My moral gray area with giving away books I haven't read

Clearing my shelves and facing a stack of unread novels feels like admitting defeat... part of me thinks they should go to someone who'll enjoy them, but what if I finally want to read them next year? It's a weird guilt trip over paper and ink.

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3 Comments

the_grant7mo ago

I kept only ten unread books on my shelf at any time. The rest went into a box for the little free library down my street. If I didn't pick one up after a few months, I knew it wasn't a priority. Giving them away felt like passing on a gift rather than admitting defeat. Now my shelves have space for books I truly want to read soon. Setting a simple number limit took the emotion out of the decision.

4

the_avery7mo ago

My shelf usually has fifty unread books. For me, that stack means possibilities, not pressure. Giving them away after a few months might make me miss a good read later. I like seeing them there as a menu of what's next. A set number would just add more rules to my free time.

2

dianaanderson7mo ago

Rules for reading can make it feel like a chore.

1