It’s hard to believe that 2011 is gone already. I was just getting in the reading groove, and now it is time to write up some conclusions. I have been blogging here on and off for about three years, the process being a roller coaster journey. I started out as a reader lacking any kind of direction, not sure of my own tastes and picking up a book if it sounded good in the blurb on the back cover. There were so many books around me, I did not know where to start. 2011 became a year when I shaped myself into a more conscious reader. I realized that I could never read everything ever written; therefore I had to find an area to concentrate on. Classic books appealed to me the most, but I was not about to call myself a classic book blogger. I was never fond of labels. I wanted to read books that felt special to me, and I wanted to deviate from my main path without feeling guilty. I needed to step away sometimes from a “smart” book and read a “silly” one. Confused about my choices? I told you, defining myself as a reader is a journey, I haven’t reached the destination yet. As for what I would like to achieve in 2012, here’s my testimony:
- I aim to read more. Last year the blog saw only about seventeen books; so pitiful. I had a hard time outlining which ones exactly would fall into a classic category. On one hand there were a few very traditional classics (ie. Pride and Prejudice), but I also had a few older works that usually are left out from such lists (ie. The Happy Return). This year I would like to read at least thirty books, with most of them being classics. There is going to be a leeway for fun modern reads, but I do not want the number to go over 30%.
- I promise myself to read more obscure authors. If it is a 19th century ghost story nobody has heard of, send it my way. If it is a vampire tale predating Dracula, count me in. I want to expand my vision of what a true classic book should be like. Just because everyone forgot about its existence, it doesn’t mean the book is not worthy of my attention.
- I vow to get to the books I started in 2011 and never finished. This includes Nana, The Three Musketeers, and The Moonstone. It is time I cross them off my list. Besides, I am tired of seeing the Collins title sitting on my right sidebar for the last six months. All these books were wonderful, so who knows why I stopped reading them.
- I resolve to use the library to its full extent. Interlibrary loan better be scared. Today I went and renewed my library card. Gosh, I forgot how nice it is to browse around the library.
- I swear to try my best and read at a pace of about a book a week, as well as post about my progress more often. Perhaps this blog will see more frequent postings compared to the years past. I was never really fond of posting anything outside of final thoughts on a book, but perhaps 2012 will change that. Stats, lists, projects? Who knows.
As a bonus, here are some books I am excited to get to this year:
HAPPY READING!
