Amen. I love to read and I like to savor books.. Much like I enjoy savoring a great meal, great wine, a great movie and great conversation. Thank you for writing this. Now I don't feel like an outlier. :)
"Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth" is a great read. Lots to reread and consider. It shows the political dynamic of the time. The book presents evidence that Jesus was one of many charismatic rebels against the Roman Empire. It shows how after his execution by the Romans his followers created the persona we have today of Jesus. The author is not didactic. He shows evidence. Fascinating take on the man and the times. I definitely reread sections. The author, a professor of religion, has a background inside and outside Christianity. Born Muslim, he became an evangelical Christian and then an academic.
Oh, I found myself feeling defensive regarding "beach reads." 😂 The last book I finished was Newcomer by Keigo Higashino, a murder mystery. I do actually remember many specific scenes and passages. And yes, it did challenge me to rethink many things in life and humanity. It challenged me for how the mystery genre is structured, too, since this book was structured in a different way from what I'm used to. (It's also Japanese literature, not Western literature, which might have different norms, too.)
You know I'm not someone who's anti-classics. (I'm not really anti-anything. As long as it's enjoyable to the person, I don't have any issues with any genres or book categories, haha.) But when it comes to books like romances, mysteries, and thrillers, I feel like we as a society make them sound shallow and flighty...But they could be profound and thought-provoking, too.
It also depends on the reader. I still (angrily) remember a reader calling Mazerunner by James Dashner "mindless entertainment". WTF? To me, Mazerunner challenged me on many things, including uncomfortable issues such as euthanasia. I had no idea how that reader could have seen this as a "mindless" book, but anyway.
There's this visual novel I'm reading, Tokyo Debunker. Technically it's "easy" to read, as it has sound and graphics, and is in the horror fantasy genre. Yet, there's so much to think about. I spend ages debating with others about the characters, plot events, themes, even specific quotations from the story. We get into heated arguments sometimes, as we're so emotionally involved in the story and characters, haha.
We talk about a lot of important topics, such as mental health (some characters might have borderline personality disorder, for instance. And many characters seem to be on the autism spectrum). We also explore issues to do with gender identity and sexual orientation, sociopolitical topics, and various psychological and philosophical concepts. Maybe the typical reader only cares about "who's hot or not." But I'm in groups where we do discuss in tons of depth about every little thing in the story, haha.
On the flip side, there are readers who might read Pride and Prejudice, and dismiss it as "just romance." So yeah, I feel like it depends on the reader for how deeply they engage with the book.
There are classics I'd like to read in the future. But my obstacle isn't about the length or technical difficulty. (I've enjoyed Middlemarch and Les Mis, after all, haha.) My issue is that my emotional bandwidth is super low right now, so I want to read books that overall feel lighter and happier on an emotional level. I like being challenged, but I also want to be cheered up. The world is so depressing to me right now, so I'm doing all I can to give myself a break from all the unending bleakness. (So reading 1984 wouldn't be the best for me at this time.)
That said, I know not all literary classics are depressing. Some are actually more lighthearted and even happy. I know you mentioned an Agatha Christie novel on one of your lists, which is a book I want to get to. I've been reading a number of Christie books. I love Poirot, and it makes me glad to see good people win and bad guys get punished in murder mysteries, hahaha. Since I don't always see that justice in real life.
Also, I'm not that familiar with Japanese literature, and would like to read more of it. Hence why I'm reading Keigo Higashino's books. A friend recommended his book, "Malice." And wow, he's one of the rare authors where I want to read all of his books. His style is captivating and I'm already in love with Kyoichiro Kaga (the detective), LOL. Again, the narrative style is different from what I'm used to in Western murder mysteries, which is fun.
Sorry for the long comment LOL. But yeah you brought up a very good discussion topic, Karen! I do agree with prioritizing quality over quantity, though. I have a tracker on Goodreads, but it's more to keep track of what I've read, rather than to brag about how much I've read. I'm far from the fastest reader, but that's fine.
