This is the time when I make my long list of books I intend to read all year, and then never touch half of them.
Well, that's an exaggeration. I read over 2/3 of my 2022 reading goals list. It was a challenging year for reading because most of my books were tucked away in boxes, and I instead utilized the library, reading books that were not part of my initial reading goal.
Now that we are in our own house, and my books are finally on shelves, I do not know if it will make a difference -- if I will do a better job reading through my unread books on the shelves, or if it has more to do with personal focus. No one can predict a whole year, and I do not know how life will affect what I am reading or if I will read at all.
Here is the problem I have currently: when I look at the unread books on my shelves, I do not feel like reading them. I want to reread books that I know I already love. However, Whitney at The Unread Shelf suggests reading an unread book each month. If by the end of the month you have not finished it (because you are dragging yourself through it), then get rid of it. (Or if after 100 pages you still have not connected with it, drop it. Or if after 25%, it is taking all your strength to read it, let it go. You get the idea.)
So, I've got 79 unreads to start with, and I chose more than ten I may read this year. I also have a list of rereads, my book club list, and at least six titles for TWEM poetry. I may add more to that later depending on how I do. And there are always miscellaneous books that I will add as the year progresses.
Dodds: Marriage to a Difficult Man
Stockett: The Help
Rand: Anthem; The Virtue of Selfishness; The Romantic Manifesto;
Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal; Atlas Shrugged
Lewis: The Four Loves; The Great Divorce
Zusak: The Book Thief
West: Adam Smith: The Man and His Works
Buck: The Good Earth
Morgenstern: The Princess Bride
Achebe: Things Fall Apart
McCullough: 1776; John Adams; The Pioneers
Rereads:
Flaubert: Madame Bovary
Hardy: The Return of the Native
James: The Portrait of a Lady
Wharton: The House of Mirth
Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby
Orwell: 1984
Book Club:
Tolstoy: Anna Karenina (reread)
Hanff: 84 Charing Cross Road
Applebaum: The Red Famine
Orszy: Scarlet Pimpernel (reread)
Oke: Love Comes Softly
Lewis: The Great Divorce (unread)
Rand: Atlas Shrugged (unread)
L'Amour: Walking Drum
Hugo: The Man Who Laughs
Zusak: The Book Thief (unread)
Rowlings: The Christmas Pig
Well-Educated Mind [poetry]:
Coleridge: Selected Poems
Keats: Complete Poems
Longfellow: Selected Poems
Tennyson: Tennyson's Poetry
Whitman: Leaves of Grass
Dickinson: Dickinson's Poems
Miscellaneous:
Begg: Truth for Life #2
Hardy: The Woodlanders
Have you read any of these? Any favorites? Any you want to send encouragement?
Anthem is a short work, and was my introduction to Rand. Atlas Shrugged most definitely is NOT short. Good luck! It's considered her magnum opus, for what it's worth. Personally, I lke Fountainhead more, but people appear to prefer whichever of her Huge Works they read first.
ReplyDeleteCapitalism: the Unknown Ideal is one of the two NF titles by Rand I've not read, the other being The Romantic Manifesto. Will be interesting comparing notes once we finish. I've begun distancing myself a little from uber-individualism in recent years, in part because of the trans stuff (I see it as an outgrowth of a society that idolizes the self, though big pharma helps by promoting 'affirmative care'.)
Loved McCullough's book on John Adams! Adams has been my favorite founding father ever since. Not as idealistic as Jefferson, but no self-deception, either -- and he never had or hired a slave.
I wasn't in favor of reading Atlas Shrugged this year, but Book Club voted on it. I had planned to read Anthem and the others on the list first. I read somewhere that one should read the others first, which I hope to do before reading Atlas in summer. I read Fountainhead in college and that's when I became a fan of Rand's ideas.
DeleteInteresting point on the individualism topic. I wonder if individualism today is anything like it was in the 80s (when I grew up). I definitely see rampant self-importance today, but the individualism in the 80s (regarding economics), if I remember it correctly, seemed to be more about embracing your ability to live and be free and independent and eventually be all you can. This is a good ideal bc when we are self-sufficient, our whole society thrives and we can help each other. When we are dependent, we can help no one else.
It's been a long time since I read Rand, but I believe she taught that being selfish is actually healthy. And I understand what she means; but as a Christian, you should also use your blessings to bless others. That's where she stops. I think she was an atheist.
Finally, this is my second or third year putting McCullough on my list. I don't know what my problem is starting these. I know I will love them. Esp. John Adams.
Anthem is nice and short! I wasn't a fan, but I think I read it in a sitting or two.
ReplyDeleteI would love to reread The Scarlet Pimpernel as well. Maybe not this year, but in the nearish future. There is actually quite a long series of Sir Percival books, but the only other one I read was Eldorado and I can't remember it at all.
As for the poetry, those all sound great. :) It might be enjoyable to read them in-between other things or as a palate cleanser. Right now, I have a collection of Robert Frost I'm reading little by little.
