Why You Should Start Tracking the Books You Read
Starting a Reading List
In January of 2011, I decided to start keeping a list of all the books that I read. Since then, I’ve tracked nearly every book, creating a reading list that goes back almost a decade.
The only books I’ve left off my list were ones I was assigned in law school and ones that I didn’t finish. Other than that, it’s all there.
I didn’t have any specific goals or outcomes in mind when I started the list. Goodreads and LibraryThing were starting to get popular, and I was just curious to try them out.
Despite my lack of goals, keeping a reading list has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for improving my reading habits.
I’ve been shocked by how much it’s changed both how often and which books I read (and all for the better.)
If you’re a regular reader — or want to be — I wholeheartedly recommend starting your own reading list. Goodreads and LibraryThing have both worked well for me, but even an old-fashioned pen and paper list will do. Below are just a few of the biggest benefits that I’ve experienced from keeping my list.
