My Five Reading Resolutions for Twenty Seventeen

Anne Bogel, host of the What Should I Read Next? podcast, curator of my online book club, and my reading guru, always asks the guests on her podcast one question: 

What do you want to be different in your reading life?

That question is my starting point for my 2017 reading goals, because these goals aren't going to be to read specific titles, or even certain genres, but to find ways to improve my reading life in general. In 2016 I read eight books less than the year before. Eight! Now, 55 books is still quite a lot. I get that. But for me, that is a significant slump in my reading life. I never push myself to read a certain number of books (quality over quantity, remember?) but I felt a profound shift in my attitude towards reading this year and I want to be intentional in my effort to turn that around in 2017.

What Went Well?

Audiobooks. 

I finally finally got on board and fell in love with the convenience of audiobooks. The only problem is that I am super picky about the narrator so I have trouble finding ones that I can stick with, especially for adult books. If you're a audiobook lover and have recommendations, please send them my way!

My new book club. 

I'm not a super serious reader, but my book club reads books that are a little more high-brow, which helps me to push myself into a new range of reading. I'm really looking forward to the books that we'll be reading in 2017. This was my favorite read from book club so far. 

What Got in the Way?

A lot of books went unfinished. 

I'm talking a lot. I've never really been the type of person to abandon a book, but this year I put down quite a few of them and never picked them back up. All that time spent reading 100 or so pages only to abandon a book really impacted the amount of books that I was able to finish, and left me with kind of a meh attitude because I felt I was no longer able to easily spot books that I knew I would love.

Technology. 

Love/hate relationship over here. I love being able to connect with others on various platforms, but I am also very cognizant of the fact that time spent on my phone and computer is time that I'm not spending reading. I'm sure many readers can relate.

Out-of-Sight-Books.

I'm both proud and a little ashamed to admit that I could sustain at least a year of my reading life on only the books that I have purchased but not yet read. The problem is that I have very few books out on display right now. To put them all out would require several bookshelves and space that I don't have, so there isn't an easy fix to this one. But I have to say, when I'm wandering the house looking for inspiration for what to read next, having all my books packed away is not helping me to feel inspired.

How Can I Improve My Reading Life?

My Five Reading Resolutions for 2017

Resolution #1: More children's literature.

Before 2016, I was a voracious reader of children's literature. I didn't read much of it outside of work in 2016, and I'd like that to change for this year. I want to read more children's literature for my own entertainment, not necessarily for the benefit of my lesson planning. So, this year I'm hoping to read at least one children's novel a month. Thankfully, I have a friend in the bookseller/publishing industry who is a adamant lover of children's lit and is a great source for finding the best of the best. Recommendations coming from her on the blog soon!

Resolution #2: More time reading, less time on the phone.

I have very few hours of free time during the week, and despite heading to bed with a book in hand each night, I sometimes fall asleep after reading just a few pages. In 2017, I want more dedicated, distraction-free reading time.

Resolution #3: More audiobooks.

I'm really not a music lover, so when I go to the gym, cook dinner, drive, and fold laundry I prefer to listen to podcasts or audiobooks. This year, I listened to Stuart Little, Anne of Green Gables, The Willoughbys, Charlotte's Web, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Tale of Despereaux. I find that children's literature is easier for me to finish on audio because they're usually much shorter. I'd like to find more audibooks to listen to and love in the new year. Recommendations, please!

Resolution #4: More books that I love.

I picked up and put down so many books last year. I also felt lost in picking genres. In years past, I always had a go-to, whether it was historical fiction, fantasy, or mystery. This year I tried to dabble too much in genres that I don't love, and I think that contributed to my slump. So in 2017 I want to read more of what I love, even if that means I don't cross the genre boundaries very often.

Resolution #5: More book club talk.

Speaking of not crossing the genre boundaries, I think I get plenty of that just from following along with my book club picks, so have no fear, I will be reading more than just mystery books this year. 

I love my book club. As Anne Shirley once said, "Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world." I genuinely enjoy the discussions that I have with my fellow bookworms, and I'd love for 2017 to be the year that I get to join a real, in-person book club as well.

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I'd love to hear about some of your reading resolutions for 2017! Leave a comment with one way that you want to improve your reading life below.

Classics Challenge Update

As I mentioned last week, I managed to wrap up my classics challenge in October and I am one happy camper. I started my first book fort the challenge in June, and today I'm doing a little roundup and reflection of the four that made it onto my list.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen // By far my favorite of the challenge, which was completely unexpected for me. I can't even tell you how many times I have picked up this book and put it back down before even reaching the tenth page. Something was different this time around, and I was in it 'til the end. I never understood all the hype about Mr. Darcy before, but my goodness he is as dashing as they say, and Elizabeth Bennet is such a strong female character for her time period-- I loved her outspoken attitude. I can't be the only one wishing there was a sequel. More Austen novels are on my reading list for winter break, but I can't decide which one to read next. Any suggestions?

