Nonfiction November & The Intimidating TBR Tag

When I saw that Nonfiction November was a thing for November, I decided that it was time for me to join in because I love nonfiction and really do not read it any more. Clearly, my reading plans this year have been derailed a lot because of life this year, but I may accomplish something, right?

What do I want to read?

1. The Promise of Canada by Charlotte Gray

2. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

3. Lab Girl by Hope Jahren

4. The View from the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman

And now, the first week discussion post:

1. What was your favourite nonfiction read of the year?

~ This is a tough one. It is either As You Wish by Cary Elwes or A Slip of the Keyboard by Terry Pratchett.

2. What nonfiction book have you recommended the most?

~ Probably the Pratchett. His fiction is awesome, but have you checked out his nonfiction?

3. What is one topic or type of nonfiction you haven't read enough of yet?

~ This is actually a sparse year of nonfiction in general. I would like to get more in general this year, but I have been trying to do better with essay collections and hope to get to a couple more before the year is out!

4. What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November?

~ Book recommendations! I don't need anymore books, but recommendations can't help, right? lol

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I saw Jenny had done this, so I decided to as well!

1. What book have you been unable to finish?
~ Books that typically I start and do not finish are usually very long or short story collections. I am atrocious with both! This year there are a lot of books I have started and then not finished because my mind has been elsewhere most of the year. More recently I started The Round House because everyone seems to love it. It's good, but I haven't picked it up in like a week or more. If you are depressed to begin with, depressing books are not a good idea... I likely will put it aside for now and pick it up when my head is better.

2. Which book haven't you read yet because you haven't had the time?
~ ugh, so many. This is a complicated question when you have a TBR that is always out of control! There are many books I have wanted to read for months and just haven't got around to. I am really struggling with finding reading time... It just seems like there is always other things to do and reading takes the backseat. And, there is the mood thing. If the books are slower or depressing, I am just not interested this year. One that pops to mind is The Underground Railroad. It is a book that lots of people have loved and I just haven't had a chance to read it. And, right now, I am not sure if it will happen very soon because of my whole mood...

3. Which book haven't you read yet because it's a sequel?
~ Oh, me and sequels... I love series. I get really excited to find out what is going to happen next. And then... fizzle. I have never been good about finishing one book in a series and then immediately picking up the next one, either, so that doesn't help! One of my goals for the year was to read all of the Iron Druid Series and make a dent in my Lois McMaster Bujold books. Oh, and re-read Robin Hobb. At the beginning of the year I was all into this project... Then, it fizzled. And, it is a definitely a me issue. I just suck at series. I am trying to do the Lois McMaster Bujold on audio, so definitely won't finish that this year. And, I haven't read anything by the other two authors in months.

4. Which book haven't you read yet because it's brand new?
~ Amazingly, the newest book in my house is Promise of Canada by Charlotte Gray and I have all ready started it! It would be the newest released book I own at the moment, too. Before that, there is The Comet Seekers. I bought this on a whim because it sounded good when it got buzz around BEA, but then I really have not seen anything else about it. I still grabbed a copy, though, and it is patiently waiting for me to get around to it. (As well as so many other books...)

5. Which book haven't your read yet because you read a book by the same author and didn't enjoy it?
~ I don't read Isabel Allende anymore because I just do not like her newer stuff as much as her older stuff. Her early stuff like The House of the Spirits and Daughter of Fortune were both really good. I lost interest around Zorro and have hardly read her since. She used to be an auto-buy and I really should try some of her other stuff, but why are so many authors moving away so much from the stuff that made them famous?

6. Which book haven't you read yet because you're just not in the mood for it?
~ I suppose I should have read ahead on these questions. lol My issue is I just don't know what I am in the mood for lately. Even what could be a good pick isn't working well for me. I am also trying really hard to get caught up in reading to take my mind off everything else. It works when I have long periods of time to read, but it doesn't work so well when I am busy. I just don't make time for it. I think one that pops to mind is Homegoing. I know people really like it, but it starts kind of quiet and so I couldn't get into it. Hopefully soon, though!

7. Which book haven't you read yet because it's humongous?
~ ha. There are a few chunksters that have been hiding on my TBR for way too long... If I had to pick, I will go with Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. (Jenny mentioned it for a different reason in her post, so it is on my mind.) I suspect that given the chance, I will really like it, but with the exception of The Fireman earlier this year, my reading has been shorter stuff...

8. Which book haven't you read yet because it was a cover buy that turned out to have poor reviews?
~ As Jenny said in her post, this is a very specific question and really doesn't apply to me... I very rarely impulse buy anymore because I own so many books to begin with! So, I am going to change this to a book I have because of the cover and the reviews, but I am not sure if it is a 'me' book. That book is Bellweather Rhapsody. It sounds good, but it also sounds way out of my normal zone. I don't read as much out of my zone as I used to because I read too widely as it is. But, it comes recommended and everyone likes music. I am not sure when I will get to it because my reading is so slow lately, but we will see how it goes!

9. What is the most intimidating book in your TBR pile?
~ Typically, I would answer some sort of classic. But, when I bought my e-reader, I got rid of all my classics because it takes me forever to get to them and I was in the land of free e-books that were classics. (I even read some back then... Those were the days...) Now, I am not so sure I am intimidated by anything on my bookshelves. It is more about time nowadays. If it takes me like two weeks to listen to a 6 hour audiobook, just imagine how long it would take me to read a longer work! I will go with The Pillars of the Earth. It used to be on my TBR, but I got rid of it at one point. When my grandmother got rid of her books, I took her copy. So, now it is back and maybe I will read it this time!