Goodbye TBR Dare, Hello Non-Fiction April
by Jenners • 04/01/2012 • J Authors, Reading Challenges • 53 Comments
Happy April 1st everybody!!
If you’ve been doing the TBR Double Dare like I have, you’re chomping at the bit to buy new books to fill all those spaces in your bookshelf that you opened up during the last three months. (I gained about two feet of shelf space after reading 18 books from my shelves!! I already have grand plans for filling it up too.)
I was surprised how easy and enjoyable this challenge was—and how good some of the books I’ve been ignoring for months (and even years) were when I actually sat down and read them. The only problem was that every single book I read was a fiction book.
So, to rectify this uneven reading spree, I’m going to read nothing but non-fiction books for the entire month of April. Yep … you heard me. Non-Fiction April. (This is not a joke.)
I’m actually kind of excited about it, but I wonder if my enthusiasm will hold up for the entire month. I’m sure I’ll be salivating for a nice juicy fiction book fairly soon. First up, I’m going to tackle Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything—just about the only Bill Bryson book I haven’t read yet aside from his Shakespeare book (which I plan on trying to squeeze in this month as well). I’ve also got a few memoirs, a book about the Supreme Court and the audiobook of Game Change (about the 2008 presidential election).
But the book I’m most looking forward to reading is one I’ve preordered and will be starting the second it arrives on my Kindle on April 10th. Want to know what it is?
A new book by A.J. Jacobs!!! Woo hoo!
Well I’ll be looking forward to your reviews. I’m not much of a non-fiction reader so maybe you’ll change my mind on some of them. Good luck!
I’d love to reduce my TBR stack by 18 or more! And then put some more on it.
Wow! Let me know how that goes… I will be rereading Hunger Games.
18 books off your shelves in 3 months is a great accomplishment!! I haven’t even managed to read that many books total
I need to make more time for non-fiction and I like them lite too.
I had no idea that AJ Jacobs had a new book coming out. I bet it’ll be just as funny and interesting as his others!
Have fun with your non-fiction journey this month. I think it’s a great idea. I want to hear all about that Jacobs book.
I think Non-fiction April is a great idea! I have that Bill Bryson book and keep meaning to read it and then I forget! I love the name of the Jacobs book..Drop Dead Healthy. Is it about nutrition and exercise, just one of them or something completely different?!
Happy Reading Jenners!
ongratulations on the TBR! I’ve been trying to clean off my kindle but I’ve been buy a new one everytime I read an old one–so not much progress here. Did you know being healthy will kill you?
I really need to read more Jacobs. I absolutely adored the first book I read of his, and I know I have the second waiting on the shelves. Now if only I could quit my job, win the lottery, and get a nanny….
Can’t wait to hear about “Drop Dead Healthy.” Your recommendations are my reading materials (well, sometimes… if I’m not being cheap and only doing free classics downloads from Kindle)!
If it is as good as his other books, I’m sure this will be in the “highly recommend” pile.
A month of non-fiction? Oh my, it might kill me!
You could bear it! There are tons of true crime books out there!
I love AJ Jacobs! So excited to know he has a new one coming out!
I know!! When I stumbled on it the other week, I was like “Woo hoo!”
That’s a good way to balance things out! This year, I’ve actually read 24 books that were already in the house — 13 first times and 11 rereads. It feels really good to be getting through these books and also enjoying ones that I’ve decided to keep around. I do need to do more non-fiction reading though. Luckily it’s only April!
You are a big rereader. I avoid it … there are too many books I’ve not read the first time yet.
I really enjoyed A Short History – brilliant! Have you read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – that was my favourite book last year.
Yes … I read Henrietta Lacks last year and was amazed how fascinated I was by it. I was unsure going in if it was as good match for me. Just goes to show that a talented author can make any topic interesting. And I always trust in Bill Bryson. I’m learning so much … but having fun too.
I think the only new book that arrived for me during the Double Dare was one I pre-ordered before the end of the year, so it doesn’t count. Besides, I waiting until yesterday to begin it so it would count for the cozy challenge that runs Apr/Sept. – Oh…and the ARC a friend sent me after she read it. It doesn’t count, either, even though I read it last month. So….I’ve basically just read from my TBR pile all year.
You read many more non-fiction than I do (heck, you read more than I do period) so I’m sure you’ll enjoy your month without fiction. I’ll be interested to see what all you review.
Well, I must admit my reviews don’t always line up with what I’m actually reading. I still have reviews to publish from books I read last SUMMER!!! Still, I might try and be more timely.
I need to read more nonfiction as well. I have a few nonfiction books on my shelf, and it seems like I always pass them by when I am looking for something to read. If you want to read a riveting nonfiction read, try The Tiger. That blew my mind.
Ooohhh…I think I remember your review of The Tiger. I’ll have to keep that in mind.
TBR Double Dare sounds like a must do challenge – what I would give for an extra 2ft of shelf space.
