Challenge: 50 Books discussion

Okay, I'm trying for 20 books *that I own*, 50+ total, but I couldn't say all that and keep the alliteration going. Harumph.

My scheme for this year is:
20 or more books that I already own
- With the exception of a handful of books specially picked out, I'm going to read my owned books in alphabetical order of title
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014
1 book written in 2014
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf
And then make use of the library as much as possible. I really need to get off this obsessive need to own every book I want to read. The library works; I should use it *before* I buy books.

So, then, on to 2015!

Tiffany wrote: "Okay, I'm trying for 20 books *that I own*, 50+ total, but I couldn't say all that and keep the alliteration going. Harumph.

My scheme for this year is:
20 or more books that I already own
- With..."

Great list. I love the library; it's so easy to download my books from their website and there's always a great selection. I only buy when the different libraries I use don't have the books, or the waiting list is at 704! Thank you for all you do and good luck in 2015.

Good luck! I sympathize with trying to barrel through books you own. I got a little obsessed with library book sales a few years back (ok, 2007...) and I'm still trying to get through everything I bought. Good luck!

Rose - I love the library, too, but over the past decade, or so, I can't stop buying books! Even yesterday, I went out and bought a book! (Of course, it was to use up a 7-year-old store credit slip that I keep forgetting about, but still! I bought another book!) So I need to stop buying books so much. Especially those books I can tell I'll probably enjoy but not feel the need to read again. Those are the types of books I HAVE to convince myself to find through a library, rather than buy. *sigh* It's so hard being addicted! :)

Stefanie - For me, it was used bookstores. I *love* used bookstores, but around 2006-2007 (like you), I was at a used bookstore nearly every week, so I have a lot of those that I'm trying to make my way through, like you. That, and everyone who knows me knows I love books, so it's the go-to present for my birthday and Christmas :)

My big New Year's Eve project every year is reorganizing my bookcases, putting in books I got for Christmas, filling in the holes made by books I read and moved around that year, and taking out books I want to read in the coming year, which I set aside on a different bookshelf. This year, after all the reorganizing, I actually had some space left over! I can *almost* envision the day when I just have *two* shelves of books to read, rather than the two shelves, top of a bookcase, nightstand, nightstand drawers, piles on the floor, and an overflow shelf :)

Tiffany - this is a great idea - I have the same problem as you guys, I have 2 piles of books to be read next to my bed, as well as half of my bedside table drawers dedicated to unread books. Plus my kindle. I have agreed to only buy new books on my kindle this year, so at least I'm not filling the house up with books; that still doesn't solve the issue of having hundreds of books that I haven't read yet though!!

Finn wrote: "I have agreed to only buy new books on my kindle this year, so at least I'm not filling the house up with books; that still doesn't solve the issue of having hundreds of books that I haven't read yet though!!"

But when they're on an e-reader, they're not taking up space, so they don't sit there and STARE at you :) Instead of hundreds of little bookvoices calling out to you ("Tiffany, read me." "No, read *me*!" "No, me!" "Tiiiiiffanyyyyy, reeeeeeaaaaad meeee"), you just have one Kindle that says, "psst, Finn, over here. Open me!" :)

Yes, the books talk to me.

I hear you (and my books) Tiffany. I have a two from the library, one that I own resolution for this year. With two piles on the nightstand, one on the floor on the left side of the bed, two on the right side of the bed and one on the floor under the bench at the end the bed, I'm not sure how well that will go.

And I finally found the Half Priced Books gift card I got for Christmas a year ago... Someone save me!!

Donna wrote: "With two piles on the nightstand, one on the floor on the left side of the bed, two on the right side of the bed and one on the floor under the bench at the end the bed, I'm not sure how well that will go."

Am I the only one who sometimes starts to feel a wee bit claustrophobic with all the piles of books surrounding me?

And I finally found the Half Priced Books gift card I got for Christmas a year ago... Someone save me!!

With the exception of the store credit I used on Thursday, I've been pretty good about not using bookstore gift cards I've received the past few years until my piles of owned books are a little more under control. ...Maybe you should "misplace" the HPB gift card again for a while.

It makes me feel so much better to know I'm not the only one experiencing the surrounded-by-stacks-of-books-calling-my-name phenomenon. Mine literally hang over my head, as I have a closed-off fireplace behind my bed... And the mantel is the home of my currently reading/soon to read stack.

