The Books I Have Not Read: Why Our Ever-Growing TBR Pile Is Full of Hope

 

 

Every reader knows the feeling.

You walk into a bookstore or browse online "just to look," and somehow another book finds its way into your hands. Before long, your shelves are overflowing. The pile beside your bed keeps growing. Your To Be Read (TBR) list stretches longer than ever.

Then you come across this delightful poem:

The Books I Have Not Read

Here are the books I have not read
That I promised to read someday.
And who knows? Maybe after
Baseball games, circuses and taking naps.
Playing drums and building planes,
Drinking Cokes and telling jokes
And playing spin the bottle
And watching stars and driving cars
And getting married and working a job
And having kids and getting old
And getting fat and getting gray—
I may.

It's funny, light-hearted, and surprisingly profound.

Who Wrote The Books I Have Not Read?

The poem is by Arnold Lobel (1933–1987), the beloved American children's author and illustrator best known for the Frog and Toad series. The poem appears in his 1987 collection Whiskers and Rhymes, published shortly before his passing.

Although written as a children's poem, its message resonates just as deeply with adult readers.

A Poem About Life—and Books

At first glance, the poem seems to be about procrastination.

The speaker promises to read the books "someday," but first comes everything else—playing games, having fun, growing up, getting a job, raising a family, and eventually growing old.

By the end, the hopeful "I may" carries both humor and truth.

Life is always busy.

There is always another responsibility, another hobby, another distraction. Reading is something we often intend to do, but tomorrow somehow becomes next week, next month, or even next year.

And yet, the books remain.

Waiting patiently.

The Tower of Unread Books

The illustration of a child balancing on an impossibly tall stack of books perfectly captures what many readers experience.

Our unread books accumulate over the years.

Every visit to a bookstore adds another volume.

Every recommendation from a friend expands the pile.

Every book sale whispers, "You might want this one."

That growing tower isn't necessarily a sign of failure.

It's a sign of curiosity.

Each unread book represents an idea, a story, a lesson, or an adventure waiting for the right moment.

Your TBR Isn't a Burden

Many readers feel guilty about their growing TBR list.

"I should finish what I already own."

"I'll never read all of these."

"My shelves are getting out of control."

But perhaps we've been looking at it the wrong way.

A TBR pile is really a collection of future possibilities.

It reflects the person you hope to become—the traveler, the historian, the mystery lover, the fantasy explorer, or the lifelong learner.

Not every book has to be read immediately.

Some books arrive years before we're ready for them.

Buying Books Is an Investment in Your Future Self

There's an old saying:

Buying books and reading books are two different hobbies.

While humorous, there's wisdom in it.

Buying a book isn't just about today.

Sometimes it's about believing that your future self will have the time, interest, or need for that story.

A novel you ignore today might become your favorite five years from now.

A history book purchased on impulse might answer questions you haven't even begun asking.

Unread books aren't wasted books.

They're opportunities waiting on your shelf.

Someday Really Can Come

The poem ends with uncertainty:

"I may."

That tiny phrase is what makes the poem so memorable.

It doesn't promise that every unread book will be finished.

None of us ever will.

There will always be more wonderful books than one lifetime can hold.

But that's okay.

The goal isn't to complete every book.

The goal is to keep reading.

To keep discovering.

To keep making time whenever life allows.

Embrace Your Growing TBR

If your shelves are starting to resemble the towering stack in Arnold Lobel's illustration, you're in good company.

Readers everywhere share the same dream:

"One day I'll get to that book."

Maybe not this week.

Maybe not this month.

But someday.

And until then, every unread book is a reminder that there are still countless stories waiting to be experienced.

That's not something to feel guilty about.

It's something to celebrate.

 

Final Thoughts

The Books I Have Not Read reminds us that life will always compete for our attention. Work, family, hobbies, and everyday responsibilities often come before reading. Yet the books patiently wait, offering comfort and adventure whenever we're ready.

So don't worry if your TBR pile keeps growing.

Keep buying the books that excite your curiosity.

Keep adding to your shelves.

Read when you can, one page at a time.

You may never finish every book you own—but every unread book represents hope, possibility, and the promise of another story waiting just for you.