It’s the LAST month of our challenge: Tackle Your TBR Pile. (HAPPY NEW YEAR, by the way!!!! So go dig through that stack taller than you of books you’ve been meaning to read and start reading away.
Reading Challenge 2025: Tackle the TBR Pile
If you’re anything like me, you have a TBR pile that is bigger than you can hope to read in a lifetime. This is the year we’re going to try an tackle at least twelve of those books. Head to your shelves and find books that fit each month’s challenge.
This Month: December – Oldest book on your TBR pile
January – Genre you don’t usually read
The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today
by Mark Twain and Charles Warner
I’ve been wanting to read this one for research purposes for a long time, but the audiobook was dauntingly long when I didn’t have much time. I’m honestly still not finished, but I’m getting close. The Gilded Age definitely has all the Mark Twain I’ve come to expect, and the intro by Mark Twain makes it clear this is a satirical piece about the times, written with a co-author. It had lots of “main” characters and storylines that all converged. It was an intriguing listen, with much of the story focusing on the con of speculation, the poverty of the time, and the pursuit of the American dream of getting rich quickly. It was a clear view of the haves and have-nots. It was a good read for one time, but it’s definitely not one of my favorite Mark Twain books. I doubt I’ll revisit it, but I’m glad I read it at least once.
Genre: Satire (Contemporary at the time, historical now)
Plot Overview:
A satirical masterpiece that named an era—and still defines our own.
First published in 1873, The Gilded Age is a bold and biting political satire co-authored by legendary American writer Mark Twain and journalist Charles Dudley Warner. Set in post–Civil War America, the novel follows the Hawkins family and a parade of lobbyists, land speculators, and corrupt politicians chasing wealth and influence in Washington, D.C. and the frontier.
More than just a historical novel, The Gilded Age offers a scathing critique of greed, government corruption, and the illusion of progress—issues that remain deeply relevant in today’s political and economic landscape. Its themes of speculative capitalism, moral compromise, and institutional decay echo powerfully in the 21st century.
Giveaway – Marti was December’s Winner!
For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month. Use the Rafflecopter below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on the 7th of each month at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced on the Rafflecopter widget. *Giveaway Policies can be found here.
Charting the course by Leslea Wahl
Charting The Course is the book I read by Lesleah Wahl for giveaway
please enter me in giveaway Hope I Win
HAPPY NEW YEAR
I hope you enjoyed the book!
Mine wasn’t nearly as old as yours but each year I read a Richard Paul Evans book during the Christmas season. This year I read The Noel Diary and it was the oldest on my list. Heart wrenching story, but an amazing message of grace.
I’m glad you were able to read it! I think I’ve only read one of his books before. Definitely emotional.
I read Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies. I really enjoyed it, it was very similar to the movie, and was a quick fun read, especially for this time of year! 🙂
Fun! I guess I never realized it was a book! I love that the movie an book were pretty similar. That’s not always the case.
Would like to get back to more reading, learn to listen to audio books when my eyes are tired, but now is a season of writing for me!
I understand that. I didn’t get to read much over the last few years. With me taking a sabbatical this year, I plan on binge reading as much as I can!
I read Beyond the Picket Fence by Lori Wick. It was a compilation of short stories she wrote, published in 1998. Not my favorite Wick book, but had a couple of memorable stories we liked (I read it aloud to my adult daughter because we like to read to each other!).
Awww!I love that memory you two have created.
I read “Washington’s Lady” by Nancy Moser. It’s not necessarily “old” as it was published in 2012, but it was old for my TBR pile!
Perfect! Did you enjoy it?
I went with the oldest book in my up next TBR, which was Called to Protect by Lynette Eason.
Awesome!! I also have multiple TBR piles! Did you enjoy it?
This is probably not exactly the seasoning intended for this challenge, but…I read Rocky Road by Becky Wade which had been on my TBR since I finished book one in 2024. It’s definitely recommended. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrators did a great job.
Awesome. I’m not super strict on the challenge. It’s just about widdling away at our TBR pile. 🙂 I love it when narrators do a good job!
I read The Song of Sourwood Mountain by Ann H. Gabhart.
Did you enjoy it?
I kinda cheated… I read The House on Foster Hill. Which hasn’t been on my TBR for the longest time (maybe a couple of years). And, its not the oldest book on my TBR (that would be Beowulf), but it is over five years old.
Anyway, I really enjoyed it!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I’m not super strict. 😉 The goal is to read books on our TBR pile that we’ve been putting off, so you’ve accomplished that!
Hey Marti! You were this month’s winner. Check your email!