Though I’m sure many avid readers have an extensive “To Be Read” (TBR) pile, I doubt few compare with the TBRs of writers who, by their very nature, read and absorb vast amounts of writing in all its forms.
I write speculative fiction, mainly focusing on either science fiction or paranormal/horror stories. But that’s not to say that fantasy, time travel, or alternate history stories don’t interest me. In fact, I read well outside the genres in which I write. I love mysteries, thrillers, and the occasional literary fiction.
And sometimes, a wayward biography, history, or science book (even textbooks) will get a read. I’m a firm believer that broad reading habits lead to both better writing habits and a better general understanding of the world.
My TBR currently has 94 titles on it. These are books that I already physically own and sit on my shelves. (I’m also a big believer in physical copies of books instead of electronic versions, but that’s a topic for another post.) I also have another 124 titles queued up to purchase, either due to personal recommendations, awards, or high reviews. And tomorrow, these numbers might be higher.
I generally read 40-50 books a year, though many factors can influence that total. In my best year, I read 63.
To keep myself organized, I keep my TBR divided into four parts based on the priority of the book, i.e. how badly I want to read it. Sometimes, a brand-new book will jump right to the top of the list, pushing everything down.
Without further ado, here’s by TBR:
Highest Priority – Read These Next
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
The Waiting by Michael Connelly
This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Heart Of Barkness by Spencer Quinn
Of Mutts And Men by Spencer Quinn
You Like It Darker by Stephen King
Stories Of Your Life by Ted Chiang
High Priority
A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine
Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon
A Princess Of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Wool by Hugh Howey
Shogun by James Clavell
The Book Of Lost Things by John Connelly
Holly by Stephen King
Salem's Lot by Stephen King
Piranisi by Susanna Clarke
Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson
Medium Priority
Razor Girl by Carl Hiaasen
Age Of Ash by Daniel Abraham
Killers Of The Flower Moon by David Grann
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Sea Of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel
The Tomb by F Paul Wilson
A Dance With Dragons by George RR Martin
Great Tales Of Horror by HP Lovecraft
Robot Dreams by Isaac Asimov
Foundation And Empire by Isaac Asimov
Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov
The Memory Librarian by Janelle Monae
From The Earth To The Moon by Jules Verne
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne
Around The World In 80 Days by Jules Verne
Fall Of Dodge In Hell by Neal Stephenson
Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson
Anatham by Neal Stephenson
Solar Lottery by Philip K Dick
The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury
The Eye Of The World by Robert Jordan
Razorblade Tears by SA Cosby
Blacktop Wasteland by SA Cosby
Violet by Scott Thomas
Misery by Stephen King
Cujo by Stephen King
Christine by Stephen King
Hearts In Atlantis by Stephen King
From A Buick 8 by Stephen King
The Once And Future King by TH White
Spook Country by William Gibson
Low Priority – I’ll Get to Them When I Get to Them
Revenger by Alastair Reynolds
Complicit by Amy Rivers
Perdido Street Station by China Mieville
Iron Council by China Mieville
The Gods Of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Warlord Of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Thuvia, Maid Of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Chessmen Of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Shift by Hugh Howey
Dust by Hugh Howey
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
The Death Cure by James Dashner
The Kill Order by James Dashner
The Street Lawyer by John Grisham
The Finger Trap by Johnny Worthen
The Treason Of Isengard by JRR Tolkien
The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien
Five Weeks In A Balloon by Jules Verne
Round The Moon by Jules Verne
Transference by Kate Joneska
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson
Dark Ebb by Laurel McHargue
Dante Valentine by Lilith Saintcrow
The Regional Office Is Under Attack by Manuel Gonzales
State Of Fear by Michael Crichton
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Inheritance Trilogy by NK Jemisin
The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card
The Regulators by Richard Bachman
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson
Elevation by Stephen King
The Dark Half by Stephen King
Delores Claiborne by Stephen King
Tommyknockers by Stephen King
Insomnia by Stephen King
Revival by Stephen King
Rose Madder by Stephen King
The Institute by Stephen King
That’s everything, at least as of today. What do you think? Without adding any new titles, are some of these ranked too low and I should read them sooner? Any that I have high on the list that could wait? Let me know in the comments.
Bình luận