My TBR pile and me

Which of these is the reason why I have so many unread books in my house?

a.  Once I was a girl who didn't have enough books to read.  I read the encyclopedia for fun.  And deprivation in childhood leads to hoarding....(which is of course not to say that book deprivation is the worst thing that could have happened.  Sometimes, for instance, I was forced to play outside because of not having anything to read).

b.  A library nearby was relocating and they were selling their entire collection of YA and kids books for ten cents each or 15 for a dollar.  And on top of that, I run the library booksales at my own library and they keep deaccessioning books I want (mercifully, I think this is going to end soon).

c.  I feel that I should support local bookstores/authors I like/genres I support and so I buy books that I know I won't have time to read

d.  When I need cheering up at work, I use my break to place library holds, which means I get further behind at home.

e.  I get books to review

f.  I never read anymore, but people still keep giving me books and I wish they would stop. 

If you answered f, you are wrong.  I am looking forward to unwrapping my birthday presents later this evening, and they all look like books..........

But in any event, I'm trying to Face my Problems this year, and so I thought I should know how many unread books I should be feeling guilty about.   I stopped counting at 200, figuring that running away from the menacing silhouette of this particular Problem was almost as good as having faced it.

Resolutely clinging to the idea that being proactive is a Good Thing, I am seriously trying to read down the piles (5 tbr books read so far this year).  And in order to strengthen my resolve, I'm joining two challenges:

The Official 2015 TBR Pile Challenge, hosted by Roof Beam Reader, and the TBR Double Dog Dare, hosted by James Reads Books.

The former requires a list of 12 books, and I went deep into the shelves to find books that have been languishing for years:

The Privilage of the Sword, by Ellen Kushner
Dragonfly, by Julia Golding
Dodger, by Terry Pratchett
Amber House, by Kelly More et al.
The Diary of Pelly D. by L.J. Adlington
The Doom Machine, by Mark Teague
Bansi O'Haa and the Edges of Hallowe'en, by John Dougherty
The Boy From Ilysies, by Pearl North
Radient Darkness, by Emily Whiteman
Saving the Planet and Stuff, by Gail Gauthier
The Return of Skeleton Man, by Joseph Bruchac (read and blogged)
The Museum House Ghosts, by Judith Spearing (read and blogged)

The later challenge requires simply that you read nothing but books from your TBR pile between now and April 1.   I feel that books given to one, as gifts or for review, are exempt, but I am going to try to read 100 books from my pile before I actually seek out any books from stores or the library.....95 more to go.