Reading with Style discussion

Is it too early to start thinking about 2023? Certainly whenever you're ready. ;-)

I'll refine these, maybe add (or switch) another or two:

1. Restraining book buying: How many books did I read last month? Buying/Library limit is half as many 1 less than that or fewer this month. (Started 2023 with 582 on hand.)

Read versus acquired:
Dec 8 versus Jan 6
Jan 8 versus Feb 6
Feb 7 versus Mar 5
Mar 7 versus Apr 6
Apr 9 versus May 8
May 8 versus Jun 7
Jun 6 versus Jul 5
Jul 8 versus Aug 7
Aug 8 versus Sep 7
Sep 7 versus Oct 7
Oct 12 versus Nov 5
Nov 8 versus Dec 7

2. Mysteries Challenge: Read 15 books toward finishing this challenge. (36/15; 123/123 all time; started the year at 87/123)

3. 19th Century reading: I have let this go and keep trimming my yearly goal. Just keep this, Trollope and Balzac in mind. [5/?; started year at 44/100]

4. WWI reading: Same 5. Try to get in a non-fiction, please. (8/5, incl 1 nf)

5. Make progress on some of the non-mystery series I've started. (1 title only as of Oct 1)

reserved

My reading goals for 2023:

1. Read at least 25 books from the 1001 list, bringing my total to 730. That's assuming I read 3 between now and the end of December.

2. Mysteries challenge: I've now read 26 from 1900-59 and 37 from 1960-2022, total 63. It's slowing down massively now that I've covered a lot of the years for which I had books on hand. But I really enjoy them, so I want to put more planning into this and aim to get up to 85 in 2023.

3. Reduce my on-hand physical TBR to below 220 and keep it there. It's currently 240 so that sounds like it should be easy, but it never is!

I do a lot of other challenges but I won't list them here.

1) Read 160 books. 2022 saw me read the most books since 2017, and it looks like I can do 40 per season, so this seems reasonable.

2) 50% of books to be written by women.

3) At least 10% non-fiction.

4) Read from at least 40 different countries. I've been trying to read globally for awhile, and I have made it part of my purchasing criteria in recent years.

5) Get to 260 read on 1001. I seem to be at 219, and this has been another part of my purchasing criteria.

last update = Dec 31, 2023

I'm changing it up a little this year. I'm not participating in the 1001 GR group's TBR challenge, since I was not good with sticking with it; and the biggest change is no A-Z challenge for this year. I want to be more relaxed in my approach, yet focus on the following:

1. read 120 books 163/120

2. read at least 1 big fat classic = Parade's End

4. read books remaining on my 2019, 20, 21 + 22 randomizer lists from 1001 GR group (Drop City; Infinite Jest; The Good Soldier Sjevk, Night and Day, Gosta Berling's Saga, Blue of Noon, Closely watched Trains, Mr. Vertigo, Vineland ) => not doing well with this :( many are very hard to access (ie. not at library)

lost sight of this goal :(

5. Continue to work away at the series I am reading (currently 13, with one in the wings). - as of Aug. 30 made headway on 4 of them

finished with progress on 9 of them!

6. read at least 2 non- fiction per quarter finished with 9/8

7. Mysteries challenge! Continue to work on this. => am doing so, slowly

8. Whittle down the RL TBR. - I am having little success with this, so I may try something like Rosemary's approach which seems doable(?). >I have actually made some tiny progress on this (hard to see, but books have been read and donated!)

I'd like to:
~ read more owned books
~ finish old games (currently 12 in progress...not sure how many will be old by New Year)
~ read at least 6 books over 500 pages
~ take a reading break occasionally

I will need to make these measurable to be a real goal.

My plan is to primarily work on the Around the World and Pop Sugar Challengers...and work as many books as possible into the Reading With Style and Seasonal Reading Challenges as possible. Having said that....I'm going to try and not be worried about deadlines. Many of the books I want to read are chunksters on the Boxall list...and I'll use the challenges to help me choose the books I already have on my considerably huge TBR and "might consider" lists.

