Guardian Newspaper 1000 Novels discussion

Besides reading from the Guardian Newspaper 1000 Novels List, what are your reading goals for 2014?

Reading isn't something that I used to set goals for, but I've found that participating in groups like ours does get me to read more books and read more widely.

For 2014 I hope to read every one of the books that our group selects.

I also hope to read more during the day. I live in a 4-season climate with a definite winter (no mistaking it at the present moment), and although it seems that I would read while indoors during the day I haven't. I read quite a bit during the day when the weather is nice enough to sit outside. Now we are awaiting the delivery of a full spectrum "therapy" lamp for winter and I hope it makes the study more inviting for daytime reading (in addition to easing the winter doldrums)! I have been thinking that reading more during the day would be a very good way to pass winter afternoons.

Anyone else have reading goals for 2014?

I did enjoy reading this Ch, makes a nice image of you cosily reading by the fire, using a daylight lamp to read by.

I have never set reading goals before, but this year one thing I would like to do is read more of the books from the other groups I belong to. Some are books which I'd planned to read, others are new to me, so it will be rewarding to make this a goal for this year.

One group I belong to is 'Around the World in 80 Books', so this year I want to spend time planning my (pretend!) route. My dream was to live and work abroad, when health problems made this very unlikely I decided to do an armchair trip - eat food, listen to music and of course, read literature from different countries around the world. Plotting a route as part of the AtW group will help me finally begin working on this virtual trip idea.

That's probably plenty for me to do!

What a great idea to "read around the world!"

I have no fireplace, but the reading lamp has actually increased my reading significantly during the afternoons. It is much more inviting than I expected.

Good luck with your voyage! What is your first destination?

Hahaha! I have lots but would like to read at least 25 books from the Guardian's list (that I haven't read already) AND I would like to read more of the books I already own (especially mysteries and audiobooks, both of which have been accumulating!).

I am participating in a few challenges in other groups; one of those is a Around-the-World challenge and another is a Read the USA mystery challenge (that one is carried over from last year!).

I am trying to clear up the major book lists. I'd like to finish the BBC 100 this year and read a total of 300 books, most of which are found here

Wow. Good luck. I find it hard enough nowadays to get through the 50 books I usually aim for. :)

I've decided to choose a theme each year and read around the subject. It's in the hope of keeping the old grey matter ticking over and stimulated. It can be quite 'Groundhog day-ey' being a stay-at-home Mum.
I have chosen World War I for 2014 in honour of the centenary. I hope to read widely including historical texts, first person accounts, poetry and novels.

There are some interesting and stimulating challenges here. Good luck to all those setting themselves a goal.

Debbie wrote: "I've decided to choose a theme each year and read around the subject. It's in the hope of keeping the old grey matter ticking over and stimulated. It can be quite 'Groundhog day-ey' being a stay-at..."

That sounds like an interesting approach.

Phil wrote: "Wow. Good luck. I find it hard enough nowadays to get through the 50 books I usually aim for. :)"

I read fast and to the exclusion of other pastimes (like TV), the biggest challenge is that Shakespeare's collected works are on that list, and I really think his plays are better performed than read.

Debbie wrote: "I've decided to choose a theme each year and read around the subject. It's in the hope of keeping the old grey matter ticking over and stimulated. It can be quite 'Groundhog day-ey' being a stay-at..."

Very interesting Debbie. What have you read so far?

Lisa wrote: " the biggest challenge is that Shakespeare's collected works are on that list, and I really think his plays are better performed than read..."

I am also working my way through Shakespeare's Collected Works and very strongly agree that the plays are better performed. One thing I find that helps me is to watch a production of the play on YouTube (preferably a BBC Production) while or just after I read.

Lisa wrote: "Phil wrote: "Wow. Good luck. I find it hard enough nowadays to get through the 50 books I usually aim for. :)"

I read fast and to the exclusion of other pastimes (like TV), the biggest challenge i..."

ha, you asked for it, I plan on starting this week with The Long Shadow: The Great War and the Twentieth Century.
I have created a shelf to make it easier to find what I'm looking for, this includes Parade's End series
Undertones of War
The War That Ended Peace: How Europe Abandoned Peace for the First World War
Catastrophe: Europe Goes To War 1914
The First World War in 100 Objects
All Quiet on the Western Front
Goodbye to All That
The Great War and Modern Memory
The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914

Poetry collections, biographies or memoirs of Siegfried Sassoon T E Lawrence Winston Churchill
Lord Kitchener The Romanovs: The Final Chapter

I think that will do for now. Hopefully I will be very knowledgeable by the end of the year!!

