2007 Reading Challenge

I'm certainly guilty of being a little too close to my Tivo, so my early New Year's resolution is to read more.

I'd love to kick off 2007 with a reading challenge for our members.

Just keeping track of how much you're reading in one year's time can inspire you to read more, visit your local library more, and challenge yourself.

Does this sound like a good idea to you?

-Jen

This sounds very good to me. I've actually just started a list of books that I've completed. I started it at the first of October, and I plan to keep it going as long as possible.

I actually plan on using my LibraryThing account as a reading list, as I work at a library and own very few books.

Best of luck to everyone and their goals! Keep on reading! (And support your local public libraries, too! :P)

Challenges are a great way to get people reading more. We have a 50 Books-type challenge in an online community I'm part of, and it seems to have worked really well so far. Each member set their own goal and has listed the books they've read as they've finished them. Several people have met their 2006 goals already.

I have kept track of what I'm reading each year for six years now, and it definitely challenges me to read more. Last October, I began to despair at the size of my unread-books shelves, and put together a reading plan, scheduling owned books to be read and leaving slots for books of choice and book-group books. I assumed 1 1/2 hours of reading per day and gave myself dates for the books accordingly. This has been working fairly well for me, although the holidays wreak havoc on my reading time, so I'm sure to start falling behind at this time of year. I had also put a moratorium on buying books, but then I went to a few library sales and discovered bookmooch, so that went out the window--I haven't reduced my to-be-read shelves one iota!

I like this idea also. I am a member of 50 book challenge on livejournal. I made a pact to read 200 books by oct 17 2007. I am on book 10.

When did you start, purplemoonstar?

oh, I guess you started on 17 Oct 2006? duh...

akenned5-Yep I started on Oct 17 2006 :-)

To keep track of the books I've read in any given month I go to "It's A Must Read" on www.ezboard.com
I keep a book log (which is listed on their forum) They have message boards by topics, and its pretty cool. Bookmasterjmv, I agree with you, support your local library. I go to the library about once a week. I feel like I'll never finish the books in my collection. Partially since I visit the library so often and come home with many books. I try to stick to my collection, but I get distracted and must read the latest non-fiction, mostly things I hear about on NPR and Book TV. I have several books by particular authors, for instance Thomas Sowell, and Isaac Bashevis Singer, and Paul Johnson, and Terry Goodkind, to name a few. I try to plan to read all of their books in succession, but alas, I never get very far. So I end up just trying to finish whatever I've taken out from the library and whatever books I can grab from my house. I try not to be obsessive about my books, and although I would like to be more disciplined about my reading habits, its probably best I not stress over it. Does anyone here read books about particular topics at the same time? For instance, you might have 10 books about various aspects of American History, so you would read them in succession, etc. I tend to do this in my library reading, for instance I've read several books in succession about various apects of this present conflict in Iraq, The One Percent Doctrine, The Assassins Gate, Cobra II, etc. I find that

One book a month is my goal, depending on what I can get a hold of from my local library. I try to vary my selections so I can pace myself in between readings. I do most of my reading while commuting (i.e. on the bus) to work, and sometimes , on my way home when my eyes aren't that tired yet. :-)

I've kept a hand written list of what I'm reading for the past couple of years. I belong to several face2face groups and a few on-line reading groups. Most of the groups I belong to do a top ten list at the end of the year. It is far easier to remember which books I read during the current year and to chose my top ten from the list.
It is also a handy thing to have come the Holidays. I usually give books as gifts and I often come up with ideas when I look back over what I've read.
I am very fortunate in that I have been able to retire early and I am able to read quite a bit. This however doesn't mean I'll see the bottom of my TBR stack any time soon :>))

Thanks for the invite to this group. I will post more about my groups later.........

Jeannie

Ok, this is going to seem contrary but I'm challenging myself to slow down, read differently, perhaps even...gulp...read LESS. Hard to believe, huh? I currently read over 60 fiction books a year and other uncounted nonfiction and poetry books. With regards to reading, I'm quite literally like a kid in a candy shop. Of course, I've been working in a bookstore where this has been a great asset but as I face my final days at the store, I think I'd like to be less compulsive about my reading and really take time to savor and explore...

I'm also in the situation of having too many unread books on my shelf, so from April 2006 have been trying to read as much as possible. Not that it has helped with whittling down the unreads - keep adding more. I read mostly on the weekdays, on the commute to work.

