# How much of your library have you read?



## fralo4truth (Jun 1, 2011)

I can remember the days when the desire to read and study was like an unquenchable fire that burned in my bones. And so I started buying this book...that book. Now when I look at my decent-sized library, I just chuckle. I've only read approximately 1/3 of it.

How many of you were or are guilty of stockpiling books, only to then take a look one day and say 'Hey, maybe I should start reading some of those things!'


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## SolaScriptura (Jun 1, 2011)

Not me.

I'm not one to think that buying things I never use is a virtue.


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## torstar (Jun 1, 2011)

10% of it. 

I give away the duplicates and items that I will never read.


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## Michael (Jun 1, 2011)

I've read most of my individual books. It's the sets that sit waiting for use. For instance, Calvin's Commentaries are sitting atop my piano. I likely will never read them cover to cover. They're reference material--and even then I typically look it up online before I go grab a volume. I have yet to complete Warfield's set or Luther's sermons. I would have finished Charles Hodge's 3-vol systematic by now but the binding is so horrible that you can barely open the books properly. 

My most prized possession on my bookshelf is the complete collection of Spurgeon's Sermons [63 volumes + index] given to me as a gift some years ago. I have a ways to go on these...


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## Fly Caster (Jun 1, 2011)

I've completely read a little over a half (of about 400 volumes). Quite a few of those that I haven't completed are commentaries and reference books that I use from time to time but will never read through. Probably have about 100 books that I've yet to read.

I try to average about 50 pages a day- or a fair sized book a week. So I don't mind buying the good things when I see a good price and shelving them for a while. Also, one of my goals in aquiring books is to leave for children and grandchildren to have long after I'm gone.


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## Notthemama1984 (Jun 1, 2011)

fralo4truth said:


> I can remember the days when the desire to read and study was like an unquenchable fire that burned in my bones. And so I started buying this book...that book. Now when I look at my decent-sized library, I just chuckle. I've only read approximately 1/3 of it.
> 
> How many of you were or are guilty of stockpiling books, only to then take a look one day and say 'Hey, maybe I should start reading some of those things!'



Taking reference books out of the equation, I would say only 30%. If you take out sets, closer to 50%. Some of the books I will never read and as soon as I am finished with seminary will give them away.


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## InSlaveryToChrist (Jun 1, 2011)

I've build a little library of mine (some 30+ books) and I've read each book at least two or three chapters in so that I have a basic understanding on the topic it discusses. For instance, for covenant theology I read Robertson's "The Christ of the Covenants" some three chapters in and then stopped and moved to another topic and book. So, my intention is to have a basic knowledge on every field of Christianity and then gradually develop my understanding from there.

With that I've read about 20% of my library so far, and I'm well satisfied with that.


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## extolHIM (Jun 1, 2011)

Well, I didn't start trying to build a library until February 2010 or so. I currently have about 50-60 books and I've read about 20. So close to 40%. But of the 30 I haven't completely read yet, about 25% of those are commentaries, systematic theology books, and Calvin's Institutes. I do use those frequently for reference, but I'm not close to reading them cover to cover.


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## MLCOPE2 (Jun 1, 2011)

Kinda about a half of a half percentish. Or something like that.


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## Martin (Jun 1, 2011)

This reminded me of a joke. You may be a calvinist if you...... refer to your 3 shelf particle board bookshelf as your "library".


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## Michael (Jun 1, 2011)




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## JBaldwin (Jun 1, 2011)

So the question is really this: "Are you obsessed with books? Do you actually read books? or is both? 

I've accumulated a rather large library, and I've completely read about half of them. The other half is reference books and books that I keep thinking I'll get around to reading. 

A favorite quotation by Eramus: "When I have a little money, I buy books. If there is any left over, I buy food and clothing."


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## N. Eshelman (Jun 1, 2011)

I've read some of them twice.


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## semperreformata (Jun 1, 2011)

I'd say nearly half of what I have,but just when I get near half I have either been given a book,found a great book at a great price or borrowed a book on a particular topic of interest I wanted to know more about,but currently using my summer away from school to enjoy a few books more.


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## LawrenceU (Jun 2, 2011)

I've read at least 60% of my non-reference set library and scanned the rest. And about 95% of it is currently boxed and in the attic. It drives me nuts not to have ready access to it. I don't have a ready count of volumes at hand, but it is a bunch of boxes.


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## baron (Jun 2, 2011)

I was keeping up but then along came the Kindle. Now I have around 400 book's on it. Just added 6 new book's that were under $2.00. Plus latley I have been reading my bible more than book's. So I do not know what percentage I'm at. I will also purchase book's on sale for future reading, so I'm falling behind.

I had hoped that my children or grandchildren would take my book's but as of now it does not seem that way. So who knows where they will end up when I die.


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## Reformed Thomist (Jun 2, 2011)

Maybe 30-40% of my 1,500+ volume collection. I don't feel too bad about that, due to the sheer amount of volumes there which may be categorized as reference titles (not meant to be read from start to finish, but rather consulted from time to time).


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## NB3K (Jun 2, 2011)

If you count my kindle library & my actual physical library lol I may have read 5% of what I own. Most of it is all reference. What I love about my ipad, is the kindle app. When I am having a discussion on whatever topic is at hand, it is nice to quote what Spurgeon, Owen, Calvin, Luther, Hodge, Augustine,Edwards, Boyce (founder of Southern Baptist), and whoever for that matter says or teaches on whatever subject.


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## O'GodHowGreatThouArt (Jun 2, 2011)

Probably less than 2%. A lot of them are commentaries and systematic theologies, and with me trying to gain a basic grounding in biblical teachings, I probably would find it very tough to follow if I don't understand what's giong on.

Bavinck will probably blow my mind, so I'm going to have to get through Calvin before I could even think about attacking him.


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## 3John2 (Jun 2, 2011)

I would say about 80% & working on the other 20%.


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## JennyG (Jun 2, 2011)

some two or three times, but lots barely begun. if you buy mostly second-hand, it has to be when you see it not when you have time to read it. They almost all at least have a bookmark stuck in somewhere, even if it's very near the front

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baron said:


> I had hoped that my children or grandchildren would take my book's but as of now it does not seem that way. So who knows where they will end up when I die.



I wonder about that too. I've got a solid (in more ways than one) collection of Reformed books which, partly thanks to technology, probably no-one would thank me for as a legacy. Maybe I should leave them to the nation.


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## Pilgrim (Jun 2, 2011)

Not nearly enough. But as I have limited space at the moment, I keep rotating books in and out, only keeping the ones I will refer to often or otherwise want to keep.


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## Theogenes (Jun 6, 2011)

Not as much as I'd like to....It's much easier and faster to buy books than it is to read them! Although, I've read a good 50-60 % of them and some mulitple times.


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## tman (Jun 7, 2011)

Not as much as I should have. But the sheer number of volumes sure makes me look spiritual to visitors.


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