Thor's backlog

Having been recently reprimanded by my fellow blogger, I hereby list what is left to be read. This excludes the sorry pile of (5) books I'm currently struggling with for various reasons. The most glorious of the five is Dubliners, which I actually quite enjoyed, but have not touched for three years and counting. The most notorious is Firmin, which has a great premise in line with Ratatouille, but requires advanced knowledge of English literature, making it less appropriate for someone who stuck to Tolkien in high school.

The pile pictured, however, is equally promising and depressing. I do not intend to open The Interpretation of Murder again, having found the first two pages needlessly graphic. Mind you, I managed to sit through the whole of Spartacus: Blood and Sand, so am not squeamish to the obsessive extent, I merely found the opening of this book sensationalist of the Daily Mail extent.

Both The Covenant and The Grass is Singing were bought with intent of mood-setting for a holiday in South Africa. Both come with good credentials and some promise - I even started the Grass, but cannot remember much of it to warrant addition to the sorry pile.

The Alchemist came upon recommendation of a former flame, with calls of soul mates emanating from it, but warnings from a closer friend, who in my mind found it too wishy-washy and perfumed in good intentions. It still sounds like a cheap version of the Unbearable Lightness of Being, which still leaves me with the intention to read it. On a beach, slowly working with the sun to increase entropy.

The remainder of the pile, save from Tess, were acquired in a long-lost time of hausse, in 3-for-2 offers and lack of self-control. Engleby is the only one that appeals, although I do not recall any poor reviews of any of the others. Still, the world may be a better place if I offer them to Oxfam rather than waste the few hours I do spend reading on something unwanted.

The David Mitchell is the most promising, not merely because of its stunning cover (which happens to match my flat's interior colour scheme), but with the promise of Dutch seafaring adventure. The sole reason for its grouping with this pile, is to save it from ending up on the sorry pile. I want to give it the full attention it (potentially) deserves. Starting in 2011!