As 2011 comes to a close, I think it’s nice to take a few minutes and reflect on a year’s worth of reading.
Are you the type of reader who makes a reading list and sticks to it? Or do you pick up whatever happens to interest you at any given moment? Make any conscious effort to balance new books with old books? Fiction with nonfiction?
Besides what I read for BookPage and book club, my “fun” reading is more of the “seat of my pants” variety. I love going to used bookstores and libraries, and picking up whatever catches my eye. And I really do get a lot of my reading recommendations from my co-workers’ “What we’re reading Wednesday” blog posts.
This vacation, I’m reading a bunch of fiction: The Submission by Amy Waldman; Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan (’cause I read Maine over the summer and loved it); Little Bee by Chris Cleave (’cause I can’t believe I haven’t read it yet). In the car, I’ll be listening to Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close. If I decide that I want to freak myself out, I’ll probably jump into Mo Hayder’s novel coming out in February 2012, Hanging Hill.
As far as my own reading resolutions, I can have several: I want to read more nonfiction; more backlist books from authors I’ve recently discovered (I’m looking at you, Geraldine Brooks!); and I want to reread books by Madeleine L’Engle in honor of the 50th anniversary of A Wrinkle in Time.
What are your reading resolutions for 2012? Let us know in the comments!
Aurgh! Just in that one post there are 3 books I want to read!
I’ve read a lot of books this year and thankfully they’re tracked on Library Thing so at least I can refresh my memory.
In 2012 I’m going to continue my quest to first read all the books I bought at a September library book sale. Whatever else I find I want to read I’ll keep my lists online, on my phone and then look for it in the library to borrow!
I too have A Wrinkle In Time on my TBR list, plus a bunch of books I’ve recently purchased (like your book sale) because they’ve had great reviews, but maybe I should stop reading reviews because the list gets longer! I have taken on a reading challenge for the coming year to read & review award-winning books (at http://gatheringbooks.wordpress.com/) so that will keep me reading certain ones, & then there are the picture books, & others that catch my eye. Thanks for your ideas; the books look good!
I am going to try and get back on track to the books I have been reading. I really shouldn’t have started two different books and now I don’t have enough time to read them properly. Too many good books out there for me to read! LOL
see here my recap for 2011 and the link to my 23 reading challenges for 2012!: http://wordsandpeace.com/2011/12/30/year-of-reading-2011/
My reading resoulution this year, is to read books from different areas of the US. I actually am participating in a challenge this year, Where Are You Reading, so that should help. Also to try and read books that I have promised for years that I would get to. I already did one, only took me 20 years Bean Tree. I am going to try to get to Margaret Atwood, Handmaiden, and Jane Smiley 1000 Acres. There is just so many books, and not enough time to read them. But, I am going to attempt it. Also my big one is Gone With The Wind. My recap of the year for 2012 is on my blog at http://susansliterarycafe.blogspot.com. The best book of the year is Butterfly’s Daughter.
You won’t regret reading Margaret Atwood – did you mean A Handmaid’s Tale? And you’ll love GWTW – I read it (the first time) when in high school, before I saw the movie. One of my many favs over the years.
Right now I’m reading The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver, a book I’ve had in my stack for some time (I have a huge stack of books to read — embarrassed to say how many but I never want to be without a book to read). Then Townie by Andre Dubus III, then Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, then Rin Tin Tin by Susan Orlean and then?? I’ll pick one from the stack! Reading is my passion! So many books, so little time (I have a book by THAT title by Sara Nelson too which I have read and loved!)
I enjoy non-fiction. I especially like subjects like Henry the VIII. I am now reading Van Gogh by steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith.
I loved The Help and Sarahs Key even though they were fiction.
I can hardly keep up with my list from BookPage. My favorite authors are also posted on my library account. Therefore, when a new book comes in from one of my listed authors, it gets put on hold for me automatically. This results in my sometimes having more books than I can keep up with. But it’s a good problem to have. I suppose my resolution is to read more-faster….. so I have fewer overdue fines……
Between reading for work and related bookgroups I have calculated I get to read 1 book a month that is purely my own choice. I think for now I will stick with all the books that have been collecting on my nightstand. Starting with some good… mysteries from under the Christmas tree, then on to older collected books of all kinds and genres. My 2012 goal is to deplete the pile so I can happily start a new one in 2013 guilt free!