Reading Plans for Next Year?

[Kathleen]

You all crack me up! And make me feel so at home. Like some of you've said, I really want more time for impulse reads next year. But planning is SO much fun, I can never resist. What to do, what to do ...

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Plan like crazy and then mostly ignore the plan ;)

[Cynda]

Hi Kathleen, in September I realized the year was coming to an end and have been managing group reads, friendship reads, and personal challenges in a big gallop of reading.

Maybe I should learn something. . . .But I probably won't.

[Piyangie]

Cendaquenta wrote: "I'm going to try to read a lot more of my already-owned books instead of ones I've just bought. There's a C.S. Lewis quote: “It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself anot..."

The Scarlet Pimpernel will be a great starter off. I read it few months back and loved it.

[Piyangie]

I've tentatively planned my reading schedule for 2019. I need to clear my bookshelf, so more are chosen from my personal library. But I always keep room for group reads. I make new discoveries and meet new authors that way.

[siriusedward]

Katy wrote: "Plan like crazy and then mostly ignore the plan ;)"


:)

This is a great idea..as planning and creating lists is a great thing in itself..just don't pressure yourself to
read it all.

[Darren]

Tammy wrote: "I do like to plan ahead. For 2019 I decided to pick 60 years of songs (1940-1999) that could tell stories to make my own wacky kind of challenge. First I picked a song from each year, not necessari..."

what a fantastic idea for a challenge Tammy!

hmmm...
(wanders off thinking...)

[Anisha Inkspill]

I too have been thinking about my reading plan for next year, and this year hasn’t even finished.

Part of this year I’ve focused more on the old classics and will continue to do this next year alongside contemporary novels, more theatre plays (and if I can find the space movie scripts), poetry and non-fiction, maybe art / history / both.

So, my plan is still work in progress, it’s a good thing I have a few more weeks to work on this. There are just wayyy too many amazing books I want to read but I'm certainly going to try :)

[siriusedward]

Yea..great idea .. Tammy..👍

[Grace Siyu]

I gotta read more classics next year!

[Darren]

Inkspill wrote: "...(and if I can find the space movie scripts)..."

oooh - movie scripts/screenplays - I have a few of those on my radar too ("Deliverance" and "Matewan" are both near top of TBR pile)
I was going to nominate one in the Short Story category (cos they're quite often less than 130 pages) but decided not to, mainly cos of availabilty issues...

[[deleted user]]

Rachel wrote: "Oh you all seem so much more organised than I am. I generally have three books on the go at anyone time a kindle read, a physical book (for reading in the bath) and an audiobook for my commute. I'm..."

This right here is the way I decide as well. Somehow for me its instinctual-I simply know this book would/wouldn't work at the moment. Although I do use a timeline and culture plan.

[Kathleen]

Katy wrote: "Plan like crazy and then mostly ignore the plan ;)"

Perfect, Katy! That's exactly what I'll do. And remind myself that I really want to do more of what Rachel and Kt do--follow my instincts to the right book for the moment.

[Darren]

Rachel wrote: "...I'm not very good at working down my to read list because sometimes you just don't feel like a particular book..."

oh you can plan to "design out" this problem too! ;o)

although I plan 120 books in the year, I don't read through them in strict 1,2,3,4,...120 order

for instance, I like to have one shortish physical book on the go at any given time, and I recently finished one, so I need to start another, and I just counted up and I have eleven that I could choose from!

[Graham]

I don't have any formal plans about reading next year, but there are a few things I would like to do:

1. Read over 225 books once again
2. Reread a couple of my old favorites (including "Moby Dick")
3. Find and read 10 five star books

Other than that, I am just going to go with the flow. I don't have any page goal or specific books I want to read outside of my reread of "Moby Dick." Nothing. I just read what I want to read when I want to read.

[Tammy]

I have a date with the white whale sometime in 2019, Graham. I like your goals.

[Darren]

Tammy - would that be for your 1978 year song - Yes's "Don't Kill The Whale"?
;o)

[Jess]

I plan to utilise my library a lot more in 2019. I've got a big TBR backlog but I think the libary will be good for things like buddy and group reads that I didn't want to commit to before.

[Tammy]

Darren wrote: "Tammy - would that be for your 1978 year song - Yes's "Don't Kill The Whale"?
;o)"

Moby Dick is going on a different challenge, but I love your suggestion. Alas, Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights took the 1978 slot. It wasn't too hard to find a book for that one.

