What’s 746 books all about then?
My name is Cathy. I am a 40-something mother of 7 year old twins who loves buying books.
I am addicted to buying books of all types; real proper books, second hand books, borrowed books, books for Kindle, books for iPad….
In 2013 I realised this madness could not continue, so I set myself a challenge. I counted all the unread books in my house and it came to 746.
It was frightening.
What was even more frightening is that I didn’t count the unread books that are packed away in boxes in the attic and have been since we moved house, 17 YEARS AGO. Nor did I count the books that belonged to my father that have been in storage for the last 4 YEARS. Plus, I didn’t factor in books of my husband’s that I’ve been meaning to read as well. But 746 books was what I had to hand, and 746 was where I started.
In the last year preceeding my challenge, I read 36 books. Continuing at this, let’s face it, not very inspiring rate, meant that it would take me 20.72 years to read everything I have in the house. I’ll be 63. Bloody hell.
So, I decided to stop. Since that day I haven’t bought myself any books. I do allow myself bookish gifts, publisher’s ARCs and the occasional library trip, but I have stopped buying and am reading and reviewing from my mountainous TBR pile!
I am also passionate about Irish Literature and host the annual Reading Ireland Month in March. Click on the Irish Literature section to see news and reviews about the exciting work coming from Ireland. Each month I focus on a writer from Northern Ireland and you can check those reviews out in my Northern Exposure series.
I work full time as the Arts Programmer at the Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Bellaghy where my compulsive reading is seen as a transferable skill! I review theatre for the Irish entertainment website No More Workhorse and have taken part in the Belfast Book Festival, Dalkey Book Festival and Jaipur Literature Festival in India.
You can follow my progress on Twitter @cathy746books or email me at cmac2708@yahoo.co.uk
Hi Cathy! I landed here from Marina Sofia’s blog. I’ve not counted my unread books, but I must be in the same situation- problem is, I can’t stop myself from buying yet more, I cheat by buying ebooks so there’s no evidence… Pleased to meet you, Marina
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Thanks for stopping by Marina! Ebooks were what got me into this predicament!
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I’ve just followed your blog, I love Greece and Crete in particular!
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That’s great❤️
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Hi Cathy! My name is Aya, and I am a fellow book blogger. I was wondering if you’d be interested in participating in a small project that I am doing. I wanted to ask a bunch of bloggers (49, to be exact :p), to give me one of their favorite book quotes. I’m going to compile them all in one post and then post it on my blog on the 22nd of this month. It’d be fantastic if you would be a part of this. Just let me know by this Sunday, please, so that I have plenty of time to compile and/or ask someone else. Thank you!
P.S. You are the 48th blogger to be asked!
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Hi Aya, yes I’d love to! Email me your details and I’ll get back to you. Thanks for asking.
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Hiya. You mentioned the Woolfalong blog? challenge? in your 2Jan 2017 post – please can you send me a link? Searching for the link didn’t work .
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Here you go:
https://heavenali.wordpress.com/woolfalong/
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Thanks for a very prompt reply. Appreciated.
Will go and visit.
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HI just discovered your blog and challenge on Fictionphile’s blog and will try and join in. 🙂
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Great! Thanks so much for stopping by!
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Christ is Risen!
Hi Kathy, just discovered your site thanks to your interview of BookerTalk, a favorite book blogger of mine. I realize you follow my Orthodox blog, which has so far so few posts… and a few other Orthodox blogs! Are you Orthodox?
Otherwise http://wordsandpeace.com is my “profane” book blog.
Matushka Emma
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Thanks Emma!
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Hey Cathy, I just stumbled across your blog via your 20 books of summer challenge (I’m joining in with 10 books myself). I have also made a no-more-book-buying pledge, although mine is only for the remainder of 2017 (if I’m successful I may allow myself to buy a FEW books as a prize and then continuing the challenge in 2018). But your plan is awe-inspiring! 746 is a very large number. I hope you can do it!!
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Thanks Emma, I try not to think about how many I have to read all in one go 😀
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Love the idea of reading all your books before buying more! I seem to have the same issue but am not sure that I could stop from buying along the way. 🙂
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It’s not easy! Plus, I cheat slightly by getting books as gifts for every conceivable birthday/ Christmas/ anniversary/Mother’s Day 😂
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new releases must be the hardest!
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I give you a lot of credit. I know I will never read all the books I own. I have over 1000 just on my kindle, not counting all the books on my two large bookshelves. Good luck to you.
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Thanks Carla!
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I have over 1,000 unread books on my Kindles as well. But it’s funny, they’re all present in my mind somehow and I keep rescuing them from oblivion when the right time comes (when I research something or go through my folders searching for certain kinds of books). And yes, I still buy books, both ebooks and paperbacks 🙂 But I have to say I have lots of DNF books. But then there again, the funny thing is that I’ll be reminded of a book I began and start at the beginning again and finish it. 🙂
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What can I say, when you’re a book addict, you’re a book addict!
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😀
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I found a link to your website over at Thom’s blog, The Immortal Jukebox. Good luck with your reading project. I’m impressed with your determination and your taste in books.
Ω
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Thanks Allan!
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Cathy, am in same predicament as you and many on the post. Just can’t stop buying books from Charity shops and second hand bookshops. You have inspired me to at least count my stock and then maybe I will set myself a target for the winter! Betty
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Thanks for commenting Betty – I’m making slow progress but every little helps!
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You’ve made me fee so much better! I counted my books a while ago and found out of them over two hundred were unread. I now see that is nothing to worry about and it’s fine for me to accumulate a few more, ha haa!! 😀
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Lucy, I am a cautionary tale! I’m ridiculously pleased with myself because I’m now in the 500s 😂
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Hi Cathy! I came across your blog through a comment you left on Bibliobeth’s recent post – what an incredible project you’ve got on your hands here!! Looking forward to poking around a little bit and seeing how you’re doing 😉
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Thanks so much for reading Sheree!
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That is an impressive amount of unread books. And here I was thinking 20 unread books was bad. Good luck!
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There must be a name for this syndrome. Great blog!
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Thanks so much!
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Hi. I was sent here by tea and cake for the soul to join in on the reading challenge. Great post. I don’t dare count my books. 😉
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Thanks for stopping by! X
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Oh my gosh the unending book collection…I know this well. I too have books from family members, and more than enough of them are ambitious ideas based more on curiosity than a real desire to read THAT book. I wind up thinking, well if it weren’t for this book I’d never even think to read this subject/book/author, so I better hold on to this so I remember to. 😉 Oh dear… Awesome project you’ve embarked on, best of reading to you!
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Thank you so much!
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Nice. This is inspirational because now only few whose collection are books. Books can be very useful and even if it gets old, its value is still there.
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