The 2023 ATW list is already out and I've already begun planning:
THE 2023 LIST
1. A book set in a location that begins with A, T, or Y- Thailand- Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness by David Casarett-368p.- series#1-pub.9/13/16-
OR Alabama- Looking for Alaska by John Green-1001 list- 221p.- pub. 3/31/2005
2. A book by an author you read in 2022- Broken by Jenny Lawson
3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the 2023 list
4. A book with an interracial relationship- maybe If This World Were Mine by E. Lynn Harris???? (also PS#22)
5. A book with 4 or more colors on the cover- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
(also PS#18)
6. A book where books are important- The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott (also PS#46)
7. A book with ONE of the five "W" question words in the title- Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls- 1001KIds- 272p.- pub. 191...setting Ozarks and OK
OR....Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers- series#1- 212p.- pub. 1923
8. An author's debut book
9. A book nominated for an award beginning with W- A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale-352p.-pub. 3/26/15-set in Canada-LGBT
10. A book related to one of the Spice Girls' "personalities" (Scary, Ginger, Posh, Sporty, and Baby.)- The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra by Vaseem Khan-297p.-pub. 8/13/15
11. A book about a person/character with a disability
12. A book connected to birds, bees, or bunnies- Watership Down by Richard Adams-series#1- 1000 Kids List-(Also PS#24)
13. A book that has an object that is repeated on the cover- The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins-672p.-1001 list-pub. 11/2/1859
14. A book with a con, deception, or fake- Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson- (also PS#30))
15. Three books, each of which is set in a different century: Book 1- 1800s- The Fortune of the Rougons by Émile Zola-347p.; pub. 1871; series #1- set in France
16. Three books, each of which is set in a different century: Book 2- 100s- The Red Sphinx: A Sequel to The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas-832p.- pub. 18- series#1.5
17. Three books, each of which is set in a different century: Book 3-1200's
-Albigenses by Charles Maturin - 1686p.-pub. 1824- PS#49)
18. A book related to science- Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco (Also PS#34)
19. A book related to the arts- maybe Still Life by Louise Penny-(victim is an artist)-(also PS#47)
20. A book with a cover or title that includes a route of travel
21. A book by an Asian diaspora author
22. A book with a faceless person on the cover- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (PS#15)

23. A book with a body of water in the title- The Thlewiaza-Seal Rivers: Challenge of the Ice by Fred Nelson-"11p.-NF--pub. 2021-travel-Canada
24. A character that might be called a Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, or Spy
25. A book with a tropical setting- Blacktrekking: My Journey Living in Latin America by Stephanie Claytor-158p.- pub. 7/9/19-ch.#969
26. A book related to pride- The Weight of It All by N.R. Walker- Kindle Unlimited (also PS#10).
27. A book by an author from continental Europe-Italy- 1934: A Novel by Alberto Moravia- WC- 297p.- pub. 1/1982
28. A book that is dark- Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler-1001list; 292p.; pub. 1/1/1940-series#2
29. A book that is light- Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen-series#1; 324p.-pub. 2007
30. A book related to a chess piece- same as PS#21- The Sicilian- The Sicilian Defense is a defense to a chess opening using pawns.
31. A book found by inputting a favorite author on https://www.literature-map.com

32. A book set in a UNESCO City of Literature- Melbourne-Murder in Montparnasse by Kerry Greenwood-257p.-pub, /1/2002-SERIES#12-
OR
Edinburgh- Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin- seies#1- 228p.- pub. 1987

33. A book by an author with a first name popular in 1923 (John, Mary, Frank, Dorothy, Virginia, Richard)- U.S.A.: The 42nd Parallel / 1919 / The Big Money by John Dos Passos-series#3- 464p.-pub. 1936-1001list
OR- The Floating Opera by John Barth- 240p.- pub. 1956- 1001list-Ch.#964
OR- Chocky by John Wyndham- 1001 list AND 1001Kids list- 154p.-pub. 1968-UK-SciFi
OR JOHN STEINBECK- OR- DOROTHY GILMAN-OR CHARLES DICKENS-OR GEORGES SIMENON
34. A novella- And Joey Makes Three by Morgan Starr-(ONLY 84p)(also PS#35)
35. A book with a school subject in the title- The Geographer's Library by Jon Fasman-384p.-pub. 2/3/2005

36. A book that has been translated from another language- My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante-series#1-331p.- pub.2011
37. A book with the theme of returning home- Slippery Creatures by K.J. Charles-on Kindle-series#1- (also PS#44)
38. A book with the sun, moon, or stars on the cover
39. A western- The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman-306p.- series#1- pub. 1970
OR
Holes by Louis Sachar-233p.- 1001 kids list- pub. 8/20/1998

