The 2012 Annual Reading Challenge - Discussion Thread!

[CRussel]

My goal this year is to read or re-read some classics I never read or have completely forgotten. From "fun" ones, like Dumas, to empty spots in my education, such as Edith Wharton. And I'm going to include some non-fiction with those classics. Actually, I suspect my definition of classics will be highly subjective and personal. But "I'll know it when I see it". So, for example, the CP Snow series that HarryT suggested is probably going to count as classics. But even classical science fiction isn't.

But while I work to broaden and improve what I read, I really, really want to cut down my TBR list. Like pdurrant, I have a problem with buying more than I read. So I'll be tracking purchases as well as books read and we'll be able to see if there is some progress.

[spindlegirl]

I came across this thread and instantly thought, "I don' t do reading challenges" but this seems to be quite flexible and "set your own rules", that I think I just might. Having a new e-Reader makes it more desirable to have a goal.

I don't want to set a target number. Since this is my first time, I'll just see how many I read in 2012 to maybe establish a guideline for '13. I don't even know if I am a slow or fast reader really.

Here are my goals:When I finish a book, I will write a note on my e-reader and put it in a collection called "2012 Reading Challenge"

I have a few library books I am waiting for. I would like to read them and finish them in the duration of the loan period.

I dozens of classics that I know the cultural reference to, yet have never read fully. I would like to read more of them.

There are some Canada Reads books I've not yet gotten to from various years. I would like to obtain them if the library has them, and read them.

[sakura-panda]

I'm signing up.

I don't have a goal, but I can make up one if I need to. I enjoy making lists of my books and I love to see what everyone else is reading.

[MrsJoseph]

Below is my first challenge to myself - this list is based of off a list a group I'm in called "An Aficionado's list to the Top Fantasy Books of All Time."


Challenge 1:
My Fantasy Challenge List 2012
(subject to spontaneous change)



1 Mistborn: The Final Empire – I really need to read this, too
2 Robin Hobb Collection: Farseer Trilogy - Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin, Assassin's Quest – read the first one need to finish the rest
3 The Dark Tower Series Collection: Gunslinger, Drawing of the Three, Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, the Dark Tower – read the first 4 and need to read the rest…probably need to start over again
4 Gardens of the Moon – really need to start
5 Daughter of the Empire
6 Wizard's First Rule
7 The Color of Magic – started but I never get far
8 Good Omens
9 Elric of Melniboné
10 Magic Bites
11 The Dark Elf Trilogy Collector's Edition
12 The Dragonlance Chronicles/Dragons of Autumn Twilight/Dragons of Winter Night/Dragons of Spring Dawning
13 Howl's Moving Castle
14 The Fionavar Tapestry – really need to read
15 Chronicles of The Black Company – read the first book, need to finish the rest
16 Magician - read about 1/3 of the first half. Will try again
17 Daughter of the Forest
18 Daughter of the Blood
19 The Complete Chronicles of Conan: Centenary Edition
20 Perdido Street Station
21 The Way of Kings
22 Dead Witch Walking
23 The Lions of al-Rassan
24 Moon Called – need to finish series, read the first 2
25 Darkfever
26 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
27 Storm Front – need to finish series
28 The Night Angel Trilogy – will start soon! 2012
29 The Neverending Story
30 Sabriel
31 The Deed of Paksenarrion – read one and ½ and need to finish up
32 Night Watch
33 American Gods / Anansi Boys: Coffret 2 volumes
34 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass
35 The Curse of Chalion
36 The Once and Future King
37 The Talisman
38 Hounded – read the first and need to finish series
39 Percy Jackson and the Olympians Boxed Set
40 His Majesty's Dragon
41 The Black Prism
42 The Odyssey
43 Mary Poppins
44 Neverwhere
45 Stardust
46 Tigana
47 Fool's Errand
48 Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
49 The Liveship Traders Trilogy: Ship of Magic + Mad Ship + Ship of Destiny.
50 Elantris
51 Furies of Calderon
52 The Children of Húrin
53 Redwall
54 The Dragonbone Chair
55 The Magic Kingdom of Landover: Volume 1
56 Dead Until Dark
57 The Divine Comedy
58 Graceling
59 Black Sun Rising
60 Dragon Wing
61 Priestess of the White
62 Swords and Deviltry
63 The Book of Three
64 Dreams Underfoot



Challenge #2: Book Review Challenge

I want to challenge myself to review at least 3 out of every 5 books I read. I started off pretty decent in 2011 but I tapered off toward the end of the year.



