You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

For me, 2009 is the Year of Actually Reading the Books That Have Somehow Accumulated On My To-Reads Shelf. Instead of just thinking "I'll get to them next month, next year, eventually," I'm going to try to actively work on it.

Does anyone else have a general goal for this year?

Believe it or not, that is also my goal this year. I am actually going to try and get my TBR shelf down to nothing.

Wow--that's pretty amazing. I don't think I could read 213 books in one year, but once my shelf is down a bit, maybe I'll specify my goal to this in later years. :)

oh...I only have about 113 or so to read this year to get my list down to nada. Some of them are quite short and I did manage about 118 last year....so I am hoping to get at least 80-90 of these read by December.

Mine is similar. To read the books on my bookshelves that I haven't read yet BEFORE I buy any more!!

Heather wrote: "Believe it or not, that is also my goal this year. I am actually going to try and get my TBR shelf down to nothing. "

But presumably you'll also add things to the TBR shelf during the course of the year?

Anyway, you surely wouldn't want it down to zero, or what would you have to look forward to?

although i have no goals of reading, i would like to start organizing a book to write.

C - I hope to not add anything to the shelf this year. I have a couple things I am going to add, such as the rest of the Fables graphic novels, Chris Moore's new book, and another Piers Anthony. I really just want to get everything read. I have some books on my list that I've had for years...and having just purchased something in the area of 50 books in the last 4 weeks or so, I have a lot to finish up. I did see the new China Mieville for sale on Amazon but I just can't bring myself to buy it yet....

Anne, that sounds like a great goal, to get the to-reads on my shelf read. I might try to set a goal of a certain number to be read by the end of the year. Now, I have to work on what that number will be.

Kathy, I found that I've been reading around 40-50 books a year. This is mainly because I can get in some easy reading of light, fluffy books during certain times of the year, when things are less hectic. I don't read as much as Heather, though. :)

Kipahni, I wish you the best of luck! I've never had much motivation when it comes to writing, and getting a plot just right is so difficult for me.

My goal is to read more than last year - which should be doable as I have found that Goodreads and the 50 Books a Year group have made me more aware of how I read and what I would like to do about it.

Ahh my dear Anne, I read a lot because other than my son and work...I have no life and nothing to keep me otherwise occupied than say...American Idol or some other droll TV show. I'd rather enrich the mind.

Heather,

How old is your son? My son is the reason I can't seem to get much reading done! He's not a good napper and by the time he goes to bed at night and I sit down after cleaning up from dinner, I end up falling asleep. He's a very busy toddler though ;) I'm hoping once he's older I'll be able to read more again!

How much and what you can read when you're a mother varies, I found.

When my son was tiny, I was too tired and busy.

Then as he became interested in books, I spent so much time reading with him, that there was little time for ones of my own choosing - not that I minded.

When he could first read alone, I liked to read what he read so we could talk about it and, as he got better, check it wasn't too scary or inappropriate, but as his books got longer, that became less viable.

But even when he was a competent reader he still liked me to read a bedtime story, so the problem was he'd wake early and read ahead, so I'd have to find time to catch up on 30 pages of Lord of the Rings etc before the next night! LOL

Now he's 14, so we read separately, albeit sometimes at the same time and place. We do compare books sometimes, but there's not a huge amount of overlap at present.

I have a very busy almost 3 year old.

I guess my secret to reading a lot is that I'm a smoker (hangs head). I read while I smoke...so every time I go out to have a cig, I smoke. It's like 10-15 5 minute breaks through my entire day from morning to night. This allows me an entire hour or so out of my day to read. And after he goes to bed @ 8, I usually read until about 10 or so...So 3 hours a day total. Combined with the fact that I do read rather quickly, I do manage to get through a lot of books. I'm on book 13 or 14 this year so far.

Told you...I have no life other than my son and reading. I guess it helps to be a single mom. No other adults really to occupy my time.

Reading certainly is better than TV--I spend far too much time in front of that stupid little box, enough to where that if I really wanted to, I could probably get up to your reading amount, Heather--well, perhaps not!

