bohemima clears at least a bit of space

Are you really serious? A goal?

Ummm....let's see: I must have 300 unread books here, maybe 400.

*hangs head, moves toe back and forth in sand*

So, okay. I can read and remove, through give-away, mooch, whatever, um...three times four...carry the two...um...

25 books read from existing stacks and removed from house. That's it. My goal, modest as it may be. We'll see. Actual, physical books, gone. This could be wrenching.

You might find this less painful than you think - just think of all the space you could create for new books!

Welcome to our attempt at a twelve step program to help thoses with large TBR piles.
so;

Step 1 - I admit that I am powerless over the unread book
Steps 2 - 11 - So what.
Step 12 - I will strive to enjoy the unread books that cross my path.

(p.s. Goals are for wimps and over achivers)

#2: I'm working on not buying new books. This of course should not be construed to mean that I will not be mooching/trading books in or accepting gifts from the family of books, etc. I did a count two years in a row and found that I actually bought more books than I read. Which resulted in a huge net gain of volumes around here. I have a particularly large cache of mysteries which I'm saving for that rainy day when I can't find anything to read!

Ahem. Raving over. Carry on.

#3: Lol. I love Steps 2-11. That was a day-maker for me!

Agreed--Marty, I nearly fell off my chair at Steps 2-11. I should make that my motto.

Wait. I think it already is...

I'm too afraid to count how many unread books I've got around the house.

My goal is to make sure it doesn't get any worse. Having a Kindle helps but there, I at least can easily see how things pile up.

*settles in to watch Gail clear her shelf*

Ah-hem - Steps 2-11 are great, & floating goals are great. BTW, knowing I was going to do this challenge for 2011 caused a sharp upswing in December book buying. Oops. But I'm better now. Back to step 1.

Popping in to say hi and to star you :)

#5: Terry, isn't it odd: I think Marty already knows me. Huh. Took my steps and everything. O.o

#6: Linda, I got a Nook this sumer and seemingly within minutes was up to about 100 books. Gak.

#7: Well, Madeline, I'll be using mooch and bookcrossing for sure, won't I? Man. I wonder if I can honestly do this.

#8: Yes, I'll be back at Step One before the actual year is here, thanks to Hubby.

#9: Hey, Sally. Welcome aboard this shaky train.

D.H. is a Sweetheart: 2 enormous gift certs to the local bigbox bookstore tucked inside the nice new black purse I'd asked for.

Oh my. What to buy? This time I'm actually going to think it through and try not to be distracted by the "shiny". Taking lists, that kind of thing. (MM readers, you know what I mean.)

This is going to make it difficult to clear even one shelf. Uh-oh. Nevertheless: at least 25 of these charming but neglected little blighters must go this year. Must.

What a wonderful D.H.!

I've three books planned to get off the shelf in January. I'm planning on reading two others, but keeping them after reading.

Uh-huh.

Did I mention that I saved one of the gift certs for next week because I can get an extra $20 off if I do? Which of course enables me to get at least one extra book. Uh-oh...

Ah well, getting books off the shelf doesn't mean we have to overlook a good buy!

I've starred you too. See you in 2011!

Just want to announce that I've cleared three books:
Diary from Dixie-I'd had that exactly 10 years and read it this past December. Now it's gone to a happy home.

The Magnificent Ambersons and The Day of the Scorpion.

Unfortunately I cannot, in all fairness, count them for this year's 25, as I read them last year. sigh.

However, I'm now reading Inkheart, will be done by the week-end, and it will have a controlled release.

Um, did I mention that I just ordered 9 books?

Sigh of resignation, girding of loins, renewing of vow to somehow get 25 babies off to new nests.

Inkheart was a really fun read... and tends to be in thick editions even though it isn't that long. Don't worry. Your 9 books will fit in the space it, and the others vacate. ;) With some smooshing (and perhaps page whittling. Page whittling not recommended.)

Even though it doesn't count, congratualtions for getting a 10 year resident moved along. Inkheart is on my wish list so I'll be looking forward to your thoughts on it.

Took a book quiz:

You're The Guns of August!

by Barbara Tuchman

Though you're interested in war, what you really want to know is what
causes war. You're out to expose imperialism, militarism, and nationalism for what they
really are. Nevertheless, you're always living in the past and have a hard time dealing
with what's going on today. You're also far more focused on Europe than anywhere else in
the world. A fitting motto for you might be "Guns do kill, but so can
diplomats."


