Help-I just bought another book!

Sydney's Mom · 03-05-2010, 08:45 AM

This has got to be a variation of horders syndrom. I have always loved books, and was taught it was a sin to throw a book away. Consequently, I have hundreds, maybe thousands, of pbooks. I thought since I couldn't look at my Kindle books, I might practice some retraint. Once I found out I could read library books on my Kindle, the book buying slowed down. But it has seemed to have the opposite affect. I buy from a lot of different sites, and I justify it by telling myself it is less than my husband pays for lunch (I never eat lunch out). Calibre makes my books look so nice!

So, I just spent $3.15. Big deal. But I have 1052 books in my library. Luckily, they take up the space of an SD card, but how
do you stop?

davef · 03-05-2010, 09:30 AM

In a related question... how do people manage their to-be-read lists?
I use tagging in Calibre to remember what I've already read and the new book-catalog function makes a very nice summary of all that remains. But I haven't come up with a way to have an ordering I can easily shuffle. So far this is one case where having a stack of physical books was actually easier to manage...
Anybody got a good solution to this (for those of us who haven't found a solution to Sydney's Mom Syndrome (SMS)?

poohbear_nc · 03-05-2010, 09:46 AM

If you're dealing with websites with "one-click" purchases THERE IS NO ESCAPE from SMS! Impulse buying will triumph every time - esp. since you don't have to worry about where to put the books in your house any more, and can hide them from any concerned family members! SMS may be the new "dependency"!

On a related note, this ease of impulse buying seems to be totally unknown to the publishers who are delaying ebook release dates. How many of us have been browsing for one book, seen a new release and clicked that button?

Sydney's Mom · 03-05-2010, 01:40 PM

[QUOTE=davef;817046]In a related question... how do people manage their to-be-read lists?
I use tagging in Calibre to remember what I've already read and the new book-catalog function makes a very nice summary of all that remains. But I haven't come up with a way to have an ordering I can easily shuffle. So far this is one case where having a stack of physical books was actually easier to manage...
QUOTE]

davef, I use tagging and ratings. The ratings are easy to see (I only rate books I have read, and delete the metadata ratings (who does those, anyway? They are all 4s!). Then, no matter what tags I am searching, the already read books stand out. If you click on ratings, it will sort that search by ratings, and you can put the rated/read books at the bottom.

Terisa de morgan · 03-05-2010, 01:42 PM

Well, you can avoid that symptom, I'm afraid (If you discover the cure, please, share it! ). And about read books, well, I don't use calibre for that, I use an access db I've designed, and the reports I need.

kennyc · 03-05-2010, 01:46 PM

Yes I'm with Terisa. I have been guilty in the last few weeks of buying several books -- probably 4-6 ebooks and 6-8 used pbooks (see I don't even know how many

). So I'm clearly not the one to ask as I've got a few dozen already in the queue!

All I can offer are sympathies and admire your restraint.

Sydney's Mom · 03-05-2010, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

If you're dealing with websites with "one-click" purchases THERE IS NO ESCAPE from SMS! Impulse buying will triumph every time - esp. since you don't have to worry about where to put the books in your house any more, and can hide them from any concerned family members! SMS may be the new "dependency"!

On a related note, this ease of impulse buying seems to be totally unknown to the publishers who are delaying ebook release dates. How many of us have been browsing for one book, seen a new release and clicked that button?

The book I bought this morning right before posting - I had to get out of bed, go to the closet, get my purse, take out my credit card, go back to bed, enter my credit card infromation, purchase, download, remove DRM, convert to mobi, put my credit card back. I guess that means I have absolutely no impulse control. Actually, I started reading it on the train today (sorry "But I Trusted You" and "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff").

I totally agree about the publishers. I don't go to pbook stores anymore, so I get news about new books in the newspaper, TV, internet. I have access to either my Kindle or my laptop in all of those situations, and it could be as easy as one-click to get the book. If it isn't available for purchase, and I am near my laptop, I will log into my library service, and reserve a pbook copy. It might take a couple weeks to get it, but I don't have to get in my car until the book is in (actually, that is what my bicycle is for, now that it is a little warmer). And if I take my bicycle, the ice cream store is between my house and the library.

Graham · 03-05-2010, 02:04 PM

Oops. Bought another while I was reading this.

Graham

Ea · 03-05-2010, 02:14 PM

I've been burned lately with a couple of books that appeared okay when I read the sample, but quickly got much worse quality-wise. A the moment I feel I'm quite rapidly getting more and more critical about the quality of writing... So I don't buy so many books. I'm probably lucky in that I've never bought many books, but always used the library and so I'm not quite in the habit.

Also feel a little guilty when I look at my TBR list - that put me off buying, too.

However, I have splurged on books lately, but that was p-books. Some books I like so much I'd like to have something more tangible than a file, so I've bought a 'bit'. I keep browsing at Folio Society's site... I might only be a question of time until I give in

phenomshel · 03-05-2010, 02:53 PM

Well, I kind of figure that if I'm going to be addicted to something, then Diet Dr Pepper and book buying are better (and cheaper) than a lot of the alternatives. Also legal. So I stopped feeling guilty about either one of them. However, I do get twinges when I look at my wishlists at Books on Board and B&N.

Alisa · 03-05-2010, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

If you're dealing with websites with "one-click" purchases THERE IS NO ESCAPE from SMS! Impulse buying will triumph every time - esp. since you don't have to worry about where to put the books in your house any more, and can hide them from any concerned family members! SMS may be the new "dependency"!

