Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Now that we are in the final weeks of 2023, is there anything you noticed about your reading that surprised you or that you are pleased with? Have you made a resolution for next year?

About this time last year I realized that I had not read many books by British authors. This year was about expanding my list of authors read. I feel like that was a success. I read 20 different books or short stories by British authors.

Total authors: I read books or short stories by 24 new authors; 5 were British.

What fell flat?
I started out with a theme of reading more Gothic texts. I lost interest in that pretty quickly.

Overall, it was a fun year. Next year? I want to read more of the unread books from our Group Bookshelf and read more "free" books. That means online pdfs, libraries, or books I own. Haha. That resolution seems to get broken each year.

I abandoned my bingo challenge after four-five months. I like the classical literature for its predictability: at the end, these works' quality has been tested by thousands of readers. They give joy of exploring new possibilities of language and stretching my acceptance of different worldviews. But my mind craves knowledge more than linguistical delicacies. Although fiction and nonfiction went 50/50 this year, mainly thanks to Stephen King's books, I won't take another classical bingo the next year. At this point, I can take Stephen King's challenge if something like that exists. I read 18 of his books and purchased another 5 that are still unread.

Darya Silman wrote: "I abandoned my bingo challenge after four-five months. I like the classical literature for its predictability: at the end, these works' quality has been tested by thousands of readers. They give jo..."

Wow, 18 Stephen King books! Look at the Challenge Buffet. There is a Challenge to read books in a series. That might fit what you are looking for.

My reading year has been crazy good. I think I've read about twice as many books as in my next best year. I attribute that largely to joining this group in January. It's really helped me to find new classics to try, and the challenges and encouragement from group members are really motivating -- thanks everyone!

My takeaway is something I've experienced for the past two years. I've read more books than I feel comfortable reading. I feel like I'm rushing through them to get to the next one because I have so many books I want to read, but I'm not enjoying my reading experience as much as I used to. For the past two years, I have read around 30% more books than I used to average and it's simply too much. I want to read more slowly and plan less so I'm enjoying what I am currently reading rather than looking ahead to the next one so much.

I am feeling kind of the same as Laurie. I think I'm rushing through too many of my books, and also reading too many books that I think I must read instead of books that I want to read. I know I feel like this often at the end of the reading year, trying to finish up.

However, I did find, with all my reading this year, that this group has lead me to more women authors, and I am really enjoying them! So, I plan to read more authors like Dorothy Whipple, Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Pym, Katherine Mansfield, Muriel Spark, D.E. Stevenson, just to name a few, and I added more of these authors into my challenges. So I already feeling calmer and ready to get started.

So, here's to a new year of reading -- BUT reading that we want to do, not rushing through, but finding the literal "joy of reading" again!

My to-read is growing. I simply read less than I add. On top of that I tend to pick up non-fiction books for subjects that suddenly interests me. Books that completely skip the line. For example I started winter swimming this winter, and read two books about it. I also saw a review of newly published Storm på vej about USA and the ongoing cold civil war and saw it was free on Danish Ereolen. Another book that skipped the line.

I really need more discipline on what I pick up. I need to be better at not reading ‘random’ books because I found it free or low price some place. The problem is that Storm på vej was really good and relevant.

Or maybe I need to be better at not finishing books I don't really like (the 2 and even 3 stars).

Wow, Laurie and Terris have already put my feelings very well. Over the years, I began reading more of what I thought I "should" read and less of what I just want to read. This year is going to be a reading for pleasure year for me. I have stacks of books I have purchased because I wanted to read them, but other books keep slipping in ahead of them. This is their year.

Also, I have begun re-reading. There are books that I adored that were read so many years ago that I have only a fuzzy retention of them. I loved revisiting a few of them last year--I planned on twelve and managed seven. One a month is not too much, this year I hope to make at least the twelve. (I was very happy that this category was added to the challenge list--thank you, Bob).

I have found that over the years I have refined my reading tastes and that I seldom pick up a book that is a 2 or 3-star read. That is good. I listen less to "hype" and more to my gut and my trusted GR friends who seem to enjoy the same literature that I do. All-in-all, I am a happy reader.

About the pace of reading.... I have found that my personal comfort level is to read about 2 novels per month, plus a couple of short stories. That seems to be the perfect amount for me. If I am reading short stories, I only read one a day. I need to sleep on it before starting another; same with novels. I need to space the stories out a bit or I can't remember any of them.

I guess this rushed feeling is why I am happy to read just 50% of the group books. It is also why I wanted to give the Revisit the Shelf book two months in February and March.