[Candi]

Katy wrote: "Plan like crazy and then mostly ignore the plan ;)"

This is perfect and meets all of my needs, lol! I like to plan because it's fun to explore all the books on my virtual as well as home shelf. At the same time, I like to be spontaneous and leave room for last minute buddy reads or for that book someone reviewed that sounds just perfect for me at that moment. Sticking to plans gets in the way of those things for me personally!

Having said that, I'd like to work on the bingo challenge again. I'd also like to clear up more of the books I own at home. They are getting completely out of control!

[Erin]

Candi wrote: "Katy wrote: "Plan like crazy and then mostly ignore the plan ;)"

This is perfect and meets all of my needs, lol! I like to plan because it's fun to explore all the books on my virtual as well as h..."

I agree with all of this! 😆 Hopefully we can each find the balance that works for us! Overall, I’m pleased with my reading this year — a mix of planning and spontaneity and a variety of authors, including 50% women. Only thing is that I added far more physical books to my TBR shelf than I read! But their being lined up invitingly on my bookshelf is a pleasure as well! 😁

[Vicki]

I want to read all of Dickens - hopefully some will show up in this group. Also I want to read all of José Saramago. I've already read about 4 of his novels and really like him.

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Vicki wrote: "I want to read all of Dickens - hopefully some will show up in this group. Also I want to read all of José Saramago. I've already read about 4 of his novels and really like him."

I've been wanting to read some José Saramago. Can you recommend a book for my first read?

[Anisha Inkspill]

Darren wrote: "I was going to nominate one in the Short Story category (cos they're quite often less than 130 pages) ... "

Oh, that's a good idea. I like reading movie scripts - it's a different experience to other forms.

Yeah, it's not always easy to get a copy but there are still sites around that let you download it for educational purposes.

[Darren]

looking at Oscars for Best Original Screenplay there are a few that jump out:
Sunset Boulevard
On The Waterfront
The Producers (how much fun would that be to read!)
Network (that's the one I'd choose first!)
if you look at nominees too there are literally dozens of great possibilities!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy...

[Erin]

I am curious, what do you get from reading movie scripts that you would not from watching the movie? I could see from a movie-making standpoint it could be interesting to see how it was interpreted and what was changed. Just curious. I generally prefer to experience a work in the format it was intended, whenever possible, although I can certainly see the benefit of additionally reading works with language more complex or archaic.

[Darren]

Erin - in general I agree with what you say - however it's fun to put yourself into the role of the film director and think how you might've done things differently, and you can sometime spot things in the dialogue which you missed in the movie because of the slower/more thoughtful approach of reading - similar issues apply to plays and the group seems happy to work its way through the whole of Shakespeare etc ;o)

P.S. The screenplay for Network seems to be easily/freely available on t'interweb and is only 120 pages... :oD

[Erin]

Darren wrote: "Erin - in general I agree with what you say - however it's fun to put yourself into the role of the film director and think how you might've done things differently, and you can sometime spot thing..."

Those are good points! And Shakespeare is precisely what I had in mind when I spoke of more complex or archaic language! I like best to read the play and then see a faithful production thereof when possible.

[Vicki]

Katy wrote: "I've been wanting to read some José Saramago. Can you recommend a book for my first read?..."

Death with Interruptions is fabulous. Don't be thrown off by his non-use of quotation marks. It's fairly easy to follow conversations once you get used to how he writes.

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Thanks Vicki

[Olivia]

I've fallen into a rabbit hole called Fantasy and Science Fiction this year and 100% neglected my Classics. Next year, more Classics next to the genre stuff.

[Rosemarie]

My plans are the same as always--to read more of the books on my shelf or my ebooks.

[Lagullande]

Vicki wrote: "I want to read all of Dickens - hopefully some will show up in this group. Also I want to read all of José Saramago. I've already read about 4 of his novels and really like him."

@Vicki, I'm also trying to read all of Dickens major works, although over a long time period. I've found The Old Curiosity Club group here on GR to be a great way of making progress.

@Katy, Saramago is also a favourite of mine. I began with Death at Intervals, and then Blindness. Next up for me is its sequel, Seeing.

