Taming the TBR thread

[bibliomania]

Some of us in the 50 book thread are ruefully contemplating the piles of books we mean to read someday, but have never quite got round to. This is a proposal for a one-week experiment in pruning the pile:

• It can apply to books in any form (physical, e-books, audio)
• You choose seven books: each day during week, read the first 10 pages of one of them (and/or page 67 - a tip from the ever-wise PepeLePew on the 50 book thread) or equivalent, adjusting for format. If you're intrigued and keen to continue, keep the book. If you're not, then you let it go. Donate to charity, delete from your Kindle, sell online.
• It doesn't have to be 7 - set yourself whatever goal works for you.

Anyone fancy a go, starting from this coming Monday, 20th March?

I've only read one Chris Cleave and it was absolutely dreadful

The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier is a keep for now. Quaker Honor leaves 1850s England for a new life in America and comes face to face with slavery. I’ve never read any Chevalier but have somehow ended up with 3 of her books.

The Last Runaway was fine, but I thought The Underground Railroad depicted the horrors of slavery much more memorably. I rate Tracy Chevalier as an author, however I think she’s better when painting on a smaller canvas. A Single Thread was excellent. Very understated and - if you like a bit of needlework as I do - interesting.
Everyone Brave is Forgiven is the only Chris Cleave novel I’ve read and I enjoyed it. Books set in London during the Blitz are my kind of thing as a rule though.

Thanks again @bibliomania - this process has confirmed to me that I am not good at clearing out books without reading them, but I have a little more space on my shelf!
KEEP
Yes Please by Amy Poehler and Whisky Galore by Compton Mackenzie both passed the 10 pages plus page 67 test and stay for now.
CHUCK
Why Mummy's Sloshed by Gill Sims
Toxic Childhood by Sue Palmer
Detoxing Childhood by Sue Palmer
Very low hanging fruit, these are all books that I acquired but wouldn't have chosen, all definitely going out (along with a couple of books that I have read and know that I won't reread - so 5 going out in total).

As others have said, I could imagine using this method again in future for books that are taking up space on my shelves, both books I haven't read like these and also books that I read a long time ago and I'm wondering if they still merit holding on to. Thank you all - I've liked the motivation of being part of this thread!

Just segued from one book from the TBR shelf (Mythos by Stephen Fry) to another (the latter on my New Kindle!) - A Change of Climate / Hilary Mantel. Struggling a bit with it, but for some reason I am drawn on. I'm just not a quitter.

Just refreshed myself on the rules. Sorry. Will try and summon the courage to do this. I am supposed to read one I have between each new one. At least.

I have to say, this thread certainly helped give me some direction with my next few reads. I decided to make the half dozen books that I read the 10 pages of my immediate priority to read in full. One is now finished, one half complete and ongoing. It's nice to have a smaller selection to choose from. I think I will repeat the exercise when I've read this smaller selection.
Thank you @bibliomania for starting this thread and giving me some direction and motivation!

Hi scarecrow andtoomuch, glad you like the idea! I deliberately kept it to a one-week commitment so I didn't psych myself out, but I will repeat it again at some point.