Cover to Cover Challenge discussion

Since we are in the last quarter of the year (wow, where the heck did the year go..) does anyone have any ideas on goals they want to set for next year? I have my comprehensive exams for my PhD in the middle of the year, so that is def. not going to work in my favor for reading (unfortunately)...but I think i'm going to set myself a page count goal - possibly 100,000 pages (I just added up my page count for the year so far and i'm sitting at 82,000 for this year)...

what about you?

My goal is to read "better" books. I read a lot of fluff, which is fine, better than watching TV. But, I'm getting older and there are so many great books that I haven't read. So, I'd like to read some of them. My goal is to try and get through as many of the books on this list, as a start. http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top...

I'm counting books read this year, but some will be re-reads and some will be completely new. I haven't read some of these books in over a decade, maybe two decades. I'm also going to read all of the books on the Man Booker longlist for 2010 and, hopefully 2011. Eventually, I'd like to go back all the way to 1969 and read all of the nominees and winners. http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top...

that's cool!! i'm slowly working my way through B&N 101 classics list...and also an around the world challenge which is def. opening up new horizons for me

I don't really have a goal for next year... other then hitting at least 100. This is the first year I keep counting books I've read and that are new to me, but I think next year I'm going to count reread books in my list, too. I mean, books are books, reread or not.
Oh wait, maybe I do have one. I'll try to read books in as many languages as possible. I've read only one or two books in German although I live in Germany. I've fallen behind Korean, too. So: less English, more Korean & German

i'm jealous that you speak german and korean (or i'm assuming so based on your post)...

I do.

Well, I still think it would be neat to hit 144 in a year, LOL! I'm also going to read more 'Classics' that I've missed along the way. Barnes and Noble was having specials on their 'essentials' earlier this year and I picked up quite a few of them for my Nook.

stacie - have you checked out Project Gutenberg for the free classics?

Even the Goodreads page has downloads for a lot of the books that are in the public domain. I hate google books, so many are unproofread OCR copies.

My goal is to read more and get ready to start my classes up again when the time comes. I have six months off of school so I want to read, read and read.

I'm also thinking of doing the 1001 books you must read before you die list(s). They've revised the list twice, I believe, so there are now more than 1001 books. I know I won't manage them in 2011, but I'd like to make a goal of doing about 8-10 a month. I think I'm going to re-read anything read before 2010 as well. Otherwise it wouldn't really be a challenge.

Shay wrote: "I'm also thinking of doing the 1001 books you must read before you die list(s). ..."

Shay I've started trying to keep track of this and there is a great group on GoodReads for it that has the link for the best spreadsheet to help you keep track of what you've read or are going to read off the list(s). I don't know that I want to read all of the books on that list, but there is a fair amount that I realized I've missed reading somehow so I'm going back and picking the ones that I want to read and trying to add them in to my reading list. If I could read one a month I'd be happy! Not sure I'm up to 8-10 a month though.

Thanks Teresa, I just added that group the other day. I've probably read a good quarter of the original list, maybe more. Mostly the older stuff, comparatively little of the stuff from the 1900's onward. But, I'm starting this year and hope to read or re-read everything. Atonement was almost a complete misery to get through. I thought 8-10 a month was good, say 100 a year. Considering how many books were added with the revisions it will take at least a decade even at that rate. I'm doing War and Peace in November, which will be my 10th or so attempt.

I can barely keep count of books so I know that pages is out of the question. I am really going to focus on my TBR pile, especially my DTB. It's massive.

@Sam - I just track my books/pages in an excel spreadsheet...when i'm done, I fill it in - author, title, date read and pages...then I have some simple formula's that add the pages read for the various months/year

Ok that would work. I can't imagine how many pages you have read, Dee. LOL

umm, about 87k for the year so far...

also if you update gr on books read they can add up pages for you. so as long as on you you add to your read shelf and confirm month and yr read you will get a total

Afsana wrote: "also if you update gr on books read they can add up pages for you. so as long as on you you add to your read shelf and confirm month and yr read you will get a total"

I loved it when they added that feature. Somehow that doesn't work for re-reads though, unless you change the year you read the book to current. Wish they allowed you to add multiple dates to a book.

