Tuesday, December 30, 2014

TBR Pile Challenge 2015


Now that I've finished the 2014 TBR Pile, I've been happily composing my reading list for the 2015 TBR Pile Challenge, once again hosted by Adam at RoofBeamReader.com

And the list is--12 are required, so the last two are technically alternates:
  1. State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett - I have heard such wonderful things about this book, that I have to read it early in 2015.
  2. Travel as a Political Act, by Rick Steves - I got this years ago because I enjoy Rick Steves' travel books and videos and I like the premise and I enjoy non-fiction.
  3. When Christ and His Saints Slept, by Sharon Kay Penman - Penman is one of my favorite historical fiction authors, and this book about 12 century England promises to educate me on a time in English history on which I'm a bit shaky.
  4. 12 Years a Slave, by Solomon Northup - I want to watch the movie!
  5. Excellent Women, by Barbara Pym - my JASNA friend Maxene swears that this is the best Pym and that I will love it.  'Nuff said.
  6. Charles Dickens and the House of Fallen Women, by Jenny Hartley - I find Dickens' various philanthropic endeavors to be fascinating and revealing about his personality and unique set of drivers.  Another non-fictional selection...yeah!
  7. Ross Poldark, A Novel of Cornwall 1783-1787, by Winston Graham - time to get ready for the BBC's remake of the Poldark series, being broadcast in 2015.
  8. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini - I'm always late to the party, but I really do want to finally get around to this book and get my armchair visiting other parts of the world.
  9. The Jewel in the Crown, by Paul Scott - book one of The Raj Quartet.  I enjoyed A Passage to India so much that I wanted to learn more about the country and its history.
  10. Plainsong, by Kent Haruf - Haruf, a Colorado writer, passed away earlier this winter, and I would like to read some of his works set in my home state.
  11. The Stone Diaries, by Carol Shields - I missed out on this selection when my GoodReads bookclub read it, and I heard it was really good.
  12. I Know This Much Is True, by Wally Lamb - I've heard good things about Lamb and this novel in particular, and I can't get too mired in the past.  Must read something contemporary.
  13. Paris, by Edward Rutherford - everything I know about pre-Revolutionary France I learned from watching The Musketeers.  About time I did something about that, and I love all of the Rutherford books I've read thus far.
  14. Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel - I don't know why I keep putting this off as I really enjoyed Wolf Hall.

Happy Reading in 2015!

13 comments:

  1. Great list for you, too! I've read The Kite Runner - very good. Didn't even realize Rutherford had a Paris book, and When Christ and His Angels Slept sounds awesome. Oh, this challenge is supposed to decrease my TBR pile, not add to it! :)

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    1. I know, I know. I read other people's list and want to add books to my own stacks!

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  2. My book group loved State of Wonder. And Excellent Women is delightful -- it may get you hooked on Barbara Pym, if you aren't already. (Her books are all blessedly short.) I'll be reading 12 Years a Slave for my book group in February, so I'll look for your review.

    Good luck on the challenge! Can't wait to start on my pile.

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    1. Maybe I'll shoot for Feb for 12 Years a Slave so I can read your review in a timely fashion!

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  3. A good list. I hope you enjoy Bring Up the Bodies - I didn't think it was quite as good as Wolf Hall, but still a really good book. Some of your titles bring back such good memories - Ross Poldark for example, which I read many years ago when the first TV series was broadcast - also The Jewel in the Crown, wonderful - I'd love to read that again, but I gave my copy away!

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    1. There really are some great books from the 70s and earlier that are in danger of being forgotten.

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  4. This is an impressive list indeed. I would like to get to a few of these books myself.

    My wife read The Kite Runner and like it. I want to read 12 Years a Slave but I am afraid that it may be a little too much to take.

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    1. I'm apprehensive about 12 Years a Slave but slavery is such a defining part of the American experience that I feel I can't shy away from learning about the reality of it.

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  5. PS - Good luck with your list and happy reading in 2015 Jane!

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  6. Great list! The Kite Runner is really good. Good luck and have fun.

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  7. I can't recommend Haruf enough but start with Plainsong; Eventide is a sequel to Plainsong.

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  8. You have a couple of books listed that I've read and loved (The Kite Runner, I Know This Much is True)...so, I'm interested in some of your other selections. May need to pop over to goodreads and add even more book to my "to read" list. Happy reading!

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