Honestly, you bring up a lot of great points and I can appreciate your POV. Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful comment. That’s what I love about this corner of the internet we have carved out.
Thanks for your kind words, Karen! :D Your posts are fun to respond to, too. :) There are infinite ways to approach reading, after all. One more point: For the visual novel I mentioned, I have an acquaintance make some rather ignorant and ill-informed comments on it. It was clear that they didn't take much time to think about the story, and was just judging based on stereotypes and shallow thinking. When I challenged them on this, they said that they don't get why I'm mad. This is just a gacha video game, so they don't take it seriously. They would only bother to analyze a story if it's a literary classic such as 1984.
Sigh. Yes, this is a gacha video game, but the visual novel is also written very well, with thought-provoking plots, complex and compelling characters, deeper social themes, etc. (It also has great queer, trans, and disability representation, which I rarely see in older books, unfortunately.) I get that we all have limited time and energy. If my acquaintance feels like it's not worth the effort to analyze the visual novel, and would rather reserve it for more "serious" books, that's their prerogative.
This isn't really a video games vs literary classics thing, since I enjoy both and deeply analyze both lol. In fact, it seems like an automatic impulse to analyze what I read, whether it's a visual novel, romance, mystery, literary classic, etc. My favorite high school teacher remarked that when you're an adult, you'll see deeper themes when you rewatch children's cartoons. That's how I'm feeling. Even if the target audience doesn't typically think much (such as the gacha video games), I compulsively think of all these philosophical, sociopolitical issues. I can't stop these thoughts from coming into my head. Since I'm quite chatty, I find people to yap about these thoughts and feelings with, too.
You are so right!! Sometimes I read a book that’s just okay.. and usually I am listening to it on audio and you know what??? I speed it up so I can get through it faster. Why? So I can get to the next read.
But recently I read Theo Of Golden slowly and didn’t want it to end. Enjoyed it so much.
I am trying to quit books that I don’t enjoy or get anything from.. maybe after 30 % or sooner.
Some great advice. Reading classic and challenging books is like lifting weights. If you don’t gradually increase the weight you lift, you won’t grow stronger. If you read only Dan Brown or Danielle Steele, you’ll never be able to read even moderately challenging books.
Ooh, I like this! In January I made a list of about 10 books I wanted to read/reread this year, knowing a few more would pop up through the year that I'd read...then I started seeing friends post giant book reading goals... and I thought "what's wrong with me? Am I really a reader like I thought?" So, thank you. This is how I like to read... quality over quantity.... and it's okay, even great! :)
When did we start treating books like assignments to finish? When AR was introduced into public schools and they became exactly that. That's when the attitude was reified and universalized.
I read "The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York" by Robert Caro with a friend over a few months. We would read a few chapters independently then discuss them over the phone or over coffee. We would occasionally read a section aloud together. We both know and love New York City. I learned so much about city and state politics from this, and of course the effect of Moses on not only New York but the development of cities and suburbs all over America. It is not an easy read. Densely detailed, it taught me do much about the last 100 years of the development of NY and the country.
Oh I loved The Power Broker! It took me several months to get through but I’m glad I stuck with it. It was one that changed the way I think, and broadened my awareness of how classism and racism were intentionally baked into our infrastructure here. And I’m still annoyed that he is the reason we can’t walk across the Verrazano.
I started the note taking and marginalia in the middle of last year. It has been most beneficial for my remembering more of what I read. However, I was only doing it for non-fiction. My goal this year was to read classic literature. I'm taking notes, writing in the margins, looking up words, and essentially having drawn out discussions with Wharton, Brontë, and Austen. Proust and I didn't get along well, but I really tried for two weeks, taking my time with almost ten pages a day. Oddly enough, my pushing through was so I didn't have to DNF on Goodreads. As if that determined who I was as a reader. Now that I’m over that hurdle, I’ll be moving on towards reading Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. Two writers I never thought I'd be reading. I do like your challenge of rereading books. I haven’t done that in a long time but truly love when I discover something I missed the first time around.
