Some of you, especially those of you brave enough to have taken up my TBR Challenge, may be wondering how that's been coming for me. After all, if you've been paying attention, you may have noticed that I have not posted on any books for the challenge in...oh...months. Have no fear. This does not mean I have not been reading books for the challenge. I have definitely been reading from this list, just not as faithfully or as quickly as I would have liked.
You also may be wondering: does that mean that I have not bought any books since December? Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! (Sorry. I think the laughter is now under control, or at least, no longer out loud.) Actually, I was doing very well when it came to buying no books until the annual library book sale last month. I'd only bought a few books (okay. okay. I don't know of anyone who would define "ten" as "a few." But it all depends on your perspective. Ten bees down your pants leg is not "a few." Ten drops of water in the ocean? Well, they're barely noticable). But then, the book sale came along, and I HAD to go (must. support. the. library.), and well, with paperbacks being only fifty cents a pop and hardcovers being anywhere from $1.00 - $4.00, let's just say I bought nearly as many books as I'm supposed to read for the challenge (you know, not too many, but a little more than "a few").
By the time I did that, though, I had actually already changed the rules (without telling anybody). The new rules were that I had to read at least 5 books on my original list, at least 10 others that I had already owned prior to 2010 and give away at least 20 books I either will never read or will never read again, and then I was allowed to start buying books again. By these new rules, I well deserved my library sale purchases. Not only have I, at this point, read 6 books from the list, but, including those six, I have read a total of 21 books that I already owned prior to 2010, and I have given away 22 books (mostly forgettable thrillers or cookbooks picked up at book shows and given to the library, but I have passed a few that I enjoyed, knowing I will never read them again, onto friends I thought also might enjoy them).
I have not changed the rules so much, though, that I do not still plan to read (or attempt to read) all the books that were on my original list. And I will begin to post on them, too. They've all been written about in my book journal, so it's just a matter of transcribing those entries here. Maybe (but don't hold me to it. It seems that the minute I lay out some sort of plan when it comes to reading and writing is the minute that plan goes awry) I'll start putting up one post a week or something.
So you see? It's, thus far, been a banner year for attacking the old TBR tome. I've just been attacking it from a different angle. Oh, and I've been keeping up all my math skills to boot.
5 comments:
Oh yes, you definitely had to support the library! I am picking away at my chosen books for this challenge and have been pretty good about not buying very many new books (they are like those drops in the ocean at my house rather than bees down the pant leg). I should probably revisit that list and see how I am doing.
I was just thinking about your challenge and how I've somehow changed my own rules of participation... but I am still reading from that original list of 20, and surprisingly enough I've also begun clearing out a few books from my shelves in the same way as you have. So your Challenge has been a great boon to going through all the older books and giving them some attention! (but...I have bought more, many more...)
Oh who cares about rules? There was a library sale with REALLY CHEAP BOOKS! Both ethical and irresistible, I'd say!
Can't wait to read your reviews! I've been getting some good reading in lately and am anxious to begin blogging about it again - I think I will recommence in July...yay for book reviews!
Stef, I knew you'd agree that I had to support the library.
Melwyk, well, it's fine to buy more, since you obviously aren't making those you already have feel so neglected anymore.
Litlove, yes, ethical and irresisitable!
Court, reviews coming soon. Although, I haven't been extremely thrilled about many of the ones I've read so far. However, I am now reading American Pastoral, which is bound to get a rave review.
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