So last year I found out that I totally lose track of challenges. Sometime around late August / early September - poof - I forgot about all of them. I was still reading lots of books, including books from my TBR pile, just not the ones that I planned to read and I didn't update any challenges for ages. Oops.
However, I am going to try a few again - 1st)
Roof Beam Reader’s 6th Annual TBR Pile Challenge.
The 2015 TBR Pile Challenge hosted by Roof Beam Reader
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 1/1/2014 or later (any
book published in the year 2013 or earlier qualifies, as long as it has
been on your TBR pile – I 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.
Monthly Check-Ins: On the
15th of each month, RBR is going to post a “TBR Pile Check-In.” This will
allow participants to link-up their reviews from the past month and get
some recognition for their progress. There will also be small
mini-challenges and giveaways to go along with these posts (Such As:
Read 6 books by the June Check-in and be entered to win a book of your
choice!).
My 2015 TBR Pile Challenge List: Once again I am going to keep my TBR list to non-fiction books, since that is where I have the worst book accumulation issue.
(I am going to admit to cheating a little here - in a couple of places I list an either/or because I have two books covering the same topic hiding in my TBR pile - there is no sense necessarily in reading both, unless they both turn out to be terrific, but I want to at least read one of them. Please excuse this quibble.)
1.
Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough and Michael Braungart (2002)
2.
dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations by David R. Montgomery (2007) OR
Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth by William Logan (1995) - I want to complete one of these.
3.
Plows, Plagues, and Petroleum by William Ruddiman (2005)
4.
Travels of A T-Shirt in the Global Economy 2nd ed by Pietra Rivoli (2009)
5.
Hubbert's Peak by Kenneth Deffeyes (2001)
OR his
When Oil Peaked (2010) -
I want to see how this holds up
6.
How to Build a Habitable Planet by Charles Langmuir and Wally Broecker (2012) -
this one is 718 pages long! I have read bits and pieces but really need to read the whole thing.
7.
Toxic Truth: A Scientist, A Doctor, and the Battle Over Lead by Lydia Denworth (2008)
8.
Tom's River: A Story of Science and Salvation by Dan Fagin (2013)
another one that is big (538 pages) and that I have read bits of but not the whole thing in order.
9.
Running Dry: A Journey from Source to Sea Down the Colorado River by Jonathan Waterman (2010)
10.
Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth by J.E. Lovelock (1979) -
this one is short, but I have the feeling I am going to spend a lot of time trying to strangle it.
11.
Living Downstream by Sandra Steingraber (1997) -
another one that I have picked up and put down multiple times. Too many people in my life (heck in everyones' lives) that have/had cancer.
12.
Coal: A Human History by Barbara Freese (2003)
I see that authors named William are overrepresented on this list. Odd. I also see that we need more women nonfiction writers in physical science!
Alternates (TBA)
1.
At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson (2010) - Because I need something fun on this list
2.
Periodic Tales: A Cultural History of the Elements, from Arsenic to Zinc by
Hugh Aldersey-Williams (2012)
2nd) Since I am focused on non-fiction for the TBR pile challenge, I am going to overlap with The Introverted Reader's Nonfiction Reading Challenge.
I actually completed this challenge last year in terms of books read (not even including the 107 elementary/middle school nonfiction books I read for the Cybils), but as I mentioned, I totally spaced on writing reviews and linking them for the challenge. Since I am such a goof - I am going for the Seeker level of completing 11-15 books.
All Nonfiction books completed :
1.
When Oil Peaked by Kenneth Deffeyes
2.
The Secret Rooms by Catherine Bailey
Finally I just realized that I should include the one challenge that I actually did complete last year! So 3)
~ 2015 Mount TBR Reading Challenge ~
Books must be owned by you prior to January 1, 2015. No ARCs (none), no library books. +++Amended Rule: Rereads may count only in the following circumstances: If you did not own the book when you read it long ago and far away [based on your age, you can decide what that might mean--definitely not within the last five years...my arbitrary pick for a limit] and you bought the book pre-January 1, 2015 intending to reread it now that it's your very own. Audiobooks and E-books may count if they are yours and they are one of your primary sources of backlogged books.
