Sunday Salon: 2016 Reading Goal

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The Sunday Salon.com
In 2016, I'm trying to keep it simple. I have one reading goal. Only one. It's a big one, but I want to read 150 books. The most I've ever managed (since I started keeping track in 2009 was 139 (in 2014.) Last year I managed 130, which is 2.5 books a week. Pledging to read twenty more books in 2016 means I'm pledging to spend more time reading. I don't want to just to the number by reading short books or avoid reading long books (more than I already do for other reasons.) I know some days, weeks, months and seasons mean I read more or less. By 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2016, I hope I can celebrate reading 150 books.

How I'll Do It
Over the past few months, I've noticed some days I find every possible minute to read and can read a book (of about 300-350 pages) in a single day, if I have nothing else to do besides go to work. Yet some days I don't pick up a book and manage to spend quite a few minutes doing nothing. Sometimes my brain is too tired to read, but more often, it's that I'm not that into the book I'm reading. I've gotten better at abandoning books, but I have a hard time doing that for books I feel like I should like or admire. Prize nominee books sometimes drag me down. When I look back at my favorite books of 2015, they weren't the ones I had to fight through. They were ones I chose to read instead of doing every things. So in 2016, I'm going to read 150 books by reading what I feel like reading when I feel like reading it. It means not always reading dark novels, even though I love them. I hope by mixing in more nonfiction, comics, mysteries, and short stories (I managed only one collection in 2015), and even reading more than one book at a time, I'll be able to embrace my reading time every day.

So Far, So Great
It's only January 3rd, and I've already finished four books (Hawthorne was up very early this morning.) I was 100 pages from the end of the first book when the new year began, but I've read three entire books already too. If nothing else, I'm giving myself a head start.

Now tell me: what is your reading goal for 2016?

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Comments

  1. KayJanuary 3, 2016 at 3:11 PM

    I think your goal is great! And I think if you give yourself permission to 'let go' of a book that's not working, you'll attain it. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carin SiegfriedJanuary 7, 2016 at 8:55 AM

    Good luck! I was very proud I read 100 last year (only second time I've hit that.) I could totally read more if they were all captivating like you talk about--those books you don't want to put down at all and read while you are brushing your teeth and waiting for the microwave.

    ReplyDelete

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