Great topic. I still note mostly non-fiction, and use colored tabs throughout a book. Only recently started on fiction. Ive always read with a 3×5 card where I write down vocabulary words. Ive tried keeping a list of all the books that I read, but invariably it falls away. Currently chopping away at Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann.
I've been using a Moleskine thin journals for the words because I kept leaving the 3x5 cards in the books and forget about them. I did start keeping a log of books I buy with how much I spend on each since January 1st. That is eye-opening (and scary), but obviously not a deterrent. 🤷🏼♀️
Ha, i leave them in the books often. I did start a journal of those now in a nice little notebook that i got in Germany. Do you journal about what youre reading?
I start with Rhodia notepad (6x8) that I use while reading. It’s perforated, so I can tear out the sheets and leave them in the book. If I'm writing a review for Substack, I use those notes and marginalia in a journal first. I find it’s easier to handwrite my thoughts before typing it out.
Every once in a while I am gifted a reading journal. Never filled out more than 3 pages.
I hate trackers of any kind but this always tempts me. It’s books! But no.
Recently hit the outside number of things I can read at the same time and not be floundering: 3. Used to be more. Then I simplified and deepened. Usually 2 in hand and one audio.
I read almost as much but with similar results as when my mind was younger.
I’m a reading challenge girl … and I’m 4-5 weeks into Steinbeck’s East of Eden with at least 2-3 weeks to go. And I love a good YA graphic novel. And I’ve been trying to read The Brothers Karamazov for 15 months (and haven’t given up yet). I’m trying to read every book on the Mensa reading lists, fiction and nonfiction, grades K-12, and this will likely take me 10+ years. I use a spreadsheet to track my reading going back to 2018, and as an engineer, I’m also a numbers/data/metrics person who is very goal-oriented. And I’m ok with all of it. I understand your points and agree with some of them … and I’ll probably keep counting and setting numerical reading goals. And when I want to read something “off challenge”, I’ll do so! Thanks for your posts, I enjoy them!
Ha! I deleted my account years ago, but I get it. I track privately on notion now, more like a journal. Keep me posted on your reading journey this year!
I do enjoy seeing the end of year mockup and metrics on StoryGraph as well. I keep a list of books I want to prioritize and a running list of quotes in the notes app on my phone, in addition to a physical reading journal too. I’m a slow reader, who reads broadly and I often feel like I’m being lazy because I can’t match the pace of others. This post was freeing!
I love this idea! I recently spent a month reading Faulkner's Light in August. It was tough. It was deliberate. I can't say I enjoyed it, but it was memorable. It will stay with me far more than most of the popular recent bestselling "must read" I pick up. I also took my time reading Steinbeck because I fell in love with the people of Cannery Row and didn't want the story to end. Ahhh. Good literature needs to be savored.
We spent a whole year reading the Lord of the Rings aloud at bedtime - it was magical for the whole family! I read a lot because it is what I like to do, but I am totally okay with lingering on some books and gobbling up others. I try to read a variety of books - memoirs, classics, non-fiction, historical... sometimes at the same time so I just pick the one I want to read in that moment. I do love Goodreads for organizing and reviewing but I agree with all your points about reading just to read. Reading should be fun and not a chore and we shouldn't choose books based on performance, but rather enjoyment and life long learning! I set a high goal last year that I didn't reach and I felt like it was silly to be trying to "reach" a goal. I am letting go of that this year and just reading books and recording them.
FWIW my little Goodreads Challenge life-hack is to set myself a low number of books I know I can accomplish with little difficulty within a twelve-month period -- five, or something. That way, I don't have the pressure of having to constantly READ READ READ something every week and burn myself out, I get the little dopamine-hit satisfaction when I meet the target, and every book AFTER that challenge is a little accomplishment on top.
I am definitely considering giving the twelve-book challenge a try, though. I think I could use a little more... focus, for want of a better way of putting it.
