Guys, it’s happening again. Those who were reading StuckinaBook a few years ago may remember that I did Project 24 – where I only bought 24 books for the whole year. There were doubters. There were naysayers. But I did it!
For context – I buy at least ten times that number ofbooks most years (95% secondhand books), and probably rather more. On one day this year I bought 27 books.
The number of unread books on my shelves gets higher and higher. This isn’t so much about saving money as it is about reading the books I already own.
If anybody wants to join in, you can (of course) set your own rules – but my Project 24 books don’t include presents (that I buy for others, or that they give me) or review copies, but do encompass more or less anybody else.
So – watch this space! I’ll be feeding back on which books make the grade throughout the year. Up above is the banner I’ll be using with each reveal – do you reckon I can do it? And do you want to??
This is a really great idea – when I look at the number of unread books on my bookshelves, I feel quite overwhelmed at them all. Count me in!
Excellent, Katherine! Very pleased to have you on board.
I believe in you!
What about books bought with gift vouchers from friends??
Oo tricky tricky! Thankfully I’ve spent your voucher already – cos I’m not sure what I’d do there! (And thanks for belief :))
Sure you can do it. As long as you can go from February to December without buying a single book. :^))
Haha! I can always pray for an 11 month coma.
Just not possible here!
Imagine passing up book number 25 from a charity shop and then never-ever seeing that book again anywhere!
Oh Sue, don’t make me doubt myself already! After #24, I’ll be keeping well away from bookshops ;)
Nice: First you introduce me to Slightly Foxed Books, and now this. Last month I took out a 2-year subscription to SF because They are so enticing.. On the other hand, my library is filled with books I feel bad about not reading.. Okay, I’m in – but first I’m going to buy a few SF editions as a Christmas present to myself and in anticipation of drastically reduced book expenditures in 2017. Next year will be spent reading from what’s left of my library and catching up on the Slightly Foxed back issues while making lists of books to buy in 2018. It will be interesting to see which books you and your readers choose as worthy of their top 24.
Oh dear, I’ve very sorry! I do give conflicting suggestions, don’t I? But I might well look on Project 24 as a good excuse to spend a little extra on some of the Slightly Foxed books I don’t have…
Count me in — I will also limit myself to only 24 books in 2017 — Added this requirement – every other book I read will be one already on my shelf.
I have limited space, so I either bring my books to our monthly garden club meeting or if I don’t think anyone would like what I read, to half price books for other buyers. I then put the amount – always very small towards another used book at some time. Best wishes — love your blog. Laura
Sounds great, Laura! I haven’t set limits on the amount I want to read from my shelves, but I’m hoping I can manage around 90%…
I’ve tried off and on to not buy any books, but I didn’t succeed. Good luck to you!
Thanks Nan!
I think it’s a terrific idea. I’m very tempted to join you. I’ll think about it some more.
It would fun to have you on board, Caroline :)
I broke out in a sweat just reading this idea. I think I will monitor myself away from the spotlight as I hate public failure and see how the rest of you go. Maybe for 2018, naw…I get the heebie-jeebies.
Haha! I understand that – it’s taken a good few years before I’ve been willing to give it a second go.
I broke out in a sweat just thinking of this. I think I will do it secretly as I do hate public failure so much. I will enjoy seeing how others go with you. Happy 2017
Oh yes I will join you, and had been wondering if you might do this again. My book amassing is out of hand right now. I must read from my shelves this year.
Excellent, Sarah! I really am looking forward to getting deeper into my shelves.
Well I’ve just had a mighty splurge after my Kindle broke and I decided to ditch it and buy hard copies of all the lost downloads … So it sounds a great idea – I’ve been attempting to blitz the ‘S’ section of bookcase this year (got to start somewhere!) but keep getting lured into library. So next year will rein in buying and borrowing. But no promises!
I love the idea of tackling one alphabetical section of the library – it’s as likely as any method to bring up good variety! Rather like Phyllis Rose’s The Shelf.
I’m doing the The TBR Dare from Jan to Mar and will try not to buy books during that time – but my town has two indie bookshops to support and I can’t not spend money in them!
Good luck – I know you can do it again.
Very true, Annabel. Maybe I’ll put a ‘use indies for present buying’ resolution alongside this.
I might. Still formulating plans for 2017, but I might …..
It would be good to have you on board, Lizzy!
I think it’s a great idea Simon! I have been thinking of doing something similar for next year also because my TBR pile is out of control. So I might join you. My problem is that we have a huge used book sale (over 600,000 books) every Feb here in town and I always end up buying quite a few books every year. (By “a few” I mean a suitcase full ;)…). I’m thinking of doing your challenge and limiting myself to under 10 books at the book sale.
Btw, this is Michelle @bookmusing…I’m not sure why my comment posted as anonymous…I must’ve posted it before filling in my info.
Hi Michelle – at first, I misread that as saying you had 600,000 books yourself! And I thought it was about time you did the challenge ;) – but, yes, that would be a very big temptation…
This is very very brave…..! I probably SHOULD join in, but I’m not sure I’d manage it… I’m interested to hear how landed on 24 as a limit though? Why not 12, or 0 even?! Go hard or go home…..?!?! :-D
Haha! Wash your mouth out! I can’t remember why I chose 24 the first time around – I think I wanted a number divisible by twelve (to divide by months) and 12 seemed far too few, and 36 too many…
I think I will join you with this one. I buy way too many books, and I must safe money and read the books I have on my shelves.
I will make one exception, I am busy getting the last Agatha Christies I need to make my collection as complete as possible, and I will not count those. But I will limit myself to no more than 2 AC’s per month.
Well, I must admit a bookbuying ban never worked for me before, but I am giving it my best shot!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Kind regards,
Great, Bettina, good to have you on board – and that is a very admirably exception :) Let’s see if we can all do it together!
I really wish I had the will power to do this as I accumulate far too many books than I will ever be able to read. But I know myself far too well to commit to such a strict project! I will follow your progress with interest, though!
Ha! Yes, good to know these things in advance – I think I need to the restrictions otherwise it just wouldn’t happen at all. Wish me luck!
I’ll look forward to seeing your progress with this. Having done one limiting challenge one year (only read 104 books in a year ha ha now I struggle to do that) I did it for six months, then rolled around madly in incessant reading for the rest of the year. It didn’t work anyway as instead of doing Improving Things or Spending More Time With My Partner (the challenger), I read mags and watched crap telly. So I’ll watch from afar and wish you good luck!
Thanks Liz! I think two challenges on consecutive years would definitely be overkill, so that makes sense :)
Oh, I did that one years ago but it still stings, the memory, the memory …