# How do you count the books you've read?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-count-the-books-youve-read/825387>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 1, 2018, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-count-the-books-youve-read/825387 "2018-12-01T10:32:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Sassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassy)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2019, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-count-the-books-youve-read/825387/61 "2019-06-17T19:00:32Z")

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> [@Misnomer](#):
>
> Categories and tags are the same thing in Goodreads; otherwise Goodreads, does the same stuff (ratings, etc.). Is the separate tagging what makes you prefer Librarything?
> 
> (I’m not being snarky, honest: I’m interested in the perspective of someone who has used both sites. :))

I find LT easier to use - to add tags or categories, to search and to update. Goodreads seems to force add things which then can be updated. Admittedly, I never spent a lot of time trying to figure it out, since I already had so much added to LT. There was no way I wanted to duplicate all that work.

Regarding cost, I joined early and got a lifetime membership, so I don’t think about it. They quite often have contests, the prizes for which are free lifetime membership - in fact, they are running one now.

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**Author:** ![Stowed\_Bob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stowed_bob/32/3312_2.png) [@Stowed\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stowed_Bob)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2019, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-count-the-books-youve-read/825387/62 "2019-06-17T22:17:33Z")

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I keep a Goodreads list of books I have read. I only add books I have finished. I never count books I reread or in the process of reading. And even then I am not diligent, with books not being added out of laziness or forgetfulness. I prefer to know the specific titles to reference back to if needed, the total tally is irrelevant. What only matters, ultimately, is what I am reading in the present.

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