Great piece. I'm an author and I grind my teeth when readers write in reviews "I read it in a day!" I know they mean this as a compliment, and goodness knows, I want to write a page turner. But it took me literally YEARS to write my first two books. I think about every sentence, every detail. Now I'm on contract to produce one a year, which is tough and a lot of hard work. I'd love all of my readers to take my books slowly.
I use Goodreads as a bulwark against old age forgetfulness - I write the review for myself, not for others, so in years to come I'll go: Oh yes, I remember that one.
I do put a figure in the Reading Challenge, but notice I've been setting it lower each year. 24 this year. I'm going to have to think about your alternative challenge of 12 books. One of my issues is that I'm in a book club - which I love because I read books I wouldn't have chosen.
That's very kind, because I know how annoying it is when authors engage simply to promote their own stuff. My books are set in 19th century US: 'To The Wild Horizon' is an Oregon Trail story, 'The Mountains Between Us' is the beginning of the California Gold Rush, 'Under A Gilded Sky' is the beginning of the Gilded Age, and my most recent book, 'An Ocean of Stars' is Boston and Edinburgh in 1879.
By the way, I'm following the 12 week The Artist's Way course. Don't know if you've heard of it. It's sort-of for blocked artists. I'm not blocked, but I am finding it hard to focus because of things going on in my life. Anyway--next week's task is "Abstain from reading for one week." I think you can imagine how scared I am by this prospect!
Amen. I love to read and I like to savor books.. Much like I enjoy savoring a great meal, great wine, a great movie and great conversation. Thank you for writing this. Now I don't feel like an outlier. :)
"Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth" is a great read. Lots to reread and consider. It shows the political dynamic of the time. The book presents evidence that Jesus was one of many charismatic rebels against the Roman Empire. It shows how after his execution by the Romans his followers created the persona we have today of Jesus. The author is not didactic. He shows evidence. Fascinating take on the man and the times. I definitely reread sections. The author, a professor of religion, has a background inside and outside Christianity. Born Muslim, he became an evangelical Christian and then an academic.
Interesting!
Oh, I found myself feeling defensive regarding "beach reads." 😂 The last book I finished was Newcomer by Keigo Higashino, a murder mystery. I do actually remember many specific scenes and passages. And yes, it did challenge me to rethink many things in life and humanity. It challenged me for how the mystery genre is structured, too, since this book was structured in a different way from what I'm used to. (It's also Japanese literature, not Western literature, which might have different norms, too.)
You know I'm not someone who's anti-classics. (I'm not really anti-anything. As long as it's enjoyable to the person, I don't have any issues with any genres or book categories, haha.) But when it comes to books like romances, mysteries, and thrillers, I feel like we as a society make them sound shallow and flighty...But they could be profound and thought-provoking, too.
It also depends on the reader. I still (angrily) remember a reader calling Mazerunner by James Dashner "mindless entertainment". WTF? To me, Mazerunner challenged me on many things, including uncomfortable issues such as euthanasia. I had no idea how that reader could have seen this as a "mindless" book, but anyway.
There's this visual novel I'm reading, Tokyo Debunker. Technically it's "easy" to read, as it has sound and graphics, and is in the horror fantasy genre. Yet, there's so much to think about. I spend ages debating with others about the characters, plot events, themes, even specific quotations from the story. We get into heated arguments sometimes, as we're so emotionally involved in the story and characters, haha.
We talk about a lot of important topics, such as mental health (some characters might have borderline personality disorder, for instance. And many characters seem to be on the autism spectrum). We also explore issues to do with gender identity and sexual orientation, sociopolitical topics, and various psychological and philosophical concepts. Maybe the typical reader only cares about "who's hot or not." But I'm in groups where we do discuss in tons of depth about every little thing in the story, haha.
On the flip side, there are readers who might read Pride and Prejudice, and dismiss it as "just romance." So yeah, I feel like it depends on the reader for how deeply they engage with the book.
