How do you keep track of what you've read and your to be read pile? I have friends and family members that look at a book and debate whether they've read that book before or not. They know they liked a certain book and would like to read more from that author but they don't remember anything about it.
I've track my reading for decades. I can't wait to update my lists when I'm done and add the next book. When I got some new shelving recently I took the time to update the lists with everything I own. I used to be bad for buying multiple copies of a book because I didn't know what I had. Now when I'm at my local bookstore I pull up my app and I know with certainty what I've read and what I own.
Back in the early 1990's I started a journal of sorts where I wrote down everything I've ever read. I did one side by title and another entry by the author. It was a three ring binder with lined paper. Then around 2006 I transitioned to Goodreads.
These days I consider myself obsessed with Goodreads. I open the app at least once a day. I love reading the reviews and entering the contests. But most of all I love tracking my reading. I love setting a reading goal for the year and Goodreads telling me that I'm ahead of schedule on my goal.
I also love having friends and family on Goodreads so I can see what everyone is reading. I often discover a book I don't know about this way. But also, when we see each other I already know what they've been reading and we can chat about it or easily recommend another book I think they might like.
These days there's a lot of conversation around other apps like Fable or Storygraph and others. I downloaded a few a year or so ago but I kept coming back to Goodreads. It works for me and I don't see myself changing.
How do you track your reading? Or do you just guess if you've read a book before? Add me as a friend on Goodreads My Goodreads Profile