I'm keeping count from Apr 2006 - Apr 2007, but can join in with the proposed 2007 Reading Challenge as well.

I am attempting to do a review - here on librarything- swift or warbling - of every book I read.

This is the second year that I have kept track of the books that I read. Last year my friend sent out a 50 Book a year challenge for a small group of us. It was March and I already had 34 books so I set a goal of 100 books. I ended at 143.

This year I've slowed down a little (last year quite frankly I would not read any books over 400 pages so I could move it along). I'll probably end up at about 100 this year.

I've disconnected my cable and I've never been happier. I do better at work and am able to express myself better. I credit the increased reading 100%.

I'll be keeping a list for 07 too :0)

JackieM.

Jax is my hero. I know I personally need more encouragement - a goal to reach and quite frankly, peer pressure to see it through. Something of the literary equivalent of a gym buddy. :-)

I'm wondering if it would encourage us all if, starting in January, we talk briefly about what books we've finished each month. It would be easy enough to put together a simple spreadsheet (nothing fancy) of how many books we've completed that month to reach our goal - whether that be 50 books in a year or the more ambitious 100+. (Jax!)

Is that too rigid? And would that help anyone else besides me? Or am I the only slacker who has a dozen half-read books at her bedside?

That sounds like a good idea. I'm not really in need of motivation to read; my reading is limited more by time (I just won't let myself read when I know I'm supposed to be writing an essay, but of course reading about reading on LibraryThing is allowed...). It might encourage me to finish up all those half-started books rather than going to the bookstore and buying more, though. Plus, it would just be fun to see everyone's progress.

I'm actually with you, avaland. I just started keeping track of the books I read last year. On 2005 I read under 80. This year it's up to around 100 already. That being said, I do read a lot of YA literature, which tends to be shorter and read quite fast. I also read fast, myself. Keeping the list and joining LT has increased my reading!

For 2007 I've decided to make a list of all the books I've always wanted to read. I want to be more choosey in what I read next year. I also can get tunnel vision where reading is my only hobby. I'd like to work on my knitting more, take a mosaics class, hike more and just try new things instead of always being so focused on reading.

Sounds like a great idea. I work in a library...funny how library professionals tend to NOT have time to read! Since 2003 I have been keeping track of the books I have read. Sadly, the number is ridiculous. I am very much in favor of a reading challenge!

Kraftca, I totally hear you! Between working at the library and going to library school, who has time to read anything other than textbooks? Working in a library is sort of like a struggling-in-recovery alcoholic working as a bartender....the TBR stacks just grow and grow.... I guess it's better than working in a bookstore--at least I have to give the books back after 63 days, read or not, and they're free...

#avaland (14 above) - that's what I'm trying to do, slow my reading down. If I'm enjoying a book I whizz through it and sometimes don't pick up on things other more 'skilled' readers do. I'm not talking about light novels/detective stories etc but more serious lit. For example, my friends picked up on things in The Blind Assassin that I never did.

For those looking for SF classic suggestions, the SF Book Club has identified the 50 most significant SF books from 1950-2002. You can see the list on my blog on this post.

How many of those have you read? How many do you think you'll read in 2007?

Mdbenoit, I'm totally inspired by your list -- I had been thinking of reading some older classics, but I'm a total sci-fi geek-girl at heart. :-) That list is awesome!!

Mdbenoit, thanks for posting their list! I am not properly a science fiction reader, yet, but interested in the genre - so I've read a mere four or so, had actually begun another earlier in the evening, and expect to read at least 12 - 15 in the next year.

I keep a reading list at all times, unfortunatly that reading list sometiems growns to numbers beyond what i am capiable of reading. But I am hoping to get through the stack of 22 I have from the local libary this month. :)

Okay, I'm going to set my 2007 reading challenge for 50 books. I've never really counted how much I read in a year, so I don't know if that number is wildly low or high or right on the money.

At my friend's book club tonight, we were discussing LT and the use of tags on our personal book lists as a way of tracking what books we read so I won't need to keep a spreadsheet for any of us. I'm all about less work. :-)

If you want to participate in our 2007 Reading Challenge, please choose your own goal, post it here if you like, and keep track of your books by tagging them "2007" (the year you read them). Then you can easily track how many books you've read.