I am the same as you, I have given up on TV and started reading again. It's great!! Anything I do want to see I record or use catch up tv and watch when I'm ready.
I haven't read this many or this varied amount of books in years. I love it.

Leslie wrote: "Lisa wrote: " the biggest challenge is that Shakespeare's collected works are on that list, and I really think his plays are better performed than read..."

I am also working my way through Shakes..."

Thanks. That's a great idea.

Debbie wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Phil wrote: "Wow. Good luck. I find it hard enough nowadays to get through the 50 books I usually aim for. :)"

I read fast and to the exclusion of other pastimes (like TV), the bigge..."

Wow! Goodlyck

My reading goals for 2014 are to:
*read at least 50 books
*complete the reading bingo grid: http://www.retreatbyrandomhouse.ca/20...
*read at least one book a month from the Guardian's 1000 novels everyone must read.

Vanessa wrote: "My reading goals for 2014 are to:
*read at least 50 books
*complete the reading bingo grid: http://www.retreatbyrandomhouse.ca/20...
*read at least one book a month ..."

I have seen some other people working on that bingo grid - looks like fun!

I'd never heard of doing a bingo grid with books - definitely something I'd like to try in the future!

There are some great tips on here.

Leslie, using YT to watch Shakespeare is a good idea, and having the play to hand would be a help - I do get a bit lost sometimes! Having the text by me would mean I can check how the characters are related etc, so thanks for that tip.

Vanessa, thanks for that link to the bingo grid, does sound fun as Leslie said - I've tweeted it. Not sure how long it will take to cross them all off (grumble moment - and before M.E. I used to be such a quick reader!).

I think a sort of 'definitely read next' shelf of a few books would help (force!) in decision making on which ones to make priority reads, I like that idea so thanks Debbie.

Now that 2014 is rapidly approaching its end, I thought I would share my progress for the year.


2014 Books from the Guardian's list
For those who don't know already, I am a tad obsessive about lists. In Aug. 2012, soon after I joined GoodReads, I was introduced to the Guardian newspaper's list of 1000 Novels Everyone Should Read and was dismayed to discover that I had read less than 15% of them. Since then I have been working on reading books from this list! My goal this year was to read at least 25 books from the list that I hadn't read before. Here is the results:

January
·Nightmare Abbey
·The Child in Time
·The Golden Notebook
·Vile Bodies
·War and Peace

February
·Something New {reread}
·The Immoralist
·Piccadilly Jim (audiobook) {reread}

March
·Middlemarch
·An American Tragedy (audiobook)
·Oliver Twist (audiobook) {reread}
·The Third Man
·Silas Marner (audiobook)
·Lorna Doone
·Behind the Scenes at the Museum (audiobook)
·Bouvard and Pécuchet
·My Cousin Rachel

April
·The Poisoned Chocolates Case
·Persuasion (audiobook) {reread}
·Lady Audley's Secret (audiobook)
·The Red and the Black (audiobook)
·The Island of Doctor Moreau

May
·Changing Places
·The Heart of Darkness (audiobook) {reread}
·Moll Flanders (audiobook)
·Little Dorrit (audiobook)
·Things Fall Apart
·The Mysterious Affair at Styles (audiobook) {reread}
·The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (audiobook) {reread}
·Foucault's Pendulum
·Middlesex
·Crime and Punishment (audiobook)

June
·Lucky Jim
·Kim (audiobook)
·The God of Small Things
·The Scarlet Letter (audiobook)
·The Uncommon Reader
·Murder at the Vicarage (audiobook) {reread}
·The Brothers Karamazov (continued into July)
·Put Out More Flags
·Goldfinger
·An Infamous Army {reread}

July
·The Brothers Karamazov
·Red Harvest
·The Prisoner of Zenda (audiobook)
·The Maltese Falcon (audiobook) {reread}
·The Remorseful Day
·Malice Aforethought
·Porterhouse Blue
·Mary Barton
·Thérèse Raquin (audiobook)
·The Day of the Triffids
·Around the World in 80 Days (audiobook)

August
·Empire of the Sun
·Pale Fire
·A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (audiobook) {reread}

September
·The Red Badge of Courage (audiobook)

October
·The Westminster Alice
·New Grub Street
·A Town Like Alice (audiobook)
·Black Mischief
·All Quiet on the Western Front

November
·Shirley
·The Odd Women (audiobook)
·The Blue Room

December
·Vanity Fair (audiobook) {reread} (currently reading)
·Delta of Venus (DNF)
·Pnin {reread} (currently reading)