40. A book with a full name in the title- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling-912p.-pub./21/2003-OR- Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe-n339p.- pub. 1722
41. A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists
42. A book related to a ghost, spirit, phantom, or specter
43. A book that involves a murder- Murder At Mardi Gras by Doug Lamplugh- set in MOBILE- 302p.- pub. 2/1/22-on KINDLE
44. A book where the cover design includes text that is not completely horizontal- Map Addict: A Tale of Obsession, Fudge & the Ordnance Survey by Mike Parker-33p.-pub. 9/1/09-NF- Ch.#964

45. A book whose author has published more than 7 books- maybe-Find Me by André Aciman-series #2- set in Italy and France- 20p.-pub. 10/29/19
46. A title that contains a word often found in a recipe- Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons-304p.; pub. 1940- OR
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie- by Alan Bradley-386p; pub. 4/28/2009; series#1- setting England
47. A book related to a geometric shape
48. A book with an unusually large version of an animal in the story

49. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2022 or 2023- Heartstopper: Volume One by Alice Oseman-graphic-LGBT-288p.-pub. Oct.2018-series#1-OR- The Rings of Saturn by W.G. Sebald-1001list-travel- set in England- 296p.-pub. 1995-OR- Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry-1001list-434p.-pub. 2002- set in India-OR Broken by Jenny Larson-OR- Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala-series#1-336p.-pub. 5/4/2021-setting=Illinois
50. A second book that fits your favorite prompt
51. A book published in 2023
52. A book with an unusual or surprising title

My PopSugar Challenge planning and progress.
see- https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

1 A book you meant to read in 2022- Broken by Jenny Lawson (ATY#2) OR- Leaves of Grass
2 A book you bought from an independent bookstore
3 A book about a vacation- The Donkey Inside by Ludwig Bemelmans-Ecuador
4 A book by a first-time author
5 A book with mythical creatures
6 A book about a forbidden romance
7 A book with "Girl" in the title
8 A celebrity memoir
9 A book with a color in the title
10 A romance with a fat lead- The Weight of It All by N.R. Walker- Kindle Unlimited (also ATY#26)
11 A book about or set in Hollywood
12 A book published in spring 2023
13 A book published the year you were born
14 A modern retelling of a classic
15 A book with a song lyric as its title- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (ATY#22)
16 A book where the main character's name is in the title- Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis
17 A book with a love triangle-perhaps Territorial Rights by Muriel Spark
18 A book that's been banned or challenged in any state in 2022- probably Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
19 A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past challenge
20 A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2023
21 A book set in the decade you were born- The Sicilian by Mario Puzo(Godfather #2)-(Same as ATY#30)
22 A book with a queer lead- maybe If This World Were Mine by E. Lynn Harris???? (also ATY#4)
23 A book with a map
24 A book with a rabbit on the cover- Watership Down by Richard Adams-series#1- 1000 Kids List (also ATY#12)
25 A book with just text on the cover
26 The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list
27 A #BookTok recommendation
28 A book you bought secondhand-Leaves of Grass
29 A book your friend recommended
30 A book that's on a celebrity book-club list- Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson (from Jenna Bush's shelves)- (also ATY#14)
31 A book about a family
32 A book that comes out in the second half of 2023
33 A book about an athlete/sport
34 A historical-fiction book- Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco (Also ATY#18)
35 A book about divorce-And Joey Makes Three by Morgan Starr-(ONLY 84p)(also ATY#34)
36 A book you think your best friend would like
37 A book you should have read in high school
38 A book you read more than 10 years ago
39 A book you wish you could read for the first time again
40 A book by an author with the same initials as you-maybe Manolito Four-Eyes: The 1st Volume of the Great Encyclopedia of My Life by Elvira Lindo-1000 Kids list- OR- Djibouti by Elmore Leonard
41 A book written during NaNoWriMo
42 A book based on a popular movie
43 A book that takes place entirely in one day
44 A book that was self-published- Slippery Creatures by K.J. Charles-on Kindle-series#1- (also ATY#37)
45 A book that started out as fan fiction-perhaps Edmond Dantes: The Sequel to The Count of Monte Cristo by Edmund Flagg OR-A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas
46 A book with a pet character- The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott (also ATY#6)
47 A book about a holiday that's not Christmas- maybe Still Life by Louise Penny-(Thanksgiving)-(may work for ATY#19)
48 A book that features two languages-probably Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
49 The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list- Albigenses by Charles Maturin-1686p.-pub. 1824
50 A book with alliteration in the title-maybe Aiding and Abetting by Muriel Spark

I already had to edit my goal of reducing my TBR below 250 because somebody told me that if you are an Audible member, you can find hundreds of free audiobooks... I didn't want hundreds, but I did want more than 50, which made my goal look unattainable ;-)

So now I have split my TBR into physical, ebooks, and audio, because it's really only the physical books that I want to reduce. So that number is 240 and my goal is to bring it below 220 in 2023.

