Mount TBR 2017 discussion

Running List:
print unless otherwise noted
* listened to audio library copy (own print or eBook)

-----------first peak: Mt. Blanc------------

January:
1. Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
2. The Red Car by Marcy Dermansky
3. Green Girl by Kate Zambreno
4. Best Boy by Eli Gottlieb *
5. People of the Nightland by W. Michael Gear & Kathleen O'Neal Gear
6. Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín * (eBook)
was noted originally in my progress as print book

February:
7. Darktown by Thomas Mullen *
8. The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
9. Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah (audio)
10. George Carlin Reads to You: An Audio Collection Including Recent Grammy Winners Braindroppings and Napalm & Silly Putty by George Carlin (audio)

March:
11. Periodic Tales: A Cultural History of the Elements, from Arsenic to Zinc by Hugh Aldersey-Williams (eBook)
12. The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena *
13. Kafka's Curse by Achmat Dangor
14. Just Kids by Patti Smith (audio)
15. Mercury by Margot Livesey *
16. The Game by Laurie R. King (audio)

April:
17. So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson (audio)
18. The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring by Richard Preston (eBook)
19. Red Mars (Mars Trilogy, #1) by Kim Stanley Robinson (audio) [partial/did not finish]
20. The Beauty of the End by Debbie Howells

May:
21. Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz
22. Next by Michael Crichton (audio)
23. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders *
24. The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo

-----------next peak: Mt. Vancouver----------

June:
25. The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict
26. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph J. Ellis (audio & print)
27. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan
28. People of the Weeping Eye by W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear

July:
29. Carry On: Two Young Men, a Journalist Who Wouldn't Walk Away, and the Creation of an Unlikely Family by Lisa Fenn
30. Blood at the Root: A Racial Cleansing in America by Patrick Phillips *
31. The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore
32. Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving * [partial/did not finish]

August:
33. You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain by Phoebe Robinson
34. Utopia by Thomas More *
35. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (audio)
36. Afterparty by Daryl Gregory (audio)

-----------third peak: Mt. Ararat----------

August:
37. The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee (audio)

September:
38. Methuselah's Children by Robert A. Heinlein (audio)
39. The Nix by Nathan Hill *
40. Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim (audio)
41. In Milton Lumky Territory by Philip K. Dick (audio)

October:
42. Orfeo by Richard Powers (audio)
43. The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan (audio)
44. Earth Abides by George R. Stewart (audio)

November:
45. Paris, Paris: Journey into the City of Light by David Downie (audio)
46. The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan (audio)
47. A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Hope, Deception, and Survival at Jonestown by Julia Scheeres (audio)
48. The Fold by Peter Clines (audio)

-----------Bonus----------

December:
49. Stoner by John Williams (audio)

I'm making better progress this year than ever before. I'm excited! Maybe it was the load of good books I got last year, most of my reads have been from 2016.

Not sure I'll reach the top of Ararat too, but may as well try. I have two books going right now that I got prior to 2016, and two more books that don't qualify.... So many books!

I'm counting book 37 for August, even though technically I will finish tomorrow. I've been listening to The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee. I've been enjoying it, not the human suffering but learning about the medical history in attempts to find a cure.


I bought the book in March of 2015. Now that I've read the book I'm not sure I want to see the tv version that came out a few years ago. The images may be too much for me to handle. Very informative book. Right now debating between four and five stars.

Book 38 now done with the classic science fiction tale Methuselah's Children by Robert A. Heinlein. It held up very well despite being over 70 years old. Some interesting ideas brought up, although not explored with much depth. Makes me want to read more Heinlein.


I bought this audio book mid April of 2016. With the number of library print books I need to read this month I'm sure my progress will slow down, unless I focus on audio. Well, progress is progress in conquering this mountain of books.

Book 39 completed today with The Nix by Nathan Hill. It's a book on the long side, over 600 pages, but it went quickly as I enjoyed the story well enough. I'm giving a generous 5 stars, maybe a better rating is 4.5 but goodreads doesn't like those half stars.


