The 2015 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

I’ve vowed to keep my to-read list under 800 books, which means it generally hovers around 798. I read for pleasure, but still, seeing that number stay right there and never change gets a little disheartening. So when I saw Roof Beam Reader’s Announcement for the 2015 TBR List Challenge, I thought it would be a great way to finally take a bit of a bite out of my ridiculous to-read list. The basic idea: Publish a list of twelve books plus two alternates that I plan to read in 2015. And then, if all goes well, actually read those books. I seem to be full-swing into my midlife crisis, so I packed my list with books to help me ponder the meaning of life, foster mindfulness in my daily activities (especially with my progeny), and—if there’s any time leftover—maybe do a little wishful thinking about what my 40’s might look like. As a bonus, if I read #5, I can finally return the book I borrowed from a friend almost three years ago. I think she forgot that I have it, so that will be a nice surprise for her, if she likes to have proof that her friends are completely irresponsible about the things they borrow. I’ll update this list with links as I review the books. So, come on back every now and then and see how I’m doing. And…if you’re keen on taking a chunk out of your own TBR list, visit Roof Beam Reader (link in the first paragraph and below) and sign up by January 15th! The List:

1. When the Heart Waits by Sue Monk Kidd
2. On the Beaten Path: An Appalachian Pilgrimage by Robert Alden Rubin
3. The Positive Power of Negative Thinking by Julie Norem (read March 2015)
4. No Time to Lose by Pema Chödrön
5. Everyday Blessings by Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn (read January 2015)
6. Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Naphthali
7. Chaos, Wonder, and the Spiritual Adventure of Parenting by Sarah Conover and Tracy Springberry (read February 2015)
8. Coming to Your Senses by Jon Kabat-Zinn (stopped reading January 2015)
9. Reading Classes: On Culture and Classism in America by Barbara Jensen
10. The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible by Charles Eisenstein (currently reading, Oct-Dec 2015)
11. Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America by Barbara Ehrenreich
12. The Artist’s Way for Parents by Julia Cameron (stopped reading November 2015)

The Alternates:

1. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
2. The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston