Katrina's 2013 Dare

As my TBR is forver growing and is out of control so I have joined blogger C.B James' Double Dare http://readywhenyouarecb.blogspot.co.uk/p/tbr-double-dog-dare.html which is to only read books from the TBR pile till April 1st and extend it till July 1st.
My aim for the year is to knock 80 books of the tbr mountain.

meh I don't like that. I have no problem challenging myself to read X amount, or even something like X% or X/mo or some such, but to be so restricted... no way. Why would I avoid the library for months?? I don't like that at all.

Sounds cool I think I'll look at that.

#2 Because there are books overflowing out of the bookshelf, under the bed is filled with books as are the shelves in both of the wardrobes - too many years of new purchases and library visits!

Number 1: Anil's Ghost, by Micheal Ondaatje. I've been laying in bed finishing this for the last few hours - a perfect way to start the new year :) Anil is a forensic scientist who returns to her home country of Sri Lanka during the 1980s/90's civil war. Her return is through invitation by the Human Rights Comittee and yet she finds doorways blocked and data withheld much as you would expect. Her discovery of 'Sailor' a body buried within the last 5 years at a government restricted archeological site is the basis for the story.
The language is beautiful, the pace moves well and you are constantly kept on your toes. A recommended read.
On my tbr pile since March 2011

Book 2: The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman
Read in the space of a day as the type is very large and the chapters well spread out. Pullman writes for the Cannongate Myths Series a retelling of Jesus' life. In Pullman's version Jesus is a twin, his brother Christ writes and reshapes Jesus' actions and teachings creating the modern church.
As a non-religious person this is an interesting take on the story, the sparse language reflecting the gospels and Pullman's own discussion of how and why he wrote this book an added bonus, however I'm sure it has the potential to upset a few people.
It was interesting to read this as a few months ago I was writing an essay on Pullman's Dark Material's trilogy in which I had to look at whether he was a 'sinister' writing imposing his own views on the church on innocent, malleable children's minds. One newspaper (The Daily Mail - I think) claimed he was the most dangerous man in Britain because of his depiction of the Church in that trilogy, it would be interesting to see what they made of this book!
TBR for the last 2 years

Sounds as if you had a good start to your reading year! Anil's Ghost was one of the very first audiobooks I've read (along with The Professor and the Madman) and I remember liking it very much. Maybe time for a re-listen...

I see with shock that His Dark Materials has just celebrated its sixth unread anniversary on my shelves. Have to bump that one up, especially if the DM deems it dangerous! What conclusion did you reach in your essay?

#7 I disagreed with the idea of it being a dangerous text as I believe children should be exposed to all different ideas, I found that his most daring sections (and the ones I thought children were more likely to pick up on) were the representations of sexual desire/hatred between the parents and the idea of parents not wanting children to grow up to an extent which is damaging for the child.

Book 3:
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
This was a reread for me and I think I prefer it the second time around. I am rereading this and Jane Eyre as I am witing an essay about the voices in these two text this month.
The novel is a prequel to Jane Eyre which tells the history of Bertha/Antionette, a glimpse at her life in Jamaica, the life of a Creole family who live between the Black people who despise them for their wealth and the White people who despise them as they are of mixed race. The family live against the vivid backdrop of the Caribbean islands. The family madness, which is recounted in JE is shown developing and being provoked by this hatred of the Creole people and their treatment.
The text has mixed narratives between Antionette's memories, dreams and that of her husband. The voices of gossip, obeah and a stream of consciousness also haunt the text.
The text is split between Jamaica, Dominica and the UK, but the largest section is set in Dominica.

Happy reading in 2013. In my view there so no reading material so dangerous as the concept of keeping "dangerous ideas" away from children.

>8 katrinasreads:: Thanks, and I absolutely agree. One of the things I give my parents credit for is that there were never any books that were "off limit" when I was growing up.

Book 4
Jane Eyre another book read for university and another reread, however one I've been meaning to get around to for years.

Just counted, I have 540 books now on mount TBR not including the kindle and books scattered in my flatmates bookshelves and books I've lent to friends. I did wild release 4 books I haven't read and was unlikely to get to this month. Aiming to get down to 530 by the end of February.

2 books ticked off of mount TBR this weekend, one a bookring which has only been here a month and the second a book which has been with me at least 5 years travelling from house-to-house with me.
The Lighthouse by Alison Moore arrived to me at the beginning of the year as part of a cycle of books which will enable me to read the 2012 Booker shortlist. This is the first of these books and I have to say I didn't find it very enjoyable in the least.
The Key by Rosamunde Pilcher is a tiny 50 page collection of three short stories, I think the boring cover probably led this book to sit unread on the bookshelf for years.
Both books will leave the house through bookcrossing this week.

Start of the year total 548
Start of the month total 540
New total 538

2 more books off of the shelf.
The Cinnamon Peeler by Michael Ondaatje, I wasn't all that keen on this book of poetry, I really enjoyed a few of the poems but far too few.
East of the Mountains by David Gutterson The book is more like a romance to the Washington county than anything else. Ben's tale, his search to end his life, his various experiences and the people he meets seem to come second place to the area this is set in. I enjoyed the book, but did know the ending from very early in the novel.
I will be wild releasing both of these through bookcrossing.
Start of the year total 548
Start of the month total 540
New total 536

I'm now down to 527 having read 5 books in February and released 5 unread books. Not sure howcome I didn't come and comment as I read the books.
Any how the most recent book was The Magus by John Fowles a book I really enjoyed - I don't think his other two books on the TBR pile will staye there for very long.

Brave New World kicked off of the pile.
Set in a clinical world where all children are born in a testtube, where the idea of a mother is obscene but casual sex promoted, where socialization is state controlled and regulated, where class divided it decided at the fertilization stage and clones specialise in areas of the work force there is bound to be a few unhappy embryos floating around.