Well, I mistakenly assumed that I’d be the only one to say this, but I have also come to see that I read too many books this year. My original goal was 45, if I remember correctly, and I’ve already hit 70. Will probably reach 75 by year’s end. Between the books of the month and buddy reads in the half-dozen book groups I’m in, and the several challenges I assigned myself, I’ve just read a lot of books.

Fortunately, I haven’t had the experience others mention—feeling like I’m reading too fast or not getting enough out of it. I’ve enjoyed, and gotten a lot from, almost all the reading I’ve done this year. For me it’s more about what I’ve chosen not to engage with, because I’ve prioritized books. Other than graphic novels, my “reading” is almost always in the form of listening to audiobooks. So choosing more books has meant choosing fewer podcasts or audio series, and even probably less music. I want to increase the proportion of those things that I listen to next year.

So, yeah: In 2024, I intend to read fewer books. I haven’t settled on a number yet, but I think 60 seems about right.

spoko wrote: "Well, I mistakenly assumed that I’d be the only one to say this, but I have also come to see that I read too many books this year. My original goal was 45, if I remember correctly, and I’ve already..."

My number this year is going to be 78 texts read, 41 of those are children's books for my work or short stories I wanted to read.. The rest are novellas, plays, or novels. I agree that the total number means less than the selections. This coming year I want to read some longer novels I haven't had time to read. That will certainly decrease the number read, but so what?

I set a rather high goal, but that is because the GR challenge will not distinguish between full-length novels and short stories. When I take out the short stories at the end of the year, I think I land somewhere between 75 and 85 books. I agree that the number is unimportant, the quality of the selections is everything. I do get to the end of the year sometimes and look at a book I read and think, "I have no idea what that was about."

I'm both pleased and surprised by how much nonfiction I've read this year. My nonfiction reading has more than doubled since 2022 and almost all of it has been in the second half of the year. Most of it has been fantastic, too. One of my biggest reading goals for 2024 is to continue exploring nonfiction.

My primary goal, though, is to get to more of the books that I keep telling myself to read over and over. I have a bad (and annoying) habit of putting off sequels, planned TBR reads, and highly anticipated books for no good reason.

One thing that really bothers me using the app on my phone is that sometimes when I write a long post, I lose it and have to start over. So i am going to break this posting up and do two or three.

2023 was a good year for my reading because at some point I just decided to read by whim. The consequences of that is that I didn’t read many of this group’s monthly choices. I read more from the group On the Southern Literary Trail. I did participate in some Buddy Reads and I will do so again in 2024. Although I started a Bingo card, I mostly ignored it. We shall see how I did when I take stock of it.

Some of my reading was governed this year by two factors. One is that I have a book club that meets about monthly, so 10-12 of the books I read are group picks where I have a voice but there are four, soon to be five, other voices. These are usually good but not great books.

The other one is that I have a commute every day to and from work, so I would say that 1-2 books per month are audiobooks, so although I want to read from my bookshelf in 2024, I have to be honest and say that many will not be taken from there. However, one of the best books I read in 2023 was Tom Lake, narrated by Meryl Streep. It was fabulous. I recommend it.

I read about 60 books per year, give or take a few this way or that. This year, I have already met that target. Sometimes I have felt rushed, so in 2024 I will try to lessen my commitments. I do want to do some Buddy Reads.

As for Bingo, I may set up a card, but I will read what I want, hopefully from my shelf, and see where I end up.

One thing different for me in 2023 was that I read several non fiction books. I want to repeat that in 2024. I already have on my bookshelf a copy of Wendell Berry’s book The Unsettling of America which I want to read. I would also like to read some of Joan Didion’s essays.

Otherwise, unlike 2023, I will try to read books on my shelf. Some of these may be books that this group has already read, so that will be my own version of Revisit the Shelf. I am not going to commit myself to as many enticements (“she said”). We’ll see how that works out, too!

I am looking forward to it. I just have to get through 2023 first!

I'm in the camp of feeling too rushed with my reading in 2024. I'll end up with about 130 books read which may explain it.

Since we moved to Chester in the UK in 2022, I have access to a wonderful library 200 metres from our house. And I currently spend an hour each week in the main library in the city waiting for my daughter. So I have access to loads of books, at any time I have somewhere between 4 and 10 library books around. The location also means that I have discovered Welsh literature - I have to admit in 2023 that mainly meant crime writing, but it is definitely influencing my reading choices.

I read quite a bit of non-fiction in 2023, a lot related to my work which means nature and climate writing. My favourite of 2023 was Fledgling which I highly recommend. I can see this continue in 2024. We've also started a book club at the office, so that will be 8 - 10 books in 2024 of various genres and ages.

My other reading influence in 2023 was the fact that I am able to attend literary festivals near me. Which meant I got to listen to Elif Shafak and Michael Lewis
in Manchester and Natalie Haynes in Chester. I went to a food and farming festival in the Cotswolds and crime fiction in Aberystwyth and Newcastle. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities to discover new authors and listen to them talk about the craft. And it has added tons of books to my TBR.

In 2024 I want to read less to a plan and more to a whim if I can. But there are so many tempting buddy reads and group reads and recommendations that will change that plan!

I feel I've neglected my reading this year - there have been too many days when I didn't get to read due to time issues, tiredness or simply disinterested in the book so I avoided it.

2024 is going to be a reset year for my reading. My number one rule is pure enjoyment! That's it!

Terry wrote: “I already have on my bookshelf a copy of Wendell Berry’s book The Unsettling of America which I want to read.”

If you’d like some incentive to get to that one, I’m also interested in it and would be happy to do a BR at some point.

It’s inspiring to read everyone’s thoughts! My surprise was short stories. I’ve always had trouble with them, mostly because I read in short intervals, and can't always read them in one sitting. But I read a whole bunch this year and really enjoyed them.

I have wanted to be less influenced by group and buddy reads, to fit in more impulse reads, but I haven’t been able to make that happen. I mean, there are seven group/buddy reads I want to join just in January! I’m not sure how to control myself, or if I even want to. I have learned to abandon books quickly if it doesn’t seem the right time, which helps.

I think the only resolution I’ll have this year is to get to as many of my backlog of writing books as possible. Life is pretty busy, and I’m finding books a huge comfort and stress-reliever right now, so I think I’ll just continue to wallow in them, and leave any lofty goals for another year!

It was only my second year on GR and I learned an important lesson: how to resist and ignore the constant push at *quantity* of reading. What with challenges and bingos and group reads and buddy reads and what not, there's a constant tug to measure your reading by the number of books.

It is absurd, and it is exactly the opposite of what reading means for me. How have we come to this horrible dead end where we count the pages we have read instead of reliving the one experience, the one line, the one metaphor that have enriched our lives?

So I've learned to resist; and to use GR for my own needs without succumbing to the gentle social pressure - and I'm just fine with it.

My reading this year has been pretty good. I've read less overall, largely because of getting sucked into youtube in the evening. I'm going to address that in 2024. My reading comfort zone is between 60 and 90 books a year, so the sweet spot is 75-ish books.

Another reason I think I finished fewer books overall, is that I tried to expand my genre reading. I read a lot of mysteries and historical fiction, but very little in other genres. Sometimes this worked for me (Georgette Heyer's Regency romances, Shirley Jackson) and sometimes it didn't (Contemporary romance, cozy fantasy and fantasy in general, witchy books, any contemporary paranormal content). I started and DNF'd a lot of books, which affected my "completed" numbers.

I've limited my challenge participation and for most challenges, if I've listed books to fulfill them, those are just suggestions and I might swap them out if something more appealing fits. I am going to try to read more from my own owned books in 2024 and limit the number of new things I try. I generally have very specific tastes and I mostly know what I like. I love British Lit (esp from 1900 to about 1950) and that will continue to comprise the bulk of my reading. I need to remember that it's okay not to like what's popular at the moment and stick to what I like.

Terris wrote: "I am feeling kind of the same as Laurie. I think I'm rushing through too many of my books, and also reading too many books that I think I must read instead of books that I want to read. I know I fe..."

All this and more.

I actually burned out on challenges this year and took off the last few months of GR. It was so nice! But I did miss GR, good to be back :)

This is the one group I want to keep up with in 2024, but probably just my personal challenge I have set up before and almost forgot about. Maybe my local library challenge as well. Just need to slow down and read the roses.

Regina wrote: "...getting sucked into youtube in the evening. ..."

Oh my goodness I couldn't agree more. YouTube is a bottomless pit. I start to watch one video and I look up and three hours have gone by and I'm watching Leonard Nimoy sing the Hobbit Song...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7o4Z...

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "Regina wrote: "...getting sucked into youtube in the evening. ..."

Oh my goodness I couldn't agree more. YouTube is a bottomless pit. I start to watch one video and I look up and three hours have ..."

LOL in our house if you accidentally fall asleep in front of youtube, somehow you will always wake up to a video about UFOs!!

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: " I start to watch one video and I look up and three hours have gone by and I'm watching Leonard Nimoy sing the Hobbit Song..."

That is hilarious, RJ. Who knew Leonard could sing? I confess I do not fall asleep over youtube, but I have often started a movie, watched a few minutes and then awoken to credits running.

I didn't keep up with any challenges this year - read mostly "book candy" I felt like.

