So here today I present to you an Unread Books Challenge. Give me the list or take a picture of all the books you have stacked on your bedside table, hidden under the bed or standing in your shelf – the books you have not read, but keep meaning to. The books that begin to weigh on your mind. The books that make you cover your ears in conversation and say, ‘No! Don’t give me another book to read! I can’t finish the ones I have!’ “
Honestly, I don't ever feel that about books! I don't think I'll ever have too many, read or unread. The only thing I wish is that I had more space to shelve them all nicely rather than have them piled up in various places or put in boxes under the bed or in cupboards (I am guilty of that).
There is no possible way I can list all my unread books here because (a) I'm at work and trying to do this in spare moments and that would just take too long, and (b), this post would go on forever and you'd all get very bored! But I'll just go with the ones that have been waiting a long while and for some reason I've just been putting off.
- The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck (frightens me, but I WILL read this year)
- Midnights Children, Salman Rushdie (same as above)
- The Book Thief, Markus Zuzak (Too much hype, worried it won't live up to it)
- Atonement, Ian McEwan (no discernible reason)
- Sea of Poppies, Amitav Ghosh (just not sure about this)
- Chocolat, Joanne Harris (no idea why I keep putting this off)
- Brideshead Revisited ( I know nothing about it, but my mum says I should read it, even though she hates it)
Until the last few days this post would also have included To Kill a Mockingbird, but I did eventually pick that up and am three quarters through it and loving it. I really do want to read all these books but for whatever reason I keep putting them off. Maybe I should just move them to the top of the pile and read them before I read anything else. But that's never going to happen, if only because I keep buying more books and my Library Pile is quite substantial at the moment and they need to be read too!
12 comments:
Great list Jo! I would heartily recommend Midnights Children and dont let it scare you its quite, quite wonderful. The Book Thief deserves the hype completely and Brideshead again is a marvellous book. You have some wonderful reads ahead! I have Sea of Poppies on my fairly soon TBR pile of hardbacks.
The Book Thief is fantasic and a quick read. Even if you don't like it a lot it won't take up too much of your time :)
Brideshead Revisited is on my TBR too.
A friend read The Book Thief and it is now one of her top 10 books. She also recently read another of Marcus Zusak's books and enjoyed it too. Both are now on my TBR.
I really enjoyed Atonement! So much better than the film. . .
I have Atonement sitting in my large TBR pile.
I am reading Chocolat. It is a good book, I am enjoying it and The Grapes of Wrath are on my virtual TBR List.
My BTT is here.
Sea of Poppies - I'm jealous. I've been wanting to read that for awhile. Put it at the top of the pile!
The Book Thief is one that I HAVE to read this year, although I don't have a copy at home. Yet. I agree with you - you can never have too many books. My (non-reader) friends ask me all the time What are you gonna do with all these books? I say, I'm going to enjoy them! They think I'm nuts! But who cares?! :)
That's a good list - not one you can go wrong with. Midnight's Children is a little daunting, but it's exceptional. Book Thief blew me away. And Atonement - it got me hooked on to Ian McEwan.
I want to read Sea of Poppies and Grapes of Wrath as well.
Simon, I had the book thief on my shelves before all the hype so I'm gutted I didn't read it then!
My children are going away with grandparents at the end of july so I'm hoping to try Midnights children then when I can read it without interuptions.
Violetcrush, I will get to it, hopefully soon!
Susan, All I know about Brideshead is the teddy thing, but my mum insists I'll like it.
Amy, I haven't seen the film either, I always try and read the book first
Kerri, I just think I won't like it. I want to though.
Monique, I think Chocolat might be one for a sunny day in the garden (if we get one)! I'll be interested to hear what you think about it.
Ruinedbyreading, I keep putting Sea of Poppies to the top, and then completely ignoring it!
Lisa, My family thinks I'm crazy too. But it doesn't stop them coming to borrow books!
Anothercookiecrumbles, It was Enduring Love that got me hooked on McEwan, but nothing else of his has matched up. I think thats why I'm putting atonement off.
Hmm, I haven't read Enduring Love. Comfort of Strangers was alright. But, I thought Cement Garden was fantastic, if a little creepy; and, Amsterdam was quite interesting. I just couldn't get into On Chelsil Beach though...
Oh you really must read Atonement, I loved it, especially if you haven't seen the film. I have a copy of Chocolat and haven't got round to reading it because I've seen the movie and even worse it has a film cover which kind of puts me off. Irrational but true! The Book Thief is a nice one for when you fancy a real 'story' of a book and it's a quick read. :)
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