# Your to read "pile": is it a pile? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673 "2008-12-04T14:32:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/1 "2008-12-04T14:32:08Z")
A bit of curiosity overcame me while reading a few posts here: what is your to read “pile”? Note that isn’t “What is in your to read pile?”; I’m wondering if you have a literal pile of books, a box stashed somewhere, shelved, or something else. Is it a somewhat organized queue or a general set of books that you select your next book from? I have a fairly tight queue that I read from where I’m reading a set of novels in order and they’re lined up on a shelf less than a foot and a half from my head. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/2 "2008-12-04T14:35:00Z")
I had a pile for a bit, then things got messy. Currently my too read is a folder of ebooks on my hard drive, a messy pile of paperbacks and hardbacks in a corner, and a list on an index card (for the library. Also, there’s my wish-list on Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/3 "2008-12-04T14:37:31Z")
I have **several** huge piles. I am cused/blessed with a used bookstore next door that sells books really, really cheap. I also take advantage of it to upgrade my library (from paperback to hardcover). ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/4 "2008-12-04T14:42:03Z")
I actually have a stack of three or four books on the nightstand next to my bed. So yeah, it’s a small pile, but it physically exists. Now, my to-read “list” is much bigger, and exists mostly in my head. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/5 "2008-12-04T14:54:39Z")
I have 15 books on my to-read list. They’re sitting on a shelf in my living room right now. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/6 "2008-12-04T14:57:06Z")
My to-read hardbacks are actually shelved, and I use Goodreads to keep track of them. But I do have a pile of to-read paperbacks because my paperback shelves are full and hard to access right now. My husband is theoretically going to finish my new bookshelf by Christmas, so maybe I’ll be rid of that pile soon. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/7 "2008-12-04T15:04:36Z")
I literally have a pile of to-be-read books. It used to be a stack, but gravity overcame that. Hopefully over the holiday break I’ll whittle it down enough to stack again… provided I can track down and finish all the being-read books scattered about the place. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/8 "2008-12-04T15:10:24Z")
Add me to the “literal pile” group. Several piles, in fact. The “currently being read” books are piled on the stool by my easy chair, the “to be read soon” books are stacked atop a bookcase nearby, and the “just finished” books are piled on the floor awaiting either shelving or a trip to the library. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/9 "2008-12-04T15:52:54Z")
Short stack on the night table, but everything else is on shelves, or on my Amazon wish list. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/10 "2008-12-04T15:57:25Z")
I have one shelf on the book shelf in the living room devoted to the “to be read” queue. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/11 "2008-12-04T15:58:18Z")
I have a library table where I stack my books in order of when they’re due back at the library. With luck it stays at least 10 books deep. > [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > My husband is theoretically going to finish my new bookshelf by Christmas, so maybe I’ll be rid of that pile soon. My husband’s going to build me shelves too! Maybe by _next_ Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/12 "2008-12-04T16:00:32Z")
I have at least 2 dozen titles on a list at any given time. I go online and request them from the library and as I return each one, I request another one. It’s a never-ending process that gives me tremendous joy! ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/13 "2008-12-04T16:03:51Z")
Literal piles, plus shelves. Some piles are _on_ shelves. I also have a to-read list of books I don’t have. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/14 "2008-12-04T16:07:21Z")
> [@detop](#): > > I have **several** huge piles. Time to stop reading on the can? - **BoD** , posting from the can ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/15 "2008-12-04T16:12:06Z")
A short stack of ones I have but haven’t read, a scattering of ones I’m reading, and an enormous online list of what I’m planning on reading but haven’t gotten my paws on yet (464 books and counting). ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/16 "2008-12-04T16:13:14Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Time to stop reading on the can? > > - **BoD** , posting from the can What ? and abandon the library ? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/17 "2008-12-04T16:16:43Z")
Library books are in a literal pile in the Library Book Place (a designated table in the living room), because otherwise they get scattered and lost and I end up funding half the public library’s budget through my overdue fees. In addition, there are books I own on the list of things to be read, but those are mental additions to the pile. The actual books are shelved. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/18 "2008-12-04T16:19:23Z")
I’m not organized enough to have an actual pile – I have an entire house full of unread books. I do keep stuff from the library (books, DVDS, and CD cases) on one chair in the living room, and usually start there when it’s time to pick my next book. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/19 "2008-12-04T16:24:25Z")
I have a pile of my to-read books, plus a pile of the newspaper’s to-read books for my column, and at the actual newspaper office is a big bin of more books that I haven’t brought home and put in the pile yet. So piles and sub-piles. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673/20 "2008-12-04T17:08:02Z")
I have several “to read” bookcases, sorted by subject. But books get piled on the floor until I have time to sort them properly. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-to-read-pile-is-it-a-pile/475673.md?page=2)