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

I thought the result was a bit odd, even if I liked the book.

The above post was an experiment to see if, after all these years, I finally serendipitously discovered how to do that stuff. Obviously I happened on the way to do it.

Book 1 of 25

Inkheart

is a terrific book. At first it seems like an ordinary sort of fantasy/coming-of-age story: Evil Doers chasing after the Forces of Good, trying to obtain an especially valuable object. It works fine on that level and is even quite a page-turner from this point of view. However, author Funke has invested this particular saga with many layers of meaning, including the collaboration and conflict existing between an author and his reader; and how deeply a book can effect its reader and through him, the reader's world. The strong storyline, easily grasped by older children, provides a vehicle for thought-provoking speculation on the connections between literature and life. Highly recommended.

To all visitors here: if a book appears here and is on your wishlist, drop me a private message with your address and I'll send you the book (U. S. or Canada only, please, I can't afford the postage overseas any longer.) DeltaQueen50 has first dibs on Inkheart because she already mentioned that it's on her wishlist. All I ask is that you log the book in at BookCrossing, which is fast, free, and can be done anonymously. I'll leave them here for a couple of weeks before I post them on Bookmooch.

And again, thanks to all for the kind wishes.

Judy's informed me she has access to Inkheart already, so...any takers?

Nice review of Inkheart, & you didn't give away my favorite part of it.

>#22: I try not to give away the surpirses in a book, altghough sometimes I do mess that up. Inkheart is a book that would resonate with all bibliophiles, I would think.

23> Definitely, especially bilbiophiles that have read to kids.

Book 2 of 25: The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat
is on its way to Florida. I absolutely loved this book, all about people with brain disorders. Dr. Sacks reveals himsefl as a caring, curious, unusual physician. I'd look for more of his books.

Book 1 is on its way to California.

Gee, only 23 to go!

> 20

All I ask is that you log the book in at BookCrossing,

To let others know that you participate in Bookcrossing, don't forget to add BookCrossing to "Also On" on your profile page here at LT. That allows other Bookcrossers here on LT to identify you as a Bookcrosser and go straight to your profile page there.

Thank you, my dear Madeline. It's hard for me to keep up sometimes! I know: you're shocked.

Book 3 of 25: My Jesus Year is on its way to California. I seem to have a lot of books going to California, not sure why. Huh.

#25 I read the man who mistook his wife for a hat a long time ago and read recently that it was being reissued and a movie would be made if it. I've forgotten the well known name associated with the movie but it was someone who would be serious about it.

I can't imagine a movie of this book...well, a movie about part of it, perhaps. In one part of the book, Sacks talks about LDopa, I think, and how that went wrong in some treatment. I believe there was a movie made about that, with Robin Williams as the dr. Not sure, my memory is somewhat vague.

You're right, Gail. It was Awakenings. I have the book, but haven't read it yet. And Robin Williams did play the doctor.

> 27

My Jesus Year is on its way to California.

Cool!

>30 tloeffler:: Thanks, Terry. I thought that was the title but was unsure. I've seen/read about so many movies, my recall is sometimes less than exact.

>31 SqueakyChu:: I know, Madeline! It's great to see books moving on to others, especially those books we think are worthwhile.

Book 4 of 25, Morning Miracle: Inside the Washington Post, is on its way to California.

I may just be able to do the entire 25 after all. I hope so, anyway. I really need to let others read these instead of being such a little hoarder.

I managed to send along three books that I read last year, but of course am not counting them for the 25.

Book 5 of 25, Death in the Stocks, has been sent off to New York. I didn't like it nearly as much as I'd rememered. Not sure why; it just didn't work for me, although the opening chpater was terrific.

Book 6 of 25, Means of Evil is on its way to Connecticutt as we speak.
I hope to meet this goal, because I've got this comulsive disorder of book-buying or book-procuring in some way; my shelves are so full...but did send along another read from last year, which puts me up to four from 2010, to go along with 6 from 2011. Hmm. Not too bad.

Yeah! Two more gone. & I here you on the compulsive thing. A friend just had a book signing, so did I buy just her book? Of course not.

Although I won't count if for this year's 25, I went to my dentist today and gave him We Were Europeans. He was very pleased; I might mention that he's also a good friend. Since it's a very large even though interesting and historically worthwhile book, I was glad to pass it on to him. He plans to read it and then put it in his temple's library.