Challenge #3: Indie Book Challenge

I want to try to increase my self-published reads. I think I only read 1-2 self-published books last year (not counting Courtney Milan's Unlocked which I think doesn't count).

[issybird]

I've listed my two challenges: 25 Books from 25 Lands, which I think is self-explanatory. I would like to read less of the kinds of things I already like and be exposed to new places and and times.

Laundry Basket Challenge, in which I plan to read 25 of the unread pbooks I own. This is about clearing the decks in a way, but it's also about examining the impulse to buy books that I have no immediate plans to read. At the same time, I plan to hold the thought that owning a books is not sufficient justification to read it. Perhaps I've moved on, perhaps something is dated in itself or was simply a mistake--I want to be more thoughtful both about what I read and what I acquire. I'd also like to eliminate some of the physical and emotional clutter involved in books on shelves.

In addition, I plan to read most of the selections of the two books clubs here. Since there's not a lot of overlap among these three goals, I'm already bumping about 70, which given a reading goal of about 110 to 120 next year (slightly under this year's total), leaves me about 40 to 50 books from which to choose for what I already love, new enthusiams, and impulse. And for when I need something mindless.

[Kevin8or]

I've become bothered by the fact that I've read little of "classic" western literature. So, I want 20% or 25% of my reading to be from the canon.

Staying well-informed is important, right? I read a lot of news and periodical essays, but I'm thinking of a goal of one book per month of contemporary non-fiction.

I'm skimming books like The New Lifetime Reading Plan and How to Read a Book while contemplating a structure for my 2012 reading.

The goals are still under construction.

[jbcohen]

Originally Posted by spindlegirl

I came across this thread and instantly thought, "I don' t do reading challenges" but this seems to be quite flexible and "set your own rules", that I think I just might. Having a new e-Reader makes it more desirable to have a goal.

I don't want to set a target number. Since this is my first time, I'll just see how many I read in 2012 to maybe establish a guideline for '13. I don't even know if I am a slow or fast reader really.

Here are my goals:When I finish a book, I will write a note on my e-reader and put it in a collection called "2012 Reading Challenge"

I have a few library books I am waiting for. I would like to read them and finish them in the duration of the loan period.

I dozens of classics that I know the cultural reference to, yet have never read fully. I would like to read more of them.

There are some Canada Reads books I've not yet gotten to from various years. I would like to obtain them if the library has them, and read them.

The troubble is that its not as free form as you might think. The challenge itself started a year ago to read one hundred novels and a lot of us never got that far, myself included. Those of us that did not make it to the one hundred mark are setting our sites a bit lower, I would like to think that I am being a bit more realsitic in 2012. Its not as free form as you think.

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

The troubble is that its not as free form as you might think. The challenge itself started a year ago to read one hundred novels and a lot of us never got that far, myself included. Those of us that did not make it to the one hundred mark are setting our sites a bit lower, I would like to think that I am being a bit more realsitic in 2012. Its not as free form as you think.

OK, I will keep my goals separate from this particular challenge. Thanks.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by spindlegirl

OK, I will keep my goals separate from this particular challenge. Thanks.

Wow. Spindlegirl, you are welcome and encouraged to set any goals you want for yourself within the non-existent confines of the 2012 Challenge. I'm sorry you got such a grinchy rejoinder to your proposals.

I'll be interested in following your progress.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by spindlegirl

OK, I will keep my goals separate from this particular challenge. Thanks.

