Keeping Track of To Be Read Books - Page 2

spindlegirl · 12-02-2012, 11:41 AM

Since my master library is in calibre, whenever a title catches my fancy, I tag it TBR. I also use Goodreads "want to read" feature.

dakini · 12-02-2012, 12:00 PM

for me, keeping track of to-be read books is all about creating shelves on my reader.

i tend to sideload books in large batches onto my Kobo, so things can go a while before they get read.

but the ones i know i really, really want to read soon get put in a shelf called "shortlist". i try to add each book when it's sideloaded into a shelf (or more than one) based on what type of book it is. so a book might make it into "mills and boon" or might be in "nonfiction" and also "pyschology" or stuff like that.

shortlist is where i know the ones i want to read soon are. but sometimes i'm ready to start something new and i just know the genre: young adult, nonfiction, etc that i want to read, so the other shelves help too.

JSWolf · 12-02-2012, 11:01 PM

I've given a very good solution, yet others are still trying to come up with solutions not nearly as good. Why?

Plus, with GoodReads, you can access it from any internet connected device with a web browser to have a look at your TBR list. You don't need any specific device or some file in Excel in order to view your TBR list. This in itself helps make it the best solution.

DrNefario · 12-03-2012, 02:42 AM

Because we don't all find goodreads to our liking? Because you didn't say a single word about how it worked or why it was so great?

Bikeridr · 12-03-2012, 02:46 AM

And I'm back again after a rather lengthy pause. :-)

I really don't understand the necessity to put more science and statistics in keeping track of reading with all sorts of spreadsheets or even online databases.

My Calibre holds two libraries:
One fore "liberated" Kindle books and one for "all other".

My Kindle holds the following collections:
TBR - Which is my to-be-read list and also where the current reading book resides.
Finished - Where finished books lands after reading.
Important - Where there are mostly reference and books thad need to be reread.
Shortstories - Where "short" books resides, perfect for airport reading.

If I'm reading a series, there *might* be a small note, either on paper or as a "yellow sticker" on my phone where the next-in-line title is listed.

Simple as that.

Baroness · 12-03-2012, 03:35 AM

If I want to read a book but I haven't yet purchased or borrowed it (for example, if an acquaintance has recommended it on the fly, if it's a book by a favourite author or if it's not yet an ebook -- and I'm looking at you, Battle Royale!), I add it to the default 'to-read' shelf in GoodReads. However, as I mostly use GoodReads to track books that I have read, they tend to get neglected -- so I also keep a simple check-list of a few at a time which have caught my interest in a big way in Evernote.

If I already own the book (or am already borrowing it), I simply keep it in my iPhone until it's been read. From there, my favourites stay on my iPhone (though may get shuffled through the shelves) and books that are less-than-favourites are removed from the iPhone (but remain in Calibre for future access). I've considered making a custom column in Calibre, but it seems easier to just export everything to my iPhone and let my fingers do the choosing.

piperclassique · 12-03-2012, 07:00 AM

Quote:

I've given a very good solution, yet others are still trying to come up with solutions not nearly as good. Why?

Because we disagree with you?

Apache · 12-03-2012, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piperclassique

Because we disagree with you?

Apache

Witty Username · 12-03-2012, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've given a very good solution, yet others are still trying to come up with solutions not nearly as good. Why?

I can't be the only person who immediately thought of this.

pdurrant · 12-03-2012, 08:41 AM

I have a folder containing all the ebooks I've bought but I haven't read yet. I only have these books on my Kindle/iPhone/Opus.

When I've read a book, I delete it from the folder.

DrNefario · 12-03-2012, 08:53 AM

140 of mine are pbooks*, so a Calibre or ereader solution isn't going to work for me.

That's more than I thought, to be honest. Some of them go back a long way, but I kind of suspect I have gained more paper books in the last year than I usually did before I got my ereader.

*I know that because of my spreadsheet.

BeccaPrice · 12-03-2012, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've given a very good solution, yet others are still trying to come up with solutions not nearly as good. Why?

Plus, with GoodReads, you can access it from any internet connected device with a web browser to have a look at your TBR list. You don't need any specific device or some file in Excel in order to view your TBR list. This in itself helps make it the best solution.

Goodreads is too bandwidth-intensive for my limited-bandwidth connection. (we live in the country, and have a satellite connection via Hughesnet)

I use Calibre's book list feature. when I remember.

sakura-panda · 12-03-2012, 01:01 PM

I have a hand-coded webpage that links to where I purchased the book. I use the same page to keep track of which of those books I have read.

dakini · 12-03-2012, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've given a very good solution, yet others are still trying to come up with solutions not nearly as good. Why?

just because it's a good solution for one person doesn't mean it's a one-size-fits-all solution.

with the wide variety of readers and ereaders out there, different solutions work for different people. i'm often travelling, and don't have internet access at every minute. so an internet-based solution probably isn't going to be the first thing i think of. but it works for some folks. those reading the thread get to see the variety of ways we all solve this issue.

latepaul · 12-03-2012, 01:19 PM

I've got a custom column in Calibre called Read? (also "Date Read"). But I also use Goodreads. I used to keep track of my TBR by adding together my "currently reading" and "to read" shelves. I then made a rule that unless my TBR went down over a month I couldn't buy any new (e)books the following month. I had to abandon it because I kept cheating. Also a lot of TBR list is technically to-be-read but will take a long time to reach the top of the list. I find it hard to pass up a book from a favourite author in order to read a classic I downloaded because I've heard of it and thought I'd read it "one day".