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald // Okay, I know last year I mentioned that this was one book that I wish I liked more, and this year I decided to bring it to school and give it another shot. I like reading short novels during the peak of the semester because they move along quickly and I spend less time making up excuses for why I need to read instead of do my homework. This time around, I paid less attention to the characters themselves and more to the language. My oh my, it's beautiful. Before, I let it all be clouded with my annoyance for Daisy's foolishness and Tom's bad choices, but this time I really got what Fitzgerald was trying to say. I can now see this being on my reading list every year. It just goes to show you that reading is largely about context, and if you're not in the right place at the right time, you might miss the best parts.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë // Now this was one that I wish I liked more. I had banked on Jane Eyre being my favorite of the bunch because I love reading books that are based on the plot, but I ended up really having to work my way through it. My favorite books are ones that feel effortless to read, and sadly this wasn't one of them. I learned my lesson from Mr. Fitzgerald though, and I'll put it on my list of try-again books.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett // This book has inspired me to put together a different kind of classics challenge next year, one with equal parts children's and adult's classics. I loved this story, and I also loved how different the language is from the children's books that we have today. I plan on reading at least one more children's classic this winter, and am brainstorming ideas for next year's list. Any favorites that I should add?

Overall, I realized that though there are always dozens of new books that I stumble upon and want to read each month, classics such as these are ones worth spending time on. I've never been a classics junkie before, but I fully intend to approach this genre with a more open mind in the future, and plan on adding many more favorites to my repertoire. 

P.S. Remember this book that I fell in love with back in September? The second book in the trilogy is out today, so if you loved it too I suggest ordering it now (and it's also available in paperback, so it won't break the bank)! I preordered the Kindle version after reading the first and I am super excited to read it this weekend. 

Recommended by The Little Prince Project

I wish I could claim that I'm a history buff. The truth is, history is a tough genre for me because often I find my attention wandering while reading. As a part of my Reading Resolutions for 2014, I challenged myself to find a history book that could peak and keep my interest. I haven't delved into any so far, mostly because the two I had picked out are best described as tomes (a.k.a. large, heavy, scholarly books that are not suited for carrying around campus) and I've felt intimidated just looking at them. However, part of being a good reader is knowing when to branch out, and thankfully I've got a bestie who is smitten with American history and inspires me daily to put a little more effort in being an informed citizen, not just with current events but with our country's history as well. Enter my Reading Resolution solution:

The Intimate Lives of the Founding Fathers by Thomas Fleming

You can read all about this book on Allie's blog, The Little Prince Project, and see for yourself why I went straight to my favorite online bookseller and promptly added it to my ever-expanding shopping cart. It's about time that I got a little more educated about our history, and I can't wait for midterms to be over so I can dive headfirst into a stack of new reads. In the meantime, if you're a lover of history and have any good recommendations for books related to American history, Allie and I would love to hear them!

3 Truths About Classic Literature

I felt that it was about time for some transparency on the subject of classic literature. Mark Twain once said that classics are books we praise and don't read, and I'm as guilty as anyone for living up to that truth. I love literature- and being a reader is a huge part of my identity, but I'm not an English major and I'm not an expert. I just love to read, and I love the freedom to choose what I read. 

I do have a habit of sticking to just a few genres, but for my reading resolutions this year I've been branching out and challenging myself to find enjoyable books that are outside of my comfort zone. Part of that challenge was to read four classics. I expected it to be easy, after all, aren't all classics great? I've only finished two so far, but I can say that I'm finding this resolution of mine to be…difficult, to say the least. Here's what I've learned about the classics so far:

They're not all great. // Classic literature is a category made up of all genres, so not all of them are going to be appealing to every reader. I put The Time Machine on my list, even though I know that I'm not a science-fiction reader. And guess what? It didn't appeal to me. I appreciate that it was the beginning of a genre, but I lost interest.

Sometimes, they don't turn out as expected. // After my failure to delve into H.G.Wells, I picked up Jane Eyre, expecting it to quickly become my favorite classic ever. Wrong. I love the books that I've read that are based off of this story, but I didn't love the original. There wasn't enough going on and I really only got wrapped up in a few key moments.

Children's classics count too. // Maybe I'm biased because of my obvious love for all things children's lit, but I would much rather dive into a children's classic than an adult classic. These stories are ones that practically raised older generations (the same way that Harry Potter has raised our generation) but they've lost a lot of their appeal because young readers see them as too challenging. I'd love to see a revival of children reading Peter Pan and Mary Poppins, both of which have now made it onto my to-read list.

