Books that Have Stayed Too Long in my TBR

Hello, everyone! August turned out to be a pretty quiet month, when I took a much needed break. During that time, I decided to take a look at my own TBR (since I also needed some space for some new book I'd got). While my physical TBR isn't that long (around 40 books), some books stood out because they have been living in my shelves for years. 

So, this post's purpose is to make myself accountable, and hopefully give me an extra push to finally pick them up.

Books that Have Overstayed in my TBR

#1 A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara

This IS the book that this post was created for. I don't know how many years I've owned a copy of A Little Life. Well, in fact, it was since it was released in Greek, which according to Goodreads was in 2016. So, let's agree that it's about time I read it.

I think that is probably the book in this list that I needn't introduce to you. And both the hype and the criticisms of it intimidate me. Have you read it? Should I just go for it? At this point, I need all the encouragement I can get!

#2 Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides

Another book that has been staying on my bookshelf for far too long is Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. And the reason for this? It's size. While I don't mind big books, I usually tend to prefer short ones, and that's why I'm always hesitant in picking one with a high page count. However, I just know that I will love this book. Especially since I've read my first Jeffrey Eugenides in August (more on that in my August wrap-up).

Plus, this copy is special to me. I had attended an event with the author a few years back and he had signed it for me. 

#3 Metro 2033 - Dmitry Glukhovsky

Even I'm only including this book in this list, I actually mean the whole series. I'm embarrassed to admit that I own all three books of the series signed by the author from when he had visited Athens some years ago.

This series isn't my typical literary fiction I tend to pick up, but I'm no stranger to sci-fi and postapocalyptic stories. I need to at least start the series eventually, and mentioning this book here is a great way to give me an extra motive to do so. 

#4 The Golem - Gustav Meyrink

Of course, there would be some classics in my TBR. For this post though, I've chosen to include The Golem by Gustav Mayrink. I have read Dracula and Carmila, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, and The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde. So, it feels like I've already read the books that popularized these legends and tropes. The Golem fits right in with these other works, since it played an important role in popularizing this creature. Plus, I could also use this book to cross off Austria from my Reading Around the World challenge.

#5 The Overstory - Richard Powers

Now, The Overstory is definitely one of the books in my TBR that I'm confident that I will love. So, why haven't I picked it up yet? I have no idea! This is my sign to prioritize this book and finally read it. 

It is a genre-bending book, which is a plus for me, and it is supposed to be a masterwork in ecofiction, which is also something that appeals to me. I hope that I will talk to you about it in one of the upcoming reading wrap-ups. 

#6 Invisible Cities - Italo Calvino

Italo Calvino is an author that I would like to read eventually. I am intimidated by his books thoug, since I've heard that they are uncoventional and postmodern. In my shelf, I have Invisible Cities, which I hope to be a great introduction to his writing style. In any case, I am excited at the prospect of reading it. And this is the feeling that I would love to get from my TBR. 

#7 Flaubert's Parrot - Julian Barnes

The final book I want to mention in this post is Flaubert's Parrot. Once again, I haven't read anything by Julian Barnes, but I would love to dig into his work. Is this the right book to get started? I'm not sure, as it is another genre-bending hybrid of a novel. And this makes me anxious, even though I shouldn't be. I love challenging books, and a love reading things that make me think.

There you have it, this is a selection of books from my TBR that I own for a long time. I hope that this post will work as a gentle push and a reminder.

What books do you need to prioritize from your own TBR?