Reading with Style discussion

Surprisingly, I am doing well. This is surprising because I feel like I am kind of all over the place. This season has been the most stressful of a stress filled year, so once again I've used the RwS as something fun to focus on. If I can keep the rabbit mind at bay, I should be able to finish the mega.

I am working with a student who is 16 and autistic. For the past two weeks we are working outside the classroom because he can't be in the classroom. He is physically aggressive with staff. He has run out of the setting he is in. He is on medication. Teacher spoke to the mom and there is nothing out of the ordinary at home. There is a meeting for him tomorrow.

I also feel like I am all over the place. I have read plenty, but lots of repeats, because I keep getting distracted by some shiny new, or new to me, book, and the overwhelming desire to read that instead.

I have surpassed my planed 160 books for the year, am keeping a step ahead on 10% non-fiction, am at pace for 50% women authors, so that is pleasing.

I am just over halfway on my planned 1001 target, and have plenty planned, but as mentioned, distracted.

Am also just over halfway through the number of countries / nationalities I wanted to read, so am trying to squeeze more of those in, so adding to the distraction ...

I'm actually just about done with the challenge and ready for lots of multiples! I just bought a few more books at the local independent store that have been calling to me. For the "scary" season:
Vampires of El Norte and for the love of the woods in my back yard:
North Woods and The Vaster Wilds

Nice, Karen Michele!

I'm a touch shy of being halfway done, but I've read some of the longer books I've planned, so I think I still have the possibility of finishing the mega finish this time. We'll see if I stay on plan.

I also have seven books to read to finish the Popsugar challenge. I've got four of those slated for RWS, but not sure if I can fit the others.

And I have a new-to-me in-person bookclub that I'm going to for the first time tomorrow. I'm excited about that because the other in-person book club I go to has about a 50% rate of people actually reading this book, which I find disappointing. So if I can add a new bookclub where people actually read, maybe I'll feel less petulant at the other one.

That's disappointing when people don't read the book.

I like my in-person book club. We have no group read. We just read whatever we like and then share with the others when we meet. Sometimes we're so interested in another's read that we read something we wouldn't have otherwise.

The first of those that a half dozen of us read was Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. Recently, a member picked up my recent read The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran and it has now been passed on to our head librarian. There have been others more than one of us read because of another's reading.

I was a little over halfway on the 15th in terms of number of tasks completed, but I have some long books still to read and three tasks that I don't have a book for. Two of them I haven't even thought about what to choose. If I get close to a mega finish, I will probably look through the thread and pick something that others liked :)

My in person book club rarely seem to get through the books. There are 8 of us, and apart from 2 books this year I don't think more than 2 of us have finished, and those 2 books were autobiographies of national celebrities.

However, we have a great time, and our conversations usually develop from themes in the book. It is definitely the highlight of my month.

And, because I am a digital member of around 10 libraries in my State, I get the emails from all of the other libraries also. I keep intending to join their book discussions, which take place online, and like Elizabeth's group, I have noticed some that don't have a set read, they just discuss what they have been reading. Another one does a short story, not sure if they read during the time and then discuss. If I manage to join, I will let you know.

So, I've done 6.5 of the 10pt tasks, 7 of the 15pt tasks, and 6.5 of the 20pt tasks...not very strategic reading order this time around.

I think I'm going to try to finish the 10 point tasks next, then see if I get to the others.

Joanna wrote: "So, I've done 6.5 of the 10pt tasks, 7 of the 15pt tasks, and 6.5 of the 20pt tasks...not very strategic reading order this time around.

I think I'm going to try to finish the 10 point tasks next,..."

6.5 each of the 10 and 20 pt tasks???, …. I guess I am not the only one who starts a task and then starts another, and another . . . 😏😏

No way I am getting any of the task groups finished this season.

Some time we should have a task that lets us complete a whole stack of half-read books!

As I have only read 8.5 books for RwS this season and have not yet posted, I am thinking of letting the posting go for this season. I am participating...just not taking the time to write the books up.

Oh, and, if I were to finish any of the grouping of tasks, it will be the 10 pointers as I have read 5.5 of those books.

Mary wrote: "Some time we should have a task that lets us complete a whole stack of half-read books!"

Many of us could never do such a task. ;-)

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Mary wrote: "Some time we should have a task that lets us complete a whole stack of half-read books!"

Many of us could never do such a task. ;-)"

😄

I am not sure if I will finish the 10 or 20 point tasks, although I am really trying (the 10 point tasks are more likely), as I keep getting distracted by books I just want to read.