Sky wrote: "I do."

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "i'm jealous that you speak german and korean (or i'm assuming so based on your post)..."

Wow.. Do you actually speak Korean? That's amazing! I didn't think I would meet anyone who speaks Korean here. I am from Korea, but I have lived in Canada quite a while though. Good to see someone who speaks Korean!

Min wrote: "Wow.. Do you actually speak Korean? That's amazi..."


That's cool!!! I'm from Korea, too. I've lived in Germany for about 5 years. Nice to meet ya :)

I think I'm going to set myself a target of 104 books next year- 2 a week. I think it's more achievable for me. I want to read some longer books- and have found myself putting them to one side this year so that I can keep up!

funny I was close to hiktting target near augf but slowed down somewhat. and though have madew 144 I would have good chance of hitting 200but now am at 158 and my reading slowed down

I have found that counting my books takes some enjoyment out of my reading. I wasn't expecting that. I am continuing to count this year, to the end, but don't think I will do so next year. Maybe just log the titles, but not work on a count. I'm at 170-something, so it isn't the amount, it just....well, it gave a pressure to reading that I don't care for. -- Though I did enjoy reading with you all!

LynnB wrote: "I have found that counting my books takes some enjoyment out of my reading. I wasn't expecting that. I am continuing to count this year, to the end, but don't think I will do so next year. Maybe..."

You should make a different goal then. It doesn't have to be a number, but maybe a list of books you always wanted to read. Even if they're long books, like Pillars of the Earth, for example. That way, you wouldn't be focusing on a number, but a personal challenge. This is still a great place to list all of your books, I think, and get great ideas for new books you might want to add. You don't even have to number them. I think that's what the group is kind of heading towards- more flexibility. Hope you change your mind, I always love seeing what other people are reading and think about the books they've read.

but why read what you aren't interested in? I guess i work under the assumption that life is too short to read a sucky book just because you think you should (which could explain my lack of classics that i've read)...I wasn't too worried about making the goal, but its relatively easy to track in excel without counting, by just looking at the row you are logging your book on

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "but why read what you aren't interested in? I guess i work under the assumption that life is too short to read a sucky book just because you think you should (which could explain my lack of classi..."

I pretty much like all kinds of books, except romance. (Not making a judgment, it's my personal taste only.) That's why I like belonging to "general" reading groups like this one (not just cozy mysteries, science fiction, etc.) too. Such a wide variety of stuff people are reading and generally people who read a lot, end up reading stuff off the beaten path a little, not only best sellers. Or they would run out of books, so I'm constantly hearing about books I've never heard of and end up loving.

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "but why read what you aren't interested in? I guess i work under the assumption that life is too short to read a sucky book just because you think you should (which could explain my lack of classi..."

I don't read books I'm not interested in -- unless they are chosen by my local book club. I have no problem dumping a book I don't want to read. I just am not into the counting of books. Perhaps I should ask Afsana to add a category next year called "For the Rest of Us" or something...a listing, but non-counting group.

could you use something like excel just for a log...for title, authors, page count etc...you could set yourself a goal of certain number of books by an author - i.e. Nora roberts if you read romance...or something like that...

I have to admit, one of the best things I did was join the Seasonal Reading Challenge group because it made me broaden my horizons...each challenge runs for 3 months and they have various point categories and you try to read books that fit certain descriptions...you could try to fit all of a certain genre in to a majority of them, but it does make you push your boundaries...


Shay wrote: "Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "but why read what you aren't interested in? I guess i work under the assumption that life is too short to read a sucky book just because you think you should..."