The top shelf of my desk/bookcase in my bedroom is sort of my going-to-read-it-this-year-and-it's-a-short-or-quick-book section of books, and I have a small bookcase in the spare room next to my bedroom that has all of this year's books to be read. And I swear, there are days when I'm drawn to either (or both) of these shelves, like some mysterious force is pulling me to them. And I just sit there and STARE at them, like they're possessing me! And I know it's just because part of my brain is working overtime, thinking "I have to read more books. I have to read these books. I have to get books read. I have to make these piles smaller. Holy crap, you have 2500 books [or whatever it is] on your to-read list! How are you ever going to get through them if you don't go read?! GO READ!!" ... But I just sit there and *stare*... all those books surrounding me, calling out to me, pulling me toward them, possessing me!

*sigh*

Ha Ha - we do have odd relationships with our books, don't we? I won't even count the number of unread books I own, but I am determined to focus on them this year. However, I say that every year and keep adding to my collection because I can't resist the library used-book sales, the odd pick from the B&N bargain table, Kindle deals, a few purchases from independent bookstores because I want to support them, etc. Sigh...

My husband and I experience the staring phenomenon, too. We call it "ogling the books." :)

Ann A wrote: "However, I say that every year and keep adding to my collection because I can't resist the library used-book sales, the odd pick from the B&N bargain table, Kindle deals, a few purchases from independent bookstores because I want to support them, etc. Sigh... "

The last two years, I haven't even made it beyond the first week of January before I bought new books! In 2013, I received 2 gift cards to a used bookstore. With the purchase of those gift cards, though, came coupons that were good through, like, the 7th of January, or something. So the first week of January, I went to the bookstore and bought 4 books. This year, I went to a bookstore on January 1 to use up that 7-year-old store credit in case they wouldn't accept it anymore (which they did, but only after calling the business offices to find out how to use a store credit that old!)!! I can't even be a good girl for *one week*! Ugh, I'm so weak for books :)

Stefanie wrote: "My husband and I experience the staring phenomenon, too. We call it "ogling the books." :)"

That too :)

Tiffany wrote: "12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list"

Love that! Hrm, perhaps I should take a peek at that list myself to give me ideas...

Summer wrote: "Tiffany wrote: "12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list"

Love that! Hrm, perhaps I should take a peek at that list myself to give me ideas..."

LOTS of ideas there!

1. A Mathematician's Lament: How School Cheats Us Out of Our Most Fascinating and Imaginative Art Form

My first book of the year has been finished, but it really is my second book finished of not-this-year. I started it last year (reading it on the bus and while waiting for people), but finished it today. But whatever, I'm counting it.

So, my year begins:
20 or more books that I already own: 1 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 0 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 0 read
1 book written in 2014: 0 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read

2. Don Quixote de La Mancha (book I own + 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die book #1)

Technically I didn't finish this book; however, since it's soooooo long, I feel like the parts I *did* read amounted to a normal book!

I was torn on this book. In theory, I like the idea of a madman who thinks he's a knight-errant and all the commoners and windmills are dastardly evil-doers whom he must defeat. HOWEVER -- Oh my God, that's *all* the book was about. Just over and over and over again. (You can see my full, very long, review here.

So:
20 or more books that I already own: 2 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 1 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 0 read
1 book written in 2014: 0 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read

3. Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies: A Guide to Language for Fun and Spite by Casagrande, June (yes, it's a carryover from my read-books-alphabetically-by-author scheme from last year)

I bought this book about 8 or 9 years ago, and started reading it a while later. About 1/3 of the way through, I realized it might be good to take/add notes, so I decided to stop reading, put it away for a while, then start over later with a pen in hand. In the meantime, though, my grammar geekiness/word nerdiness has led me to purchase and read various style guides, etc., like the AP Stylebook and Butcher's Copy-editing, as well as grammar columns in various magazines and different writing groups, so a lot of the chapters in Casagrande's book are now well-known facts to me.

So now:
20 or more books that I already own: 3 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 1 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 0 read
1 book written in 2014: 0 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read

4. Tales from the Seattle Mariners Dugout: A Collection of the Greatest Mariners Stories Ever Told

Oh my God, I'm SO ready for baseball season now! Let's go!!

My year:
20 or more books that I already own: 4 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 1 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 1 read
1 book written in 2014: 0 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read
Books received: 2 (new category! To show how weak I am when it comes to buying books!)

5. Paine Field, Washington

So now my year:
20 or more books that I already own: 5 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 1 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 1 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read
Books received: 2

6. Edmonds:: 1850s 1950s

My year stays at:
20 or more books that I already own: 5 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 1 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 1 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read
Books received: 2

7. Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations

O...M...G.

I bought this from Half Price Books in 2006 or 2007 because I'm a math geek, and I thought it would be fun to own and work through a calculus book from the 1960s. But then I kept putting it off. And off. ...Aaand off.

