Confess your /lit/erary sins, anons! The only way forward is

I dog-ear every book I read, partly for the convenience of having the exact page and line preserved for when I next read but also partly because I know it makes my books look well-read which is something I really like.

I don't want people seeing my book collection noticing the spines haven't been cracked at least a little bit so when I read a book I'm a little rough with it around the half-way point, just enough that the spine is creasing but not enough that the book will fall apart.

It's three months into 2017 now and I've only finished reading one book. I read 40 books in 2016 and I wish to read around 20 this year so I can focus on much larger novels but I tend to forget how long a lengthy door stopper will take me to read.

There's nothing wrong with studying at university - as long as you can find support available for your subject to help with understanding - but more often than not you can study for yourself through the books you can buy. The only downside is you don't get a nice shiny degree to put on your CV (t. recent graduate).

I have failed to read more than 20 books from the past decade. I tend to stick to classics because my pseudo-intellectual outlook makes me think "well, they are classics for a reason."

>>9212513
I trash (more accurately, recycle) books I don't like to make room for books I haven't read/books I enjoyed more.

>>9212543
Give them to a charity shop, man.

>>9212543
You monster. At least donate them to a school, college, library or charity shop. You might not like the books but they could be useful or enjoyed by somebody else.

I tend to give books away to my local charity shop. Usually stuff I've grown out of, stuff I don't like or stuff I want to replace because it might be sun damaged or something.

>>9212541
completely understandable. nothing to see here

I think most books are boring as fuck. I think literature is dead and now mainly used as a social signalling mechanism for pseudo intellectuals

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Semi-/lit/ related, semi-cringe related. Probably most suitable in this thread.

> younger brother, 19 going on 20, wants to become an author
> he has said "i'm the best of my time, i don't need to read more, i know what I want before i plan it. i don't need to plan"
> he says he knows he'll be the top of the class when he goes to study english literature
> he struggled to finish Eragon
> he cries when someone criticises his work constructively and then bitches about them behind his back
> he wants everything but never wants to work for it, fails to do simple tasks and chores around the house as well as never wants to improve his work
> he says when he's published he wants to wear a zorro mask so nobody knows who he is
> he says he constantly emails agents all the time telling them why he should be picked up (and then wonders why he never gets replies back)
> recently he got some 17 year old girlfriend, literally in the first week of knowing her he spends the next two weeks at her house and comes home once or twice to get his washing up down and to semi-brag about how she's ready for kids
> says she has severe bi-polar and PTSD
> for some reason last night he sneaked back into the house and left hours later with bags full without speaking to anyone
> my older brother, 26, saw him at the bus station and asked what's going on, younger brother tells him he's moving out because "i don't like everyone bullying me, they're my new family now"

I posted a shorter version of this in a previous /lit/ confessions thread and most people wondered if he had autism. Although he's not been diagnosed I certainly think he must have some condition like that.

>>9212593
Sounds like /ourguy/ desu

>>9212593
> he struggled to finish Eragon

in fairness, so did the author

>>9212593
I feel like I've read this before.

>>9212543
im buying a new shelf for all the books i dont like/am embarrassed about.

My Instagram bio states that I am an existentialist.

>>9212623
I posted a shortened version in a previous /lit/ confessions thread. There was a recent development (him moving out of the house for a girl he's only known for a week or two) which I thought was pretty cringe-inducing and needed sharing.

>>9212513
I use my hardcovers as coasters or to prop up tables, whatever really.

Debate me bookfags.

I consider anything with experimental prose structure nothing but grandstanding, and written for the author's ego.

> visit a local bookstore, independently owned and has a sticker pamphlet out front in the window reading "support small business"
> go inside and ask at the counter where the classics section is
> "oh, but don't you think all books have the potential to be classics?"
> "errmm, I suppose so if they're good enough"
> "so you're saying our stock isn't good enough!?"
> "no no, i just want to pick up some leo tolstoy or something"
> "right. round back."
> find their attitude to be shocking but still want to pick up some cheap books so i browse
> most of the shelves are colouring books for "mindfulness", ironic ladybird books, cooking books that emphasise that "food porn" image, a shelf dedicated to sex-ed books for children with illustrations
> find a single small shelf dedicated to penguin classics, realise that's all it is from the black spines
> finished looking in under a minute because the selection is so poor
> end up walking out of the store until the clerk behind the counter shouts "You didn't buy anything!"
> I tell them that's true because i wasn't interested in what there was available
> "Well, don't think you're welcome back any time soon."
> tell them they're an example of why small businesses, especially book stores, struggle and that it was a waste of time even browsing, then leave

Anyone got similar stories?