LynnB wrote: "Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "but why read what you aren't interested in? I guess i work under the assumption that life is too short to read a sucky book just because you think you should..."

I agree with those who say that reading for the sake of hitting targets or because you feel like you should then is not fun

thats why you should read only books you want and when you want and keep the figure as it would be nice to... and for those times when you not sure what to do and might just lie about and then feel dissatisfied that you didn't make most of your time thats what the targets may help you achieve

well the suggestion lynnn is out there now it is upto moderators of group to see
One of the things I am working on is clearing my tbr and that is what is being read and going to my count

I am reading 159th book

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "could you use something like excel just for a log...for title, authors, page count etc...you could set yourself a goal of certain number of books by an author - i.e. Nora roberts if you read romanc..."

I used to keep track of all my books this way - it's good, but I have to warn anyone who's thinking of doing it - back up, back up, back up! It's very disheartening to lose it when you've got a couple of years of data.

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "Since we are in the last quarter of the year (wow, where the heck did the year go..) does anyone have any ideas on goals they want to set for next year? I have my comprehensive exams for my PhD in..."

I should have my masters in reading by now but I like the idea of choosing the the number of books I can read instead of fighting an impossible goal..may have 60 or 70 done by end of year.

My goal for 2011 is to read more of the books I have already purchased . . . but that's very hard for me since I LOVE online discussions and tend to take on way too many!

haha...I would fail at that challenge before I began...

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "haha...I would fail at that challenge before I began..."

Well, yeah, me too probably!

I have already read almost 170 books and want to hit my goal of 200 before the end of the year. I think I can make it, but will have to definitely budget time to read. One of my goals is also to read more of the books I own, since that total grows constantly, with the ones I just can't resist and the ones my friends give me after they are finished with them (friends who share my love for similar genres). My husband once estimated that I could be snowed in (or somehow housebound) for at least 5 years before I would get through all of the books I own if I continue reading at the pace I do now(and that was a year or two ago so I have more already!. What can I say? I am just a book-o-holic!!

Will there be a new group for 2011? Will we all get invites?

Kay wrote: "Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "haha...I would fail at that challenge before I began..."

Well, yeah, me too probably!"

I agree I would fail epically!!!

Jim, I'm thinking we will just keep this group and just change the name.

Can you change the name???? I think that another group of mine wanted too but realized that they couldn't.

Yes as moderator Aths or myself can. I've done it with other groups I moderate.

Ok cool!

So far I have only read 79 books this year and started 15 but didn't finish them for one reason or another. So for next year I am just wanting to read more of the books that are on my TBR pile (479+ books) and make more room. I have three big tubs full off books and they are taking up a big spot in my bedroom that could be use differently. Anyways, for 2011 I just want to empty at least one of those tubs and hopefully get it out of my way.

My main challenge this year (in addition to trying to read 144 books in 2011!!) is to actually keep track of everything I've been reading. I always start out the year promising myself to write them all down, but always forget.

Any tips on how to keep track? Maybe I'll start a book blog!

Laurie, I'm sure everyone does it a different way. I keep track 2 ways. I put all my books on GoodReads and I keep an excel spreadsheet.

i just use an excel spreadsheet...I can email to people if they want, just pm me...I have abook blog but I don't use it all the time...mostly for books that really affect me

Really I just list them on this site, and specifically this group. I get a kick out of putting in another line when a book is completed. Today's line was:
220. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (12/15)

But if I go to 'My Books' it says I read 223 books. Apparently I missed adding three books this year to my list here that I added to my GR read shelf.

Some people have posted that they have a book list in Google Docs so when they're at the library or bookstore they can pull it up on their phones. If you use Google Docs all you have to do is log in and you can update from any computer.

I just keep track at goodreads primarily. I have a shelf created for 2010, which lists books I read this year, and I find that the most convenient. I blog too, but not to keep a list - I somehow don't find blogging a convenient way to keep track of books. I rather use it just to keep my fingers busy.