HelenNZ Root Goal 2020

I am hoping to tackle some of the bigger tomes on my shelf to make room and allow time for library books. So despite achieving 60 this year the new goal is 48. I am also trying to decide on completion of each book whether it goes or stays, as my read book shelves are overflowing. I need to be more ruthless.

I am starting the year with 342 unread books.

I have yet to decide on any challenges to help me select which book, other than one big tome each month and space for a library book or two as I hope to join the local library book group to meet new people and talk books. I have found also that by using the local library for new titles I reduce the number I purchase. I will also list my purchases this year, to see if this helps control the number.

Good luck for your 2020 reading!

Welcome back and good luck with all of your reading goals this year!

Welcome back to the ROOTers, Helen. Happy New ROOTing Year.

Happy New Year and best of luck tackling your pile of unread books.

Happy ROOTing!

I found that keeping track of my acquisitions does tend to reduce their numbers. Good Luck!

Sounds like a good strategy! Have fun ROOTING!

Good luck Helen, I have the same problem with books that I've kept. I'm slowly going through the painful process of deciding what needs to go.

January.

1. The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
2. There was Still Love by Favel Parrett
3. The Actresses by Barbara Ewing
4. Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
5. The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
6. Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope

Great ROOTing in January, and great reviews!

February.
7. One Hundred Days of Happiness by Fausto Brizzi
8. Here At the End of the World We Learn to Dance by Lloyd Jones
9. Good Wives by Louisa M. Alcott
10. The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
11. Fifteen Rubies by Candlelight by Shonagh Koea
12. Afterwards by Rachel Seiffert

Just when I thought I was making progress on reducing my TBR shelves, I bought my first 6 books of the year.
1. The Siege by Helen Dunmore
2. The Greatcoat by Helen Dunmore
3. Different Class by Joanne Harris
4. Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh
5. Mondays Warriors by Maurice Shadbolt
6. The House of Strife by Maurice Shadbolt

And to start a new month 2 more books found a home
7. The Legacy of Hartlepool Hall by Paul Torday
8. Mothers' Boys by Margaret Forster

And because there was a special offer at Book Depository I found a couple of bargains
9. The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle
10. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

11. Wolfe Island by Lucy Treloar

>13 HelenBaker: They look very interesting!

March.
13. A Year of Marvellous Ways by Sarah Winman
14. The News Where You Are by Catherine O'Flynn

I can't feel too guilty about my recent purchases as I would wonder when we will be able to enjoy the book fair experience again. Not for sometime I suspect. A chance to reduce the TBR stack in the meantime.

15. Blackstrap Hawco by Kenneth J. Harvey
16. Dinner at Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
17. In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park
18. Life Class by Pat Barker
19. Toby's Room by Pat Barker

Happy Easter, Helen.

>18 connie53:. Thank you Connie.

How are you doing, Helen? I hope you are al right.

>20 connie53:. Hi Connie, yes I am fine. Last week New Zealand relaxed its lock down to allow more workers back to worker i.e. construction workers, builders, plumbers, electricians etc to start the economy moving, but the rest of us maintain isolation only going out to supermarket and for a walk. Our new cases are in single figures so hopefully we can maintain progress. We are also allowed to extend our bubble slightly, so I have looked after my little grandson for two days. He is now walking...and we have been able to see our other three local grandchildren which was lovely.
I hope you and Peet are well too.

May.
20. The Red House by Mark Haddon
21. Lunch with a Soldier by Derek Hansen
22. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
23. An Equal Stillness by Francesca Kay

>21 HelenBaker: Yes we are doing fine. We have seen Lonne a few times, but trying to keep the 1,5 meter distance is very difficult for her. She wants grandmum to read books with her. Yesterday we celebrated Mother's day and my daughter in law made breakfast for us. So we were surprised with a basket full of delicious things by Jeroen and Lonne.

We only see Fiene and Marie online which is nice but not the real thing of course.

Things are easing up here. Daycare and elementary schools are opening up partially today as are libraries, hairdressers (hooray) and museums.

June.
24. The Last Time We Spoke by Fiona Sussman
25. A Ghost at the Table by Suzanne Berne
26. On Beauty by Zadie Smith
27. The Last Deception of Palliser Wentwood by Imogen De La Bere

At last a root for July, my daughters will keep giving me books to read and what with library books, I am in danger of losing my star this month.

July.
28. Canada by Richard Ford
29. Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

After vowing to do better this month, I once again have been tempted by new books at the library, so one of my own then 3 library books to get through. The pressure is on.
August.
30. Last Man in Tower by Aravind Adiga
31. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
32. A Dangerous Vine by Barbara Ewing
33. The Weekend by Bernhard Schlink

>26 HelenBaker: I have the same predicament, Helen. I download e-books and love reading on my kobo in the garden. And those tree-books feel rather heavy and warm in my hands. But now I've decided to start reading real paper books again.

September.
34. Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler
35. No More Boats by Felicity Castagna

October.
36. The Widow and her Hero by Thomas Keneally
37. The Song Collector by Natasha Solomons
38. Drylands by Thea Astley
39. Oracle Night by Paul Auster

November.
40. Mazarine by Charlotte Grimshaw
41. Bloody Mary by Meg Henderson
42. Obsession by Elspeth Sandys
43. Paris Echo by Sebastian Faulks
44. Noah Barleywater Runs Away by John Boyne

December.
45. Towards Another Summer by Janet Frame
46. The Lost Man by Jane Harper
47. The Rainbow and the Rose by Nevil Shute
48. Missus by Ruth Park
49. The Road to Urbino by Roma Tearne

Goal reached and I hope to have reduced my TBR by half a dozen books by years end. A small achievement...

Hooray, well done on both counts - goal and TBR reduction!

Congratulations on reaching your goal!

>33 Jackie_K:. >34 MissWatson:. Thank you. I am relieved to have made it. What a distracting year it has been.

Yes. How we all wish and hope next year will be better. Wishing you Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from the Netherlands!

And Congrats on reaching your goal.

>37 connie53:. Thank you Connie. I wish I knew how to do these. They brighten up my page.

Hi Helen, It's not too difficult.

I have an account with Photobucket.com were you can upload your pics. But you can also upoad them to your photo's here on LT in your profile. If you decide you want to try it, I can give you more details on how to proceed.