I have been an absolute reading fiend lately. Since early December I have finished reading 7 novels. Part of the reason for my all-consuming obsession is that I was trying to reach my goal of reading 24 books last year. That may not be a big amount for many, but two books a month for me means I generally have to read frequently during nap-times and after the kids' bedtime, with housework often suffering. I have been keeping track of the books I read during a year since 2005; just one of those silly things I like to keep track of with a list. The most I had read previous to last year was 22 so the goal of 24 seemed relatively attainable.
It would have been if I had not gotten behind on the plan of two novels per month back in May. And it was my own fault. I chose "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte as our book club selection for the month because I have never read it and I wanted to read a classic. Well, I really got bogged down in it and shamefully did not even finish it for the meeting date. I wasn't reading another novel at the time, as I often have two on the go, and I tried after the meeting to keep at it and get it finished. I failed to finish it then and still have it sitting on my nightstand (at the bottom of the piles!), with great intentions of finishing it "someday". That seemed to set me back for the rest of the year, along with the wonderful summer weather that beckoned me outside rather than curled up with a book. I had to read a lot in the last few months of 2010 to try and pull off my goal.
I did manage to get 24 novels read, with a little cheating. On December 31st I finished reading "The Long Winter" by Laura Ingalls Wilder which I have been reading aloud to Jonathan at bedtime and which we were about two thirds done. I suppose it is not really cheating as I did read all of the book. For that matter, I could also count in my tally for 2010 the first four books in the Little House series which I read to Jonathan. I guess because they are considered juvenile fiction I did not really want to count them, but in the end I did.
In case anyone is at all interested, here is a list of the books I read, an asterisk noting which were for book club:
Birding on Borrowed Time - Phoebe Snetsinger
Heaven's Keep - William Kent Krueger
The Story of Forgetting - Stefan Merrill Block
Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortensen and Davic Oliver Relin*
Fieldwork - Mischa Berlinski
The Alphabet Sisters - Monica McInerney
Abercrombie Trail - Candace Simar *
The Year of Living Biblically - A.J. Jacobs*
Staggerford - Jon Hassler *
The Next Thing on My List - Jill Smolinski*
Where Men Win Glory: The Story of Pat Tillman - Jon Kraukauer
Streiker's Bride - Robin Hardy
The Appeal - John Grishom *
Streiker's Killdeer - Robin Hardy
Half Broke Horses - Jeannette Wells
In Cod We Trust - Eric Dregni *
The Glass Castle - Jeannette Wells
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
Anne of Green Gables - Lucy Maud Montgomery *
The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein *
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
Rough Country - John Sandford
Room - Emma Donoghue
The Long Winter - Laura Ingalls Wilder
This year I haven't really set a goal, yet. It would be nice to read another 24 books and considering I have already finished two novels this year, I'm off to a good start. I think instead I would like to read mostly classics this year. And likely I won't be whipping through them, if "Jane Eyre" is any indication. I think I have on my Facebook page a list of "100 books you should read". I am not sure if that is because they are actual classics per se or just noteworthy books, but I think I'll be picking a few from that list for the year. If I read ten from that list along with my book club books, I'd be very happy with that accomplishment.
If the stacks of books around my nightstand are any indication, I will not be lacking reading material for awhile!
Great reading list!!! The girl who played with fire is a much faster read now that you have dragon tattoo under your belt, if you can keep on stomaching that storyline... I am going to steal a few books from your list here, so let me know please, which were your favorites? Which ones are recommended? I am reading WICKED just now (The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West). It is a fascinating story and the writing is quite nice. Makes you forget you are reading fantasy. Makes me look at the Wizard of Oz in a whole new light. Thanks for this fun read, your thoughts! Happy and warm winter thoughts to you!
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There were lots of good reads last year. I did just finish "The Girl Who Played With Fire", one that I stayed up too late reading several nights! Ones from my list I would recommend:
ReplyDeleteThree Cups of Tea, The Next Thing on My LIst, The Art of Racing in the Rain, The Appeal, the two books by Jeannette Wells, Room and Where Men Win Glory (I think Jon Kraukauer is one of my favourite authors, but all his stuff is non-fiction). Happy reading!
I don't know about you but I lived in Laura Ingalls Wilder's "The Long Winter." I really thought they might starve to death. Then to read "Farmer Boy" next, about Alanzo's upbringing and see the contrast. There was always too much to eat on his family's farm. There was always time to ruminate about life too. Seemed like all Laura's family had time for was work, work, work. Sad, but sweet too. A simple life.
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