Ramblingivy is ROOTing and rummaging through her tbr pile

This time last year, I had 214 books in my tbr pile. I read forty, but also bought myself a lot of books from discount catalogues and charity shops, so now my tbr pile is "only" down to 201. However, progress is progress, and I'm back and eager for another year.

I had originally planned to read ten tbrs this year, but now that I know I have 201 books to read, I'm going to revise my goal. Instead, I'm going to aim for 10% of the tbr pile, or

TWENTY BOOKS.

Bring on 2013! I'm excited.

Good luck, everyone, and happy reading,

Ivy.

Best of luck!

Thanks, Staffordcastle!

Good luck with your ROOT reading!

Thanks, Lkernagh!

Welcome and good luck!

Thanks, Connie!

My first for January and 2013:

Mary: The unauthorised biography by Michael Jordan

Interesting! I'll be keeping this one.

My second for January and 2013:

This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I didn't enjoy this at all, so out it goes.

Third for January and 2013:

The Young Elizabeth by Alison Plowden. Definitely one to keep.

You're doing great Ramblingivy.

Oh, dear. Nothing knocked off the tbr pile since January? That can't be right.

Anyway, here's #4 for the list:

Audacity to Believe by Sheila Cassidy

Seeing as I read far beyond my 2012 tbr goal, I'm surprised at how badly I'm doing this year. Oh well. Babysteps, yes?

Keep on trying!

Will do, MissWatson. Thanks.

And with that, I've just finished #5:

Howard's End by E. M. Forster.

That's a book I'd like to think, and read some critical essays, about, but not one that I'd like to keep, so have made a little more space on the shelves.

Just keep reading

Thanks, Connie.

#6, finished on 31st August :-)

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins

#7, finished on 1st September:

The Bostonians by Henry James

John Perkins has gone to educate someone else via our church fete; The Bostonians will sit on my shelf for a while until I decide whether or not to keep it.

#8:

The Spoils of Poynton by Henry James

Keep it up!!

Thanks, Connie. I think one reason for the slower progress this year is that I've read a lot of my easier books, and am down to the ones that require careful reading and concentration. Remind me not to be ambitious when setting my TBR goal in 2014 :-).

And #9:

Conquistadors by Michael Wood

I"m still deciding whether or not to keep this one. There's some good information in there, but it's more of a coffee table book, and may end up being replaced by one with more information.

> 20: I will try to remember that. That's a challenge on its own ;-) since my memory is not that young anymore.
And I know how difficult it is not to listen to books that are calling : 'Read me, read me'

:-) Connie :-)

I'm trying, trying, trying, not to keep buying new books, but it's difficult. The upcoming church fete is a great motivator for me this month, as they are desperately in need of books, and I'm desperately in need of shelf space. I must have sent at least twenty tomes to the fete in the last fortnight, and am looking forward to clearing more, if possible.

And speaking of which...

#10:

The Chosen, by Chaim Potok. I'm keeping this one, though, as it is wonderful.

Haha, I am appreciating the pirate speak on LT today!

#11: Aztecs by "the scurvy dog" :-) Inga Clendinnen

A good book, but very technical, and I won't be wanting to reread it. Off to the church fete it goes.

#12: The Eustace Diamonds by Anthony Trollope

What a ripper. I'm keeping this one, but may ditch the volume I have, eventually, in favour of a lovely set of the entire series.

#13: The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields

A lovely book; beautifully written. It's going back on my shelf for the time being, but I don't know if I'll end up keeping it.

#14:

Claiming a Continent: A New History of Australia by David Day

I would have enjoyed this more had the author not strayed into modern history, where he was too close to events to have a proper perspective on them. Reading - as I did - twenty years after its publication, the book seems horribly dated, thanks to those impassioned musings on "recent" politics, so off to the church fete it goes.

#15:

Phineas Redux

and #16:

The Prime Minister, both by Anthony Trollope

November 2nd:

#17:

Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope

Wow, you are fairly galloping through these hefty tomes!

I love audible.com. I can "read" while I'm doing chores / resting / etc :-)

#18:

The Bolter by Frances Osborne

I'm not sure whether I'll keep this or not. The Lady Idina had links with other authors, so The Bolter will stay on my shelf, temporarily, while I see whether I want to refer back to it or not.

#19:

My Career Goes Bung by Miles Franklin.

Five stars. What a hoot. Definitely keeping this one.

#20:

Framley Parsonage by Anthony Trollope

And with that, I've reached my tbr goal for 2013. Hooray!

on reaching your goal. Well done!!!

Well done!! Congratulations.

Hurray! Congratulations! :)

Thank you, Ameise, Connie and Rabbitprincess.

#21:

The Life of Charlotte Bronte by Elizabeth Gaskell

I'm glad I read this, but oh! I wish that someone had purged the extraneous material from the book before it was published. It really wasn't necessary to include so many of Bronte's letters, verbatim, when a good narrative could have sufficed. I'm not sure if I'm going to keep this, so I'll return it to the shelf for the time being, but only provisionally.

#22:

The Small House at Allington by Anthony Trollope

What a strange book. The narrative was rocking along, and then it just... finished without bringing the main characters to their proper conclusions. I wonder if he ran out of time, or space, or money, or what.