Join us in posting your Personal Reading Goals

[Jessica~CoinOperatedJoy]

My big goal for 2009 is to get out of debt and to finish writing a piece of music I have been working on since February. Here's hoping!

[Loretta]

Ooh. I like this idea. I'm relatively new to goodreads, and very new to this group (hello!), but one of the main reasons I joined goodreads was to get back to books - I find in the last few years I've just gotten out of the habit of reading. I read a lot at work (lawyer), and would get home and turn on the boob tube and that would be it, I'd be sucked into tv all night. The only time I read was travelling or on vacation - oh, and I would read my book club books.

But I'm realizing I need to change some things about my life, and one of those things is to turn the TV off and energize my brain. So my goal for the rest of this year is to read the books on my 'already owned to read' shelf. Off to set up a folder...(and figure out how to do that...)

[Carol]

My goal for the rest of the year is to read all the books on my shelves before I buy anymore new ones. As if that is going to happen. snicker snicker. I do have two bags that I recently bought from a book sale. Have to get through them and pass them around.

[Diane]

Akittykat wrote: "My goal for the rest of the year is to read all the books on my shelves before I buy anymore new ones. As if that is going to happen. snicker snicker. I do have two bags that I recently bought from..."

I can't help but chuckle Akittykat - my goal for 2009 was to read 24 books, and half had to be from those I already had at home. Yeah, right. purr purr.

[Unbridled]

My only reading goal this year is to finish all the books I started (except for the ones I hated, but I can't recall any of those this year). I have such limited reading time that I probably shouldn't read so many books at once, but I have so many interests that I like to read a variety. Anyone else get bored when reading one book at a time? I swear I don't have ADD.

[Nikki]

I decided my reading goal will start right now since the kids went back to school so I have a bit more time. My goal is to read about 25,000 pages from September to June. Do I think that will happen? Probably not, but I am going to give it a go.

Also, I do want to try to read the books my 9th grade daughter is reading this year in English. Right now we are reading Great Expectations. I've never read it before, so this should be fun.

[Lori, Super Mod]

Nikki, my son and I started that this past school year (reading his assigned books together) I started it late then so I missed quite a few, but look forward to doing it this year.... He is in 7th.

Thats an interesting goal... to challenge yourself by pages read. I wonder how many books that would break out to be? I suppose if it was an average 300 pager, it could end up being 83 books... Holy Moly!!

[Nikki]

Lori wrote: "Nikki, my son and I started that this past school year (reading his assigned books together) I started it late then so I missed quite a few, but look forward to doing it this year.... He is in 7th...."

I calculated how many books it would be and laughed at my goal as well. Maybe 10,000 pages will be more reasonable. Although, I do listen to a lot of books on cd, so I am going to count those as well.

[Ashley]

Right now I don't particularly have a huge goal, since it's closing into the end of the year. Right now my only goal is to finish all of my un-read books that I have sitting on my shelf. Next year I'm going to try and re-read most of my books, that way I can give more detailed reviews for them than I have been. It's hard to come up with a critique of a book that you haven't read since middle school!

[Catamorandi]

I would like to make a goal that goes from now until the end of next year. That way I can read the alphabet choices I am making here at a nice, slow, easy pace and won't be rushed. I will have the list for you in a couple of days I want to make all of the books to come from my bookshelf books that I have yet to visit.

[Catamorandi]

Here are my lists for the challenge:

Asterisks mean they are not on my shelves.

