Straight from Roof Beam Reader and under the gentle influence of Jean at Howling Frog Books, I have decided to tackle the 2014 TBR Pile Challenge.
This challenge is somewhat different from my other TBR Challenge. The rules are:
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 1/1/2013 or later (any book published in the year 2012 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.
2. To be eligible, you must sign-up with Mr. Linky on Roof Beam Reader’s site – link to your list (so create it ahead of time!) and add updated links to each book’s review. Books must be read and must be reviewed (doesn’t have to be too fancy) in order to count as completed.
3. The link you post in the Mr. Linky must be to your “master list” (see Roof Beam Reader’s site). This is where you will keep track of your books completed, crossing them out and/or dating them as you go along, and updating the list with the links to each review (so there’s one easy, convenient way to find your list and all your reviews for the challenge). See THIS LINK for an idea of what I mean. Your complete and final list must be posted by January 15th, 2014.
4. Leave comments on Roof Beam Reader’s post as you go along, to update us on your status. Come back to the post if/when you complete this challenge and leave a comment indicating that you CONQUERED YOUR 2014 TBR LIST! Every person who successfully reads his/her 12 books and/or alternates (and who provides a working link to their list, which has links to the review locations) will be entered to win a $50 gift card from Amazon.com or The Book Depository!
5. Crossovers from other challenges are totally acceptable, as long as you have never read the book before and it was published before 2013!
*Note – You can read the books on your list in any order; they do not need to be read in the order you have them listed. As you complete a book – review it, and go back to your original list and turn that title into a link to the review – that will keep the comments section from getting ridiculously cluttered. For an example of what I mean,Click Here.
Monthly Check-Ins: On the 15th of each month, Roof Beam Reader 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!). This will help to keep us all on track and make the challenge a bit more engaging/interactive.
My original hesitation in joining this challenge, was due to the fact that I am terrified of making lists in case I don’t follow them. However, I have decided to really challenge myself in 2014 by participating in this challenge. My list is as follows:
1. Defense Speeches by Cicero August 20, 2014
2. Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Mallory December 6, 2014
3. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley April 4, 2014
4. The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis June 15, 2014
5. The Epic of Gilgamesh August 14, 2014
6. Stories from the East from Herodotus by Alfred J. Church
7. The Sayings of the Desert Fathers August 25, 2014
8. Tom Brown’s School Days by Thomas Hughes
9. Socrates by Paul Johnson
10. Daniel Deronda by George Eliot February 24, 2014
11. Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow by Jerome K. Jerome
12. The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton August 20, 2014
And my alternates:
1. Allegory of Love by C.S. Lewis
2. Oedipus Rex/Oepidus at Colonus/Antigone by Sophocles December 28, 2014
Yes, I am actually going to attempt to follow a list! Everyone wish me luck …….. I’ll need it!