I got the print book in June of 2016 and listened to the book mostly, but was enjoying it so much that I'd read my print copy when I couldn't listen. Yes, ignored those library books I recently got hold of...need to focus on those one now.

Book 40 done! I listened to Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim. It was okay, but there were some problems with the book for me. One is that a few times there were things people said that was not accurate for the times, for today yes, but not then. The narration was good though.


I bought the audio book in late August last year. Hoping to get one more done this month, moving at a good pace this year!

Book number 41 is In Milton Lumky Territory by Philip K. Dick. A little odd, but you have to expect that from PKD. This is not a science fiction book, in fact he wrote it before he got into SF.


I bought the audio book in October 2016, another last year purchase. I wonder how many books did I actually get last year?? Probably a whole bookshelf! This year I'm tracking and so far I'm up to 113 acquired books. Although my progress is going well i'm still going backwards overall. It's a good hobby!!

Book 42 finished yesterday with Orfeo by Richard Powers. A very different sort of novel with music being so integral to the story line. Not an easy read, or in this case listen. But I did like it.


I bought this audio book at the very end of November 2014. Started working on some of my older audio books. My next one is also from 2014.

Book 43 done today The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan. An interesting history told in a poor manner, just too scattered to be cohesive. I rated it generously with three stars.


I bought the audio book in early December 2014. In fact I believe the audio version helped me finish this otherwise scattered book as the narration was excellent. My next book is another audio from late 2014, that is already begun. Audio while I read on the print library books.

Book 44 now done with Earth Abides by George R. Stewart. A 60-yr old science fiction book, post-apocalyptic. It was quite good. Five stars! This is my first book by Stewart, most of his books are not s/f and this one barely qualifies. Looking forward to reading more of his books!


I bought the audio book late November 2014. I've been working on these 2014 audio books lately. Not sure what's next, it's always exciting to pick a new book!

Finally got number 45 done Paris, Paris: Journey into the City of Light by David Downie. This should have been a good read for me, but really found it dragging.


I listened to the audio book that I bought at the same time as my previous book, November 2014.

Number 46 is now done with The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan. A fascinating historical account of the Great Fire of 1910 and the beginnings of the US Forest Service and some of the people. I did enjoy this book



I bought this audio book in December of 2016, so one of the more recently acquired for this year's challenge. I had it on my want to read list much longer though. Still have more library books checked out I need to read, so more audio to get me through to the peak.

Number 47 finished. A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Hope, Deception, and Survival at Jonestown by Julia Scheeres. A horrible and harrowing book, at parts very difficult. Helps to understand why it happened. The subtitle is accurate.


I bought the audio book in December 2014. Only one more for the peak of this mountain.

For the top of the peak of Mt. Ararat book number 48 is The Fold by Peter Clines. A good one too. I was hooked all the way through, enjoyed it way more than I expected. A science fiction tale, that did have a few things reminiscent of other SF stories, so not a full five stars, but very decent. I might have to get another of book by the author....



I bought this audio book in mid-August 2016. The narrator did a fantastic job.

So with that I reached the top of my third peak this year, (or fourth if you count Pikes too). I'm very happy with my progress this year! Don't think I can manage the next peak. In fact going to start a long book with my bonus time left in the year. I have it on audio and eBook, so I really want to tackle this book...The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America by Douglas Brinkley. And it goes well with the The Big Burn that I read recently too.

Book number 49 done with Stoner by John Williams. Just went slightly up the next mountain top. I really enjoyed this book, which went much quicker than I expected. A five star read for me. Not sure if I was so engrossed because the last book I was working on for over two weeks and not even half-way through....this is the Wilderness Warrior. I set it aside to return later, likely finish in January.


Bought this audio book in September 2016, after seeing good reviews and the book did live up to them. Not entirely sure I can get another book in by the end of the year, maybe. If not, still super pleased with my progress this year.

Thanks Jessika!