Authors

A - Aravind Adiga - The White Tiger
B - Annie Barrows & Mary Ann Shaffer - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
C - Tom Chiarell - Writing Dialogue
D - Paula Danziger - P.S. Longer Letter Later*
E - Tilden Edwards - Sabbath Time*
F - Helen Fielding - Brigit Jones's Diary
G - Phillipa Gregory - The White Queen
H - Charlaine Harris - Dead Until Dark
I - Lee Iacocca - Iacocca: An Autobiography*
J - Bill Jaaska - Gambit Classic, Vol. 1*
K - Stephen King - On Writing
L - Steig Larssen - The Girl Who Played with Fire
M - David McCullough - 1776
N - Audrey Niffenegger - The Time Traveller's Wife
O - Joyce Carol Oates - We Were the Mulvaneys
P - Jodi Picoult - Change of Heart
Q - Xiaolong Qui - Red Mandarin Dress*
R - Nora Roberts - Genuine Lies
S - Alice Sebold - The Lovely Bones
T - Anne Tyler - The Accidental Tourist
U - Peter A. Ubel - Free Market Madness*
V - Vendela Vida - let the northern lights erase your name
W - Rebecca Wells - The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
X - Malcolm X - Autobiography*
Y - Christopher Yost - X-Men Emperor Vulcan*
Z - Marcus Zusak - I Am the Messenger*

Books

A - Atonement - Ian McEwan
B - Become a Better You - Joel Osteen
C - Cat on a Scent - Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie Brown
D - The DaVinci Code - Dan Brown
E - Eats, Shoots & Leaves - Lynne Truss
F - Forced Conversion - Donald J. Bingle
G - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Steig Larssen
H - How to Write a Damn Good Novel - James N. Frey
I - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou
J - Julie & Julia - Julie Powell
K - The Kite Runner - Khaled Housseini
L - Life of Pi - Yann Martel
M - The Magic of Thinking Big - David J. Schwartz, Ph.D.
N - No One to Trust - Iris Johanssen
O - On Beauty - Zadie Smith
P - P Is for Peril - Sue Grafton*
Q - Q Is for Quarry - Sue Grafton*
R - Rituals of the Season - Margaret Maron
S - The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
T - To Kill a Mockinbird - Harper Lee
U - U.S. Constitution for Dummies*
V - The Vagabond - ?*
W - Wicked - Gregory Maguire
X - Xanadu - ?*
Y - Your Best Life Now - Joel Osteen
Z - Zachary Taylor: America's 12th President - ?*

[Delan]

My goal may not be as interesting as others, but im working on trying to read at least 2 books a month. It maybe hard with work and everyday life stuff but it is something to shoot for. I love this site because it helps me find books i may have been afraid to read before. But with every ones feed back and posts on good books i should hit my goal.

[Lisa]

You have all inspired me! I'm keeping an eye out for the Personal Reading Goals for 2010 thread. I'm excited to play along.

Lisa Lipkind Leibow
www.LLLeibow.com

[Liz]

With the new year about to start, should we just delete our currently existing threads and start new ones?

[Lori, Super Mod]

nope, you can leave them, and either edit the title to add to it, or start a new one!

[Joanie]

I do the 50 books a year group too and there is a section for retired lists, it keeps things neater. Just a thought.

*Edit* Just realized that to do this you'd have to create a Personal Reading Goals-Retired folder-might be more trouble than it's worth!

[Efe]

I am doing the 50 books in a year this year. I didn't find that group until September last year, but I still gave it a try. I managed about 20 books, so I am hoping that I can do 50 this year...that is if life doesn't get in the way.

[Carly]

Well, I'll do more than the 50, I guess - I do a lot on audio, so it's faster that way.

I have planned to do all of Somerset Maugham in 2k10 . . . but so many other books have come up since I made that decision.

I'd like to do all of John Irving. I've done a few - including Twisted River - but I'd have to do them over to refresh myself.

[Jason]

That's a good idea, to read all the books of a specific author in 2010. I think I might do that...

[Jason]

Yes. I decided to read all of Jasper Fforde this year, since I'm enjoying The Eyre Affair so much. :)

[F1Wild]

My goal is to really savor my reading material - enjoy great literature and even new authors - instead of just reading things because they are on a list.

[Marti]

My goal for 2010 is to read over a hundred books, as I did last year. For my personal growth, my goal is to continue to stretch my boundaries by reading new authors and explore other genres.

