CAPC Members discussion

I was wondering about anything beyond the obligatory “2019 Challenge” and considering only book count. Any magnum opus out there that someone plans to tackle? Maybe someone diving into an unfamiliar genre as a personal challenge?

Mostly looking for ideas... thanks!

I am limiting my reading of white authors to no more than 1/3. Shooting for 1/4, but giving some wiggle room.

Want to increase my fiction percent from current 35-40% to closer to 50%

But not much more than that.

Fleming Rutledge
Barth
More Robinson (Lila, Home, essays)
More fiction (End Of The Affair, Brothers K, Franny & Zooey)

I'm planning to spend Lent and Easter reading Fleming Rutledge's The Crucifixion and The Undoing of Death.
I also want to get through James K. A. Smith's Cultural Liturgies and a bunch of Lauren Winner that I've got but haven't read yet.
Since so much of the non-fiction I read is on the heavy, dense end of the spectrum, the fiction I'm planning on is the exact opposite.
I usually aim for a 50/50 split between fiction and non-fiction.

I don't typically plan out my reading. That said, I have a stack of 23 books at my desk that I'm dying to read, so in a sense, this is my planned reading. :) I like to tackle one hefty book at a time—just finished The Crucifixion by Rutledge and it was outstanding. Not sure what my next one will be though? I'll probably start that toward summer though.

Saw on Twitter that Rutledge has a lent book coming out this year.

Adam wrote: "Saw on Twitter that Rutledge has a lent book coming out this year."

From the Eerdman's website, it looks like it's a based on a series of sermons/reflections which I'm guessing were in themselves a version of what's in her book 'The Seven Last Words from the Cross'.
https://www.eerdmans.com/Products/771...

Assumed it would have been a longer collection like her advent book. But it is less than 100 pages.

I don't have any particular plans/goals yet this year, but last year I made a conscious effort to read more books written by authors of color. I think trying to diversify the perspectives you're reading is a great goal to incorporate into your reading in general, whether that's reading more books by people of a different gender, race, ethnicity, social class, education level, religion, etc than you are. So I'd encourage you to look at what you read last year and see where the gaps are (need to read more female authors? More black voices? More non-Western voices?) and add a few books to fill those gaps a bit.

Read less but with greater attention. (I will likely fail at this like I did this year!) Be more selective about what I choose to read. And always keep a compelling fiction book going so I don't get too dogmatic. (Nonfiction tends to make me feel like the world can be fixed by better ideas alone when I know that better stories are what really move people's hearts, including mine.)

I do want to read more poetry. I'd like to read through A Sacrifice of Praise this year (one chapter a month) and take note of poets who I'd like to study in depth in the future.

I'd also like to continue to chip away at Shakespeare's plays. I had a plan 2 years ago to read all of his plays that I hadn't read yet in one year. I failed spectacularly, but I really do want to read his works. I'd like to read maybe one play a month, starting with the most urgent gaps: King Lear is probably the most egregious, but there is also Macbeth that I haven't read either.

Adam wrote: "I am limiting my reading of white authors to no more than 1/3. Shooting for 1/4, but giving some wiggle room.

Want to increase my fiction percent from current 35-40% to closer to 50%

But not muc..."

I'll be curious about the gems you find through this process, Adam! I hope you can introduce your followers to some great new books!!

Laura wrote: "I do want to read more poetry. I'd like to read through A Sacrifice of Praise this year (one chapter a month) and take note of poets who I'd like to study in depth in the future.

I'd also like to ..."

I highly recommend watching movies - or seeing the plays live if you can - in conjunction with reading Shakespeare. He never intended his works to be read and you really do lose something if that's the only way you experience them.

I’m personally trying to aim at spending a lot of time in primary readings and classic or go to texts o certain topics.

I have a stack I’m finishing now bu then will be attempting to go through others. I’m also looking at fiction a lot more intentionally as I typically ignore it for non-fiction books if I don’t aim to do it on purpose.

I plan to finish or catch up on some series I'm reading or rereading, many of which I'll be tackling as audiobooks and ebooks. These include four Narnia books, two Harry Potter (I plan to at least listen to Half-Blood Prince), the last two Sherlock Holmes books, a bunch Flavia de Luce mysteries and a few final books in YA, juvenile and/or sci-fi series. Plus some comic collections.

I hope to listen to Les Miserables unabridged, as I'd like to listen to at least one big classic each year.

I might emphasize enjoying sitting and reading physical books. I have a handful that I've had on my to-read list for years that I plan to get to finally, including Nine Coaches Waiting, The October Country, Rebecca and S.

Andrea wrote: "Laura wrote: "I do want to read more poetry. I'd like to read through A Sacrifice of Praise this year (one chapter a month) and take note of poets who I'd like to study in depth in the future.

I'd..."

I need to do that. My friend Michelle recommended watching the BBC versions with the open book of the play on my lap so I can "read" along with the performance.

How’s everyone doing? I’m about halfway through Rutledge’s NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL and just started HOME by Robinson (I read GILEAD last year).