Oh, the terrible state of the TBR, post-Christmas and -birthday! In fact, it was worse than this, but I pulled a few books off it that were either BookCrossing registered or quick reads to take with me on a trip, so there is at least some wiggle room at the end … But The Pile has had to encroach onto husband Matthew’s shelf (shock, horror!).
I’m currently reading Veronica Chambers’ “Kickboxing Geishas: How Modern Japanese Women are Changing their Nation” and a book on at in Iceland, and you’ll see a review of Jenni Murray’s “A History of Britain in 21 Women” later today, otherwise I won’t get all my reviews in. I’m also getting on with Jaron Lanier’s “Dawn of the New Everything” for Shiny New Books (and I have a fab book on women’s suffrage activists to go for Shiny next; there’s a whole crop of these to celebrate the centenary of people like me being able to vote in the UK). Then coming up, I didn’t do a photo because it’s pretty well the same as last month, with seemingly just two books having left the shelf, so Bruce, Frazzled, The Hate U Give and the history of Rough Trade all jostling for attention. First to start after finishing any of the current ones will, however, be Iris Murdoch’s “The Bell”, this month’s #IMReadalong novel.
What are your February reading plans?
Rebecca Foster
Feb 01, 2018 @ 10:08:58
Your woe over your TBR shelf always makes me laugh. I have unread books all over the house, probably 7 shelves’ worth (~320 books at last count). I try to see this as an opportunity rather than an obligation, but every once in a while a little part of me wishes I could get rid of them all and not have so many unread books staring me in the face. A clean slate — whatever would I do with that?!
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Liz Dexter
Feb 01, 2018 @ 17:50:19
So my woe would be your “whoopee!!” Ah, well, different levels of where woe starts, I suppose. That’s an impressive TBR, but then I suspect you get sent more review copies than I do!
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Rebecca Foster
Feb 01, 2018 @ 18:03:00
I’m all caught up on review copies, actually, apart from a few books that release later in the year. I mostly blame secondhand shopping at charity shops and in Hay-on-Wye.
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Liz Dexter
Feb 01, 2018 @ 18:04:54
Impressive on both counts. Yes, I won’t allow myself to go to Hay very often!!
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Paula Bardell-Hedley
Feb 01, 2018 @ 14:11:21
I feel your pain, Liz. My TBR shelf is cracking under the weight of ARCs, Christmas gifts and tons of titles I’ve been meaning to start for a very long time. It wouldn’t be so bad if I was a fast reader but alas, my perusal engine is snail-powered. Sigh! 😕
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Liz Dexter
Feb 01, 2018 @ 17:53:36
Thank you for what I think is your first comment here. Christmas and birthday here, plus review books. Fortunately, nothing TOO guilt-inducingly old, as I (am the only person in the world to) read my TBR in order of acquisition, more or less …
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kaggsysbookishramblings
Feb 01, 2018 @ 16:20:20
Like Rebecca, I smile a little as my TBR is threatening to take over the house too. But I’m glad for you that you usually have yours under control. As usual I have no plans – just to try and catch up with review books and read whatever else takes my fancy! 🙂
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Liz Dexter
Feb 01, 2018 @ 17:51:07
Sounds like a good plan! And finishing The Sandcastle, right? And yes, I know it’s small, but it’s enough to panic me!
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heavenali
Feb 01, 2018 @ 18:16:37
Really looking forward to seeing what you thought of that Jenni Murray book.
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Liz Dexter
Feb 01, 2018 @ 18:35:16
You just have to wait around half an hour …
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heavenali
Feb 01, 2018 @ 18:36:27
Ha OK.
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Kat
Feb 02, 2018 @ 18:48:15
I love others’ TBR lists. As you know, I’m unplanned, except for Murdoch. I had a vicious stalker for my Virgil readalong (deleted his posts, and now he’s bored and gone away), and since eveyone is a book behind on the homework am happily taking the week off. What is it about Virgil that either (a) inspires weirdos or (b) normal people NOT to read Virgil. I have discovered Virgil will not save the world (except when I teach Latin classes)! I don’t know any of the books on your TBR but it may be time to kick back with a Georgette Heyer. (I keep meaing to!)
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Liz Dexter
Feb 02, 2018 @ 22:42:41
What a shame about someone trying to ruin your Virgil readalong, I didn’t know Virgil attracted oddballs. I suppose I always assume everyone’s familiar with the classics because I studied Latin at school, and I would have done the readalong had I had the time. Georgette Heyer is a real go-to author for me for those tricky moments in life, although I’m looking forward to all the books on that shelf, of course!
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Carianne Carleo-Evangelist
Feb 02, 2018 @ 21:18:40
This is the first time I’ve spotted Deep South on your shelf. V. curious what you think of it.
You may have inspired me to move up Kickboxing Geishas
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Liz Dexter
Feb 02, 2018 @ 22:44:30
Deep South appeared on my January pic too, so must have been pushed to the front by Christmas. I’m a big Theroux fan (only his non-fic though) so really looking forward to that one. I think you’ll like the Kickboxing Geishas, I thought it was your kind of book so glad you’ve got a copy as I left mine in our holiday home!
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Carianne Carleo-Evangelist
Feb 02, 2018 @ 23:43:17
Yep. I think it was a random Kindle deal.
I don’t like Theroux the person. The writing? eh Depends
My review of this one is on GoodReads when you’re done
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Liz Dexter
Feb 03, 2018 @ 08:07:31
I kind of love how awful and grumpy he is! But I have tried a couple of his novels and really disliked them. Remind me when I review it of your review, as it will be a while yet …
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buriedinprint
Feb 02, 2018 @ 21:32:16
I can relate to the distress when a selection used to fit on a shelf and then, suddenly (but, actually, probably not SO suddenly) will no longer fit and spills over. However, then I am sitting over in the guilty (but not unhappy) corner with Rebecca and Kaggsy, for my TBRs are in the hundreds, which is not a bad “problem” to have in the worldly scheme of problems. I have reached the stage where every new book purchased in a year gets read before I can buy again in the new year, but I have years and years worth of collecting in the past to tidy up, obviously. If I ever do manage to get properly caught up, I can imagine where a plethora like your recent acquisitions might be distressing. I’m very keen on that Springsteen biography; I’ve heard only good things, from both rabid fans and kinda-sometimes fans.
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Liz Dexter
Feb 02, 2018 @ 22:46:37
It happens suddenly but not unexpectedly, if that makes sense: Christmas then birthday always give a glut. But this year I hadn’t got so much out of the way in advance, so boof it goes! I was only distressed by getting behind with my reviewing commitments, though, and that’s pretty much back on track now. I have only heard good things about the Springsteen, too, including one friend who listened to him narrate the audio book, so can’t wait to get to that one.
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State of the TBR March 2018 #readireland18 | Adventures in reading, writing and working from home
Mar 01, 2018 @ 17:01:53