Spindlegirl, you do not need to change anything! The whole point is to create a challenge that is right for you. Your goals are your goals, you can keep or change them as you see fit!

Edited to Add: I joined the 100 books in 2011 knowing that I would not make 100, but not knowing how far I would actually go. The 2012 Reading challenge is a perfect place for you to see how far you actually get. Please don't be discouraged. I hope to see your progress on the List thread.

Happy reading!!

~Nyssa

[mikaelalind]

So, we are talking reading challenges?
Next year I am challenging myself with reading all the e-books listed as unread in Calibre. Or remove them.
I would like to read more Non-fiction. Both paper and e-books.
Also, I would like to download interesting books from Runeberg.org, proofread them, format them and add them to Patrica Clark Memorial Library.

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Spindlegirl, you do not need to change anything! The whole point is to create a challenge that is right for you. Your goals are your goals, you can keep or change them as you see fit!

Edited to Add: I joined the 100 books in 2011 knowing that I would not make 100, but not knowing how far I would actually go. The 2012 Reading challenge is a perfect place for you to see how far you actually get. Please don't be discouraged. I hope to see your progress on the List thread.

Happy reading!!

~Nyssa

Thank you and Issybird, I will happily stay in the challenge. I did not want to disrupt anything that I may have overlooked - I didn't really take it personally, but wanted to cooperate in the social construct of the challenge.

Yes, I do want to see how far I can go. I'd like to see how many e-pages I can read at least. (I find "number of titles" to be ambiguous for me as so many books are different sizes. "War and Peace" vs "The Pearl" haha) But my e-reader makes "just reading" for a few minutes here and there so desirable that it will be interesting.

Take care all!

[hillncharge]

This year my goal is to read two books. I used to be a big reader and would like to be again. This year I read one book. It took me 8 months to finish it. I enjoyed reading the book but I am too easily distracted so it took longer than it should.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by spindlegirl

Thank you and Issybird, I will happily stay in the challenge. I did not want to disrupt anything that I may have overlooked - I didn't really take it personally, but wanted to cooperate in the social construct of the challenge.

Yes, I do want to see how far I can go. I'd like to see how many e-pages I can read at least. (I find "number of titles" to be ambiguous for me as so many books are different sizes. "War and Peace" vs "The Pearl" haha) But my e-reader makes "just reading" for a few minutes here and there so desirable that it will be interesting.

Take care all!

Great to have you. I think the first responder to your challenge is making this more constrained than it should be, which is fine for them, but doesn't fit everyone.

I know I fought with the size of books last year and didn't want to read just short books in order to make my goal, so I changed to a page count goal which helps me. I am using 200 pages/book as my watermark, but I would change that to be approximately the length of the type of books you normally read. By doing that you can get a better "feel" of how much you have read.

Also, it looks like Amazon is now showing an estimated page count "based on the page size of a paperback book" for all e-books. So if you get it from Amazon (or if they just have a copy of it) it is easy to see how many pages a book is. In the past I had kept careful track of locations/page and used the average to estimate the books without a page count. I think I will get rid of that now. (Although my average seems to have worked out OK on most of mine, my estimate was about 9% lower than they have when averaged out and was intentionally conservative so I didn't inflate my page count.)

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Kevin8or

I've become bothered by the fact that I've read little of "classic" western literature. So, I want 20% or 25% of my reading to be from the canon.

Staying well-informed is important, right? I read a lot of news and periodical essays, but I'm thinking of a goal of one book per month of contemporary non-fiction.

I'm skimming books like The New Lifetime Reading Plan and How to Read a Book while contemplating a structure for my 2012 reading.

The goals are still under construction.

I'm with you, Kevin8or. While I've read most classics, that was 50 years ago in many cases. So going back and visiting/re-visiting those classics makes sense. Reading 100 books? That's easy for me. But making sure that 20-25% of them are ones that might actually be considered "literature" or classics? Harder.