Amazon has one-click ordering but it also has one-click samples and Whispernet delivery. The only times I've paid for a book without reading the sample are when I was traveling and knew I'd finish my book on the plane or I was out of the country altogether. Otherwise, it seems reasonable to me to delay my buying decision until I have a better idea if I will like the book. I suppose if I didn't have decent Whispernet coverage in my area I might buy in advance but even with one or two bars, I can get the rest of the book in a reasonable amount of time.

Sydney's Mom · 03-05-2010, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

Oops. Bought another while I was reading this.

Graham

Skydog · 03-05-2010, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

And if I take my bicycle, the ice cream store is between my house and the library.

I'd say you have your priorities in order.

pilotbob · 03-05-2010, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

This has got to be a variation of horders syndrom. I have always loved books, and was taught it was a sin to throw a book away.

Actually I think extravagance is a sin.... throwing away a book, not so much. So, if you are worried about sinning think about buying so many books, more than you can possible consume the sin of extravagance.

BOb

greenapple · 03-06-2010, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

how
do you stop?

The publishers and vendors are already trying very hard to help.
It's called 'Geographic Restrictions'.

03-05-2010, 08:45 AM	#1
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,895 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	Help-I just bought another book! This has got to be a variation of horders syndrom. I have always loved books, and was taught it was a sin to throw a book away. Consequently, I have hundreds, maybe thousands, of pbooks. I thought since I couldn't look at my Kindle books, I might practice some retraint. Once I found out I could read library books on my Kindle, the book buying slowed down. But it has seemed to have the opposite affect. I buy from a lot of different sites, and I justify it by telling myself it is less than my husband pays for lunch (I never eat lunch out). Calibre makes my books look so nice! So, I just spent $3.15. Big deal. But I have 1052 books in my library. Luckily, they take up the space of an SD card, but how do you stop?

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03-05-2010, 09:30 AM	#2
davef Member Posts: 13 Karma: 60 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: PRS-700	In a related question... how do people manage their to-be-read lists? I use tagging in Calibre to remember what I've already read and the new book-catalog function makes a very nice summary of all that remains. But I haven't come up with a way to have an ordering I can easily shuffle. So far this is one case where having a stack of physical books was actually easier to manage... Anybody got a good solution to this (for those of us who haven't found a solution to Sydney's Mom Syndrome (SMS)?

03-05-2010, 09:46 AM	#3
poohbear_nc Now what? Posts: 58,795 Karma: 135181808 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	If you're dealing with websites with "one-click" purchases THERE IS NO ESCAPE from SMS! Impulse buying will triumph every time - esp. since you don't have to worry about where to put the books in your house any more, and can hide them from any concerned family members! SMS may be the new "dependency"! On a related note, this ease of impulse buying seems to be totally unknown to the publishers who are delaying ebook release dates. How many of us have been browsing for one book, seen a new release and clicked that button?

03-05-2010, 01:40 PM	#4
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,895 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	[QUOTE=davef;817046]In a related question... how do people manage their to-be-read lists? I use tagging in Calibre to remember what I've already read and the new book-catalog function makes a very nice summary of all that remains. But I haven't come up with a way to have an ordering I can easily shuffle. So far this is one case where having a stack of physical books was actually easier to manage... QUOTE] davef, I use tagging and ratings. The ratings are easy to see (I only rate books I have read, and delete the metadata ratings (who does those, anyway? They are all 4s!). Then, no matter what tags I am searching, the already read books stand out. If you click on ratings, it will sort that search by ratings, and you can put the rated/read books at the bottom.

03-05-2010, 01:42 PM	#5
Terisa de morgan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,227 Karma: 11768331 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Device: Kobo Clara/Aura One/Forma,XiaoMI 5, iPad, Huawei MediaPad, YotaPhone 2	Well, you can avoid that symptom, I'm afraid (If you discover the cure, please, share it! ). And about read books, well, I don't use calibre for that, I use an access db I've designed, and the reports I need.

03-05-2010, 01:46 PM	#6
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Yes I'm with Terisa. I have been guilty in the last few weeks of buying several books -- probably 4-6 ebooks and 6-8 used pbooks (see I don't even know how many ). So I'm clearly not the one to ask as I've got a few dozen already in the queue! All I can offer are sympathies and admire your restraint.

03-05-2010, 02:04 PM	#8
Graham Wizard Posts: 2,743 Karma: 32912427 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: North Yorkshire, UK Device: Kobo H20, Pixel 2, Samsung Chromebook Plus	Oops. Bought another while I was reading this. Graham

03-05-2010, 02:14 PM	#9
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	I've been burned lately with a couple of books that appeared okay when I read the sample, but quickly got much worse quality-wise. A the moment I feel I'm quite rapidly getting more and more critical about the quality of writing... So I don't buy so many books. I'm probably lucky in that I've never bought many books, but always used the library and so I'm not quite in the habit. Also feel a little guilty when I look at my TBR list - that put me off buying, too. However, I have splurged on books lately, but that was p-books. Some books I like so much I'd like to have something more tangible than a file, so I've bought a 'bit'. I keep browsing at Folio Society's site... I might only be a question of time until I give in

03-05-2010, 02:53 PM	#10
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Well, I kind of figure that if I'm going to be addicted to something, then Diet Dr Pepper and book buying are better (and cheaper) than a lot of the alternatives. Also legal. So I stopped feeling guilty about either one of them. However, I do get twinges when I look at my wishlists at Books on Board and B&N.

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