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>>9212712
Bookstore story here:
> go to WH Smiths in town
> have about £25 on me, pretty bad at maths but figure that I can get a couple of books with it
> pick up Cat's Cradle by Vonnegut, The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Homer's Odyssey. I know it's entry-level pleb-tier high-school-core, but I hadn't the chance to read these before and figured it'd be a good deal
> take it to the cashier, sweet woman probably in her fifties takes the books and smiles at me, says she wished more people would buy books like this
> the books total up to £30
> tell her i'm actually a little short for cash
> she says "no worries" and takes an unused voucher from behind the counter, scanning it and giving me £10 off from my books
> go through my wallet, getting the money to pay her and basically place every banknote on the counter thinking it's £25
> it's £30
> she looks at me, not amused
> "oh god, I'm so sorry, I'm awful with numbers and I thought I was short of cash" - completely legitimately made this mistake
> try to smile it off but she isn't amused and just passes me the books
> leave the shop feeling embarrassed

>>9212712
Yeah, I walked into an upstate NH antique store filled with old books and prints, most from x<1850. Really an amazing collection, the proprietor was a widow and the store was a barn connected to her house.

Anyways, the pricing was ridiculous, 10s of thousands for big prints and hundreds upon hundreds of dollars for moldy old tomes and family bibles. We were using our phone and found some of the antique books were completely mispriced (on ebay for 40-200 when she had it priced for 500+). Some of the stuff we did consider a return trip for (my wife is a doctor and we found some great old german anatomy posters and early american medical treatises).

We went to say goodbye to the proprietor, and made small talk her about how local traffic was, and she sniffed and said it was hard to run a business with trashy bourgeois families browsing and buying nothing, and then asked us to please leave.

>>9212733
this story is too real for me

>>9212543
7/10 made me reply

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>Be me
>Be 22
>Have literary ambitions
>Move abroad
>Simple job, 3 hour lunch
>write 1,000 words a day
>Convinced I will be published and get famous
>Bore everyone telling them I will be the next George Orwell
>Write under fake name. Don't want anyone to know who I am.
>Actually finish two books
>Move to another city
>Get promoted. Become ultracapitalist wage cuck
>Never think about my two books again.
>Now married. Mortgages and kids on the horizon
>My dreams are dead
>I still think my 2 novels were good.

>>9212712
>Long lunch break
>Go to bookshop to pass time.
>No classics section
>Lots on sale, buy one get one half price yada yada
>All pulp shit
>Check the non-fiction section.
>Philosophy section all 'live well' and 'self help' books
>Check history section.
>WWII as seen on tv.jpg.
>And people wonder why bookshops are dying.
>Buy book about North Korea.
>leave

I've not read any of the great Russian novelists. Nor the Irish ones.

I don't see that changing any time soon.

I. DID. NOT. START. WITH. THE. GREEKS.

>>9213079
hey cmon george
your work is good dont doubt believe in your dreams

>>9213101
Why not? The Russians are phenomenal. They're not all door-stoppers either.

>>9213095
This is the sad truth.

I see more budget book shops in my area than actual book shops. Those places are like what you described, but also full of budget toys and "DVD boxsets" of public domain films.

>>9213110
I've not even looked at either of those books for years. I keep saying I should dig them out and maybe self publish even...

But it never happens.

>>9213119
never say never, keep going, you can do it, i believe in you, buddy

>>9213113
It's not a self imposed ban or anything, they're just something I'll get to at some point, but at the moment I have other things occupying my mind

>>9213144
>be me
stop this

>>9213132
No worries, man. You can't get around to everything instantly.

>>9212712
Was that by some small chance a place called Malaprop's?

>>9213130
Maybe this time I will go back to it!

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>>9213144

>>9213147
>Be me
>Never ever ever ever stop posting Be me.

>>9212733
Ask her to void the sale and re-ring it, dum dum. It just get a return then pay in full. You could have done something. At least you know for next time.

>>9212513
im reading like 5 books right now because i lose interest while finishing something but get into a book quick.

i hate shakespeare and the beatles

i cant read drunk and i get drunk every night so reading is like a once a week thing for me

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>>9213178
> not being that guy to take advantage of a discount even if it ends up being unnecessary

Most of my /lit/-core "reading" is done via audiobook.

I want to be inseminated by John Barth while he goes off on a tangent about X, in front of a large mirror.