Hi, Marian. Several of these Rand titles are short, except Atlas Shrugged, which intimidates me. BUT, if I don't like it, I'll just stop reading it.
DeleteDid you ever see the film version of SP? I thought it was much better than the book, and I THINK I donated my copy. If I decide to read it with book club, I'll need to find a copy from the library.
That's a great idea about reading poetry in between -- especially those challenging reads. Poetry does most certainly cleanse the palate. I like that. (I can't wait to read RF. He's on the list somewhere later.)
Yes, I love the Scarlet Pimpernel! You mean the 1982 version, right? Anthony Andrews <3 haha. He definitely makes the role come to life. Jane Seymour is really good, too!
DeleteYes, and Andrews is superb and Seymour was absolutely stunning! And I just love the fight scene from the film so much better.
DeleteI liked The Help and The Good Earth (though I've read the latter long ago I can't remember the story). Things Fall Apart - well... I'm interested to read your thoughts on this.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you include 84, Charing Cross Road as well.
And The Great Gatsby and The House of Mirth deserve a reread every now and then!
Have a fun reading journey in 2023, Ruth! :)
Hi, Fanda. I believe it was your review (and Joseph and a few others) that inspired me to suggest 84 CCR to my book club. I'm so excited to read it. Thanks!!
DeletePoetry - Yes! I really want to make more of an effort to read some poets this year. I started well in 2022 but didn't continue & I have some lovely collections that were gifted to me the Christmas before last.
ReplyDeleteI haven't made any definite plans for 2023 but do want to - mostly TBRs & some history. :)
Hi, Carol. I think your last Christmas gifts of poetry is a sign you should read more poetry this year. Like Marian said: it's a good palate cleanser.
DeleteBTW, did you have a problem posted on Blogger (is that why your name came up anonymous, or is that just how you signed in. I sometimes have issues commenting on your blog and other WP blogs that I have resorted to using my stupid Twitter log in.)
Palate cleanser - I’ll have to remember that. :)
DeleteRe commenting - I’ve been using my w/press address to sign in & it seems to work ok with most blogger sites. I just forgot to sign in with it when I first commented.
That post about poetry was me!
ReplyDeleteI love it that you prefer to read old favourites rather than necessarily beginning something brand new. Many readers I know are the opposite, with an, 'I've read that, now I'll donate it,' mentality. I loved The Great Divorce. Very thought-provoking and profound short read. And Anna Karenina is one I'd like to re-read too some day. I found The Book Thief well worth a read, for the style in which it was written. You have a great and varied year ahead of you.
ReplyDeleteHi, Paula. I look forward to reading TGD. Lewis intimidates me sometimes, and we only gave ourselves two weeks to read and decipher it. Yikes!
DeleteI'm reading AK right now. Since it is a reread, I'm reading very slowly through every morsel. It is marvelous! Revisiting great books - worthy stories - is a lovely science/art.
Looking forward to the Book Thief. I enjoyed the movie, but I know the book is written in an unconventional way, and I hope that works for me bc I want to continue liking the story.
I'm such a mood reader that I really can't choose books for more than the next read or two (and I often ditch those too, when it comes time to start them). I just set myself a number goal for how many books I'd like to read from my TBR shelves and then let myself choose as I go.
ReplyDeleteI like Whitney's instructions for DNFing. My own method is pretty similar -- if a book hasn't grabbed me after the first 50 pages OR the first 5 chapters, which ever it takes longer to read, then I don't eel obligated to finish it.
That's such a relief to hear from a seasoned reader, like yourself. I thought I wasn't giving a book much of a chance when I say 100 pages to capture me, or else! But it doesn't make much sense to drag yourself through a story that you hate reading.
DeleteAlso, I wish I would stop assigning myself books to read bc I'm a moody reader, too. But I like the planning part. Still giving yourself a number goal is a good idea to work with, too. I like that as well.
Life is too short to read all the books I want to read as it is, so why waste time reading something that is not working for me? Now, if it's a classic that I know is important and worth reading if it's not "fun" I will often stick with it to the end anyway. But if it's really just not working for me at all, I will just stop.
DeleteAgree. There are books I completely disagree with and make me furious...but I will finish them. These have been classic works of literature every time.
DeleteI read The Book Thief in a rush and didn’t enjoy it as much as the movie, possibly because I didn’t take time with it. I read my s-in-law’s copy of it while we were on holiday years ago. Loved the movie - the scenery was exquisite.
ReplyDeleteThat's my concern, too, bc I liked the movie. I sure hope I have a good experience with the book...especially bc I suggested the book for book club.
DeleteJust did the same thing again!!! It’s really annoying that once you’ve made a comment you have to log in again to make another. Next time I’ll see if logging in with blogger is any better.
ReplyDeleteOK, I hope so too. I know...it's so frustrating. :(
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