Saturday 31 December 2011

TBR Pile Book Challenge

This challenge is hosted by Roof Beam Reader and is called the TBR Pile Book Challenge.
The Goal: To finally read 12 books from your “to be read” pile (within 12 months).
Specifics:
1. Each of these 12 books must have been on your bookshelf or “To Be Read” list for AT LEAST one full year. This means the book cannot have a publication date of 1/1/2011 or later (any book published in the year 2010 or earlier qualifies, as long as it has been on your TBR pile – the host WILL be checking publication dates). Caveat: Two (2) alternates are allowed, just in case one or two of the books end up in the “can’t get through” pile.
2.  To be eligible, you must sign-up with the Mr. Linky on the challenge blog – link to your list (so create it ahead of time!) and add updated links to each book’s review.  Every listed book must be completed and must be reviewed (doesn’t have to be too fancy) in order to count as completed.
3.  The link you post in the Mr. Linky must be to your “master list” (see mine below).  This is where you will keep track of your books completed, crossing them out and/or dating them as you go along, and updating the list with the links to each review (so there’s one easy, convenient way to find your list and all your reviews for the challenge).  See THIS LINK for an idea of what the host means.  Your list must be completed by December 31st, 2011.
4. Leave comments on the challenge post as you go along, to update everyone on your status. Come back if/when you complete this challenge and leave a comment indicating that you CONQUERED YOUR 2012 TBR LIST!  Every person who successfully reads his/her 12 books and/or alternates (and who provides a working link to their list, which has links to the review locations) will be entered to win a $50 gift card from Amazon.com or The Book Depository!
5. Crossovers from other challenges are totally acceptable, as long as you have never read the book before and it was published pre-2011!
*Note – You can read the books on your list in any order; they do not need to be read in the order you have them listed. As you complete a book – review it, and go back to your original list and turn that title into a link to the review - that will keep the comments section here from getting ridiculously cluttered.

My 2012 TBR Pile Challenge List:

1. Miss Pettigrew lives for a Day by Winifred Watson
2. Memoirs of an Infantry Officer by Siegfried Sassoon
3. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
4. The Perfect Summer by Juliet Nicolson
5. Due Considerations by John Updike
6. Cities of Refuge by Michael Helm (finished July 9)
7. Darkmans by Nicola Barker (finished November 26)
8. The Broken Shore by Peter Temple (finished January 6)
9. The Journal of Helene Berr by Helene Berr and David Bellos (finished December 15)
10. Silas Marner by George Eliot (finished December 31)
11. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
12. The Patience Stone by Atiq Rahimi, translated by Polly McLean (finished November 24)

Alternates:
1. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
2. Howards End is on the Landing by Susan Hill

I  have tried to pick some books that I know will count towards other challenges, and hopefully increase the chances of success.

4 comments:

  1. Well I'm in a similar challenge, not quite so many rules. I'll be interested to see what you think of Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. My TBR pile has a # of Dressmaker/seamstress tales, since I'm officially one, I thought it might be fun to read about other adventures. I didn't seem to have that many adventures as a seamstress other than pain in the neck clients. Have a Happy New Year.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Irene. I'm always scared when I sew about making mistakes, although I do a lot of needlepoint and crossstitch.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad you're joining us for the challenge! I had Edgar Sawtelle on my 2012 list, but went with an alternate instead. Maybe I'll get to it this year.

    Looking forward to your reviews. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Edgar Sawtelle is next in my 'beside the bed' reading pile, so I should get to it.
    The Broken Shore is next in my 'I own it' pile in the living room (as opposed to 'the library owns it' pile).

    ReplyDelete