Reading Goals 2013
I took the plunge and joined Goodreads so that I could track the books I read in 2013. With my word for 2013 being DO I want to DO more reading. I don’t want to just wish I had more time for reading. I want to make time for more reading. And I don’t want to just say I want to read more I want a measurable goal so that at the end of 2013 I can have some measurable objective thing to point to that says “yes, you’ve accomplished your goal. Well done.”
My daughter also joined Goodreads and she and I had nice chat while driving to piano lessons about reasonable goals and expectations. She has more time to read than I do especially since she is still reading many books for school. I could easily get lost in a book and not surface for days at a time but that is unreasonable for me. I do have other obligations and things I want to do (like maybe write a blog post now and again <grin>).
First I needed to decide how much time to allow to read a book. The more free time I have the faster I can read a book which means the more books I can read. I decided that I would allow myself 2 weeks to read a book. I’d rather give myself MORE time and need less than to feel like I am a failure because I was so busy I took longer to read a book.
I also decided I wanted to read more classics such as Hugo or Dickens or Brontë. Those can take longer so I’ve decided to give myself 2 months to read a classic and to strive for reading 6 in 2013. That sounds like a low number but I’m going for success here. I’d rather discover that I read more than to be discouraged that I read less.
I haven’t picked out all 6 classics yet but I have a start. I have several books that I started and never finished. 2013 is the year to finish them:
1. Jane Eyre ~ by Charlotte Brontë. 1 was just not in a place where I could get past the first bit where she was accused of lying and treated so poorly. I may or may not start over from the beginning.
2. Les Mis (yes, I’m abbreviating because I can’t spell the full name!) by Victor Hugo. I really loved the movie version that I watched to review a ZGuide to the movies. I just never finished the book. I will most likely start over from the beginning
3. The Three Musketeers ~ I started this after I got my first NOOK. It’s one of the first books I put on the NOOK (so this would have been early spring of 2011). I just got busy and reading wasn’t a priority and I never finished it. Again, I’ll most likely just start over.
Some classics that could make the list: David Copperfield, The Hobbit, Screwtape Letters and/or other Dickens or C.S. Lewis. Some “classics” though might make my regular reading list but I wouldn’t count them as part of the classics. Why? Well I’ve already read all of Jane Austen and I really enjoy those books and I might re-read a book or two in 2013 but since I’ve already read them, I won’t count them in my classics goal.
I have already finished 1 book for 2013! Less than 2 weeks and I am nearly finished with book 2. I like being off to such a great start so here’s what I finished:
The Glory of Green (Green Series book 3) by Judy Christie. I liked it. I don’t know that I liked it as much as book 1 or book 2 but I liked it enough that I will read book 4.
And here’s what I am reading now:
- The Witness by Dee Hendersen. I am going to finish that book today. I am nearly done.
- The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan. Yes this is a Percy Jackson book. Yes I am reading it because of my children. I think this is book 4 of a 5 book series. So far I think book 2 Sea of Monsters is my favorite.
- Where the Sidewalk Ends – a poetry book by Shel Silverstein. I’ve read many of these poems but haven’t read it cover to cover so I started it the other day. I think I’ll track poetry separate like classics.
I haven’t decided about being intentional about more spiritual reading or if I want to track that. I have a few books that I am interested in. Maybe I’ll blog about those next time.
Have you set reading goals for 2013? Are you reading a great book right now? I’d love to hear about your reading plans.
I think reading is a great goal! And classics can be so fulfilling once you've finished them. I read Pride and Prejudice last year and loved it. I think Shel Silverstein is a good addition, have fun!
ReplyDeleteI was hoping to read more this year. I need to read more real books and less blogs (or easy, nonfiction ebooks that read like blogs). You are encouraging me to figure out what a realistic reading goal would be for this year.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'm going to be adventurous enough to try Les Mis yet. Addison is reading it right now, and it's slow going for her. She's my avid, fast reader so that saying a lot. Besides, it's over 1200 pages. I think I'll start with shorter classics until I get into a reading habit.
I have been setting myself a reading challenge each year. For 2013, I am aiming for 70 books. In 2011, I made sure my reading list included the entire Jane Austen canon. Last year, I hoped to read several classics and some Shakespeare. I didn't finish my Shakespeare challenge, so I am continuing that this year.
ReplyDeleteI had the same trouble getting started with Jane Eyre, but once I got past the first couple chapters, I really loved the book. It's Wuthering Heights I cannot get into. LOL Les Mis is on my reading list for this year, as is The Scarlet Pimpernel.
I have a book blog at: http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ if you'd like to visit. I moved it to blogger recently and it's still really quiet. LOL