I had RL book club on Friday and ended up borrowing 5 books, that I really didn't need to borrow *sigh*

I stumbled across an article "How I Read". (Link below in case anyone is interested.) But because those in this group are heavy readers, I wanted to share these couple of sentences.

Reading takes time. You have to make it a non-negotiable part of the day.

...

Similar to a gym routine, it must be built right into your schedule and must become an unthinking custom.

These stuck out to me and I nodded my head. I have specific times during the day I read. People know not to call/interrupt me during my known reading hours.

https://www.robkhenderson.com/p/how-i...

It's poll watching season!

I voted

Polls end tonight, midnight PST. Last chance to vote!

It’s the last day of November! That snuck up on me!

Thanks to the moderators for another great season! I appreciate all the time Elizabeth and Kate put in for so many years. Thanks to Rosemary, Anika, and Joanna for stepping up to continue the group.

Connie wrote: "Thanks to the moderators for another great season! I appreciate all the time Elizabeth and Kate put in for so many years. Thanks to Rosemary, Anika, and Joanna for stepping up to continue the group."

Thank you Elizabeth and Kate. You have served as moderators with phenomenal grace and patience for all the group’s quirks and questions.

I echo what Connie and Mary have said!

Yup, came here to say thanks a lot to the old mods Elizabeth and Kate, and congrats on a great Fall season to the new team Rosemary, Anika, and Joanna!

Elizabeth and Kate, thanks for all you did for this group. I have grown into this more sophisticated reading group over the years and am grateful for the challenge to read that you have fostered.

Welcome to Rosemary, Anika, and Joanna! I am looking forward to the new life you represent for this group. May you continue to build on the wonderful foundation presented to you.

Being in a different timezone than most of you, it is already Christmas morning here. Hope you all have a lovely day!

Merry Christmas, Apple!

Happy Holidays to everyone who is celebrating!

Happy holidays to everyone.

Happy New Year to one and all!

May your 2024 be filled with Good Reads!

Happy New Year to all.

Happy New Year, and best wishes for a great year of reading!

Happy 2024 to my RwS compatriots!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Wishing a wonderful 2024 to all of you!

Happy New Year!

Hope everyone is recovering well from their New Year’s Eve celebrations! 😅 Welcome, 2024!!

Other than going out to eat, I stayed home.

Jayme wrote: "Other than going out to eat, I stayed home."

Same, Jayme, except we didn't go out to eat. We were asleep very early. Haven't made midnight in many many years.

Jayme wrote: "Other than going out to eat, I stayed home."

We stayed home as well, which is pretty much our M.O. now! I was asleep by 10; although Scott apparently made it to 11:30. We did have a nice champagne to kick 2023 to the curb as it was 'annus horribilis' for us.

Happy New Year! Hope all your reading dreams (and plans) come true!

Valerie wrote: "Jayme wrote: "Other than going out to eat, I stayed home."

We stayed home as well, which is pretty much our M.O. now! I was asleep by 10; although Scott apparently made it to 11:30. We did have a ..."

I fell asleep at midnight.

Happy New Year Everyone!!!!!

My big event in 2024 is to make a trip to Scotland. So on NYE I tuned into to internet radio and listened as they greeted the NY in Glasgow on BBC Radio and even heard Big Ben chiming...at 7p my time! I had a glass of moonshine to celebrate the event and then went to bed. Asleep an hour or so later!

Bea, your trip sounds very exciting--and a good excuse to read lots of books set in Scotland!

I would love to visit Scotland.

In the singular mystery thread, Mary asked about a mystery anthology. I have made a list for that book (and others). Some of you might be interested:

The Best American Mystery Stories

And thank you, Mary. I did not know about this book:

The Best American Mystery Stories of the Nineteenth Century

I've been thinking I might try some short stories for my 19th Century project and this just might fit the bill!

. . . Lost my draft post, hope this isn’t a duplicate 😀

Thanks Elizabeth!

The “Best American” anthologies are very good and include both fiction and non fiction depending on the topic. My library has them on Libby and in paper. Some of the series include (random years picked from goodreads)

The Best American Travel Writing 2000
The Best American Non-Required Reading 2006
The Best American Sports Writing 2017

And they should qualify as “Not a Novel”

See also https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_B...

Is anyone else feeling the itch, looking at the calendar and noting that next weekend we will be just over halfway through February, so there just might be a sub-challenge to spend the weekend planning for???

Please don't tell me it is just me ....

Ha, ha… no it’s not just you!