I don't know about you all, but I've got some serious library looking to do now. :-)

Cheers,
Jen

I work at a library and many of my patrons have lamented being unable to remember what books they've checked out in the past so I've recommended LibraryThing! I just joined here in the past year but I love the idea behind it (the ease of adding books, the tag organizations) and the networking between readers.

I've got tags for "Recent Reads", "Library" and "Acquisitions by year". I think tagging the reading challenge by year will be a great way to remember what's what. I haven't decided as to a book limit yet but I appreciate being invited to the club!

OK! I challenge myself to read 50 books as well in 2007. I hope I will manage a) to do it, b) to remember to tag them 2007!

Paola :-))

I'm going to try to read 52 books. It just seems like one per week is a good goal :). So far this year I've only read 44 books, so 52 for next year seems attainable but challenging.

I'm not planning to tag them 2007, though - I already enter the date read in the date read field, and I usually keep my catalogue sorted by date read.

Another good idea from Zoe! :-)

And Paola - I'm with you - I'm worried that a book a week might be a lot, especially considering I've got some big books on my "must read" list this year, including our book club read Gone With the Wind. Eek! Good thing I'll be able to balance it with some quicker YA reads.

What have you ladies got on your reading lists so far?

-Jen

That's such a dangerous question, Jen! I immediately had to start making a list for next year, and it's up to 28 books already - mostly ones that I purchased in the past few months. I even grouped them by category. You asked for it!

YA

Terrier and Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing
Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie by Holly Black
Harry Potter 7

Adult Fiction

The Historian
The Prestige
Fabrizio's Return
Books 2-7 of the Pelbar Cycle by Paul O. Williams (these are post-apocalyptic, and I really liked the first one)
Apple: New Crimson Petal Stories
The Courage Consort
Amerika
Courtesan - I started this book in the summer and it didn't really keep my attention, but I might as well finish it. I really liked Harem by the same author.
Brave New World

Science-related books

The Sleepwalkers - also one I've already started, and I'm actually really enjoying it but just won't have time to finish this year.
Incompleteness - a biography of Gödel
Gödel, Escher, Bach - yet another one that I'm partway into. And it's a good thing, because otherwise this book would take up a lot of my reading time! (no touchstone because I don't think it likes the umlaut, but I refuse to get rid of it)
The Man Who Knew Too Much - a biography of Turing
Theories of the World from Antiquity to the Copernican Revolution - another that I've read more than half of. I'm not really enjoying it but should finish it anyway.
The Book Nobody Read
Flatland/Sphereland - two books in one; Flatland is one of my all-time favourites but I've never read Sphereland

Classics books - I figure that since I'm studying Classics I should at least make a nominal effort to include a couple on my list :)

Lives of the Twelve Caesars
The Classical World: An Epic History of Greece and Rome - also already started, but barely

jen, I actually I do not have a list (shame on me!). But my piles of TBR books are so gigantic that they contain well over 50 books, and I already know they will grow some more. So.......:-)))

Paola, I don't have a list yet either, so don't feel bad. The half-read books on my nightstand are perhaps a good starting point... :-) But I feel like getting some new books, too.

Zoe, girl, you're so together! I like that you've broken down your reading by genres, too. And a lot of the science-related non-fiction you've listed are ones I've not heard of.

My friends joke about my passion for non-fiction. I swear I have read more "history of random vegetable" books than any human should. The problem is, you see I'm a genuinely excitable person (in a good way). Get me excited about an idea, and I'll go hog wild. I'll read a book about beekeeping and totally want to be a beekeeper and read 5 more books on it and pester the honey sellers at the farmers market with questions. :-)

I've been reading a book called The Music of the Primes lately and just wishing I were smart enough to be a number theorist. I should practically start a non-fiction book club that focuses on some new, random hobby every month....

This past year I have read/listened to at least 60 books. With a half a month left and vaction days coming that will probably turn into 65-70.

Next year I think I will l try to read 100. Is this unrealistic...I don't think so, I just need to stop watching so much TV!

I'm going to read at least 3 books from my TBR pile for every book I buy

I'm not sure what to do for my challenge. In 2006, I think I will hit 200 books across numerous genres. I'm reading a fiction and nonfiction for every state (in alphabetical order, no less.) I'm not sure if I'm willing to commit to getting them all done in 2007.

Hmm, how about this... In 2007, I commit to reading one fiction and one nonfiction book for 25 states, starting with Alabama and ending with Missouri.