I know!! I have room for the first time in ages. I love it!! Now I must work on filling it up. No good having empty spaces on the bookshelf.
If I were to read all non-fiction, I’d probably go with memoir, but I fear I’d read all the really dysfunctional ones and end up in a funk.
Or I’d read all of the autism/mental illness books, and end up in a funk.
But if I could stick to Bryson and funny stuff, I think I’d be okay.
If you stuck to A.J. Jacobs, Mary Roach and Bill Bryson, you’d have a grand old time! I guarantee it. (I have a few depressing memoirs on my list but I’m mixing it up so I balance it out a bit.)
I love your goal! I am having a tough time deciding what to read AND wrestling with if I should give up on my current book. Pressure! I actually have read a lot of NF this year so far. Unplanned. I think I might go back to 1Q84.
I’m terrible at quitting books but if you aren’t enjoying it, give it up (or give it a rest). I usually read at least a few non-fiction books a month but somehow got all caught up in fiction during the TBR Dare.
Drop Dead Healthy is going to be fabulous. I feel it in my bones. Also, I’ll let you read it first, review it, validate me all before I can get it from the library.
I think it is going to be fabulous too. Just seeing the title and seeing what he was going to be working on made me shiver in anticipation. I know I’ll whip through it so I’ll try to get my review up fast!
Congratulations on completing the dare! I am quite new to non-fiction so I look forward to seeing which books you recommend.
As Kathy said, I tend to specialize in Non-Fiction Light — memoirs, travel narratives and amusing books that look at history/science (like Bill Bryson). I’m not really hard-core but I’m trying to up my game a little bit.
That sounds a little bit like out of the frying pan and into the fire. I’m doing a month of free reading, myself. And probably a couple of rounds of book buying, too.
You got me in the groove of reading from my shelves so I figure I better keep going. Now to clear off the non-fiction shelf a bit. I feel good knowing I can buy a book if I MUST. : )
I can’t even fathom attempting a TBR dare, so congrats to you!!!
I have never read a book by A.J. Jacobs but they all look so interesting!
I really really enjoy A.J. Jacob’s books. Both The Know It All and The Year of Living Biblically were so enjoyable — and The Guinea Pig Diaries was fun too. I can’t wait for this one. I would definitely recommend giving him a try!
There is no way I could do a whole month of that unless I knew I was only going to read one book for the whole month.
You so could … you just need to pick the right non-fiction books!
Big Congrats to you with all those books read from your shelves. I should be doing that too. I just received Drop Deap healthy (audio) it looks terrific, so we’ll have to compare notes. Have a good week!
I’ve so enjoyed all of A.J. Jacob’s books so I was really thrilled to see it. Enjoy it on audio! I bet it will be fun.
Sounds like an informative April! and temps in this area of the world are just lovely, in case you’re interested….
Oooh…good to hear the temps in your section of the world are lovely. I’m sure our imminent arrival will change all that. I’m sure you’ll know when we land as the temps will either skyrocket or plummet — we have that effect on places.
I agree I’m biting at the bit after reading from my shelves, I haven’t read nearly as many as you though, I’m only giving myself April to buy and borrow books, and then I’m doing May, June and July reading from my shelves, I really need to empty by book case. (It’s in the bathroom, for lack of house, my husband keeps asking why it’s there). I’m not much on non-fiction but I’ll be curious to see what you think of your choices.
Your bookcase is in your bathroom? That is unusual. I imagine the water from a shower might cause problems for your poor books. Once I started reading from my shelves, I found it quite enjoyable.
Short History’s on my short list — it’s one of our book club picks for this year. If you’re up for more non-fiction, I just finished reading (in the last five minutes) Erik Larson’s In the Garden of the Beasts about Hitler’s Berlin. Fascinating!
I’m enjoying (and learning tons) Short History so far. Leave some time for it. It is a chunkster! And thanks for the recommendation. I know Larson’s first book is supposed to be really good as well.
I haven’t seen that book by Jacobs before – it looks promising. As for the TBR dare I just did okay. I read 7 books from my shelf and 5 more that were ARCs from my review copy shelf. The rest were either library books I’d had on hold or books for the Indie Lit Awards.
I just stumbled across the Jacobs book the other day and got so excited. I just enjoy his “wacky experiment” books and was so glad to see another.
Wow! a whole month of non-fiction! Very cool….I try to read at least one non-fiction book a month…..with my audible account i’ve been downloading mostly non-fiction books – one of the best ones I’ve listened to in awhile is Quiet:The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. I highly recommend it! The Bill Bryson book sounds really good; I think that will be my next one to download
The Bill Bryson book is long so it will last you a good long time if you download it. Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll probably need another good non-fiction audio before the end of the month.
I think we like the same kind of non-fiction – what I call non-fiction lite.
Yup … non-fiction lite. Goes down nice and easy without TOO much thinking! ; )