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Original poster

Do you keep a record/journal of every book you read?

63 replies

waltzingparrot · 27/07/2022 12:12

Anyone else record all their reading? Or maybe you just have better memories than me.

I joined a book club in 2011 and bought a journal to record every book we've read, score it out of 10 and give it a review.

Just skipped through it.

Weirdest novelsl I've ever read: "Hello Kitty Must Die"
"The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse" Review just said 'Weirdly mesmerising but WTF was that about?'

Only 3 books scored 10 points :
The Painted Veil - W Somerset Maugham
Lottery - Patricia Wood
Elephant Moon - John Sweeney

Worst and best books anyone?

OP posts:
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GelatoQueen · 02/08/2022 14:37

I've tried various things over the years - spreadsheets, goodreads, list in diary - but about 4 years ago i bought a blank book and started listing and jotting down my thoughts on each book. It's messy looking but effective. I try to write within a couple of days of finishing a book and do a brief summary at the end of the year of best and worst reads. I have read a lot of crap over the last couple of years as this was all I could cope with but have moved into 'harder' reads more recently.

YingMei · 02/08/2022 11:41

I started using goodreads a couple of years ago. I find it satisfying to keep a log. Although I don't write many reviews, I value the vast amount of reviews on there and use it to pick my next reads.

tobee · 01/08/2022 21:04

I use Good Reads.

Also love to read other peoples' reviews on it, you can nearly always find someone who agrees exactly with you! And love to read the reviews who loved a book and those that hated it.

TheHorrorOfIt · 01/08/2022 19:19

Some great ideas here! I am a big record-keeper and like stats but I’ve never kept this amount of detail about reading, and I think I might start…

I have kept lists each year since 2013 of what I’ve read; like a PP I was conscious of not reading as much as I’d like and this has really helped because I also line up my “read next” list. I like a mix of genres and am also trying not to buy too many books so this helps me read the ones I already have.

I notice the first one on my list for 2013 was The Casual Vacancy, which I loved. Currently reading Slipstream by Elizabeth Jane Howard which I’m also enjoying

TattiePants · 29/07/2022 22:16

I also use Goodreads. There’s no way I could keep track of the 430 books I want to read without it!

Do you keep a record/journal of every book you read?
ouch321 · 29/07/2022 18:47

Never occured to me to do that.

If you read on Kindle though you can filter by 'Read'.

Springduckling · 29/07/2022 18:45

Since 2019 I've kept a record on a fairly boring excel spreadsheet, started it to see how many books I was reading. I read a lot more in 2020 than other years.
I give a rating to every book as well. It helps me remember the stand out really good books.

AnnotherReader · 29/07/2022 16:01

IsFuzzyBeagMise · 29/07/2022 15:51

Very nice indeed. I particularly like the first picture you posted!

Show quote history

That’s my favourite page as well, I love finishing a book so I can add it to my bookshelf.

IsFuzzyBeagMise · 29/07/2022 15:51

AnnotherReader · 28/07/2022 17:55

Here are some pictures 😁

Very nice indeed. I particularly like the first picture you posted!

bibliomania · 29/07/2022 15:39

Very cool, Another reader.

botbump · 29/07/2022 15:17

I use GoodReads to track what I read.
Great app, can link with friends, and links to your kindle so you don't have to update it with things you've read on there.
Pretty sure you can straight import your Amazon purchases to your 'to be read' list tops

IsFuzzyBeagMise · 29/07/2022 15:13

I keep a handwritten list and number it, nothing fancy.
I like looking back on it now and again.
I would probably forget what I read if I didn't!

Original poster
waltzingparrot · 29/07/2022 15:06

I need to up my game!

Mine's just handwritten in chronological order - no stats, no search criteria etc although I have written some entries in my expensive fountain pen.

@AnnotherReader Yours is very impressive. I like your colour palette 😁

@Honnomushi Thanks, I'm going to check out storygraph. I may go digital.

I noticed a couple of years ago, I started adding a couple of sentences about the plot to remind me - along with my review of how I felt about it/writing style etc - must be the start of a failing memory (late 50s). Some of my early entries, I can't even remember reading it, let alone what the book was about.

OP posts:
glamourousindierockandroll · 28/07/2022 18:28

Goodreads here too!

JaneJeffer · 28/07/2022 17:58

I don't keep a record. That would be a chore for me.

AnnotherReader · 28/07/2022 17:55

Here are some pictures 😁

Do you keep a record/journal of every book you read?
Do you keep a record/journal of every book you read?
Do you keep a record/journal of every book you read?
AnnotherReader · 28/07/2022 17:50

I have a reading journal, I love it and it has made me enjoy reading even more than I did before.
I am not very artistic and I don't write reviews or notes about the books I have read. I do keep track of how many pages I have read every day and I have lots of lists.
It contains a list of every book I own and I tock them off when i have read them. I keep track of when I have brought new books and how much they cost and if I start a new series I write a list of all the books in the series so I can tick them off as I buy them and read them.
I will try and add some pictures.

bibliomania · 28/07/2022 16:30

I've kept a paper record of books read, with short reviews, in a series of exercise books since 2009. I like to review them at the end of each year, although it's cumbersome to do a search if I'm uncertain whether I've read something already.

HolyCarp · 28/07/2022 10:14

I keep a tally on Goodreads, but also keep a book journal for each year. I love setting it up for the coming year and seeing all those blank pages ready to record a year's reading.

It's also something lovely to look back over when it's complete at the end of the year.

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 28/07/2022 08:28

I don't journal it, but should. Someone picked a book for Book Club. I managed to get the book from the library, and was actually a few pages in before I realised I had read it already. I have continued to read it/skip over the bits that I remember better, so that I can talk about it, but really I need to write stuff down, as I have bought books in charity shops, then realise I've read them! I could get a lovely book to use couldn't I. I would only need to remember where I kept it!

TheBikiniExpert · 28/07/2022 08:26

I use Goodreads. I have a terrible memory so having a record of the book cover there often helps me remember the contents too.

whydoesithurtsomuch · 28/07/2022 08:26

I don't, but working in a library saw several customers who had little notebooks to keep a record of what they had read. They were all the kind who borrowed a LOT of books. A good idea, and a nice record to have.

Discovereads · 28/07/2022 08:25

I read 99% of my books from the library, and they keep a list of everything I’ve read.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 28/07/2022 08:21

I used to have a book journal. Now I log on Goodreads.

PicturesOfDogs · 28/07/2022 08:20

Another vote for Goodreads. You can also add to a ‘want to read’ shelf, which if you’re anything like me, will expand forever lol