The start of a new year is always a time for reflection and making promises you may not keep, so why should this book blog be any different? So here we go – five resolutions I’m going to try and keep in 2015…
1. Get the to-read pile down – obviously this had to be on here as it’s the most important thing and the reason for this blog. I need to control of the pile. How many times do I read a book that’s been on the shelf for months only to kick myself that I didn’t read it sooner? Lots. Get the pile down, and that won’t happen.
2. Fill in some gaps in the Classics – I’ve never read Wuthering Heights. Or Tess of the D’urbervilles. Or David Copperfield (or any Dickens other than Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol). I should do something about this this year.
3. Read a non-fiction book each month – I’m not always terribly good at reading the non-fiction books sitting on my shelves – fiction (particularly comedy and romance) is often more appealing – I need to be better at this in 2015 as some of the books that have been on the pile the longest are non-fiction ones.
4. Read a library book each month – I’m embarrassed at the number of times some of the library books in the bag have been renewed. And I do want to read them. But sometimes I get obsessed with the reduction of the pile and reading a library book seems like a “waste” if you know what I mean.
5. Don’t get obsessed with stats and books read and pages read – I am sometimes guilty of measuring my reading too much in volume and not enjoyment. Setting a goal for a year is good – but it does lead to a slight obsession with trying to beat what you did last year. This sometimes messes with what I pick off the to-read pile. Reading is for fun – a pleasure in my life – not about how many books or pages.
So there you are. I’ve tried not to be to ambitious – as you see from number 5 targets sometimes cause me more problems than they are worth. Also I get unaccountably rebellious about having to read something – and bounce off to read something else. In light of these resolutions, I’m going to rejig the monthly stats post this year – so December (publishing tomorrow, a day late to allow for New Year’s resolutions on the proper day) will be the last one in the old format. And I’ll keep you posted on how I get on obviously.
Verity Reads Books (lots of them) 