There are classics I'd like to read in the future. But my obstacle isn't about the length or technical difficulty. (I've enjoyed Middlemarch and Les Mis, after all, haha.) My issue is that my emotional bandwidth is super low right now, so I want to read books that overall feel lighter and happier on an emotional level. I like being challenged, but I also want to be cheered up. The world is so depressing to me right now, so I'm doing all I can to give myself a break from all the unending bleakness. (So reading 1984 wouldn't be the best for me at this time.)
That said, I know not all literary classics are depressing. Some are actually more lighthearted and even happy. I know you mentioned an Agatha Christie novel on one of your lists, which is a book I want to get to. I've been reading a number of Christie books. I love Poirot, and it makes me glad to see good people win and bad guys get punished in murder mysteries, hahaha. Since I don't always see that justice in real life.
Also, I'm not that familiar with Japanese literature, and would like to read more of it. Hence why I'm reading Keigo Higashino's books. A friend recommended his book, "Malice." And wow, he's one of the rare authors where I want to read all of his books. His style is captivating and I'm already in love with Kyoichiro Kaga (the detective), LOL. Again, the narrative style is different from what I'm used to in Western murder mysteries, which is fun.
Sorry for the long comment LOL. But yeah you brought up a very good discussion topic, Karen! I do agree with prioritizing quality over quantity, though. I have a tracker on Goodreads, but it's more to keep track of what I've read, rather than to brag about how much I've read. I'm far from the fastest reader, but that's fine.
Honestly, you bring up a lot of great points and I can appreciate your POV. Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful comment. That’s what I love about this corner of the internet we have carved out.
Thanks for your kind words, Karen! :D Your posts are fun to respond to, too. :) There are infinite ways to approach reading, after all. One more point: For the visual novel I mentioned, I have an acquaintance make some rather ignorant and ill-informed comments on it. It was clear that they didn't take much time to think about the story, and was just judging based on stereotypes and shallow thinking. When I challenged them on this, they said that they don't get why I'm mad. This is just a gacha video game, so they don't take it seriously. They would only bother to analyze a story if it's a literary classic such as 1984.
Sigh. Yes, this is a gacha video game, but the visual novel is also written very well, with thought-provoking plots, complex and compelling characters, deeper social themes, etc. (It also has great queer, trans, and disability representation, which I rarely see in older books, unfortunately.) I get that we all have limited time and energy. If my acquaintance feels like it's not worth the effort to analyze the visual novel, and would rather reserve it for more "serious" books, that's their prerogative.
This isn't really a video games vs literary classics thing, since I enjoy both and deeply analyze both lol. In fact, it seems like an automatic impulse to analyze what I read, whether it's a visual novel, romance, mystery, literary classic, etc. My favorite high school teacher remarked that when you're an adult, you'll see deeper themes when you rewatch children's cartoons. That's how I'm feeling. Even if the target audience doesn't typically think much (such as the gacha video games), I compulsively think of all these philosophical, sociopolitical issues. I can't stop these thoughts from coming into my head. Since I'm quite chatty, I find people to yap about these thoughts and feelings with, too.
You are so right!! Sometimes I read a book that’s just okay.. and usually I am listening to it on audio and you know what??? I speed it up so I can get through it faster. Why? So I can get to the next read.
But recently I read Theo Of Golden slowly and didn’t want it to end. Enjoyed it so much.
I am trying to quit books that I don’t enjoy or get anything from.. maybe after 30 % or sooner.
Thank you for your helpful thoughts!
I have War and Peace on my TBR list.
I might make that book the next book guide. Thank you!
Some great advice. Reading classic and challenging books is like lifting weights. If you don’t gradually increase the weight you lift, you won’t grow stronger. If you read only Dan Brown or Danielle Steele, you’ll never be able to read even moderately challenging books.
Ooh, I like this! In January I made a list of about 10 books I wanted to read/reread this year, knowing a few more would pop up through the year that I'd read...then I started seeing friends post giant book reading goals... and I thought "what's wrong with me? Am I really a reader like I thought?" So, thank you. This is how I like to read... quality over quantity.... and it's okay, even great! :)
When did we start treating books like assignments to finish? When AR was introduced into public schools and they became exactly that. That's when the attitude was reified and universalized.
