Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Things I’ve Quit Doing


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This prompt was shared on October 6, 2015. I wasn’t aware of Top Ten Tuesday back then, so today I will reach back into time so I can borrow this idea and talk about bookish things I have quit doing.

Edit: Blogger/blogspot is once again being really finicky about letting me comment. A few of my comments are randomly going through, but most are being denied. I will keep trying but wanted to let everyone know what’s going on.

The word goodbye is written in white chalk on a black chalkboard. The chalkboard is sitting in a black mesh container on a wooden shelf. There is a plant growing out of a green drinking glass next to the chalkboard.

 

1. Setting Lofty Reading Goals 

I purposefully pick reading goals involving pages or books finished that I can easily accomplish so that this hobby continues to feel fun for me. I never want to feel stressed out by how much I have (or haven’t) been reading.

 

2. Giving Unsolicited Book Recommendations 

That is to say, I only give out recommendations to people who have either directly asked for one or who are close enough to me that I feel like I know their tastes in books quite well and who have told me it’s okay to share books I think they might like.

I never gave out a lot of unsolicited book recommendations in the past, but now even those occasional recommendations feel a little too close to unsolicited advice to me.

I’d rather gush about the books I love and let others decide for themselves if they want to read them in the vast majority of cases.

 

3. Accepting Unsolicited Book Recommendations 

Likewise, I’ve also become more cautious about accepting unsolicited book recommendations unless the person giving them is in my inner circle and knows my tastes well.

There are so many books in this world and such limited time to find the best ones. I will listen politely, of course, but I will only actually read a recommendation if the blurb sounds right up my alley.

 

4. Reading (Most) Bestsellers 

My reading tastes so rarely coincide with the bestseller list that I generally pay it no mind at all when deciding what to read next. (This is no way a commentary on people who do like really popular stuff or the books themselves. It’s simply an acknowledgement that I usually prefer other sorts of stories).

 

5. Entertaining Nonsense 

For example, I will stop reading a book if it promotes racist, sexist, homophobic, or other hateful beliefs.

(There’s a difference between writing about a character who says those things and promoting the ideas themselves to the audience as something admirable. I will read about the former but not the latter).

I also shake my head and ignore advertising that assumes that your membership in a specific group should mean you like X but not Y instead of encouraging everyone read whatever appeals most to them. <glares at Instagram and the sometimes weirdly narrow little boxes their ads try to put people in>.

88 Comments

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88 Responses to Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Things I’ve Quit Doing

  1. I love your entire list, especially Entertaining Nonsense.

  2. A wise list of never-do-agains. I heartily agree with turning down unsolicited book offers. There are too many great books I already want to read.

  3. These are all so great! Especially #5. 😀

  4. Bestsellers are rarely good stuff, so no loss there! They’re either airplane novels or pop/psuedo-intellectual political books for the talking heads on TV to yak about. I did mine on recently added Goodreads wanna-read books.

  5. Anita@seriesbooklover

    I have to agree with the point about bestsellers.

  6. Loved reading your thoughts and I wholeheartedly agree with your last point! 🙂 This is a great choice of topic. Great post, Lydia!

  7. Two and three are great. I only give out recommendations if I know of similar books to what someone has liked, they ask for it (usually I asked about books they like first), or as gifts. Recommendations depend. I can blow them off pretty easy, but if it’s from someone I have the same reading taste as or I trust the reader, I will sometimes go out of my comfort reading zone to try a book recommended.

  8. I don’t think I’ve ever set reading goals. Of course I always liked reading and finding all the books, but I never did the whole Goodreads challenge or the like. For me, I think it’d have taken the fun out of reading. 🙂 Glad you were able to say goodbye to these and are able to enjoy (hopefully!) reading all the more for it. Thanks for visiting my website.

  9. What a good list, Reading is personal, and everyone should have their own time and make their own decisions.

  10. This is a great list! I also used to accept unsolicited book recommendations from people who didn’t know (and honor) my reading tastes, but I don’t do that anymore, either. There are just too many books out there that I actually want to read! No need for me to read books just because some acquaintance or co-worker pushed it on me.

    My TTT: https://bookwyrmknits.com/2023/03/21/top-ten-tuesday-ttt-rewind-hidden-gems/

  11. Wendy Williams

    I like all these goals! I love your goal of not entertaining nonsense!

  12. Reading (Most) Bestsellers – I’ve stopped reading bestsellers just because they’re bestsellers. Occasionally one pops up that catches my interest, but I’m far more likely to get ideas for what to pick up from other readers (I trust) on blogs, twitter etc.

