Having somehow managed to fulfill my obligations for C.B. James' TBR Dare (I went all of January as per my vow and even two or three days into February as a sort of ostentatious flexing of my newfound book deprivation biceps for all the world to see), I'm now happily ensconced in a non-TBR Dare library read in the form of Mari Sandoz's engrossing Crazy Horse: The Strange Man of the Oglalas. Since I expect that other library books, a possible purchase or two, and a gift book my dad told me to order at his expense will become part of my new reading during the month of February, I'm officially out of the dare for the moment--but I may "rejoin" it again in spirit in March since the experience has taught me a couple of uncomfortable but valuable lessons about my book-buying/book-hoarding habits. In the meantime, thanks to C.B. James for coming up with an event that's been way more interesting than the usual challenge fare--I enjoyed it...but I'm also glad that it's over for me! OK, back to the books, new and old ones this month.
You're welcome. I has been an edifying experience, much to my surprise. I'm going to stick it out until April and I may make it a regular thing each year.
ResponderBorrarBut there is a small stack of new books that have somehow found their way into my home.....
It has been an eye opener. Apparently, I could read from my house for years. But will not. Unsure of how long I will make it but doing fine for now. I may take up that Art of Novella dare I was contemplating in either March or April so that might be the end of me. What gift book did your Dad make yours?
ResponderBorrarWell, I've found that not getting much read at all really simplifies the attempt to just read from my shelves! Although, now that I'm limited, it seems that the books I want to read are the ones I don't own. Congratulations for sticking with it for your goal.
ResponderBorrarI have really enjoyed the TBR Dare but will probably fall of the wagon later in the week. I'm curious about the Sandoz book, I haven't read that one. Have a great week, Richard!
ResponderBorrarGood on ya for sticking it out into February, Richard. I know what you mean about uncomfortable but valuable lessons...having to cut back on my book acquisition pre-France has opened my eyes to how much of a habit it had become for me. Not that that's likely to change long-term, or anything. :-)
ResponderBorrar*C.B. James: Edifying is a good choice of words for my experience as well. In fact, I might try a TBR Dare-like experience in alternate months this year--but I want to leave some free time to explore new interests, investigate reading topics, use the library more, etc. Cheers!
ResponderBorrar*Frances: The Art of the Novella dare sounds like a tempting reason to cave in on this one, but congrats on outlasting me anyway--and this coming from somebody else who could prob. read from the house for years but won't! The book my dad bought me isn't actually a gift book but rather just a book that is a gift (poor phrasing on my part): Bernard Fall's Hell in a Very Small Place: The Siege of Dien Bien Phu, an account of a watershed battle in the French-Vietnamese war. For some reason, all the books that seriously tempted me during my month in the Dare were histories rather than fiction.
*Amanda: Ha ha, my reading numbers were rather modest as well: 3 TBR books, 1 library book for the Wolves group read, maybe a couple hundred pages in some other books I have yet to finish. Excellent strategy, though, you're right!
*Gavin: The Sandoz book is a really cool biography so far, and I hope to post on it by sometime next week. Rather affecting writing in places. Hope you have a great week, too!
*Emily: Thanks--I'm surprised I lasted that long (no willpower at all), esp. since I was also trying to go an entire month without book buying at the same time. Barely made it, but I did. In terms of modifying the book buying habit, you have a great goal to shoot for at least since you'll be able to stock up on French books in France and give your TBR pile a more continental feel. Good luck until then!
haha... that's smart of you. Can one really finish reading all the unread books on his shelf? What I do is I buy and read but now it has started piling. DARE is there to keep it down though officially I am not participating.
ResponderBorrarCan't wait to hear about the Crazy Horse book. We went to see him in his rock incarnation last summer, and it was pretty amazing. But even more so was the story of the family who has been carving this thing. I suppose outsized stories go naturally with an outsized legend.
ResponderBorrar*Nana: Buy and read is a better way of attacking the pile than buy and wait, but you're right, maybe the unread part of the shelf is destined to keep on growing no matter what. Anyway, it's not like that's a horrible problem, I guess--cheers!
ResponderBorrar*Jill: I thought you were talking about having gone to see a Neil Young concert for a moment, but then I remembered that the other rock Crazy Horse was an actual monument! Am very much enjoying Sandoz' book, which is an unusual but unusually affecting biography so far. Surprisingly good, in fact.
My TBR, luckily isn't to large, or to put it more accurately it's of a size that I can comfortably ignore. My main problem is amazon 1click, I see a post about a writer that interests me, check out amazon & its there & goddamn you 1click, it's winging its way to me.
ResponderBorrar"rock incarnation" - Neil Young - very good!
ResponderBorrar