Sunday, December 10, 2017

The Official 2018 TBR Pile Challenge


I am joining the The Official 2018 TBR Pile Challenge!

I participated in 2013, 2014, and 2015, then Adam at Roof Beam Reader put the challenge on hiatus for two years while he was writing his doctoral dissertation. Now it is back.



The idea is:
1) Read 12 books that have been sitting on your TBR shelf for at least a year.
2) The books must be listed in advance and the post up by January 15, 2018. Two extra alternate titles are allowed in case you run into a title that you cannot read or finish for any reason.

I had sworn off challenges for 2018 because of doing so poorly at them in 2017, but the endless and growing TBR pile is my focus for this year. And I love to make lists.

So here is my list and we will see how well I do with it.

  • Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong [published 2000, on my shelf since 2012]
  • Black Orchid Blues by Persia Walker [published 2011, on my shelf since 2014]
  • The Known Dead by Donald Harstadt [published 1999, on my shelf since 2014]
  • The Diggers Rest Hotel by Geoffrey McGeachin [published 2010, acquired 2014]
  • Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis [published 1955, on my shelf since 2014]
  • The Quiller Memorandum by Adam Hall [published 1965, on my shelf since 2014]
  • Brewing up a Storm by Emma Lathen [published 1996, on my shelf for a long time.]
  • The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester [published 1951, on my shelf since 2013]
  • Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg  [published 1976, on my shelf since 2013]
  • Starting Out in the Evening  by Brian Morton [published 1998, on my shelf since 2015]
  • Night Rounds by Helene Tursten [published 1999, on my shelf since 2013]
  • A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [published 1887, on my shelf since 2010]

Alternates:

  • Perfect Gallows by Peter Dickinson [published 1988, on my shelf since 2012.]
  • Love and Rubles by Stuart Kaminsky [published 1996, on my shelf for a long time.]


28 comments:

pattinase (abbott) said...

This is a great challenge. I just might try it too.

Anonymous said...

I love the idea of this challenge, Tracy. I've often thought of taking it up, myself, and I respect people like yourself who do. I wish you well with it.

I also hope you and yours are still safe from the fires...

Christine said...

Great idea! Good luck, Tracy.

TracyK said...

I have always enjoyed this challenge, Patti, but it does remind me that I buy books and let them sit for years.

TracyK said...

I think this challenge will be fun, Margot, but then I always think that at the beginning.

Thanks for your concern, Margot, and I hope the fire near you is coming to an end. We are still safe but the Thomas fire is getting much closer than I could have imagined. The community college I work at was closed Thurs. and Friday and now will be closed until Monday, Dec. 18th. The air quality is very bad, as you can imagine, and I am unhappy that my husband still has to go to his work this week. But all in all we are very lucky and grateful.

TracyK said...

Thanks, Christine. I look forward to reading each of these books.

Katrina said...

I might have a go too as I have to concentrate on my own books instead of library books. I haven't read any of the ones on your list.

TracyK said...

Katrina, once I had finalized the list, I was surprised that I have not read any books by 8 of these authors, and that goes up to 9 if I count Sir Arthur Conan Doyle because I have only read one short story of his previously.

Anonymous said...

Great list - I have only about 4 of them I think (Hall, Bester, Doyle, Thornburg) - good luck Tracy :)

TracyK said...

Sergio, I am sure that it was you who told me about the Alfred Bester book. This is the year I actually read The Demolished Man. And I had heard of Adam Hall's books, but you were the one who reminded me of them again.

col2910 said...

Good luck - I signed up for this about 4 years ago and have still only read 3 of my books. Oh well. I've read the Adam Hall and have a few of the others on the pile.

Clothes In Books said...

Good luck with an intriguing list...

TracyK said...

Thanks, I did well the first two years I did this one, but the third time I missed a few. I do hope for success this time.

TracyK said...

Starting Out in the Evening and Auntie Mame came from your blog, Moira. I have high hopes...

Bernadette said...

Good luck. I AM swearing off challenges for 2018 because I have been such a failure at them this year. But if I were to do any it would be something to do with my TBR which continues to be a nightmare.

TracyK said...

I sympathize, Bernadette. I still longingly look at some challenges that seem appealing but not going to do them this year. Even if I only read from the TBR pile I won't dent it, but I will make the effort anyway.

Anonymous said...

A good idea. I may cull some books from the TBR piles as I don't think I'll read them. Others have to wait until I have new glasses, as the print is too small.

I only read a book by McGeachin, another one, very good.

I have read all of Tursten's books except this one and the most recent one, her last Irene Huss book (groan). In the TV series, Night Rounds was awful, like a grade D movie. So I won't bother reading it. I tried to, but couldn't get into it.

From your comments at RTR, want to mention that Abe Books has a lot of Shamini Flint's books for under $4, free shipping. Most are used. I think her books are good, but not classics. I wouldn't buy new copies.

Roof Beam Reader said...

I love A Study in Scarlet (and the whole Sherlock Holmes series). I've got Hound of the Baskervilles on my list for 2018. And I had no idea Auntie Game was a book! I've seen the movie-musical, and I love Angela Lansbury's original music (though I never got to see the original).

TracyK said...

Kathy, I know what you mean about the small print. Drives me crazy, and I have to have LOTS of light on the page while reading.

I am looking forward to all of these books from the TBR pile.

Thanks for the suggestions about getting Shamini Flint's books. At my age, I can't afford to buy new copies always. And I don't usually keep them, I pass them along to the book sale.

TracyK said...

Hi, Roof Beam Reader. I love this challenge.

You would think after all these years of reading mysteries that I would have read the Sherlock Holmes books, but I have only read one short story. So this will be a new adventure. I am also looking forward to reading Auntie Mame, and then watching the movie.

Anonymous said...

Oh, gosh, my father started me out on Sherlock Holmes when I was about 15. Not only did he do so as I would enjoy the books, but I think he thought it would help develop my rational, scientific thought.
OK, fine. It did that along with his ideas, education and reading, but I became like a bulldog if I suspected anything going on in my surroundings. Everything is a clue that I somehow pick up. I blame it on the Great Holmes.

TracyK said...

I hope I enjoy the Sherlock Holmes books as much as you did, Kathy. No one in my family read mysteries, so I don't even know how I got hooked on them. I take that back, my grandmother on my mother's side did, because once she gave me some of her Rex Stout mysteries.

Anonymous said...

I also read Nero Wolfe books while a teenager, and I enjoyed them. But when I read some within the last 5-7 years, I enjoyed them more. Laughed a lot.

TracyK said...

I have re-read the Stout books several times since my teen age years, Kathy. I remember when I was in my forties, and Archie was talking about how a woman of that age was beyond his interest (and he was in his mid-thirties probably). I was mildly offended. Funny what you notice at different periods in your life.

JJ @ This Dark Material said...

I love A Study in Scarlet! I haven't heard of many of your other titles; hopefully your reviews throughout the year will help me discover some new books :) Good luck with the challenge!

TracyK said...

I hope I love A Study in Scarlet as much as you did, JJ. I do need to be reading the Sherlock Holmes books and stories, after all these years. I took a look at your list and it is very ambitious. I look forward to your reviews also.

Jean said...

I was just telling my oldest the other day to read The Demolished Man. It's pretty good!

TracyK said...

That is what I have heard also, Jean. I don't know why I have put off reading it for so long.