Antilibrary
Shelves holding more unread books than read ones, kept that way deliberately
Buying and shelving books faster than you get through them. The shelf ends up mapping what you have not learned yet. Nassim Taleb named the idea. You own the books rather than borrow them, keep them in reach, and write in them, and the unread spines stand as a list of open questions.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Shane ParrishDoes it
Writer · Farnam Street and The Knowledge Project
Built what he calls his antilibrary and keeps adding to it, reckoning he has read about a quarter of what is on the shelves. He wants to own a book rather than borrow it, so he can write in it.
Source: fs.blog: just twenty-five pages a day - Austin KleonRecommends
Writer and artist · Steal Like an Artist
Argues writers should collect books they are not sure they will ever need, citing Nassim Taleb's case for a shelf full of unread ones. Books are a material, in his framing, and an unsorted shelf throws up connections a tidy one would not.
Source: AustinKleon.com: Tidying up
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under focus or productivity.
- HabitFREE, no cost
Daily reading
A fixed daily reading block, usually books rather than feeds
On record from 25 of 62 tracked people: 23 do it, 2 recommend it - HabitFREE, no cost
Early rising
A fixed, early wake time, often before anyone else is awake
On record from 11 of 62 tracked people: 10 do it, 1 has discussed it - HabitFREE, no cost
Daily writing
Write something every day, published or not
On record from 10 of 62 tracked people: 8 do it, 2 recommend it - HabitFREE, no cost
Phone-free first hour
No email, news or social media until you have done something of your own
On record from 6 of 62 tracked people: 4 do it, 2 recommend it - HabitFREE, no cost
Margin notes
Writing in the margins while reading, especially where you disagree with the author
On record from 4 of 62 tracked people: 3 do it, 1 recommends it - HabitFREE, no cost
Thinking retreats
Blocks of time cleared of the schedule to sit with one hard problem
On record from 4 of 62 tracked people: 3 do it, 1 has discussed it
Habit entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.