The Classics

A few weeks ago, while brainstorming my Reading Resolutions, I decided that it was about time I tackled some classics. That's not to say that I haven't read any classics at all- I've read those that were assigned in high school (and yes, I actually read them) and some for my favorite literature class in college, titled "Great Books that Shaped the Western World." Some of the ones that I have vivid memories of reading include: A Tale of Two Cities, The Catcher in the Rye, The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, The Republic, Darwin, and Don Quixote. 

Out of all of the classics that I read between the eighth grade and now, my favorite has remained Maus (Volumes 1 and 2) by Art Spiegelman. Out of all of the beautiful stories that have been recorded and revered by the masses, my favorite is a graphic novel. But to be fair, it's so much more than that. It's an incredible depiction of one family's journey through the Holocaust; a heart-wrenching account that is artfully told through both pictures and words. Spiegelman is beyond talented, and although it's unusual for me to recommend (or even read) a graphic novel, if you haven't read this yet, do it now. 

So, as you can probably tell, classics aren't my area of expertise. Confession: I've actually never finished any of Jane Austen's novels. I know- I can imagine hearing your gasps and seeing your shocked expressions. For some, it's impossible to claim bookworm status without having read Pride and Prejudice. I'm actually pretty embarrassed that I've never finished one- but in the case of the ones I've started, I haven't been interested enough (or patient enough) to keep reading.

This year, I'm hoping to change my outlook on the classics. I generally hail them as a collection of books beyond what I could ever dream of writing and I am so in awe of the authors that created them, but it would be rare to see me with one in hand. That being said, I've picked some books that I will be seen with this year, and they constitute my list for my 2014 Classics Challenge.

#1

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

A lot of the books that I've been drawn to in the past few years have been based off of the Jane Eyre plot, including this one (which made it onto my Top Ten post for this year) and this one (which I'll be posting a review for soon). Apparently, Jane Eyre was the start of the archetypal governness characters that I find myself searching for in bookstores and libraries. I'm really looking forward reading it, as I already know that I like elements of it.

#2

The Time Machine & The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

H.G. Wells is considered to be the father of the science-fiction genre. I'm not actually that into science-fiction books in general (I'd rather stick with fantasy and historical-fiction), but these are regarded as "scientific romances," so I'm willing to give them a chance. I found the two stories combined into one book, and since they're both so short I figured I'd count them as just one book for my challenge. These both come highly recommended and I thought they'd add diversity to my challenge, but I'm also interested in seeing whether Wells can convince me to look more into the science-fiction genre in general.

#3

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

This is one that I've been meaning to read for years. I have a beautiful old copy of it that I've packed and brought with me every semester of college, but I've never gotten around to reading it. Since I'm putting more effort this year into reading children's literature, I figured that my classics challenge needed to include children's literature in some respect, and this was my pick.

#4

This is where I need some recommendations. I have a few ideas, such as picking another children's book...maybe A Little Princess? (Though I'm not sure that it would be fair, out of the many choices I have, to read two books by the same author.) One book that I've always heard great things about is Heart of Darkness. Another option would be to make this the year of great achievements and actually read a book by Jane Austen, but which one? Please help me choose! I'm taking any and all recommendations.

Do you have a favorite classic, or one that you've always wanted to read?

Reading Resolutions

I know we're already three weeks into January, but I've been taking my time in brainstorming my reading resolutions for the year. I have my personal resolutions of course, but I thought it would be fun to challenge myself in a few different ways when it comes to my to-read list.

Classics Challenge

Which entails finishing at least four classics this year...something that I've struggled with in the past. That's an average of one classic every three months, which doesn't sound too bad considering that I read an average of five books per month. I'm not going to say that they have to be classics that are new to me, because in all honesty when we read these books in school it's hard to turn off your analytical side long enough to enjoy the book as simply a great piece of literature. That being said, I'm compiling a list of possible picks and would love to hear some recommendations!

Biography & Memoir Challenge

For which I'm going to pick two biographies or memoirs of people {living or dead} that I admire. I already know that I Am Malala is going to be one of them. She's an incredible young woman, and I while I know that reading her story will be emotional, I am so looking forward to it. I read Destiny of the Republic in 2012 and loved it. I've never loved a piece of non-fiction so much {except maybe this one} and I'd consider re-reading it for this challenge but that kind of feels like cheating. I'm still brainstorming for my second choice, but I'm thinking Cleopatra might be an option...although I also have a biography of Dante on my shelf waiting to be read...decisions, decisions...

History Challenge

That is, American history challenge. Aside from the type of history featured in movies like National Treasure (don't even pretend that you didn't love it), American history isn't my favorite subject. I'm hoping to find a history book that piques my interest and keeps me interested. I currently am deciding between America Aflame and America's Women, but I'd be willing to hear recommendations for this  challenge too!