Win win situation! You get several inches back, and other people will get to read the book.

I've been able to dispose of, to good homes one hopes, Books 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12!

They included Jacob Have I Loved, a great YA book with a sad, sad ending; Gallows View, a nifty little mystery by Peter Robinson; Odd and the Frost Giants, a very brief--think novella--myth by Neil Gaiman involving the Norse gods, which I enjoyed as a fun little read; The Anatomy of Ghosts, a book I didn't like because of the rather repellent subject matter. I wasn't put off by the mockery of Christian beliefs on the part of some characters, but rather by their crude, cruel, and distatsteful actions. Still, some good characterizations and period ambience in this one.

Also, the very charming Headhunter's Daughter, an exploration of cultural interactions in the Belgian Congo of 1958; and Foreskin's Lament, a book by that stereotypical boy-in-rebellion, a book I really didn't like, although some others thought it was great.

ETA: Touchstones not working somewhat
So: almost half-way there. Next up for send-off is 269191: Art and Madness, which is really interesting and different. If anyone is interested, let me know. My review will be at the booksite tomorrow.

You are doing really well with this challenge. I, on the other hand, started off great and have slowed down considerably. I don't know why the appeal of new books and library books seem to win over my 'On-the-Shelf" books!

> 38

So to whom did Foreskin's Lament go? That' a book I wouldn't just send off to anyone!

I sent it off to a young lady in California, who seemed quite eager to read it. I did warn her that it's not for the faint of heart and that some of the language was a bit colorful and could be off-putting. She still seemed eager, said she'd read a bit about it already. I was very interested in those parts of the book describing holidays, school, etc., even though the author wasn't happy with any of it.

Do you remember the part in Foreskin's Lament about the "bracha bee"? That was like a spelling bee but it tested the student's knowledge of Jewish blessings. We have a blessing for just about everything! Anyway, I enjoyed that part so much because it brought back (for me, anyway) fond memories of my Hebrew school days (which I loved!).

Now you're making me curious. A blessing bee and colorfully off-putting language?

Well, the book is something of a mixed bag, to put it mildly. If one isn't put off by rough language and can deal with quite a bit of anger, it's an interesting and very different book. Kind of like a stream-of-conciousness confessional. It's worth reading, but I didn't like it at all. Now, talk about internal inconsistencies...I guess I'd better just heal myself, there. In fact, I may change the rating I gave it. It hits hard, this book.

Gail, have you listened to this NPR radio interview* with Shalom Auslander? While reading this book, I felt that I had to know more about a man who would write such a hateful book. (I'm glad to report that he'd been in therapy!) I found it so interesting that I had to listen to it in its entirety before I finished the book. I also posted it here as a link on the author's page.

*For others who are going to check out this interview, I'd say to wait until after you read the book. It does give away a key plot point.

> 44

It hits hard, this book.

Exactly. It's offensive (and, to me, was personally offensive), but it was able to coherently express an idea. If I hated it that much and was so offended by it, why was I intrigued with it, and why did I finish it at all? I was surprised though, that others called this book humorous. The barbs were not meant to be humorous so much as belittling. That's why I labeled this book "sad". The author, as he describes himself, suffered so much in his childhood in what, for others, might have been described as a nurturing environment.

The bottom line, I think, is that it's often hard for parents to recognize that children are not extensions of themselves. The more stringent force a parent puts on a child without also giving loving and nurturing support, the more that child is going to rebel against those parents' rigid values, including religion. There are no guarantees in this world, and every person is an individual.

Now I'm really curious, but in an ambivalent sort of way.

It's easy to check out this book, cammykitty. Go to the Amazon "surprise Me" page. Click on "Surprise me" and read a bit of the book. You can scroll up and down pages. When you get offended, come back to LibraryThing! :)

ETA: You might have to click a few times to get to the text portion of this book.

Madeline, I would have responded long ago but for #@$#%$^% problems with my isp and internet connections. I finally got to listen to the Auslander interview today. I was surprised by his very calm demeanor, even though he makes the anger very clear. I'm not sure how he arrives at his sad current status; I had a fairly strict upbringing in a religious sense, and of course am plagued by guilt; but I've never made the leap to thinking that God will take my child from me if I don't behave in a certain way. I don't feel affronted any longer, but I'm still puzzled and sorry for him.

On a happier note, I've shipped off more books!

