My To Be Read pile keeps getting larger

First post in January, 2026 and I write it mainly because I'm too busy and too overwhelmed with work. So much so that I decided to make a "reading list" of stuff I have either started reading (but haven't finished) or have yet to start reading. To be honest, I feel even more depressed when I look at this pile, but here it goes:

1. Batman Revolution by John Jackson Miller. I have this one as an ebook. I started reading it in December and got to about seven chapters and that's it so far. I grabbed it mainly because I devoured Batman 89 comic book series and Batman Resurrection novel by the same author over the summer. The problem is Revolution is almost twice as long as Resurrection.

2. Noble House by James Clavell. Over Christmas I rewatched the awesome miniseries adaptation of this novel from 1988 with Pierce Brosnan in the leading role, so basically this motivated me to start reading a novel. In this case, I also don't have a paperback edition. I grabbed an ebook, but immediately felt overwhelmed because the novel is extremely long. I tried to remedy that by listening to an audiobook read by Ralph Lister. This strategy didn't get me far because I'm at Chapter 4 so far.

3. The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown. I admit this one was an impulse buy. I used to love reading Dan Brown thrillers when I was in junior high school. These are some of the fondest memories I have from that bleak period of my education. To be honest, I had no idea he conjured up another Robert Langdon adventure in 2025. When I saw it at a newsagent's of all places, I was shocked. There was no paperback, only hard cover edition available, and it cost an arm and a leg, but I still reached for my wallet and bought it. Haven't started it yet.

4. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. This novel wasn't an impulse buy, but a completely accidental purchase. I was doing Christmas shopping in November and spotted this one at a bookstore. I remember one of my students is a big fan of the movie and wished to read this book, but she couldn't find it anywhere. Needless to say, I got a copy for her, and in view of the fact that it was dirt cheap, I bought another copy for myself. So here it is, the geisha staring at me from my desk. Haven't started it yet. But at least, the student was on cloud nine when I gave her the copy.

5. The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne with illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard. I know what you're thinking. You probably recall that scene from Notting Hill at a bookstore where a random adult dude asks Hugh Grant at a bookstore if they have Winnie the Pooh novel. Well, that's totally me. I love all things Pooh-related, including the books. Last year, I read the first one by Milne and also A Walk in the Wood: Meditations on Mindfulness with a Bear Named Pooh, and The Pooh Book of Quotations. The House at Pooh Corner is the one which I have not yet read.

6. The Cat Who Saved the Library by Sosuke Natsukawa. I got this one because two years ago I read and enjoyed The Cat Who Saved Books by the same author, so I'm hoping this novel has the similar vibe. If you expect Haruki Murakami style, then it's not it. Natsukawa got more into the territory of philosophical lessons rather than telling a proper story, but I don't mind it. The Cat Who Saved Books was very soothing.

That's the list, and it came to existence because I'm too busy :-( Still, I’m hoping that I will clear it by January 2027.