Good point and I agree!
I read "The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York" by Robert Caro with a friend over a few months. We would read a few chapters independently then discuss them over the phone or over coffee. We would occasionally read a section aloud together. We both know and love New York City. I learned so much about city and state politics from this, and of course the effect of Moses on not only New York but the development of cities and suburbs all over America. It is not an easy read. Densely detailed, it taught me do much about the last 100 years of the development of NY and the country.
Oh I loved The Power Broker! It took me several months to get through but I’m glad I stuck with it. It was one that changed the way I think, and broadened my awareness of how classism and racism were intentionally baked into our infrastructure here. And I’m still annoyed that he is the reason we can’t walk across the Verrazano.
That sounds so lovey, I love that!
I started the note taking and marginalia in the middle of last year. It has been most beneficial for my remembering more of what I read. However, I was only doing it for non-fiction. My goal this year was to read classic literature. I'm taking notes, writing in the margins, looking up words, and essentially having drawn out discussions with Wharton, Brontë, and Austen. Proust and I didn't get along well, but I really tried for two weeks, taking my time with almost ten pages a day. Oddly enough, my pushing through was so I didn't have to DNF on Goodreads. As if that determined who I was as a reader. Now that I’m over that hurdle, I’ll be moving on towards reading Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. Two writers I never thought I'd be reading. I do like your challenge of rereading books. I haven’t done that in a long time but truly love when I discover something I missed the first time around.
Ohh one of my favorite topics, I wrote about it last year- https://literaryfancy.substack.com/p/how-to-journal-on-great-literature
Really enjoyed this post……hmmmmm
Excellent! I always appreciate any insight into marginalia. It always helps shape my own methods for the better. Thank you.!
Great topic. I still note mostly non-fiction, and use colored tabs throughout a book. Only recently started on fiction. Ive always read with a 3×5 card where I write down vocabulary words. Ive tried keeping a list of all the books that I read, but invariably it falls away. Currently chopping away at Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann.
I've been using a Moleskine thin journals for the words because I kept leaving the 3x5 cards in the books and forget about them. I did start keeping a log of books I buy with how much I spend on each since January 1st. That is eye-opening (and scary), but obviously not a deterrent. 🤷🏼♀️
Ha, i leave them in the books often. I did start a journal of those now in a nice little notebook that i got in Germany. Do you journal about what youre reading?
I start with Rhodia notepad (6x8) that I use while reading. It’s perforated, so I can tear out the sheets and leave them in the book. If I'm writing a review for Substack, I use those notes and marginalia in a journal first. I find it’s easier to handwrite my thoughts before typing it out.
Every once in a while I am gifted a reading journal. Never filled out more than 3 pages.
I hate trackers of any kind but this always tempts me. It’s books! But no.
Recently hit the outside number of things I can read at the same time and not be floundering: 3. Used to be more. Then I simplified and deepened. Usually 2 in hand and one audio.
I read almost as much but with similar results as when my mind was younger.
Same with the reading journals.
I’m a reading challenge girl … and I’m 4-5 weeks into Steinbeck’s East of Eden with at least 2-3 weeks to go. And I love a good YA graphic novel. And I’ve been trying to read The Brothers Karamazov for 15 months (and haven’t given up yet). I’m trying to read every book on the Mensa reading lists, fiction and nonfiction, grades K-12, and this will likely take me 10+ years. I use a spreadsheet to track my reading going back to 2018, and as an engineer, I’m also a numbers/data/metrics person who is very goal-oriented. And I’m ok with all of it. I understand your points and agree with some of them … and I’ll probably keep counting and setting numerical reading goals. And when I want to read something “off challenge”, I’ll do so! Thanks for your posts, I enjoy them!
Thank you for reading and sharing!
I’m off to adjust my Goodreads goal from 36 to 12.
