I've said for awhile that I would never put myself on a book buying ban. I didn't think I was buying that many books and after all, if I was having a bad week a new book on the weekend could make me feel a little better. For some reason I've bought a lot of books since I got back from Europe. Maybe because I wasn't buying any while I was there? It just seems like there have been a lot of sales, coupons, and books wanted over the last two months. My TBR pile grew substantially and my reading pace slowed down a bit. I'm realizing I need to stop.
For about a week I've been on an unofficial sort of ban. I'm going to continue this ban until April 1st. It's not so much that I can't buy any books at all, but I really shouldn't. I've just gotten too many lately. However, I'm visiting my parents this weekend and last night I went to the mall with my mom. You know how moms are... Anyway, she gave me a little book money and I went ahead and spent it on a few books. In the spirit of shopping.
And since some of you want to know, I got the following books.
1. Oryx and Crake
by Margaret Atwood because I've only read one book by Margaret Atwood and that needs to change.
2. Delirium
by Lauren Oliver even though I wasn't going to buy if after all the hype. I still think it sounds really good.
3. Flapper by Joshua Zeitz, which is a historical nonfiction book about flappers. I thought this would be fun after Bright Young Things.
4. The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow, finally, after a year I bought this because the hardcover was on sale for six dollars and I've wanted it ever since it came out.
I just don't think I can make myself not buy any books, so the ban is really more of an attempt of awareness. Awareness of how many books are coming in and how recently I've bought a book and how quickly I can read the books I'm bringing in. I got into some bad book buying habits over the summer because I was reading so fast. When you're reading three books a week, buying a couple new ones doesn't grow the pile that much. When you're reading one it makes a pretty big difference.
Have you put yourself on a book buying ban? A bit of a ban? How do you manage your book buying habits?
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