Every year I try to read a little bit more than I did before, either in terms of the number of books or the number of pages. This year I'll definitely read more pages than last year, but the total number of books will almost certainly be lower unless I break my leg or something and am physically unable to do anything besides read. :)

As far as TBR lists go, mine is loooooooong. I started a separate account a couple of months ago to keep track of it. I've only listed books I've actually got in my possession and/or definitely intend to reread. If I listed everything, (books I own that I want to reread someday, though not necessarily now, books I'd like to read but don't have copies of, etc.), I'd be far too swamped.

Reading more has been one of my goals for the last couple of years. One trick I use is to look at the available video entertainment and see if I don't have a book in process or ready to start that would be more entertaining. This has increased my reading time, my entertainment and if I may be so bold, improved my mind. I try to keep track of my reading time on a monthly basis or even weekly, a year is too long for me. As motivation I go out of my way to read articles on the decline in reading generally. This gives me the impetus to swim against the tide. Kudos for a good topic. I hope it sparks some thinking about how people spend their time.

I've been meaning to read The Music of the Primes! I definitely wish I were smart enough to be a number theorist. I even majored in math, but I could tell it wasn't going to happen.

I also wish I could get so excited about everything! It's amazing that you do that. It happens to me to a certain extent (except I often end up just buying 5 more books and not reading them), but I don't know about beekeeping.... I actually had to write a 15-page paper about ancient beekeeping last year, and I unfortunately wasn't particularly enthused. A random-hobby bookclub would be fun, though :)

Maybe next year I'll try to buy fewer books... I don't think I could manage only 1 for every 3 read, but maybe 1 for every 2 read.... Though by this point, it would be a huge improvement if I'd just read one for every one I bought. Though buying books that aren't intended to be read in their entirety doesn't count at all, of course.

A random-hobby bookclub would be fun, yes, I like that idea.sort of show and tell. every month a book is reccomended and a there is a talk at the end.

I have to apologize for being out of the loop...I've been off the site and catching up on my reading!! :-)

I'm pleased to report that my personal 2007 reading challenge is off to a great start. We'll see how long New Year's resolutions hold, eh? Heheh. I finished a YA Lit book by Pamela Service that was on my "to do" list since I was a kid - the sequel to Winter of Magic's Return called Tomorrow's Magic.

But the thing that makes me proudest is that I'm ahead of the game for my book club and am close to finishing the 1037-page tome Gone With the Wind. Great book, but if you cringed at the many racist moments of the movie, you don't even want to lay eyes on the way Margaret Mitchell writes dialogue for the African Americans in her novel. Wowee.

Next up on my list, I got the book Stiff from the library to read, and I've got to reread Einstein's Dreams for my first ongoing book club that I'm running in just 3 weeks. Thank God it's a small (and interesting) collection of stories.

So what's going on with you all out there? What are you reading? Or are you all at the gym???? :-)

I am a middle school librarian. Have been reading lots of MS books. Just finished Cage of Stars by jacqueline Mitchard. Pretty good book with a youth protagonist that kids may like. I think a reading challenge is a good idea. I, unfortunately, do not use the public library as much as I should. I have a terrible need to own my books and I just keep buying more. I am slowly building my online library at LibraryThing.

I have this year at school developed online booktalks for the students to use to help choose a book. They are overwhelmed when they come to the library and I thought booktalks would give them direction. So far it has been pretty successful.

I have a "car book" which I have always in the car for those pesky waits at appointments, a "school book" for lunch break and a "home book" going all the time.

HAPPY READING ALL!

I wrapped up 2006 with Nineteen Eighty-four", which I thought was good but I preferred Zemyatin's "We"...much scarier to me. Although the "I love Big Brother" at the end of 1984 was pretty scary all by itself.

I actually forgot that I had read "Gone with the Wind" before. Please don't ask me how...but it came back to me that I read it when I was in High School; however, I went through it still and read about half to get my mind refreshed for book group ;)

I finally read "Jane Eyre". It was great! Everyone who knows me could not figure out how I read (and LOVED) "Wuthering Heights" and "Pride and Prejudice" without touching "Jane Eyre". I now see why...it was a great read.

Now I'm about 1/4 through "Atonement" by Ian McEwan.

"On the Deck", so to speak: "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman.

Happy Reading!
Jax