Down the TBR Hole #3

Down the TBR Hole was originally created over at Lost in a Story.

Most of you probably know this feeling, you’re Goodreads TBR pile keeps growing and growing and it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. You keep adding, but you add more than you actually read. And then when you’re scrolling through your list, you realize that you have no idea what half the books are about and why you added them. Well that’s going to change!

It works like this:

  • Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
  • Order on ascending date added.
  • Take the first 5 (or 10, if you’re feeling adventurous) books
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go?
  • Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week!

Current “to-read” shelf: 930 titles

The Dovekeepers – Alice Hoffman
Published: October 4, 2011
On TBR Since: October 5, 2011

Historical fiction about the women at Masada. Yes, please.

Stay or Go? Stay

Chasing Aphrodite: The Hunt for Looted Antiquities at the World’s Richest Museum – Jason Felch
Published: January 1, 2011
On TBR Since: October 11, 2011

A dive into the Getty Museum’s questionable antiquities deals. This might count for the Read Harder challenge under True Crime.

Stay or Go? Stay

Glut: Mastering Information through the Ages – Alex Wright
Published: January 1, 2007
On TBR Since: November 2, 2011

Another one to file under “Professional Reading”.

Stay or Go? Stay

The Winter of Our Disconnect – Susan Maushart
Published: May 3, 2010
On TBR Since: December 6, 2011

I’m not really feeling this one these days.

Stay or Go? Go

Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World – Dalai Lama XIV
Published: December 6, 2011
On TBR Since: December 9, 2011

Well, this sure still seems relevant.

Stay or Go? Stay

Vanished Kingdoms: The History of Half-Forgotten Europe – Norman Davies
Published: September 1, 2011
On TBR Since: December 21, 2011

The historical shifting borders in Europe are interesting, but I’m not that interested in this particular book anymore.

Stay or Go? Go

Babel No More: The Search for the World’s Most Extraordinary Language Learners – Michael Erard
Published: January 10, 2012
On TBR Since: December 23, 2011

People who can pick up other languages are amazing. I took 5 years of Spanish and keep turning back to Duolingo for another try, and I can don’t know enough to be able to conduct a decent reference interview at the library.

Stay or Go? Stay

Shakespeare: The World as Stage – Bill Bryson
Published: November 1, 2007
On TBR Since: December 29, 2011

This one is an alternate on my TBR Pile Challenge list.

Stay or Go? Stay

The World We Found – Thrity Umrigar
Published: January 3, 2012
On TBR Since: January 3, 2012

I might come back to this one sometime, but now is not that time.

Stay or Go? Go


Connectome: How the Brain’s Wiring Makes Us Who We Are – Sebastian Seung
Published: February 7, 2012
On TBR Since: January 12, 2012

There are other books on neuroscience on my TBR that I’m more interested in.

Stay or Go? Go

Seven to stay, three to go. Progress?