I'm the new administrator for this group

I saw that LT was looking for a new administrator for the group so I applied. I guess no-one else wanted the job so I was asked to become the administrator a few days ago. I thought I should tell you a little bit about myself. I am a retired scientist from the federal government and I thought when I retired I would have more time to read but it hasn't really seemed to work out that way. However, I am passionate about Canadian literature and always try to read as much of it as I can. I especially try to read the Canada Reads books and some of the books that are short-listed for the Giller and Governor-General's literature prizes. I am unilingual English so I'm afraid that a lot of the books written in French are beyond my capabilities to read in their original language but I do try to read ones that are translated to English. I really like to read books set in all parts of our great country but as a Manitoban I support as many of my local authors as I can. My favourite genres are historical fiction, mysteries and science fiction. I am willing to try other genres if someone makes a compelling case for a book so feel free to recommend.

I hoping to make this forum a place where we can have more of a debate and discussion about our reading, not just a list of books read. I hope you will feel free to contact me with any suggestions you have about this topic either here or by message. And I'd love to learn more about you as a person and a reader.

Yay! Welcome to the helm

>1 gypsysmom: thank-you for taking the job!

Hello everyone!

>1 gypsysmom: I like your idea to have more of a discussion.

I, too, am a retired fed who doesn't seem to get more reading done since retirement. But I love to read, and average 120 books per year, about 1/3 nonfiction. I love Canadian literature and read a lot of it, including all the Canada Reads finalists. I like to read them before the debates so I can yell at the radio....like my dad yelled at the tv during hockey games.

>4 LynnB: I aspire to read 120 books a year but last year I only managed 107 and 39 of those were audiobooks so I'm not sure I can even say I "read" 107. I wanted to read more nonfiction last year and I think I did but it certainly wasn't anywhere near 1/3 of the reading.

How do you acquire the books you read? Personally, a lot that I read come from my public library for which I am immensely thankful. I also buy used books when I allow myself to enter one of those establishments. And then I have two independent book stores here in Winnipeg that I like to support with purchases. Also, because many of my friends and family like to read I seem to acquire quite a few books from them when they are finished and they think I would like them. So many books, so little time!

I buy books. I shop at independent book stores and buy used books whenever possible. I use abebooks.com a lot. When I've finished with a book, I donate it to the library. So, you could say I'm an avid library user...but for deposits, not withdrawals!

I usually have a number of books waiting to be read on my TBR bookshelves. The current count is 39. I also keep a wish list of books I want to read. It's at a record-setting low of 18 (5 nonfiction).

I listen to a lot of audiobooks, which I nearly exclusively get through my library. I keep thinking I'll get an audible account, but I haven't run out of books that I want to listen to through my library. I use my library, which is the whole provincial library system for PEI. Then my sister and I have shared our online library accounts, so I also use the Halifax library system. It also means we listen to nearly all the same books. We each request but then a book will appear in Libby that I have no idea where it came from. I just finished Hench which she requested. I hadn't heard of it.

Also, each summer, YA Sync released 2 free audio books each week. They aren't all my interests, but I listen to a good number of them that I may not have heard of.

I have a pile of ebooks that I've accumulated, and I don't pay much for them. Getting the 10 free World books from Amazon, books free with Prime, daily deals, etc.

I will buy a paper book if I can't find it anywhere else, but I am finding it really hard to read paper books these days. I still get a few books from the library, but seem to only manage about one 'real' book a month. And I've got a good number of books I've bought over last ten years.

>7 LynnB: I hesitate to tell you how many books I have on my TBR shelves. Let's just say it is in the triple digits. I also donate most of the books I've read but not to the library. I put them in LFLs or just in random public places using the BookCrossing site.

>8 raidergirl3: My audiobooks are also acquired through my library site. As you say there are lots available through them and as long as I can continue to use the OverDrive application I can transfer them to either my mpr player or my portable hard drive so that I don't have to worry about listening to them before they disappear. Eventually I'm going to have to transfer to using Libby but I'm trying to keep my old desktop going to use OverDrive for as long as I can.

>1 gypsysmom: Oh hey! Since we're sharing more about ourselves: I'm originally from France but I grew up in the Rockies. I first landed in Canada in Calgary, Alberta. I decided to study in Montréal and loved finding a mix of my two cultures while learning about Québec's unique culture.
I finished my studies in Ottawa where I settled. I am now a civil servant aspiring to retire! (If all goes well, in 5 years - or earlier if I can have my way! - even though I do love my job).

My big challenge is to balance reading in French and in English. Books are cheaper and more accessible in English so I rely on the public library to provide me in livres en français. I read widely and broadly and will not disclose the number of books in my TBR, namely because I don't know. It's a tall tower. I am an avid Book Crosser though and enjoy giving away my books almost 700 so far!

I do make a point of reading Canadian books but, really, I enjoy it all!

>9 gypsysmom: I, too, leave books in random places when I travel. I have Book Fairies stickers I place on them. These stickers say "Take this book, read it, and leave it for the next person to enjoy." You can google The Book Fairies and order stickers.

Travelling with paper books is a great system....as I leave them behind, I have room in my suitcase for the souvenirs and gifts I buy.

One other travel story: I arrived in Barcelona with five books and one pair of shoes. My sister arrived later that day with a book and five pairs of shoes/slippers.

>9 gypsysmom: My TBR shelves used to have many more books. Periodically, I join groups I've found here on Library Thing, such as BOTS (Books off the Shelf) and ROOT (Read Our Own Tomes) to pare them down. I'm not sure why I feel the need to limit the unread books in the house....anyone else feel this way?

>1 gypsysmom: Thank you for taking on this role!

I'm Paulina and I've been on LibraryThing for many years now, spending much of my time in the Category Challenge group. I'm also a BookCrossing enthusiast like gypsysmom. (If there are any other BookCrossers here, please consider joining our challenge group on LT.)

I read a lot of Canadian literature, science fiction, fantasy, and mystery.

>15 mathgirl40: I'm trying to model my role as administrator on the fantastic job you have done the past number of years with the BookCrossing TBR group.

>16 gypsysmom: You're being much too generous, but thank you!

>1 gypsysmom: Just seeing this now! Congrats to you!