For any season of RwS when I can read at least 5 books, try to include:

1 19th Century classic
1 Shakespeare
1 500+ pages
1 Non-fiction

Ideas for goals that I posted last November ~
I'd like to:
~ read more owned books I haven't kept track, but I have made an effort to read more of my own books, mostly so far they have been audiobooks
~ finish old games (currently 12 in progress...not sure how many will be old by New Year) I only have one old game from last year unfinished
~ read at least 6 books over 500 pages read 2 books so far - one hardcover, one audio
~ take a reading break occasionally

I'm happy with my progress to reduce my inventory of onhand/unread books. At this point, I have 25 fewer onhand than on January 1. I did mess up in October by purchasing the same number as read in September. But October reads were a blow out. I'll try not to match that with November purchases!

I managed to finish the Mystery Challenge.

I didn't have a specific goal for 19th Century reading. I have read 3 and I have a potential 2 more before year end.

For WWI reading, I got more read than was my goal. That's the good news, as I doubt there will be another this year.

I got only 1 book for the non-mystery series I've started. There is the potential for 1 or 2 more by years end, but that might be optimistic.

With the Mysteries Challenge behind me, I've started thinking about what personal challenges I might set for myself for next year. I think I won't do another big challenge like that one for awhile. I'll probably concentrate on cutting the onhand/unread even further.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I managed to finish the Mystery Challenge."

Oh wow, congratulations!

Congrats on finishing such a large challenge, Elizabeth!

My progress on challenges is better than I expected!

I've done well with the 1001 list, bringing my total up to 748 now, and it should be over 750 by the end of the year. (Goal was 730)

On the mysteries challenge, I was aiming for 80 years completed, and I'm at 78. So if I plan a couple for December, I'll be there.

I also wanted to reduce my on-hand TBR below 220. It's currently at 203 :)

Ideas for goals that I posted last November ~
I'd like to:
~ read more owned books [I haven't kept track, but I have made an effort to read more of my own books (audiobooks and owned books)]
~ finish old games DONE
~ read at least 6 books over 500 pages DONE
~ take a reading break occasionally DONE

Oh, very good on all fronts, Rosemary!

Well done, Bea. Especially on the Old Games. That's one you've had on your list for several years.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Oh, very good on all fronts, Rosemary!

Well done, Bea. Especially on the Old Games. That's one you've had on your list for several years."

Yes, but the games are usually not the same ones each time!

I have so far completed 198 books, with a target of 160.

Over 100 have been written by women, so I am over the 50% target set.

My non-fiction count is at 20, so on target for 10%.

I still need to read another 9 books for the 1001 list to be on target, but there is 6-7 weeks, I can make it ... maybe!

I have read from 25 out of 40 countries, so this is well behind. I have been very distracted by the fantastic books coming out of Japan, China and South Korea, my RL book club reads a lot of local published books, and I just don't seem to be reading as many of the European books this time around.

Restraining book buying:

This is the first year in I can't remember when that my on hand/unread book count has actually been fewer at end of year than at beginning of year.

Started the year at 582
Ended the year at 552

I don't have a specific goal for next year, but I honestly hope I do even better.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Restraining book buying:

This is the first year in I can't remember when that my on hand/unread book count has actually been fewer at end of year than at beginning of year.

Started the year at 58..."

That's excellent, Elizabeth! You've given me hope..... although that would mean I need to get an accurate count on my on hand books. Yikes!

Valerie wrote: "although that would mean I need to get an accurate count on my on hand books. Yikes!"

I have separate shelves for books I have and books I lust after. So GR keeps track for me. 😉

I just did my final update on 2023 goals, above. As these things go, I did well with some and not so well with others. I am most pleased with the NF goal and def. will continue with that.