I plan to continue with #Ekpesbookclub as long as Ekpe wants to keep it going. I'll almost always read Reese Witherspoon's monthly recommendations.
Bottom line: there are more books out there that I'd like to read than I will probably ever have a chance to read. It made me feel kind of sad and also gave me a bit of analysis paralysis. How can I possibly choose what to read next? There are so many choices! I considered removing everything from Overdrive and Goodreads and starting over. I did exactly that a few years ago, and I survived perfectly well and rebuilt my crazy lists with all new books.
I totally get that this is a first world, privileged person's problem. I'm not really complaining; it's more like I'm trying to come to terms with this level of craziness that I have created.
Okay, that's all for now. I did finish one book tonight (which brings me to 60 for the year!). I gotta read. Can't stop, won't stop.
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