Rate Your Books

If you're like me and have a gazillion books on your bookshelf, then you might be interested how I deal with all my personal improvement and business books. As I read a book, I underline any passages that I might want to re-read in the future. Then after finishing a book, I rate the book on a scale from one to ten, note the date I finished the book and write a brief note that reflects what I thought of the book. I put all this information on the inside cover of the book.

More after the jump.

Next, I add a tiny yellow sticker to the spine of the book, add the rating and put an underline under the number if I underlined the important passages from the book. Then I organize my books into categories (marketing, self-help, management, hobbies, etc.) and then put them in order based on the rating I assigned each book.

Then when I'd like to review my books, I start with the titles that received the highest rating and note the date I reviewed it on the inside cover of the book. That way I can easily tell which books have been reviewed lately and which ones I have never read (they don't have stickers on the spine).

My bookshelves were a mess before I started to use this system, but now they are so organized that I've stopped buying books since I can see how many unread books I have just by glancing at my bookshelf. I won't buy another book until I finish reading the unrated books on my bookshelf.

I'll share which books I rated a 9 or above in future posts.

Comments

[Stephen]

Interesting concept as I also tend to buy books faster then I can read them.

I'd be curious to see a photo of this bookshelf with a gazillion books.

[Michael]

I found this site through a search on "Rate Your Books". I'm looking for a book equivalent of the excellent "Rate Your Music".

I'm putting this out there and counting on the Butterfly Effect! {;-)

M.