[Johanne]

I am going to read, or make a dent in, the complete Arabian Nights that I own (4.000 pages, 6 books).
I am also planning to read:
The Book of Disquiet: The Complete Edition by Fernando Pessoa
If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism by Fritjof Capra (A nonfiction classic?)
The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
The Hunger Angel by Herta Müller
Dora Bruder by Patrick Modiano

I am not sure it´s a realistic list, since I have a job, a husband and three kids, and a social life. And I read a lot of fantasy, scifi, and children´s books as well. So it´s more like a statement of intent.
Edit: I just counted - it´s one classic a month (counting 6 books for Arabian Nights) - that might work!
Edit to the edit: The hunger angel is not technically a classic in this groups definition, but it´s still a major literary work.

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Olivia wrote: "I've fallen into a rabbit hole called Fantasy and Science Fiction this year and 100% neglected my Classics. Next year, more Classics next to the genre stuff."

I love Fantasy & SciFI too!

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

Lagullande wrote: "...@Katy, Saramago is also a favourite of mine. I began with Death at Intervals, and then Blindness. Next up for me is its sequel, Seeing..."

Thank you. Saramago is on my list of new authors to discover for next year.

[Erin]

Olivia wrote: "I've fallen into a rabbit hole called Fantasy and Science Fiction this year and 100% neglected my Classics. Next year, more Classics next to the genre stuff."

Well, you can always read the classics of fantasy and science fiction if you haven’t already! 😉

Starting out, that was my primary goal for this year, but then I got inspired to add so many more! So many challenges, and yet I still read books that count for none of them when something grabs my eye! 😂

[[deleted user]]

My reading plans for next year revolves around a few things: 1. Books we are reading here. 2. Books that have won awards. 3. Books that are on sale on iBooks, etc. 4. Discoveries along the way 5. and my ever-increasing list of "To Be Read."

[Evie]

I want to read as many of Shakespeare's classics as I can. Starating with Romeo&Juilet

[Darren]

this year I have based my reading around a "core" of 52 books (1 per week!) which has been working out very well, so I have decided to do similar for next year, so...
hot off the press...
(and after exhaustive (and exhausting!) planning)
drum roll...
here's my newly stacked 52-Few-2019 shelf:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
(listed in order of date published)
(oh, and there are 64 cos there are 12 reserves)

[Katy, Quarterly Long Reads]

How do you choose your 52 books Darren?

[Darren]

Katy - Thanks for asking, but oooohhh... how long have you got? ;o)

oh wait! I listed most of the factors in message 47 of this very thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

this resulted in a "rough" list of about 120, and I chose the 52 to be the more well-known titles that others might be interested in too...

[Terris]

Darren wrote: "this year I have based my reading around a "core" of 52 books (1 per week!) which has been working out very well, so I have decided to do similar for next year, so...
hot off the press...
(and afte..."

That's quite a list, Darren! Good luck and have fun reading :)

[Karen]

Katy wrote: "Plan like crazy and then mostly ignore the plan ;)"

EXACTLY! Planning doesn't mean you have to actually DO the plan! :)

[Kathleen]

Karen wrote: "EXACTLY! Planning doesn't mean you have to actually DO the plan! :)"

Ah, the rule I live by. :-)

[siriusedward]

Me too....Love the planning phase...

[Susan]

I'm still figuring out my plan for the weekend.

[Darren]

Terris wrote: "That's quite a list, Darren! Good luck and have fun reading :)"

I've read over 400 books over the last few years, concentrating mainly on acknowledged classics,

so it is a surprise to me that there are still so many "big name" titles that I have yet to get to such as:

Utopia, Ulysses, Swann's Way, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Gargantua&Pantagruel, The Iliad, Red Badge Of Courage, OneFlewOverCuckoosNest, Blindness, Hopscotch, Infinite Jest, Bridget Jones' Diary, Gravity's Rainbow, TowardsTheEndOfTheMorning, Wise Blood, Hero Of Our Time, Bel-Ami, The Waves, Man in The High Castle, Month In The Country, OrangesNotOnlyFruit

[Tammy]

Those are some ambitious books, Darren! I have been meaning to read Les Liaisons Dangereuses for the last few years. Time to put it on my list. I've got Hopscotch waiting for me at home.

[Brina]

I’d like to read more Hispanic classics if I have time but I’m focusing on that tbr. I do have wiggle room though so if a read of Hopscotch or Blindness or Bridget Jones for that matter comes up at the right time for me I may join you.