The Dark Tower series is the height of genre fiction.

I don't read primary sources. I like to read vast overviews by scholars printed by University presses (princeton, Oxford, etc.)

Primary sources are so difficult and specific and are often misleading because they don't have a historical perspective behind them. Still, it's lazy to take others word for it.

I'm working on it...

>>9213197
If it want to, I'll quit a book right out. Soon as it's not relevant to my studies, I'm done.

That's why I like digital books. Don't need it, take it off the roster.

With physical books, the bookmark half way through taunts me.

>>9212701
Except Burroughs, right? Right?!?

>>9212580
Unless you use it to access the Platonic realm of archetypal ideals

>>9212701
Would the concrete-poetry-turned-up-to-11 style used in House of Leaves be considered experimental prose?

I enjoyed Cormac McCarthy's The Road

>>9213958
Me too. Cormac McCarthy is a great author, YeCarthy shitposters aside.

read the sound & the fury, couldn't follow shit. still found it interesting and worthwhile though.

>>9212733
you could have given her the 10 pounds?

>>9212513
Poo

1. I have a tendency to read 4-5+books at a time and still able to understand the plot

2. I rarely drop books, if I have to it's due to time. I dropped C&P by Dostoyevsky because I didn't have the time to enjoy his work

3. I don't like fiction

4. I do book reviews on FB and I kinda like it

5. I don't really like long fiction (yet I like Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy) and probably will never read Infinite Jest.

6. I've never read the Greeks nor Romans

>>9212741
>complains about the bourgeoisie
>owns a business
Amazing.

Not sure if this counts, but I know my father-in-law has personal documents related to a certain division in a certain intelligence agency that the public would be interested in, and it would be very easy for me to steal these documents and to release them, but I choose not to out of love for my government and father-in-law. These documents aren't related to Vault 7, but they're a blueprint for a certain device, and yes, he showed me the blueprint and explained what it did.

>>9214110
Deep

>>9212712

>me be
>this tuesday go to used bookstore in nearby rich town
>book selection is absolute shit
>stumble over shitty copy of JR
>decide to buy it anyway
>walk up to register
>fatfuck old woman cashier looks at me
>"ready for your big purchase?"
>look at the fat bitch
>say nothing
>pay for my book
>leave

rich people are shit

>>9214197
If she's working the register at a shitty used book shop, she might not be a rich bitch herself. Probably thought you were rich and being stingy. Still not a cool thing to say to a customer though.

Everytime I see a good looking woman I'm unable to read for the rest of the day.

>>9212593
Do you think you could post some of his work, Anon?

In last few days i read like couple pages at most, and i did not write anything today despite my promise (write every day). I like to think that i am too distracted and depressed by shit full time job to being creative, but i know that i need just cut off router, or/and not eject computer till i read planed number of pages, but despite knowing it i choosed youtube, /lit/, drugs and video games, all above my "literary interest" (so cheriched by my narcisstic personality to occupy my mind while work hours) because i am really awful person

>>9214328
I'm at the point were i can't watcha film if i know it has a happy romance in it. I drop that shit when i know it's going to work out without difficulties, MPDGs make me depressed.

>>9212593
this is my favorite anime rn

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>>9212513
I read way less books than I actually say I've read.

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>>9213270
Some people actually try to ensure their actions follow their moral code, believe it or not.

>>9212513
I've only read a fifth of the books I own.

>>9215171
How many books do you own?

>>9212513
I'm reading This Side of Paradise and feel like a brainlet; I read Great Gatsby and loved it. I don't really know what's wrong I feel like I stare at the page and my eyes just slide right over the letters. The writing is beautiful but it feels so insanely over written. I never had this problem with GG even though others did, in GG it feels like a good mix of having nice purple prose but not being over indulgent. Maybe it feels this way bc TSOP is just an amalgamation of Fittzgeralds scrapped stories and poems but I'm really having trouble. Anyone know this feel; any advice?

I read for plot and can still barely summarize books I've read

I didn't start with the Greeks.

>>9213119
Go find the damn books! If yo think they are worthy try to get them published or at least share them with us.

>>9215245
five

>>9212643
Its okay if you delete it now

>>9212733
you made her feel like whore

>>9212513

Years ago I bought Naked Lunch from a music shop that also stocked meme literature. The cashier girl was stunning and tried to talk to me about the book and Burroughs but I just said the book was my introduction to him and went on my way, just barely keeping the spaghetti in my pockets.

