I just finished a work read about babysitting, something I’ve done a lot of in my life. I think those days are past, but you never know. I guess if Reading is my Superpower isn’t making me a six-figure salary by the end of the current fiscal year, I’ll be putting up flyers at the local grocery store.

New reader Todd (hi, Todd!) writes:

Here’s a question re: your personal library… have you read everything on your list? Is it a rule for you for your librarything list to include only the ones you have read?

In my personal library, I’d say honestly, I’ve only read about 50%-60% or what I own. I buy to build the library all the time. I buy and know that I have “a book in the bank” so to speak. So on that night of nights and I’m like damn I need to start something amazing… I look on my shelves and there are a host of options. That’s the most fun. That’s why I overbuy.

How about you? Your readers as well, what does everyone do in that area?

That’s a great question about my library.

I’ve read all of the books in my Librarything listing. Most of the books in the house were brought there by me, but those of my husband’s that I haven’t read won’t be listed until I get around to reading them. He’s got a bunch of Jim Thompson, which I’m looking forward to checking out–I read The Killer Inside Me ages ago and really liked it.

If a book stays in my to-be-read pile for too long, I get rid of it. For books that I don’t think I’ll want to read again, I’ll go to the library or mooch or borrow from a friend–though I’ve been known to stop reading a library book after 100 pages so I can go buy my own copy because I’ve fallen in love.

I like to keep my permanent collection reserved for books that I’m going to read again. A lot of that has to do with living in New York City, and not having all the room in the world for books, though I dream of having a library of my own.