[Julie]

I am attempting to read 144 books this year. The Hour I First Believed set me back a little bit in my pacing, but I am still hopeful that I will make it! If I could count the number of children's books and chapter books I read to my second grade class I would already be close to my goal!! :) Sadly, the goal does not include those books!

[Christine]

I think I'm going to attempt this! I'm thinking of setting a small goal though. Maybe 30?

[Ameena]

how do we even start a folder and what do we put in it

[Lori, Super Mod]

Nerdgirl, not sure if you are aware of the reply button at the bottom of the posts. It will attach the post you are replying to at the top of the comment box so we can see what you are replying to.

and good luck with your goal of 100!!!!!

[Marc]

My goal's to try and read five books each month,which I've achieved so far,but it ain't always easy with work,and household chores etc : )

[Ameena]

thats great marc
ive read 9 books in 2010 till now
and now i'm reading 2 books: roots and switched
i think i'm gonna finish switched tmrw so u can say 10 books in 3 months
thats nothing in comparison with your goal
but i'm tring my best
:)

[Becky]

Roots is an amazing book, Ameena! I loved it. :)

[Ameena]

thanks your really encouraging me
cause i'm still in the beginning and its kinda boring
but i get the feeling it will get better cause everyone keeps telling me it nice!
:)

[Becky]

I don't know about "nice"... Roots is very real and heartfelt and honest, but "nice" isn't a word that I'd ever use to describe it!

Those are the kind of books that I really love though, the ones that make me feel what someone else has felt, even if it's awful. In fact, awful is better. It makes me appreciate my life. But not everyone likes that.

Give it a shot, and if you don't like it, or if it isn't your style, then move on to something else. No shame in that! :)

[Ameena]

it getting better as i read
but i like the kind of books u just described
i read "ways to live forever" it was GREAT, not as in great great
as in sad great
it made me cry forever
u HAVE to read it!!
;)

[Becky]

Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls? This one?

[Ameena]

ya
really sad
:(
but really great in a bad way
u get wat i mean?
:P

[Becky]

Yep. I'll see if my library has it.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[Ameena]

no problem
thanks for the encouragement
:)

[sheila]

My goal for 2010 is to read 22 books, sounds so small compared to the other ones I see. I have read 17 since january so its happening. After I reach that goal may give myself another one.

[L.J.]

I recently committed to reading a book a week for the rest of the year (after a long spell of not reading much at all). I'm happier already!
http://ljsellers.com/wordpress/a-book...

L.J.

The Sex Club
Secrets to Die for

[Carly]

Well, I originally planned to do all of Somerset Maugham for my reading project in 2k10 . . . have been reading the short stories and the novels, but have taken a break from it the past 3 weeks or so.

[Dave]

My main goal is to never be reading more than five books at a time this year. Haha. If only I were kidding.

I want to finally finish Light in August, but I may never do it, because it will be too sad to have none of it left.

[Angela]

I've never really thought of a reading goal, but I guess it would be for me to read a variety of genres of books.

[Rosabelle]

My personal reading goal this year is to read 50 books.. which I've completed in September 2010.. So now the extended goal would be to see how many I can actually read in a year if I put my mind to.

[[deleted user]]

My personal goal until I graduate High School would be to write a review to every book I read. I really need to do this to help my writing; often I'm too lazy to gather my thoughts together...

[Suzanne]

Are we going to be doing this again for 2011? If so, I would love to join in!

And if so, when would we start to post our goals for next year?

[Joseph-Daniel Peter Paul Abondius]

I would love to join in my 2011 goal will be 90. This year so far have read 85

[Diane]

My only goal is to try to stick to reading new things I already have on my bookshelf, rather than acquiring even higher stacks of unread books.

[Alicia]

I have never made reading goals for myself but I think I am going to join this year!

[Diane]

Yea, Alicia! (Me, too.)

[Suzanne]

Glad to have you both aboard! My goal is to read 200 this year. I'm off to a pretty slow start, though. :)

[Diane]

Sad to say, I'm off to a very slow start, too . . .
I've been reading The Woman in White, which is 500+ pages of tiny type though . . . .