  13. I love all of these! I’ve never been one to give book recommendations; I just rant about the book I love, lol. #5 hits the nail on the head. In addition to what you said, I’ll stop reading a book if the quality of the writing is getting in the way of enjoying the story. Great post! ♥

  14. This is a very, very good list. I should inherit most of these ideas myself! This is a great post, Lydia. Have a wonderful day 😊

  15. Setting out lofty goals is one I try to avoid as well – I tend to read less the higher my goal is. I’d rather surpass it then fall behind!

  16. Poinsettia

    I’ve been trying to set realistic goals for reading as well. I was in a slump for so long, and I don’t want to kill the joy of reading when I actually have time for it! Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.

  17. Love this post! I totally agree about not setting lofty reading goals. I set it to 25 and usually hit it like January or February but it’s so nice. I don’t really care how many I get to anymore but what I’m reading. I also try to stay away from many bestsellers unless my trusted bloggers are convincing me to read it!

  18. Agree with all of these! I will read bestsellers, but ONLY if I feel like they’re something I’d enjoy, not just because they’re a bestseller. So similar to unsollicited recommendations actually – I don’t just go into it blindly because like you say there’s not enough time for that, BUT if it sounds like something up my alley I would give it a try.

  19. Hi Lydia!

    Great list and excellent advice! I’ve stopped making reading lists about a year ago. Sometimes I miss it. Nope. Actually I don’t…. LOL!!

    Thanks for visiting us earlier!

  20. Thank you for stopping by my blog. Your comment went through. These are great goals. I am the same way with bestsellers. Have a great week! 🙂

  21. Great answers, Lydia! I agree with you about giving out unsolicited recommendations. I feel much more happy just raving about what I love and let others decide if they want to try it out or not hahah By the way, I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that it’s pretty awesome! 😀

  22. I love this list! You may have inspired me to create my own!

  23. This is a good topic and a good list. I never know what is on the Bestseller list. Have a great week!

  24. This is such a good list. Your reading experience must have become way better after stopping doing those things. I, too, have stopped setting lofty reading goals and it has taken so much stress off my shoulders. After all, as you said, reading is a hobby and it’s supposed to be fun and stress-relieving.

  25. Lydia – I love this list! I think you keep the focus on enjoying what you read, and keeping the joy in reading, rather than making it feel like a task to be checked off, and that’s exactly how it should be.

  26. Some excellent things to leave behind! Especially the last one. I’ve also stopped really taking book recommendations unless I feel I know the person offering is a reader whose taste I can relate to. I started doing that after every person in my life was recommending me 50 Shades Of Grey to me like it was the only book in existence.

  27. Deanne Patterson

    Love your list, they are so true.

  28. I agree with your list. I’ll add that I’ve also stopped accepting books for review since that felt too much like work to me. I just read what I want when I want, which means that I’m usually several years behind the times. Oh well. Someone has to remind a little corner of the internet about the older-but-goodies. Great topic!

  29. I don’t know that I read many bestsellers either. At least not the huge ones…

  30. I love (and totally agree with) #5!

  31. I also put up with a lot less nonsense. If a book gets on my nerves, I’ll DNF it and read something else. There are a lot of books in the world.

  32. Neeru

    Love your candid take on the topic. I agree with 4 and 5 thoroughly. Thanks for visiting my blog earlier.

  33. I TOTALLY understand about giving unsolicited recommendations. I have finally stopped myself from doing that, too.

  34. Stefani @ Read with Stefani

    With you on a lot of these, especially on the lofty reading goals. Happy reading! My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/top-ten-non-fiction-titles-on-my-tbr/

  35. Jo

    I more use the Goodreads Challenge as a way of tracking what I’m reading than seeing it as a target as such? I’m happy to move the number up or down throughout the year depending on how much I’m reading and never see it as a fixed number that I have to meet, it definitely makes the whole thing less stressful, and I always pick something that I think is easily achievable for me.

  36. Great list! I’m also trying to be better about not entertaining nonsense and just DNFing books that I’m not enjoying.

  37. I love these. I don’t read bestsellers either. I figure they are getting enough love already:-)

  38. Very good goals. I get some bestsellers in, some translated fiction, so old books, some under-hyped new books. I like a good variety.

  39. It’s nice when we learn what works for us and stick to it, right?! #5 is a must for me, as well! Great topic choice!

  40. This is a great list, and definitely gave me some things to think about. Have a great weekend.

  41. Loved reading your thoughts and I wholeheartedly agree with your last point! 🙂 This is a great choice of topic. Great post, Lydia!

  42. As much as I read I rarely give out book recs. I feel like my book blog is enough. And only if we happen to be talking about books and reading and there is a book that springs to mind right away with you, I’ll rec a book in real life.

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