Wednesday 29 June 2011

A TOUR OF MY TBR PILE

Hi Everyone - and Happy Wednesday!

Yesterday I treated myself to an outing in Sheffield, fully intending to raid every bookshop I could find and do a picture post for you showcasing all my new treasures. Unfortunately, NONE of the books I wanted were in stock and so I went home empty handed. *Sob*

Seeking consolation last night, I started sifting through my TBR pile, and it occurred to me that I've never shown you guys just how many books I own which I haven't yet read. And so - a pictorial tour of my TBR pile!

This is the consolidated version, including the pile from my coffee table, the pile by my bed, and the pile from the writer's cave:


Impressive, right?

These are the books which have either been given to me by Walker Books when I was visiting them in London (they have this basement. There are floor to ceiling shelves of books. Shelves and shelves that go on forever. It's some kind of crazy bookworm HEAVEN), or else were sent to me by my lovely editor Annalie because she thought I would like them. There were originally a LOT more of these. I've been steadily working through them.


These are the books which friends talked me into buying - sometimes by giving glowing reviews, other times by literally forcing them on me. I once made the mistake of going book shopping with two members of my online writing group. They kept pulling things off the shelves and saying 'You must have this. And this. Oh - and this!' I went home with £68 worth of books. Darn you, Ferret and Roccie! I lived on bread and jam for a fortnight!


Finally, these books are the ones I am responsible myself, but still haven't managed to get around to yet.



Fun Activities You Can Do With A TBR Pile This Big:

Play Jenga!


Create Modern Art!


Use As A Handy Prop For Your Musical Instrument!



What's in your TBR piles guys?

25 comments:

serendipity_viv said...

Un Lun Dun is a fabulous read. Very interesting story and loved the world building in it. I think I might have got the days wrong.The books will arrive tomorrow and not today. Eeep! Thought it was Monday yesterday as kids had been off the day before.

Off to arrange a heist of Walker Books underground book chamber now.

Zoë Marriott said...

Well, as you can see, I do already have plenty to keep me going! So no worries. Maybe I should shift Un Lun Dun closer to the top of the pile. I just have so many fantastic books here. It was shocking to see just how many when I put them all together for the first time.

Unknown said...

You are quite possibly the only other person I have ever seen with a copy of A Drowned Maiden's Hair!!! I would recommend reading it next...

Zoë Marriott said...

A Drowned Maiden's Hair *does* look really good too...it's so difficult! Sometimes I end up reading nothing because I JUST. CAN'T. DECIDE.

borko said...

I count 208 books i didn't read. And there are more. But they are not for my age or something... I like the Prop For Your Musical Instrument. I don't know much about music but is that the mandolin from youtube?

Zoë Marriott said...

Yes, that's Beulah Borky. Isn't she pretty?

Alex Mullarky said...

Lots of beautiful spines :D I want to read the Eagle of the Ninth because my dad loved it and I enjoyed the film. The Glass Demon is a really good read!

Zoë Marriott said...

My mum always tried to get me to read Rosemary Sutcliffe when I was a kid, which was reason enough for me to refuse to! My friend forced this copy on me and made me buy it, but I still haven't managed to get myself to start.

Rebecca Lindsay said...

Lol at your pictures of what you did to your books when you were bored :D he he
I have about 40 books to read :/ but Shadows on the Moon is at the top of the list :)

Zoë Marriott said...

Oooh! *Nervous*

Rebecca Lindsay said...

Well Shadows on the Moon is at the top of the wishlist, lol. I'm going to buy it and read it as soon as I'm finished Lord of the Rings. I really like it but when you're not in the mood for it you start picturing the fast-paced film, lol

Megz said...

Sometimes I end up reading nothing because I JUST. CAN'T. DECIDE.

We are so creepily similar. Right now I don't have anything TOO exciting from the library BUT from the SCHOOL library I've got Half-Blood Prince which is one of the only interesting things happening in my life right now. It is AWESOME.

But yeah, I can NEVER decide. EVER.

One of the most helpful poems when deciding which book to read:

Inky pinky ponky
Father had a donkey
Donkey died, father cried
Inky pinky ponky


The book on 'ponky' wins. And I STILL end up not reading it. x-(

Shelby said...

Leviathan! Leviatan! Read it Read it Read it!

Zoë Marriott said...

Rebecca: Re LOTR - you're right, there are some transcendent moments, but you have to do a lot of slogging to reach them!

Megha: I know - how awful! Sometimes having lots of choices is worse than having none.

Shelby: *Sigh* That's, what? Five different recommendations now? Irk.

Cam said...

The Eagle of the Ninth is a slow read, but I enjoyed it when I read it a couple years ago. I'm the only one in my family who likes Rosemary Sutcliffe.

Kristina said...

I love your piles, lots of great books

I just made a post about my lovely crammed bookshelves. I even made a key noting which books I have not read yet.
http://kristina-worldofbooks.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-crammed-bookshelves.html

I just got a hardback copy of both The Swan Kingdom and Daughter of the Flames last weekend. I'm so excited to add those to my bookshelves.

That is sad when you go into a bookstore and come out empty handed. I didn't have that probably last week as all. A new/used bookstore was having 40% used books and I found 9 awesome books for a very good deal :) I love book shopping

Raimy from Readaraptor Hatchling said...

HAHAHA I love what youve done with your books! :D thats ace! :D
Seriously read Sisters Red, I LOVED it! :D And some of the others!
And I totally want to visit Walker's basement! lol

Zoë Marriott said...

Cam: I don't really mind slow reads - it's the Roman Army thing I have a problem with. I don't like military history that much. I'll nerve myself up to it eventually!

Kristina: Wow - I hope you enjoy them! The hardback editions have really pretty spines, so they look lovely on the shelf.

Raimy: Heh heh. I found it amusing.

Rebecca Lindsay said...

Kristina:I completely agree! Book shopping is ace! Lol

Gabbi said...

Scott Westerfeld is a fantastic writer! The Uglies Series was the first series I was ever interested in, and I'll never forget that because now I'm a total bookworm! The Leviathan series is his only series I haven't read yet, only because I haven't been able to get my hands on it.

As for my TBR list...it's not that long. When I get a book, I absorb it in a day because I have WAY too much time on my hands and it's really difficult for me to dislike a book. The only one I can really see is Numbers by Rachel Ward, but that could be because most of my books are packed in a boox in Florida waiting to be shipped to little ol' Arkansas. There's a lot of books on my wishlist, but that will never EVER change.

Zoë Marriott said...

Gabbi: Actually, I'm the same - I tend to read most books in one day. I think that's part of why I have such a big TBR pile, because I know once I choose a book I'll be completely immersed in that world for a day and I have to be in the right mood for the world of the book I've picked.

Gabbi said...

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. But that's also probably why I don't have a big TBR pile. I'm so picky about the decisions of my books. Like I said, it's hard for me to dislike a book. But if I don't know much about the book and I've never received any recommendations for it, it takes me a long time to decide if I want to read it, if that makes any sense. What I'm basically saying is it takes me about an hour to pick a book if I don't already know what I want.

Isabel said...

Hahahaha!!

When I saw Prophecy of the Sisters I had to clutch my chest and take deep breaths for a moment. That's the next thing on your TBR pile, my dear. I guarantee you will ADORE it. :D

Zoë Marriott said...

Isabel: So many different recommendations! I'm actually trying to get through all of the eGalleys on my eReader right now, as many of them have an expiration date, but I'll keep what you say in mind!

Isabel said...

No problem. Whenever you can get around to it, though, tell me what you think! :D

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