13 of 25: was Art and Madness by Anne Roiphe, an intriguing look at the more-or-less avante garde literary life in the late fifties and early sixties. A real pleasure from the Early Reviewers program here.

14 of 25: Hotel du Lac, a charming book by Anita Brookner, is on its way to California. I loved this and am going to look for more by this author.

15 of 25: A Walk in the Woods by Bryson. I persuaded my husband to read this, then gave it a final re-read before sending it to its new home in Michigan.

And 16 of 25 In the Woods by Tana French is going to Minnesota. I didn't enjoy this, but don't let that stop you. It's a well-written book and good for fans of the genre.

> 49

You'll probably find this interesting, Gail. I just recommended the Auslander book to a friend of mine. I explained the book to him. This is a 40-something man (former neighbor, I know him well) who was born with cerebral palsy. He's a very, very funny guy, but pretty mad at God for having made him the way he is. We had a very intersting discussion this past week about religion. His dad is Muslim and his mom is Christian (I don't know which specific faith). He basically does not follow either religion but likes the traditions (the food for the holidays mostly!). I know that my neighbor will probably think that Auslander's book is hilarious. I'm waiting to see if he really gets it to read.

Anyway, I'm now reading a book about male homosexuality. It's called Finally Out (touchstone not working) and is my Early Reviewer book for March. The author, Dr. Loren Olson, is a psychiatrist. Some lines from his book made me think of Auslander. For example:

“We have the capacity to deconstruct our inherited value system, analyze it, and reconstruct a value system of our own making; in fact, it is essential that we do so.”

and

"Those who believe that there are absolutes of right and wrong and good and evil have had their thinking done for them."

By the way, those quotes were so good, I not only copied them down, but I'm including them in my review of Olson's book when I finish it.

I'm still puzzled and sorry for him.

I'm not puzzled for Auslander because I think I understand what he's angry about. I'm sorry for him because of his situation.

In the "coming out" book I'm now reading, the newly emerged uncloseted gay male basically has to do what Auslander did, namely, to actually be able to live a new life and expect that some/most/all of his former support network (family, religion, community) will drop out of his life. I saw so many connections between these two books that it was uncanny.

P.S. Olson's book is excellent!

Excellent quotes, Madeline, very thought-provoking. I especially like the idea of making our own value system, using the one(s) we're given but not simply accepting them. On the second quote, though, I'm not sure I agree that there can't be absolute right and wrong. However, one thing I'm finding as I grow older is that many ideas I considered as sort of a bedrock of who I am--well, maybe those ideas are not so correct, and that grey is indeed a much more prevalent color than black or white.

Your comparison of coming out and Auslander's position is astute. It's sad that he, or rather they, had to learn to get along without that familiar and comfortable safety net.

I'm interested in glbt issues, so the book sounds good; I'm adding it to the wishlist.

Let me know what your neighbor thinks about Auslander's book, should he read it.

> 51

grey is indeed a much more prevalent color than black or white.

I'm finding that the extreme of anything tends to not be of much value for me. I rather like being to the left of center, if only so that I can understand what the opposition is thinking. :)

Olson's book is just terrific! When a book makes me stop multiple times while reading it to copy down quotes, to write down ideas, or to begin a review so I won't leave anything out, That is a great sign of a good book (or a least a book that is a good fit) for me.

Let me know what your neighbor thinks about Auslander's book, should he read it.

I'll surely get back to you if I find out he's read it.

Oh my. I've been reading books that are good or not-so-hot, but ones that I definitely don't need to keep on hand for those just-in-case moments when the dreaded Dragon of Reading Dissatisfaction visits me. (Of course it helps that I keep acquring new volumes, too.)

Book 17 of 25: Mildred Pierce is a great noir-type exploration of ambition, unreasoning parental love, and complete nastiness. It's terrific for anyone who likes that type of book, or who is interested in the thirties. It's on its way to Chicago.

Book 18 of 25: The Big Sleep is one of the first noir detective stories. Very influential on later writers, but I think my wide reading of mysteries has sort of jaded my palate. It was okay, especially the atmosphere and the portrayal of the detective charater, but the unbelievably murky plot really hurt this novel. It's going to California.

Book 19 of 25: Deadly Slipper, a run-of-the-mill cozy set in the Dordogne in France, is off to my home state of Massachusetts. The best thing about this novel is the setting, which is well and lovingly described.

Note to self: do a recap at year's end to see where the books went.