I need to work on my TBR Challenge, as I've read 3/12 for the year, but they were kind of the easy ones, and I'll fall behind if I'm not careful. Also, that's the best challenge ever, because I have an embarrassing number of books that I own and have not read.
Just off the top of my head, here're some books I'd like to actually read this year that I've had on my shelves for a while (or, y'know, just bought):
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Portrait of a Lady
Wigs on the Green
Opera and Its Symbols
A History of the Wife
Rats, Lice and History
Mayflower
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Founding Brothers
There's some other stuff, like my grandmother's copy of The Golden Bough, which I'm mainly into because it was hers and reminds me she was both smart and awesome (I can tell myself this, as she's the only grandparent I never met and thus I can make up things). But I'd definitely like to make a dent in the number of unread books I have. Stupid library, licentious den of temptation. It keeps drawing me in with its shiny free books that aren't like the humdrum ones I see every day at home. Sure, my books are faithful and probably full of good things and haven't been pored over by tens of others, but the ones at the library are exotic and interesting.
I didn't go into that paragraph intending to compare the library to a whorehouse, but that seems to be what happened.
It's just a gamble asking people to list things, but does anyone have any books they've had laying around for years? Glaring balefully at you each time you pass them on the shelf? Yeah, everyone does. You might've just suppressed your knowledge of them, though. Started using 'em for coasters or something. Well, that's ok. You need something to set your drink on while marathoning The Office yet again (although that might just be me who still does that).
Just off the top of my head, here're some books I'd like to actually read this year that I've had on my shelves for a while (or, y'know, just bought):
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Portrait of a Lady
Wigs on the Green
Opera and Its Symbols
A History of the Wife
Rats, Lice and History
Mayflower
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Founding Brothers
There's some other stuff, like my grandmother's copy of The Golden Bough, which I'm mainly into because it was hers and reminds me she was both smart and awesome (I can tell myself this, as she's the only grandparent I never met and thus I can make up things). But I'd definitely like to make a dent in the number of unread books I have. Stupid library, licentious den of temptation. It keeps drawing me in with its shiny free books that aren't like the humdrum ones I see every day at home. Sure, my books are faithful and probably full of good things and haven't been pored over by tens of others, but the ones at the library are exotic and interesting.
I didn't go into that paragraph intending to compare the library to a whorehouse, but that seems to be what happened.
It's just a gamble asking people to list things, but does anyone have any books they've had laying around for years? Glaring balefully at you each time you pass them on the shelf? Yeah, everyone does. You might've just suppressed your knowledge of them, though. Started using 'em for coasters or something. Well, that's ok. You need something to set your drink on while marathoning The Office yet again (although that might just be me who still does that).
I have a book that was assigned for a Latin class five years ago that I didn't read for class, but the discussion sounded good so I held on to it. Aaaand still haven't read it.
ReplyDeleteYou can do it, dude. Someday.
ReplyDeleteWe need to get pie.
Eco's The Name of the Rose--I have a used copy I bought during college because I had heard that he was famous. Still haven't opened it.
ReplyDeleteYou're the only person I've ever seen calling the library a "licentious den of temptation," but you're completely right.
@Mike You know, I saw that book on a top 10 list of books people say they've read but haven't. A friend at work got all the way through it. I think he sort of liked it. I know more people who've made it through Foucault's Pendulum (I, of course, am not one of them).
ReplyDeleteI'm totally right. I could also call it a siren's rock, its book ever tempting me away from home and hearth and into their blissful abode in the watery deep. YEAH.
...'cept if books get in water they get all messed up.