Happy New Year Everyone! Despite us being in the middle of summer in Australia the sun has not shone since Christmas Day in my part of the world - still warm and muggy - just continual rain and no light!! This would normally drive me crazy but I am actually feeling quite calm and content - a new year is starting and there are plenty of books to devour.I am not really a resolution kind of person - I don't do so well with "shoulds" - if I feel like I have to do something then odds on it won't get done! So instead I have thought of some reading plans to guide me through 2010:
1. To Read & Re-read Charles Dickens - 2009 saw me renew (or begin) an interest in the work and life of Charles Dickens and I have decided that I would like to spend a portion of my reading year in 2010 re-reading his books in some cases and discovering them for the first time in others.
2. Finally read A Suitable Boy - I have been meaning to read this book for the past two years now and for some reason it has always been pushed to the end of the reading pile - not this year though! I have already started the book once before and was falling in love with it so I know I will jump into is easily - I just need to devote the time to it that it deserves. Which leads me to my next reading plan...
3. Read Slowly - Taking a leaf out of the slow movement as a whole slow reading is about taking time with reading - to really absorb the book that is in front of you at the time. I use reading not only as a form of entertainment and learning but also as a way to disconnect from my busy world and to relax - I'm not sure how I have actually been doing this when I have a million books (ok, that might be a slight exaggeration!) beside my bed - all with book marks in them at the one time! For 2010 I would like to take my time with my reading - only read one book at a time and really enjoy and appreciate that book - instead of thinking about what I will be reading next.
4. To Read (and Use) More Cookbooks - I am no cook - anyone who has ever had to eat one of my creations can tell you that! But I would like to learn some simple recipes and despite my poor kitchen skills I do love cook books!
5. Only Join in Challenges/Read Alongs that I Truly Want To - This might sound obvious but I think in the past I have jumped into challenges way too quickly - I love being a part of the book blogging community and I thought to not join in a challenge was rude! For 2010 I will think about the challenge before jumping in. So far the only challenge I have thought about joining is the Art History Reading Challenge and I am also a part of the Woolf in Winter Read Along and this is how I started 2010...
12 comments:
I've been meaning to read A Suitable Boy for ages too. Perhaps we should attempt a joint read to spur ourselves on?
Good luck with your resolutions. 2010 is beginning with Mrs. Dalloway for me, too. I do hope you get to read A Suitable Boy... it's well worth the time and effort!
Hi Jackie - I would love to work out a joint read for A Suitable Boy! When do you think might be a good time??
Hi JoAnn - I think a lot of us are delving into Mrs Dalloway at the moment! I'm loving it so far - hoe about you?
Pretty copy of Mrs. Dalloway! I've been hearing a lot about A Suitable Boy lately - I'll be curious to see what you think! Best of luck with your resolutions. :)
Those are great guidelines! I especially like the one about reading slowly - with so much emphasis on rushing around, multi-tasking, using crazy high tech gadgets it's so wonderful to be able to relax with a good book :)
I love your thoughts on books and 2010. I am still unsure what my goals are this year. I am going to mull it all over today I think. In my head its still 2009, I am so last year!
We've got sun in Minneapolis but in the middle of winter it means this morning it was 20F below zero. Brrr. I had no idea slow reading had made into Wikipedia. That is cool. Happy New Year!
For the past few years I've been reading slowly, really taking in the meaning of what the author is saying. Such a basic concept but one that can be lost in our quest to devour books!
I'm no cook either but have developed a fondness for the history of British food and recipes lately. It's a start...
Good luck with your resolutions. I particularly like the sound of the one about taking your time reading a book - I think that I definitely fall into the trap of devouring my books too quickly with a mind ahead to what I want to read next, and not necessarily taking in all that my current book has to offer.
Happy New Year! And, best of luck with your bookish resolutions. I think the "slow movement" is a great idea!
Hi Sarah - Thanks! I'm really looking forward to getting started on A Suitable Boy - I might start it after the Woolf Read Along I think.
Hi Stockdove - that's exactly what I think - so much of my life is spent rushing around from one task to the next and I don't want my reading to feel that way.
Hi Simon - I am normally one who finds it hard to jump into a new year but for some reason I have found this year different - we will see how long that lasts!
Hi somanybooks - that is crazy weather! Still raining here! I was surprised to find slow reading in wikipedia too - I thought it might have been a concept I was just making up!
Hi Darlene - good to know that someone else is exploring the world of cooking. I spent yesterday watching Nigella Lawson on TV and that was inspiring!
Hi A Bookish Space - I often fins myself rushing through my books so I wanted to make a conscious effort not to do that this year.
Hi Iliana - thanks! Happy new year to you too!
Some wonderful resolutions! I wholeheartedly concur with #4 and 5.
A Suitable Boy is a fabulously epic novel and one that I am very gla that I read when I did (fitting in 1000+ tomes becomes harder and harder!)
I also love Dickens and joining in with the Woolf in Winter read-along.
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