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I definitely see where he's going with some of this stuff, but I strongly disagree with this part, and I find it really off the mark: You know that pile of b

I definitely see where he's going with some of this stuff, but I strongly disagree with this part, and I find it really off the mark: You know that pile of books that you'll never read that sitting next to the computer you are reading this blog post on? That pile is too tall. You'll never read all those. That pile of books is a monolith of guilt. It's a monument of sadness and failure. Pick the book or two that you can read this week and put the rest away. "A monolith of guilt... a monument of sadness and failure"?! How pessimistic! No, no, it's a pile of treasure! I love having a huge stack of books on my desk, or overflowing from my bookshelves. Maybe he's talking about a different kind of book, but almost none of the books I'm currently reading I'll be able to finish in a week, not even if I devoted all my free time to a single one. Here's my current stack: Modern Compiler Impl in ML, Real World Haskell, Programming Haskell, Types and Programming Languages, Software Foundations, chapters on parsing in EOPL1, chapters on types in EOPL3, chapters on types in PLAI, And that doesn't include some papers I've got printed out for the subway. I just got a new book delivered today, bought practically on a whim (the Coq'Art book), just because why not? Maybe I have some kind of attention deficit problem, but I really find it valuable to read multiple takes on the same topic (in this case, as you might infer, compilers and types), which means working through a bunch of books concurrently. I find it thrilling and exciting to have so much more to read, so much more to learn. The stack of books is a monument to wonder and knowledge, it's a deep well to draw on and to be immersed in.

enraged_camel 14y ago
I think his point is that if the unread books are right in front of you for months at a time, they are a constant reminder that you mean to get around to reading them, but never do. Which is something I definitely agree with. I used to have books lying around my room. Not only were they visual clutter, but I would get in the habit of picking one up, flipping through the pages, and then getting distracted with another book. Ever since I started keeping all my books in my bookshelf though, I've been much better at focusing on just one and finishing it before moving on to the next.
- billjings 14y ago
  That is the entire point of having the books in a stack where you can see them! I love reading, but I intentionally take up books for leisure reading that I know will be a challenge. Some longer or more difficult works are definitely projects, projects that I need to consciously put work into. Having the book sitting out there, visible, a physical reminder, is probably my most powerful motivational tool for getting these books read. For me this is the main reason I still buy and read physical books. I guess it also helps that, for me, reading is something I get excited about. It is how I unwind. Having a book in my library that I haven't read yet does not make me feel guilty. Maybe the book makes me excited with anticipation, maybe I feel apathetic towards it. But I don't feel anxious, because the world will keep spinning just fine if I fail to read a book. edit: I should amend to say that this is also a matter of taste. Having books all over the place will definitely make you switch reading material sometime, and will probably keep you from finishing some books. I'm of the school of thought that says, fine. I'll fail to finish some books. Not the end of the world. Sometimes a book just takes a couple of tries before it gets its teeth into you.
  - shanselman 14y ago
    I'm not saying that one shouldn't have a lot of books. I've got a bookshelf behind me that is TWO WALLS wide and 8 feet tall. I'm talking about the pile of books on our desk that we lie to ourselves about. I called them Guilt Piles. For many people that pile of books that they aren't going to read this week represents promises they've made to themselves that they didn't keep. I was just saying, be honest and take a few books off your desk. Those books are on my shelves and I'll read them when I'm ready for them.
    - billjings 14y ago
      All I can say is that I live in a state of radical disarray, and I often have books just sitting around. I wouldn't ever call them guilt piles, because leaving something unfinished causes me no real guilt, especially if I'm happy with whatever I'm doing at the moment. In my work life, I feel I need to fight that instinct. But not in my reading life. That's part of what makes it a refuge for me.

enraged_camel 14y ago

I think his point is that if the unread books are right in front of you for months at a time, they are a constant reminder that you mean to get around to reading them, but never do. Which is something I definitely agree with. I used to have books lying around my room. Not only were they visual clutter, but I would get in the habit of picking one up, flipping through the pages, and then getting distracted with another book. Ever since I started keeping all my books in my bookshelf though, I've been much better at focusing on just one and finishing it before moving on to the next.

billjings 14y ago
That is the entire point of having the books in a stack where you can see them! I love reading, but I intentionally take up books for leisure reading that I know will be a challenge. Some longer or more difficult works are definitely projects, projects that I need to consciously put work into. Having the book sitting out there, visible, a physical reminder, is probably my most powerful motivational tool for getting these books read. For me this is the main reason I still buy and read physical books. I guess it also helps that, for me, reading is something I get excited about. It is how I unwind. Having a book in my library that I haven't read yet does not make me feel guilty. Maybe the book makes me excited with anticipation, maybe I feel apathetic towards it. But I don't feel anxious, because the world will keep spinning just fine if I fail to read a book. edit: I should amend to say that this is also a matter of taste. Having books all over the place will definitely make you switch reading material sometime, and will probably keep you from finishing some books. I'm of the school of thought that says, fine. I'll fail to finish some books. Not the end of the world. Sometimes a book just takes a couple of tries before it gets its teeth into you.
- shanselman 14y ago
  I'm not saying that one shouldn't have a lot of books. I've got a bookshelf behind me that is TWO WALLS wide and 8 feet tall. I'm talking about the pile of books on our desk that we lie to ourselves about. I called them Guilt Piles. For many people that pile of books that they aren't going to read this week represents promises they've made to themselves that they didn't keep. I was just saying, be honest and take a few books off your desk. Those books are on my shelves and I'll read them when I'm ready for them.
  - billjings 14y ago
    All I can say is that I live in a state of radical disarray, and I often have books just sitting around. I wouldn't ever call them guilt piles, because leaving something unfinished causes me no real guilt, especially if I'm happy with whatever I'm doing at the moment. In my work life, I feel I need to fight that instinct. But not in my reading life. That's part of what makes it a refuge for me.