I don't smoke, but I like the idea of taking a couple of breaks during the day to add up some reading time...the breaks would just have to be my passing periods, lunch and nutrition break (about 50 minutes total) during school. That could be fun.

Anne, well I actually read 70 books last year, and I'm trying for 75 this year. The number that I have to decide on is how many of ones already on my shelf do I intend to read out of those 75. I already have at least 3 books that I'm waiting for to be published this spring and another 2 or 3 that I plan on buying for Goodreads reads. I really need to dedicate myself to reading what I already have, but I can't help myself when it comes to buying more books. And, a couple of friends and I always go to a particular book festival in April where I buy a minimum of 10 books. I won't tell you how many books I have in my house that are waiting to be read. It's embarrassing, especially since I do read so much and, yet, they are still unread.

I have another problem. Instead of reading, I'm always finding things to do around the house. I'm a neat-freak, so I'm always cleaning and organizing. Like when my son does nap. I spend the whole time cleaning and starting dinner. I keep saying one more thing and I'll sit down. Then it never happens. I also have to stop coming on here so much! Maybe I'd have more time then! LOL So, for me, it should be the year of learning to let things go a little and take more time for myself......

Kathy, I have a problem with that, as well. I always seem to buy a ton of books, and then I don't get around to reading them for ages. Luckily most of the books on my shelves that I haven't read are on my to-read list.

Jaime, I come on GoodReads a lot, and I end of wandering around the site instead of reading...But I have to say that I'd rather be a neat-freak than someone so disorganized as me! Right now, most of that is because my mother is purging through her books, and since I don't want to get rid of them, they're all in my room...At least, all the children's books. I have piles of books on my floor, and though it's all very messy, I never take the time to clean it up.

(Heh, maybe I should do that this weekend. :) )

Anne wrote: "For me, 2009 is the Year of Actually Reading the Books That Have Somehow Accumulated On My To-Reads Shelf. Instead of just thinking "I'll get to them next month, next year, eventually," I'm going t..."

YES I JUST JOINED THE 50 BOOKS A YEAR CHALLENGE TO HELP ME RID MYSELF OF THE 100 OR MORE BOOKS SITTING AROUND MY HOUSE.

YOU ALL SHOULD THING ABOUT BOOK TRADING IF YOUR COLLECTIONS ARE COLLECTING DUST. FOR ME ITS A GOOD WAY TO PURGE SOME OF MY LESS THAN FAVORITE AND TRY SOME NEW AUTHORS FOR FREE. BOOKMOOCH.COM

Woah Dawn! Caps lock my friend...caps lock! It's like you are screaming.

I am really sorry. I am at work and the program I use here requires caps. I will try to remember to switchback each time.

No worries :)
I have done the same from time to time. Welcome Dawn.

Anne wrote: "For me, 2009 is the Year of Actually Reading the Books That Have Somehow Accumulated On My To-Reads Shelf. Instead of just thinking "I'll get to them next month, next year, eventually," I'm going t..."

Hi Anne

I did this a couple of years back and it was great (although I had to keep forcing myself to walk past bookshops without going in as I am a compulsive book buyer). I learnt so much and read things that I don't think I would have ever picked up.

I hope your challenge brings you as much food for thought and expansion of the mind as mine did.

Just for the record, I am now back up to have about forty books to read so, um, maybe I should do it again in 2010.

Thanks, Hannah. :) I know I'm going to have a problem with avoiding the bookstores...So I've told my friends not to let me buy anything!

Its difficult. I'm trying to complete a degree (which involves the reading some of books, admittedly), and I have full-time work. My wife would like to see me occasionally, I expect. If I get through five books this year, it would be an achievement. I also can't give up books, not once I've started. Its a commitment. I read Captain Corelli's Mandolin last year, and at times it was an utter chore. Some moments were outstanding. I thought the moment when Corelli's first officer (I think his name was Guercio?) protects him out of love when he and his comrades are executed by the Germans is one of the best scenes I have ever read in any book. Others were either pointless, long-winded and otherwise inconsequential. It took me nearly six months to read it. I ripped through the Count of Monte Cristo in three weeks though, and that was twice as long. So much to read and so little time.