Challenge WrapUps: Those TBRs!
At the beginning of 2012, my house was overflowing with books, so I joined several – five, in fact – challenges designed to help me reduce the piles.
As you’ll see, the challenges worked for me only in a limited way. But I did sell a dozen books at a yard sale, give away 316 books to a starting-up used bookstore in the village, and send another 27 out with the recycling. So, hey, I cleared out a lot of books this year – although I think that the (hundreds) that are left are breeding when my back is turned.
* * * * *
I started the year with the great TBR Double Dare which required me read only the books in my To Be Read stack from January 1, to April 1. And I did – so I should have made on dent in my shelves.
SUCCESS! (sort of)
My downfall was the fine print: The official stance on library books is that you can only read those in your possession or on your holds list at 12:00 A.M. on Jan. 1, 2012.
See, my library hold list was long – and the books kept coming and so what I read, although technically qualifying, wasn’t reducing the TBR pile I needed to tackle.
* * * * *
Bonnie at Bookish Ardour who hosted the Off the Shelf Challenge had easy rules: if it was in my possession on December 31st and I read it this year, then it counted.
FAILURE!
Even with those easy qualification, I didn’t make it, reading only 37 titles. You can see the complete list on my original sign-up page.
* * * * *
Bev at My Reader’s Block hosted the very popular Mount TBR Challenge.
I committed to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and read 50 books from my shelves. Bev didn’t allow re-reads (which I did for the Books That Made Me Love Reading challenge) nor did she permit ARCs. That knocked 5 titles from my Off the Shelf list, for a total of 32. I’ve listed them on my original sign-up page.
FAILURE!
Thirty-measly-two! I should have gone in at Mount Vancouver level – then I would have gotten to the peak instead of being stuck at base camp.
* * * * *
I did even worse (if you can imagine!) on Evie’s TBR Pile Reading Challenge at Bookish. Evie required that every book had to be reviewed. Until I started my month-end mini reviews in April, I posted reviews only sporadically.
Since I went in at the “Married with Children” level of 41 -50 books, and only 27 of my off-the-shelf reads qualify, I have another:
FAILURE!
For a list of the qualifying titles, see my sign-up page.
* * * * *
Adam over at Roof Beam Reader also hosted a TBR Pile Challenge – and I had to list my twelve books in advance. I’m thankful I was allowed two alternates because I used them both. To see which two titles I ended up skipping, you’ll have to check my original list on my sign-up page.
SUCCESS!
1. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth Completed Apr 2012
2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Completed Jul 2012
3. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler Completed Sep 2012
4. A Jest of God by Margaret Laurence Completed Sep 2012
5. My Financial Career and Other Follies by Stephen Leacock Completed Feb 2012
6. Memoirs by Pierre Elliott Trudeau Completed Nov 2012
7. Walden by Henry David Thoreau Completed Mar 2012
8. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck Completed Sep 2012
9. The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury Completed Sep 2012
10. The Museum of Dr. Moses by Joyce Carol Oates Completed Oct 2012
11. Murder at Hazelmoor by Agatha Christie Completed Jun 2012
12. Halfway House by Ellery Queen Completed Dec 2012
Well I’d say you did pretty good, all things considered. I didn’t get as many TBR’s done this year as I would have liked – there were just too many shiny new books that needed further inspection!
That’s always my downfall, too, Trish – hence the hefty library holds list.
Personally, I think the fact tht you managed to finish 32 TBR books is pretty awesome! You’ve done better than many. 😀
I’ve joined a few challenges next year in the hopes that I can reduce the unread books on my shelves by at least 24.
All the best with next year’s reading! 🙂
Thanks, Risa. I guess if I had been more modest in my goal setting back in January, I’d be feeling pretty good about 32 books. But…it’s all in how you look at it, I guess. 😉
You did fantastic. That’s a lot of books. I think mine are breeding on the shelves too, but that’s another story!
I failed miserably at the TBR challenge. I did fine on the others, but I now know that I can’t choose what I will feel like reading a year in advance. My mood changes and what I thought I would read back in December wasn’t what I wanted a few months later. I need a more flexible TRB challenge.
I learned that too, Leslie. It’s hard enoughh to know what I want to read next month, nveer mind next year. Never again with the set reading list that allows no time for “extras”.
I still think you did an amazing job with reading your own books! I have no idea how many of my own books I read but I’m sure it’s not 32. 😉
Thanks for your kind words, Vasilly. I just should have set lower goals. ;-(
I think you did really well! I managed to read 25 with another one on the go that I might finish before 31 December, if I’m lucky. I’ve signed up to attempt Mount Ararat, that is, to read 48 books – maybe I should have aimed lower as that’s nearly double the number I read this year …
That’s the key, Margaret: choosing the right goal. This challenge has certainly helped me to identify some reading patterns and I’ve come to realize that what’s on my shelves will always be second – or third – choice, no matter how much I want to read it, in and of itself.
Debbie: You still did great! Knocking off any from the TBR stack is a win. I hope you join up again for next year. Maybe it would work better for you to start with Pike’s Peak or Mount Blanc and then go higher if you can.
[…] Melissa C. @ 4 a Happier Me 14. Rachel@ChaosIsAFriendOfMine 15. Debbie @Exurbanis (2012 Wrap-up) 16. Carolyn @ RIEDEL Fascination 17. Mervi @ Mervi’s Book […]