Tuesday Ten: Top Ten Unread Books on my Bookshelf
Top Ten Tuesday is brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish.
I used to believe in never having an unread book on my shelves. When I had fewer shelves, that was easy. But now...oy. My mother likes to say that, before she lost weight, she had no idea that ice cream could go bad in the freezer. She couldn't fathom the thought because when we bought ice cream, we ate it right away and there were never any leftovers. Well, now that my reading has become more of a practice than a mere hobby, I have leftovers. I have enough unread books to last me through half of next year...but I'll be getting more before then so...these are some books I've been meaning to read for ages, and which I hope will someday be dusted off and read. Try not to laugh. Some of these are kind of ridiculous.
1. Underworld, by Don DeLillo - This is a TOME. I like DeLillo, but apparently I don't like him enough to lug this anywhere and read it.
2. The Crossing, by Cormac McCarthy - I'm kind of waiting until I own the other books in this series to read this one...not that I'm actively seeking those books out, though. Whoops.
3. The Mayor of Casterbridge, by Thomas Hardy - You know...I've seen the movie, one of the movies...the one with Ciarán Hinds. And the thing of it is... I know I'm not going to like that character. It's kind of an awful character. So I don't want to pick up the book.
4. Sally Hemmings, by Barbara Chase-Riboud - I don't remember now where the hell I found this strange-looking romance novel...maybe it was one of those things my neighbors left out on the communal bench, I'm not sure. It's clear from its lack of shelf wear and its straight spine that it's never actually been read. Perhaps the old white guy in a locket, resting on a much darker chest put some people off. Who the hell knows. But it's a 1979 printing, and any book printed almost thirty-three years ago that hasn't actually been cracked open, MUST be hiding something either great or hilariously awful. But for now, it remains as it is.
5. The Celestial Railroad and Other Stories, by Nathaniel Hawthorne - I don't understand it. I love Hawthorne. I can't figure out why I've never picked this one up.
6. Neighbors: The Destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland, by Jan T. Gross - Obviously non-fiction. I took this one from my sister. Eventually she might get it back.
7. The Habsburg Monarchy, 1490-1848, by Paula Sutter Fichtner - also stolen from my sister. I think she told me her professor wrote this one. Either this one or the one I read on Hungary. I can't remember. As boring as the title may sound, I'm actually into this kind of thing. I just haven't picked this one up.
8. War & Genocide: A Concise History of the Holocaust, by Doris L. Bergen - If I'm going to read any history of the Holocaust, best it be a concise one. Also stolen from my sister. Also not yet read.
9. Differences in the Dark: American Movies and English Theatre, by Michael T. Gilmore - Mom bought this for me for Christmas last year. Unfortunately, I just haven't gotten to it. But it seems really interesting!
10. The War on Words: Slavery, Race and Free Speech in American Literature, by Michael T. Gilmore - I actually started this one back in January because I was so keen to read it. But after a month, I hadn't gotten very far. I had made the mistake of trying to read it before bed. You should never try to read non-fiction before bed. It just made me sleepy. I'll try again soon. I hope.
I used to believe in never having an unread book on my shelves. When I had fewer shelves, that was easy. But now...oy. My mother likes to say that, before she lost weight, she had no idea that ice cream could go bad in the freezer. She couldn't fathom the thought because when we bought ice cream, we ate it right away and there were never any leftovers. Well, now that my reading has become more of a practice than a mere hobby, I have leftovers. I have enough unread books to last me through half of next year...but I'll be getting more before then so...these are some books I've been meaning to read for ages, and which I hope will someday be dusted off and read. Try not to laugh. Some of these are kind of ridiculous.
1. Underworld, by Don DeLillo - This is a TOME. I like DeLillo, but apparently I don't like him enough to lug this anywhere and read it.
2. The Crossing, by Cormac McCarthy - I'm kind of waiting until I own the other books in this series to read this one...not that I'm actively seeking those books out, though. Whoops.
3. The Mayor of Casterbridge, by Thomas Hardy - You know...I've seen the movie, one of the movies...the one with Ciarán Hinds. And the thing of it is... I know I'm not going to like that character. It's kind of an awful character. So I don't want to pick up the book.
4. Sally Hemmings, by Barbara Chase-Riboud - I don't remember now where the hell I found this strange-looking romance novel...maybe it was one of those things my neighbors left out on the communal bench, I'm not sure. It's clear from its lack of shelf wear and its straight spine that it's never actually been read. Perhaps the old white guy in a locket, resting on a much darker chest put some people off. Who the hell knows. But it's a 1979 printing, and any book printed almost thirty-three years ago that hasn't actually been cracked open, MUST be hiding something either great or hilariously awful. But for now, it remains as it is.
5. The Celestial Railroad and Other Stories, by Nathaniel Hawthorne - I don't understand it. I love Hawthorne. I can't figure out why I've never picked this one up.
6. Neighbors: The Destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland, by Jan T. Gross - Obviously non-fiction. I took this one from my sister. Eventually she might get it back.
7. The Habsburg Monarchy, 1490-1848, by Paula Sutter Fichtner - also stolen from my sister. I think she told me her professor wrote this one. Either this one or the one I read on Hungary. I can't remember. As boring as the title may sound, I'm actually into this kind of thing. I just haven't picked this one up.
8. War & Genocide: A Concise History of the Holocaust, by Doris L. Bergen - If I'm going to read any history of the Holocaust, best it be a concise one. Also stolen from my sister. Also not yet read.
9. Differences in the Dark: American Movies and English Theatre, by Michael T. Gilmore - Mom bought this for me for Christmas last year. Unfortunately, I just haven't gotten to it. But it seems really interesting!
10. The War on Words: Slavery, Race and Free Speech in American Literature, by Michael T. Gilmore - I actually started this one back in January because I was so keen to read it. But after a month, I hadn't gotten very far. I had made the mistake of trying to read it before bed. You should never try to read non-fiction before bed. It just made me sleepy. I'll try again soon. I hope.
Christmas Stocking Reading comes first this month, I hope.
ReplyDeleteMe~
Haha that's funny about Mayor of Casterbridge. I picked it up last year and then ranted in my post about how horrible everybody was to each other in the book. I don't think I'll be reading any more Hardy in the next little while. I'd like to read more Cormac McCarthy, though.
ReplyDeleteI have The Mayor of Casterbirdge on my shelf, but it didn't make it onto my list this time round - to omany to choose from!
ReplyDeleteHere’s my Top Ten Tuesday post. :)
The Mayor of Casterbridge. Brings back school memories. Wouldn't want to read it again.
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I definitely have a few of these... Actually most of them are ones that I have started then stopped, left unfinished for whatever reason. Most notably The Kite Runner, Crime and Punishment, Atonement, the Hours, and Wuthering Heights. Some day I hope to work my way through them all. If you've read any of them- is it worth going back in for another shot? (I've tried WH no less than 4 times...)
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