I missed reading poetry and nonfiction - I want to add more of those next year. Still debating on whether or not to set up challenges - I love the process of setting up a challenge and pondering on what books I might want to read - but then, actually keeping track of what happens to the challenge later is not so engaging for me. BUT I really love reading others' challenges and what books they discovered to be new favorites.

Katy, thanks for that! I’m glad to hear I was not alone in paying no attention to challenges.

And thanks, RJ. That comment about the Hobbit song had me laughing out loud!

Terry, I'm glad to find out I am not alone. I was embarrassed to admit my lack of challenge participation this year. But hey, I did read books.

This year was an ok year for me in terms of reading. I enjoyed 2021 and 2022 more. Maybe, it was the pandemic and lack of social interactions that let me sink into a book or it was discovering this group and classic books (I think it was the latter).

Since November I haven't felt excited about a book and that's a new feeling. What did help was looking through what classics everyone else was enjoying and I did pick up one or two gems. So for 2024, I'm going to read according to my mood and use the listed challenge books only when I feel at a loss for what to read next.

I did DNF a lot of books this year something I never did before but I'm glad I could do that and move on to something else that interested me. I read a lot of short stories. I also read more non-fiction than ever before thanks to Audible. I missed out on reading old threads from the group this year which I believe added to my enjoyment of a book in previous years. Something I discovered this year was how much I enjoyed reading plays (thanks to this group I discovered Greek plays too) so I will look out for more of them in the future. I also plan to introduce some contemporary fiction into my reading next year.

I love hearing everyone's thoughts about their reading process and ventures into the next year. It's actually motivating to hear. I do not in general like "challenges" at all where I "have" to read certain books or genres because it checks off a box. I hate the idea of "having" to read something to fill a requirement. I just basically always try to read at least 30 books a year, and so I set that goal (which is quite reachable). I set the bar low purposely so I can just relax and enjoy reading, which we all love to do. I have completely stopped adding anything to the "to read" pile because I already have so many books to read and want to get to them. What I normally try to do over the course of the year is read books from ones I've purchased in the past or books I personally want to read, but also jump into monthly reads on here or other groups as well. So, I'm generally reading two or three books at a time, which is totally fine with me. Anyhow, it's nice to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

I stopped reviewing or rating books. After this decision, I noticed I was reading more nonfiction, with most of them chunky books. This has been my most fulfilling year as a reader.

I have reserved March for rereading Little Women. And January and February, for rereading Truman by McCullough. I intend to read one Wheel of Time book per month.

Now that the horizon does not promise many outstanding nonfiction books, not with the net that I cast, I have drifted towards Fantasy.

I intend to set 80 books as my annual reading challenge and registering at most 2 books. It is a way of unlearning my tendency to valorise stats in my reading journey. One of the 2 books that I will count is the yet unreleased Fantasy book by Sanderson that will be out in December 2024.

Apart from Little Women, I want to read some Russian classics in French. I feel that it will help me improve my skills as a learner of language. I am also toying with the idea of reading Dracula in French for the first time ever.

This year yielded 2 nonfiction books that have become my top 2 books of all time. Let's see if I can topple this ranking with the best that the feelers of Goodreads/BookTube have to offer.

I want to draw attention to a post from the moderators. I think it is a good change.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

13 of the 42 books I read this year I learned of from the groups I pay attention to on this website. I really just have weekends to read so I read a lot of novellas. Every month I scan what books are soon to be discussed looking for something under 200 pages, and usually there is at least one that interests me; or that I've never heard of (which makes it interesting to me). Hallucinating Foucault is a case in point, and one of only two books that I gave five stars this year. The other five-star novel was Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl, which I heard about elsewhere. I'm looking forward to the surprises I will find here in 2024.

Since joining Goodreads, challenges have helped me
To explore new worlds,
To seek out new authors and new genres,
To boldly go in the library stacks where I had not gone before.

These are the things I like about the challenges but at times I feel like I'm reading just to complete a challenge.

This year's mission is to spend more time in my own bookshelves and less time on my communicator.

Marilyn wrote: "Since joining Goodreads, challenges have helped me
To explore new worlds,
To seek out new authors and new genres,
To boldly go in the library stacks where I had not gone before.

These are the thin..."

So funny, Marilyn! I'm sure you'll enjoy your books, and I wish you the best in your goal of spending less time on your communicator. :-)

Marilyn wrote: "This year's mission is to spend more time in my own bookshelves and less time on my communicator..."

Communicator! Hah! I'm tempted to adopt that label wholesale and stop calling that thing in my pocket a phone. I hardly ever use it as phone anyway.