So last year, I decided "I WILL DEFINITELY READ THAT MATH BOOK NEXT YEAR." So the beginning of 2015, the first book allowed off my bookshelf was this. This has been my read-in-the-morning and read-at-night book for a month and a half. There was a lot more remembering/re-teaching calculus and differential equations than I thought there was going to be. But I finally finished! And I'm proud of myself for remembering/re-teaching/re-learning calculus and DiffEq from my college days. But I won't kid myself: I know that I'll have re-forgotten everything in the next few months, if not weeks or days.

It's like a huge weight off my shoulder to finally be done with this crazy little project I set for myself. And now I can move on to reading real books again!


My year now:
20 or more books that I already own: 6 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 1 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 1 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read
Books received: 2

8. Follow a Faint Trail

By no means the greatest book in the world--it's a decent historical fiction, but by one of those "Anyone can publish a book!" publishing houses that maybe doesn't use editors--but it takes place *literally* in the neighborhood where I grew up. So it gets points for sentimentality.

My year now:
20 or more books that I already own: 7 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 1 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 1 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read
Books received: 3

9. Fortunata and Jacinta (1001 Books #2)

My review:I kind of feel like this might be considered a classic because it's sooooooooooo long. I mean, sure, the story of the two women in one man's life--his wife and his mistress--and their lives outside of him is an interesting premise, and how their lives overlap makes for a good story. However, does it have to be 800+ pages long? Especially because some of those pages are about people outside of this immediate love triangle. I'm not saying you can't have other characters, and I'm not saying you can't talk about other characters' lives; but we don't need to spend *so* much time with them at times. The story is Fortunata and Jacinta, not Fortunata and Jacinta and Jacinto and Feijoo and Sagrario and José Izquierdo and Ballester....

The description of this book says it is about "two women, their husbands and their lovers, set against the intricate web of dynastic alliances and class contrasts" -- yes, we get the women, their husbands, and their lovers. But I feel like the "intricate web of dynastic alliances and class contrasts" wasn't as prevalent as the various descriptions I read made it out to be. So I kind of feel like I got gypped a little. Sure, the difference in classes was mentioned, but I think I was expecting it to be more like the class struggles in Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South.

But the writing/translation is good, and there's some really beautiful language and intriguing metaphors, so it has that going for it.

10. The Little Prince (1001 Books book #3)

I know this is supposed to be one of those books that every child reads or has read to them, but I don't think I'd ever read it before. What a charming book! The illustrations are beautiful and I love the Little Prince and all of his insightful questions and comments. I hope this books stays with me for a long time -- I would like to think it will, but I'm a grown-up, and you know how silly grown-ups are.


So, my year:
20 or more books that I already own: 7 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 3 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 1 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read
Books received: 3

11. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts


My year now:
20 or more books that I already own: 8 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 3 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 1 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read
Books received: 3

I'm the same as u when it comes to buying books. I need to quit buying free or cheap nook and kindle books, read what I have and use the library.

Alison wrote: "I'm the same as u when it comes to buying books. I need to quit buying free or cheap nook and kindle books, read what I have and use the library."

But it's SO hard, isn't it?

And our rational brains obviously know what we should do, and know we're not doing what we should do, and know we're doing what we shouldn't do... And yet we keep doing it!

*sigh* I gave up on a book.

The Recognitions (1001 Books book #4)

Since I gave up on it (page 154 out of 955; my review is here), I'm not counting it as part of my 50, but I am including it in my 12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list.

My year now:
20 or more books that I already own: 8 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 4 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 1 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read
Books received: 3

Or is that Books You Must Read Before You Die Even If It Kills You?

Donna wrote: "Or is that Books You Must Read Before You Die Even If It Kills You?"

That one! You're a genius!

12. Astonish Me

Holy moly! Such a great book! (My review is here.)

My year now:
20 or more books that I already own: 8 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 4 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read
Goodreads group reads: 1 read
Books received: 3

13. Artemis Fowl

Eh. I wasn't that thrilled. I do see how this could be a great book for young readers (5th through 7th grades, probably), but I personally didn't like it much.

My year now:
20 or more books that I already own: 8 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 4 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 0 read
Goodreads group reads: 2 read
Books received: 3

14. Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid

The first half was good and interesting to me; the second half was good, I think, but not as interesting to me.

The first half really focuses on art (mainly Escher), music (mainly Bach), and math (a lot of Godel), and the intersections between the three, or how the three are similar. There's some really great stuff in it.