Ha! I deleted my account years ago, but I get it. I track privately on notion now, more like a journal. Keep me posted on your reading journey this year!
I do enjoy seeing the end of year mockup and metrics on StoryGraph as well. I keep a list of books I want to prioritize and a running list of quotes in the notes app on my phone, in addition to a physical reading journal too. I’m a slow reader, who reads broadly and I often feel like I’m being lazy because I can’t match the pace of others. This post was freeing!
I love this idea! I recently spent a month reading Faulkner's Light in August. It was tough. It was deliberate. I can't say I enjoyed it, but it was memorable. It will stay with me far more than most of the popular recent bestselling "must read" I pick up. I also took my time reading Steinbeck because I fell in love with the people of Cannery Row and didn't want the story to end. Ahhh. Good literature needs to be savored.
Yes, exactly. I applaud you!
We spent a whole year reading the Lord of the Rings aloud at bedtime - it was magical for the whole family! I read a lot because it is what I like to do, but I am totally okay with lingering on some books and gobbling up others. I try to read a variety of books - memoirs, classics, non-fiction, historical... sometimes at the same time so I just pick the one I want to read in that moment. I do love Goodreads for organizing and reviewing but I agree with all your points about reading just to read. Reading should be fun and not a chore and we shouldn't choose books based on performance, but rather enjoyment and life long learning! I set a high goal last year that I didn't reach and I felt like it was silly to be trying to "reach" a goal. I am letting go of that this year and just reading books and recording them.
That’s sweet.
FWIW my little Goodreads Challenge life-hack is to set myself a low number of books I know I can accomplish with little difficulty within a twelve-month period -- five, or something. That way, I don't have the pressure of having to constantly READ READ READ something every week and burn myself out, I get the little dopamine-hit satisfaction when I meet the target, and every book AFTER that challenge is a little accomplishment on top.
I am definitely considering giving the twelve-book challenge a try, though. I think I could use a little more... focus, for want of a better way of putting it.
So, here's me putting my money where my mouth is:
500 PAGE BOOKS: The Count of Monte Cristo, Crime and Punishment
AVOIDED CLASSICS: Bleak House, Lolita
OUTSIDE GENRE PICKS: The Screwtape Papers, The Communist Manifesto
RE-READS: Fatherland, either The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes or a Nero Wolfe novel by Rex Stout
DEALER'S CHOICE: Northanger Abbey, Slaughterhouse 5, Foundation, The Maltese Falcon
Love it, go go go random guy :)
Great piece. I'm an author and I grind my teeth when readers write in reviews "I read it in a day!" I know they mean this as a compliment, and goodness knows, I want to write a page turner. But it took me literally YEARS to write my first two books. I think about every sentence, every detail. Now I'm on contract to produce one a year, which is tough and a lot of hard work. I'd love all of my readers to take my books slowly.
I use Goodreads as a bulwark against old age forgetfulness - I write the review for myself, not for others, so in years to come I'll go: Oh yes, I remember that one.
I do put a figure in the Reading Challenge, but notice I've been setting it lower each year. 24 this year. I'm going to have to think about your alternative challenge of 12 books. One of my issues is that I'm in a book club - which I love because I read books I wouldn't have chosen.
Please share your books here if you feel comfortable :)
That's very kind, because I know how annoying it is when authors engage simply to promote their own stuff. My books are set in 19th century US: 'To The Wild Horizon' is an Oregon Trail story, 'The Mountains Between Us' is the beginning of the California Gold Rush, 'Under A Gilded Sky' is the beginning of the Gilded Age, and my most recent book, 'An Ocean of Stars' is Boston and Edinburgh in 1879.
By the way, I'm following the 12 week The Artist's Way course. Don't know if you've heard of it. It's sort-of for blocked artists. I'm not blocked, but I am finding it hard to focus because of things going on in my life. Anyway--next week's task is "Abstain from reading for one week." I think you can imagine how scared I am by this prospect!
By the way, I read War & Peace over 6 weeks of Greyhounding around the States.