12-02-2012, 11:01 PM	#18
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I've given a very good solution, yet others are still trying to come up with solutions not nearly as good. Why? Plus, with GoodReads, you can access it from any internet connected device with a web browser to have a look at your TBR list. You don't need any specific device or some file in Excel in order to view your TBR list. This in itself helps make it the best solution. Last edited by JSWolf; 12-02-2012 at 11:03 PM.

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12-02-2012, 11:41 AM	#16
spindlegirl Wizard Posts: 1,594 Karma: 21245891 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra h20, Paperwhite 2017, Phone & Tablet w Moonreader	Since my master library is in calibre, whenever a title catches my fancy, I tag it TBR. I also use Goodreads "want to read" feature.

12-02-2012, 12:00 PM	#17
dakini not "it" Posts: 236 Karma: 1687996 Join Date: Aug 2012 Device: Kindle 7th gen	for me, keeping track of to-be read books is all about creating shelves on my reader. i tend to sideload books in large batches onto my Kobo, so things can go a while before they get read. but the ones i know i really, really want to read soon get put in a shelf called "shortlist". i try to add each book when it's sideloaded into a shelf (or more than one) based on what type of book it is. so a book might make it into "mills and boon" or might be in "nonfiction" and also "pyschology" or stuff like that. shortlist is where i know the ones i want to read soon are. but sometimes i'm ready to start something new and i just know the genre: young adult, nonfiction, etc that i want to read, so the other shelves help too.

12-03-2012, 02:42 AM	#19
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,099 Karma: 11315768 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	Because we don't all find goodreads to our liking? Because you didn't say a single word about how it worked or why it was so great?

12-03-2012, 02:46 AM	#20
Bikeridr Information Acquirer Posts: 436 Karma: 4265156 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Latvia, Rigas Rajons Device: Kindle 3 International, Pocketbook Color	And I'm back again after a rather lengthy pause. :-) I really don't understand the necessity to put more science and statistics in keeping track of reading with all sorts of spreadsheets or even online databases. My Calibre holds two libraries: One fore "liberated" Kindle books and one for "all other". My Kindle holds the following collections: TBR - Which is my to-be-read list and also where the current reading book resides. Finished - Where finished books lands after reading. Important - Where there are mostly reference and books thad need to be reread. Shortstories - Where "short" books resides, perfect for airport reading. If I'm reading a series, there might be a small note, either on paper or as a "yellow sticker" on my phone where the next-in-line title is listed. Simple as that.

12-03-2012, 03:35 AM	#21
Baroness ePub Fan Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Victoria, Australia Device: iPhone 5	If I want to read a book but I haven't yet purchased or borrowed it (for example, if an acquaintance has recommended it on the fly, if it's a book by a favourite author or if it's not yet an ebook -- and I'm looking at you, Battle Royale!), I add it to the default 'to-read' shelf in GoodReads. However, as I mostly use GoodReads to track books that I have read, they tend to get neglected -- so I also keep a simple check-list of a few at a time which have caught my interest in a big way in Evernote. If I already own the book (or am already borrowing it), I simply keep it in my iPhone until it's been read. From there, my favourites stay on my iPhone (though may get shuffled through the shelves) and books that are less-than-favourites are removed from the iPhone (but remain in Calibre for future access). I've considered making a custom column in Calibre, but it seems easier to just export everything to my iPhone and let my fingers do the choosing.

12-03-2012, 08:41 AM	#25
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 71,496 Karma: 306214458 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Voyage	I have a folder containing all the ebooks I've bought but I haven't read yet. I only have these books on my Kindle/iPhone/Opus. When I've read a book, I delete it from the folder.

12-03-2012, 08:53 AM	#26
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,099 Karma: 11315768 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	140 of mine are pbooks, so a Calibre or ereader solution isn't going to work for me. That's more than I thought, to be honest. Some of them go back a long way, but I kind of suspect I have gained more paper books in the last year than I usually did before I got my ereader. I know that because of my spreadsheet.

12-03-2012, 01:01 PM	#28
sakura-panda Guru Posts: 923 Karma: 9558874 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast Michigan, USA Device: 2017 10.5" iPad Pro (Kobo, NOOK, Kindle, Google Play Books & Scribd)	I have a hand-coded webpage that links to where I purchased the book. I use the same page to keep track of which of those books I have read.

12-03-2012, 01:19 PM	#30
latepaul Wizard Posts: 1,264 Karma: 10203040 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: a variety (mostly kindles and kobos)	I've got a custom column in Calibre called Read? (also "Date Read"). But I also use Goodreads. I used to keep track of my TBR by adding together my "currently reading" and "to read" shelves. I then made a rule that unless my TBR went down over a month I couldn't buy any new (e)books the following month. I had to abandon it because I kept cheating. Also a lot of TBR list is technically to-be-read but will take a long time to reach the top of the list. I find it hard to pass up a book from a favourite author in order to read a classic I downloaded because I've heard of it and thought I'd read it "one day".

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