The second section, though, becomes more about thinking, brain activity, and artificial intelligence, and while that's interesting, it's not why I was recommended this book. The first half, with the music+art+math, really got me; the second half was of passing interest, but nothing would make me want to read that as a stand-alone book.

So, my updated year:
20 or more books that I already own: 9 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 4 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 2 read
Books received: 3

15. Impressions of Africa (1001 Books book #5)

It was okay. Once I realized there was a circular timeline (we started at Point B, wrapped back around to Point A, then came back and finished at Point C), I liked it better -- I liked getting the backstory of all the weird things that happened at the beginning of the book.

So now, my year:
20 or more books that I already own: 9 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 5 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 2 read
Books received: 3

16. The Man Who Knew Too Much: Alan Turing and the Invention of the Computer

My year:
20 or more books that I already own: 9 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 5 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 2 read
Books received: 3

17. Michael Stipe: The Biography

It was okay. My review is here.

So now my year:
20 or more books that I already own: 10 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 5 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 2 read
Books received: 3

Tiffany wrote: "17. Michael Stipe: The Biography

It was okay. My review is here.

So now my year:
20 or more books that I already own: 10 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You ..."

Looks like you're right on track to meet your goals. Way to go!

Ann A wrote: "Looks like you're right on track to meet your goals. Way to go!"

Thanks for the encouragement!

Wow, I am on track! Phew! That makes me feel SO good! hehehe...Thanks for noticing it and pointing it out to me :)

18. The Girl on the Train

Sorry... I just didn't like it. (My full review is here.)

So now my year:
20 or more books that I already own: 10 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 5 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 3 read
Books received: 3

19. The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet

It was a nice and fluffy overview of Pluto becoming, and then not becoming, a planet. My review is here.


My year:
20 or more books that I already own: 10 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 5 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 3 read
Books received: 4

20. The House of the Seven Gables (1001 Books book #6)

Ermmm... Not nearly as good as I thought it would be, based on The Scarlet Letter and his short stories. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't Great.

So then:
20 or more books that I already own: 10 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 6 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 3 read
Books received: 4

21. How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming

It's odd -- I actually liked The Pluto Files better, despite how light-and-fluffy it seemed. This one felt more like it was about the discovery of other bodies, and less about *the death of Pluto*, as the title implies it should be about. So I'd recommend The Pluto Files, instead of this book.

22. The Phantom Tollbooth

A re-read for a group read :)

So then, my year:
20 or more books that I already own: 10 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 6 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 4 read
Books received: 4

Well, on the one hand, I'm not getting many of my owned books read (*sigh*). On the other hand, I'm reading a bunch of books from my to-read list, and I'm getting them from the library, so at least I'm not buying new books! Small win... and a win's a win, right? Right???

23. Murder Must Advertise (1001 Books book #7)

I liked it. It was a good mystery. I think I might have to add the rest of the Lord Peter Wimsey books to my to-read list (darnit... More books to read!). My full review is here.

So now my year:
20 or more books that I already own: 10 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 7 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 4 read
Books received: 4

24. The Case for Pluto: How a Little Planet Made a Big Difference

Much better (as the overall story) than How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming. My full review, including how I rank my "Pluto trilogy" is here.

So now my year is still at:
20 or more books that I already own: 10 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 7 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 4 read
Books received: 4

25. Alan Turing: The Enigma

Oh my God. SO many details! SO much minutiae. (My review is here.)

26. The Pythagorean Theorem: A 4,000-Year History (A book I owned! A book I owned!!)

So my year:
20 or more books that I already own: 11 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 7 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 4 read
Books received: 4

27. The Debs of Bletchley Park and Other Stories

I'm glad I followed Maggie's lead and read this book. What a great story! (My review is here.)

My year stays the same:
20 or more books that I already own: 11 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 7 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 4 read
Books received: 4

28. The Hut Six Story: Breaking The Enigma Codes

It was okay. I liked The Debs of Bletchley Park better. Full review is here.


My year stays the same, still:
20 or more books that I already own: 11 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 7 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 1 read
Goodreads group reads: 4 read
Books received: 4

29. The Annotated Lolita: Revised and Updated (1001 Books book #8; "recommendedby-a" shelf book #2)

My long-winded review is here. The synopsis of the review: Lolita isn't 100% smut like some people think it is. It's actually a decent piece of literature.

So, my year now looks like:
20 or more books that I already own: 11 read
12 books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list: 8 read
1 book added to my to-read shelf in 2014: 2 read
1 book written in 2014: 2 read
2 books from my "recommendedby-a" shelf: 2 read
Goodreads group reads: 4 read
Books received: 5