After that I kept walking past that store hoping to get a glimpse of her but it actually closed down soon afterwards. I'll never get to tell her that Naked Lunch is a pile of garbage and Burroughs was a worthless druggie fucking hack.

>walk into a second-hand bookshop
>employees-owners are sitting on their chairs discussing something
>"hi there anon, can i help you with something?"
>"Yes, I'm looking for a particular something"
>"mmm... and what is it?"
>"Otherwise than Being"
>"otherwise than what?"
>"Otherwise than being, by Levinas"
>"Never heard of it, what genre is it?"
>"philosophy"
>"our philosophy section is right there"
>points at a rather large shelf in the opposite corner of the room
>Start browsing it
>its all analytic and greeks
>tfw you feel their eyes in your neck
>"Excuse me, do you have a section for French philosophy"
>"no"
>Browse some books for a few minutes and pretend to be interested so i dont come accross as rude or something
>Leave, thinking "what plebs"
>two girls with uggs pass me on the street as i exit the shop.

>>9213079
>Gives up dreams for woman and kids
Im surprised!

>>9214476
Do what you enjoy :)

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>>9217763
What did he mean by this

>>9217864
I hate guys like you saying ''What did he mean with that? Can anyone tell me? I'm too stupid for understand it'' Just kys

I've thrown out books and then bought them brand new again online.

>>9217898
>I hate X
Why would I give a fuck? Suck my dick white boi.

>>9217911
>boi
>no boy
First of all, learn english
Second, as i expected, you don't understand what i said. I hate guys like you, people who don't try understand for themselves, people who
need another person because is too damn lazy for trying. As i said, kys

>>9214135
Goddamnit, at least give a hint of it, for me, who am very interested in these things.

I'm currently reading Twilight

>>9217638
>I'll never get to tell her that Naked Lunch is a pile of garbage and Burroughs was a worthless druggie fucking hack
lmao

good post, even though Burroughs is almost a genius

>>9217932
>I hate X
We already went over this, sweetheart.
Now, on your knees!

>>9212513
I see so much shit on /lit/ that's bullshit, I can't even bother to argue about it anymore.
I just call the poster a moron and move on. /lit/ has broken me. Even things that interest me or important to me, I can't bother with.

It's sad.

>>9217962
Fuck, that's sad.
I feel you mate.
Don't let this filthy retards get to you

>>9217900
I did this recently (well I recycled them) when I realised some of my Pynchon books had started growing mildew on the edge of the pages. That really activated my almonds and I wanted them replaced immediately.

>>9217962
I know this feeling.

>>9212513
I thought Brothers Karamazov was awful and dropped it a fifth of the way through

>>9212610
jej

I used to push myself to read 50 pages a day.

Then I read 30-20.

Now it's more like 10-20 and I tell myself that a small amount of pages is better than no pages read at all but I also know I need to read more.

>>9218501
>I need to read more
Why

>>9218570
I have a huge backlog of books I'd like to read eventually and I feel like reading more frequently is more productive than watching television or playing vidya. I do enjoy reading but I've reached a point where my reading speed is so slow.

>>9212513
I never finished Ulysses

>>9218607
>productive
you feel like you're not wasting your time so badly eh. then read, nigga. there are no worlds in the English dictionary that will convince you. you need to shut the fuck up and start reading, and read a LOT.
You don't need any progression. Read for 1 hour tomorrow. Also, speed is irrelevant of course, dont be such a pleb.

>>9218172
Meh, TBK isn't essential. You can get away with just reading The Grand Inquisitor pariable that Iven puts to Aloysha.

Mid 18th c. Russians are pretty in-looking and derivative of the anxieties arising in continental Europe at the time.

Then again I read the Garret translation, so maybe the more contemp. ones come across better.

>>9218639
Fair point anon, sometimes it's just a hard kick up the ass that'll do it

>>9212610
A genuinely underrated post. Laughed audibly. Good job.

>>9218666
Yeah

>>9212733
Wait why didn't you just give her the £30?

>>9218732
the discount was already scanned and she didn't want to re-scan the books

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>>9212712
anon is the hero we need

I got into real lit through Welcome to Night Vale novel. Before that I didn't ever understand that there was difference between literature and mainstream books. I just thought that the books we read in school were really good popular books from their time period and we should know them because they are culturally relevant. Somehow the Nightvale book made me connect the dots that some authors tried to say something that meant something to them

>>9212543
hnng i want to slap you so bad i smacked my monitor and now its got a crack on it fuck u

>>9212513
I've read well over 100 Star Trek books and I refuse to be ashamed about it