Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Top Ten Books I Had to Have and are STILL Sitting on My Shelf

This week’s Top Ten at The Broke and The Bookish is making me take a real look at the books that have been sitting on my shelf for too long.

1. Binu and the Great Wall, by: Su Tong – I’m not sure when I bought this. It was too long ago. Binu is part of the Myth Series of which I’ve already read six books. I bought this one last June, I think.

2. Son of a Witch / A Lion Among Men, by: Gregory Maguire – I read and loved Wicked. I saw these two books on sale at a used book store and had to have them. I meant to read them right away. I think this was May.

3. The Stand, by: Stephen King – I love Stephen King books. The Stand is supposed to be one of his masterpieces, so I had to buy it. Plus, it was only 50 cents! I think that was fall 2005.

4. It, by: Stephen King – Purchased at the same time as The Stand. Also, supposed to be great. Plus I’ve never seen the movie, so I don’t even know what happens.

5. Brick Lane, by Monica Ali – I don’t even remember what this is about. I just remember that I had to have it and I was so excited when I saw it in my local used bookstore. Hardcover, no wear to speak of and it’s stayed that way for at least the last 5 years. Maybe longer since it was published in 2003.

6. Superheroes and Philosophy, edited by: William Irwin – I’ve been [very] slowly reading the Pop Culture and Philosophy series. I saw this one come out and it was about superheroes! I was so excited I bought it right away and it’s sat on my shelf for 6 years I think.

7. Gods Behaving Badly, by Marie Phillips – I’m pretty sure I bought this at the same time as Binu. The story seemed really interesting and it’s about stuff I like, so when I saw it on sale, I had to get it.

8. L’Affaire, by: Diane Johnson – I bought this around the time the movie Le Divorce came out. I had also purchase Le Mariage at the same time. The reason it’s sat on my shelf since 2003, maybe 2004.

9. JPod, by: Douglas Coupland – I love the books I’ve read by Coupland so far. I heard so many great things about Jpod and the story sounded so interesting that when I saw it on sale, I had to have it. I’m going to say that was about 2 years ago.

10. Blackwood Farm, by: Anne Rice – I was so excited when I bought this book. I had all The Mayfair Witches and was going to start The Vampire Chronicles. Blackwood Farm was bringing both worlds together. My husband had many of the vampire books, so I wouldn’t have to buy those. Like other books on my list, it was on sale when I got it, in 2003.

There is definitely a pattern. I buy a lot of books on sale. There’s something about seeing a $30 hardcover on sale for $9.99 that I can’t resist. This has given me a definite book buying problem. I could have continued with the list, but I stopped myself. I have enough books that I could not buy anything for at least 3 years and not have to worry about running out of stuff to read. Have you got a book buying problem? Which book should I stop putting off?

10 comments:

  1. I haven't read any of these either. Gods Behaving Badly is an interesting title though.

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  2. I love Douglas Coupland! And I also want to read Brick Lane and the Maguire books!

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  3. Can't blame you for not having read [The Stand]: it is MASSIVE. Possibly the biggest fictional book I've read! I checked it out because the science fiction plot appealed to me, but it grew into more of a fantasy as the story unfolded. Intense, too.

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  4. I have never read any Stephen King, or Anne Rice. I bought The Stand thinking I might give it a try as well.

    Check out my list here: http://hawthornescarlet.blogspot.com/2011/03/top-ten-tuesday-tbr.html

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  5. I loved Wicked too, but I haven't read the sequels either. Thanks for commenting.

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  6. I'm forcing myself to read The Stand this year for the Stephen King challenge. Yikes! I also like the Pop Culture & Philosophy series. I've read the Woody Allen one--very funny & insightful.

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  7. Gods Behaving Badly is hilarious, it made my top 10 in 2009, definitely a get you out of a slump read.

    I had Brick Lane but gave it away before reading it.

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  8. Anonymous2/3/11 20:16

    I got most of the way through The Stand but I'm not sure what happened, I never reached the end.

    I definitely have a book buying problem also. Reading review blogs has greatly contributed to this issue - I tend to order books on a whim after reading very little about them! Sometimes this is great, sometimes it's not so great

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  9. I had to have two awesome books on salt, but I have yet to read them.

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  10. Brenna - The title is what caught my eye. Now it's sitting with that the only part of it I've read.

    Lorna, Megan B. - I love Coupland too. The three books I've read of his were fantastic. I've also read Maguire's Confessions of an Ugly Step-Sister and thought it might even be better than Wicked.

    smellincoffee, Teacher - I saw The Stand mini-series when I was younger and loved it. It's part of what drew me to King's writing.

    Teacher - I'm glad I'm not the only one who reads the Pop Culture and Philosophy series. I've read three of them so far.

    1girl - Book bloggers probably have the worse book buying problems.

    Ahab - Salt?

    LBC - I don't think Rice is for everyone, but I'd give King a try.

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