To Read Pile

[antiloquax]

Ah, I should've explained. I've read Dorian Gray, the edited version and absolutely love it. I'm a huge Oscar Wilde fan, so had to get the unedited version too! It's on my list as a 'not read' instead of a 're-read' as technically it's not the same book.

I should have realised that something like that was going on, given the wealth of Wilde stuff on your list. I haven't read the unedited version, so I may need to re-visit that one day also!

 

[Tillane]

My pile as it stands. It probably constitutes the last decent-sized batch of physical books I'll buy prior to my now pretty much inevitable move to e-books.

GRRM - Fevre Dream & A Clash of Kings
Jo Nesbo - The Leopard
Paolo Bacigalupi - Ship Breaker
Hans Fallada - Alone In Berlin
Roberto Bolano - 2666
Haruki Murakami - Dance Dance Dance & The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
Gaiman - Smoke & Mirrors & Anansi Boys
Niven - Ringworld
Natsuo Kirino - Grotesque
PKD - Martian Time-Slip
Susanna Clarke - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Cormac McCarthy - The Border Trilogy
Sanderson - The Final Empire
Paul McAuley - Eternal Light
William Gibson - Zero History

 

[Mouse]

I'm sorry - I think I actually knew that you were a big Wilde fan (distinct from being Lady Windermere's Fan) from seeing your other posts, but it didn't quite register strongly enough when I was posting for me to make the correct assumption.

No need to apologise!! (Lady Windermere's Fan *snicker*)

I got as far as the hunter and the fox story, and found it so terrifying that I couldn't go on. I was dreaming the stories as well -- never healthy! But I'm a complete wuss about anything remotely horror-related and I find Neil Gaiman's stories pretty freaky at the best of times (but in a good way).

Oh yeah, he definitely does freaky and disturbing really well! His Snow, Glass, Apples freaked me out, but it's one of my favourites. And he did one about a woman keeping a cat alive so she could eat it? And eat a man's arm? If I remember rightly! Weird, but brilliant.

I should have realised that something like that was going on, given the wealth of Wilde stuff on your list. I haven't read the unedited version, so I may need to re-visit that one day also!

I'm sure I'll come back here and say if it's any good or not! It looks really interesting as it has a load of notes in the margins, and various photos and bit and pieces of info about Wilde, as well as exactly what's been edited back in listed in the back.

Gaiman - Smoke & Mirrors & Anansi Boys

Anansi Boys is winning the unread!

 

[Tillane]

Anansi Boys is winning the unread!

It may not stay on mine for long. Having made that list and realised that I still hadn't read it (it's been there a year, I think), it just jumped to the front of the queue.

 

[JP Garrod]

I've read all the books i own lol! Need to invest in patrick rothfuss' second Kingkiller Chronicle "the wise mans fear", a dance with dragons is on its way and I also need to buy the new Joe Abercrombies books,( best served cold etc etc)

 

[Kierkegaurdian]

My to-read pile (books I own but have not read yet) is way too large for me to count. I own many, many books, and while I intend to read everything I buy, I am not a very quick reader, so the rate of accumulation is greater than the rate of completion. I really enjoy collecting certain things, which is why my to-read list is so huge!

Edit:

My immediate TBR pile looks a bit like this:

Finish The Fifth Head of Cerberus by Gene Wolfe
Exodus from the Long Sun by Gene Wolfe
The System of the World and Anathem by Neal Stephenson
Mason and Dixon by Thomas Pynchon

 

[steve12553]

I keep track on Shelfari and according to the stats on there my pile is in the 300s. Ihve to consider that low because I intend to retire at 66 and I intend to live to be 206. I'll need something to do.

 

[Fried Egg]

I keep track on Shelfari and according to the stats on there my pile is in the 300s. Ihve to consider that low because I intend to retire at 66 and I intend to live to be 206.

Good luck with that!

 

[Nesacat]

The to-read piles start on the bed, go on to fill two book-cases in the bedroom and then spill out into bookcases in the other bedrooms, the corridor and the living room. There is also one bookcase in my office and another in my parents' house and there's more piles of books in Morpheus' home.

There's very likely a thousand or so and I'm resisting the temptation to count. I am going to focus on conjuring space for more bookcases and reading.

 

[Dave]

I don't have any of these huge to-read piles, mine are virtual piles only in theory without a real physical presence in my house. I have bought three books to read on holiday though:
At Home Bill Bryson
The Eyre Affair Jasper Fforde
Complicity Iain Banks

After that I'm looking for suggestions.

 

[Nesacat]

@Dave ... I recently invested in At Home too. It's, err, in the to-read pile. I would like to know what you think about it. It might get moved along in one direction or another then.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Right then, in addition to my immediate too read pile, there is the Greater Too Read Pile, which consists of (deep breath):

Timegods World by L E Modesitt jr
Arms Commander by L E Modesitt jr
The Parafaith War by L E Modesitt jr
Gravity Dreams by L E Modesitt jr
The Ecolitan Enigma by L E Modesitt jr
Flash by L E Modesitt jr
Cadmian's Choice by L E Modesitt jr
Soarers Choice by L E Modesitt jr
The Ethos Effect by L E Modesitt jr
The Forever Hero by L E Modesitt jr
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Iron Council by Chine Mieville
The Tower on the Rift by Ian Irvine
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind
Mr Timothy by Louis Bayard
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
Conquerors Moon by Julian May
On by Adam Roberts
The Inheritance by Robin Hobb/Megan Lindholm
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
William Shatner The Autobiography
Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian Esslemont
Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson
Fatal Revenant by Stephen Donaldson
Against All Things ending by Stephen Donaldson
Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay
Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Winds of Dune Kevin Anderson and Brian Herbert
The Road to Dune Kevin Anderson and Brian Herbert
Scooter by Mick Foley
Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett
The Dreaming Void by Peter F Hamilton
The Temporal Void by Peter F Hamilton
The Evolutionary Void by Peter F Hamilton
Blue Mars Kim Stanley Robinson
Stoneweilder Ian Esslemont
Renegade's Mage by Robin Hobb
The Crippled God Steven Erikson
Dragon Keeper Robin Hobb
Dragon Haven Robin Hobb

Phew!
Some of the books have been up there for ages and I am in no rush to get around to them. I'll leave it up to your imaginations just which ones I am talking about!

 

[Dave]

@Dave ... I recently invested in At Home too. It's, err, in the to-read pile. I would like to know what you think about it. It might get moved along in one direction or another then.

I've actually already started it, but only got as far as the first chapter.

So, this is only based on what I've read so far. I prefer his travel books to his other books on language, childhood reminiscences, science and Shakespeare (read them all) and so I wouldn't say it is one of his best books. It is a collection of interesting facts and figures, and history, arranged in order around the rooms of his house in Norfolk (so the 'Kitchen' concerns all things about cooking.) Much of the stuff, so far, I already knew (I live by the Crystal Palace ruins and that was erected in Hyde Park in the same year that his house was built.) It is typical Bryson, easy to pick up and to put down, ideal for holidays. One of the reviews says it is "page-turning" but it is hardly that riveting. It is very thick, so good value, but much of that is references (apparently he read 500+ books as research for this.) Hope that helps!

 

[Nesacat]

Thanks Dave. I like his travel books best as well though I have read some others. At Home is certainly 'rather weighty'. I'll move it along the pile to books-to-take-on-holiday, which will happen next month.

 

[thatollie]

I'm not sure of the exact number but I have at least 800 or so books that I have not read.

 

[steve12553]

There's very likely a thousand or so and I'm resisting the temptation to count. I am going to focus on conjuring space for more bookcases and reading.

If you haven't already, you might consider a site like Shelfari or one of the others. I do this mainly to keep from purchasing a duplicate of one I've forgotten I have. Course, at my age you need all the help you can get.

 

[thatollie]

In fact, I have so many unread books on my shelves that I'm taking a nice long break from hauling any. I actually had lunch on Friday.

 

[bedlamite]

The old to read piles at the moment:

New pile:
Robin Hobb: Assassin's apprentice
Mervyn Peake: Gormenghast
Peter Ackroyd: Hawksmoor

Re-reads on the side of the pile:
Tolkien - The Hobbit
Conan Doyle - Complete Holmes
Martin Amis: Time's Arrow & London Fields

 

[Mouse]

Perp, lots of Robin Hobb! Let me know what the Megan Lindholm one's like when you get round to it.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Perp, lots of Robin Hobb! Let me know what the Megan Lindholm one's like when you get round to it.

I will do. But as you can imagine I've no idea how long it will take to get to it.