Reading Resolutions

[❀ Susan]

Hi all - adding a thread to add your reading resolutions... don't forget to review your 2020 resolutions and update if you feel like it,. :)

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺]

I'm going leaner with my reading goals this year:

1. Read 100 books, including:
• 36 by Canadian authors
• 24 by BIPOC authors

2. Complete Canadian Content bingo challenge

3. Read the Canada Reads shortlist

4. Read the Giller shortlist

5. Finish Shakespeare 40 before 40 (if not by my birthday in June, at least in the year I turn 40!)

[Wanda]

My reading resolutions for 2021:

1) Be kind to myself for as many or as few books as I manage to read

2) Explore my bookshelf and read where my mood and interest take me

3) Purchase some books, if compelled and support local bookstores as often as I can

4) Read some books outside of my comfort with the goal of learning something about myself

5) Continue to turn to reading as a source of stress relief and pleasure.

[Susan]

Wanda, I love your reading resolutions!

My resolutions for 2021 are:

1. Read at least 50% books by BIPoC authors.

2. Read the 30 books on this list of essential African-American literature: https://reedsy.com/discovery/blog/afr...

3. Really work on abandoning (or simply avoiding) books if they're not for me, especially when I feel I "must" read them because they're on an awards list or part of Canada Reads or a similar scenario.

[❀ Susan]

I have been slow to add my reading resolutions...

for the last 2 years, I have just missed my 100 book goal... life has been busy but I will set this as a goal again.

I want to continue to focus on Canadian authors, diverse authors and focus on self-care for 2021.

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺]

I love the focus on self-care @Susan. It falls to the wayside all too often.

I almost forgot this goal that I jotted down back in November:

Read 12 books from around the world
3 per quarter
Read 0/12

Asia -3
Africa - 3
Europe (not UK) - 3
Latin America - 2
Oceania - 1

[Allison]

So? How'd everyone do with their resolutions??

I didn't set any this year (again) as I knew work would be overwhelming (I work in healthcare) and I was right. I finished only 13 books (approx 1 per month) and while I wish it was much more than that - I remember well the days I was in a different job, where I would read 50+ books per year - I've decided not to dwell, but rather for 2022 try really hard to make reading more of a priority. That's my next resolution!

My scant stats of 2021 turned out to be:
69% Canadian
38% BIPOC
85% female (higher than ever!)
65% fiction

Other countries covered were only Ireland, Nigeria and England.

[Wanda]

I think I actually met all my goals this year: I have read 47 of my plan of 50 for the year and I'm not going to likely meet it. C'est La Vie. I also work in Healthcare and my job has been interfering with my reading attention. Not back to prior reading habits.
I've grabbed books off my shelf that I am in the mood to read and that's been a nice change.I have bought quite a few books from several different indie and 2nd hand book stores. (And Amazon and Indigo)
full confession), I read several books outside my comfort, gaining self reflection and reading continues to be a primary source of self care! I just might keep my same goals for 2022.

[Allison]

Nicely done, Wanda! That's pretty on-target for what you set out to do. Impressive.

I always read the full Canada Reads list - that's my only "must do" direction. Other than that, my two points of guidance to choose books this year were 1) try to catch up on gifted books, mostly from Secret Senders and 2) read what I feel like without guilt (like you, Wanda). Both approaches led to a really robust selection this year, and I really am pleased with what I read.

My fave non-fiction read this year was Nothing But the Truth and for fiction, there really was a tie: Once Upon a River and For Today I Am a Boy. Both so well written and heart-full.

[❀ Susan]

I too work in health care and would say that this has changed my reading habits. I have been a lot more drawn to non-fiction this year and the reason that I met my goal (100 books and now at 104) was because I was able to use up some holidays and take 6 weeks off when I read over 20 books.

my goals were simple last year - Canadian authors (51%), Diverse authors (17% although I may not have always known) and books relating to self care (17%).

In 2022, I did not read all the Canada Reads or Giller Prize short-lists but did read both the winners (which is a change for me as I generally try to consume them all).

[❀ Susan]

Hi all - updating the thread name to be generic so that this can be used each year... what are your reading goals for 2022?

[❀ Susan]

My 2022 goals are:

- Complete the 2022 BINGO
- Learn more through non-fiction books about caring for ourselves, our communities and our environment
- refreshed excitement and reading all the books for Canada Reads
- read more books from my own shelves

[Kathleen]

My 2022 reading goals are:

- Complete the Canadian Content 2022 BINGO
- Read five Canada Reads books
- Read more books from my shelves
- Continue to discover and read new-to-me Canadian authors along with favourite Canadian authors

[Susan]

I managed my goal of reading at least 50% BIPOC authors, but failed at my goal to read all 30 books from a list of essential African American literature. I read 10 but am going to continue picking away at the list, even if it takes me a few years to complete this goal!

I got better at abandoning books that weren't working for me and avoiding buzz books I just don't want to read, but this is an ongoing, probably never-ending goal for me.

For 2022, I am planning to complete bingo, as well as a multi-prompt challenge in another Goodreads group (20 titles). I also would like to read more books in translation and plan to work on that throughout 2022. I'm going to try to pick books I own for these challenges but I feel like I say that every year and then fail. BUT I decided to track owned books vs library books I read, so we'll see if that makes me more accountable. :-)

[Gail]

I didn't set any reading resolutions for 2021 as I was so unfocused during 2020 that I just decided to read whatever made me happy. I always find my reading stats interesting, and 2021's stats surprised me a little:
47 books read
35% Canadian (last year was 60%...maybe I need to do BINGO again)
44% American - this is really high for me...I usually read a lot more British and less American
9% UK
5% Australian
7% Other (Sweden, Barbados, Ethiopia, Japan)
60% Fiction
40% Non-fiction -my mix of fiction and non-fiction is always about the same
26% Male authors
72% Female authors - this mix is also pretty consistent for me
2% Non-binary authors
31% BIPOC authors - a bit more than last year

My 2022 goals are:
Read more Canadian books...maybe do BINGO??
Read at least 52 books
Read what makes me happy...life is too short to waste on boring books!!

[Natasha]

I am committed to finishing BINGO 2022 this year. But with covid and the ongoing stress and anxiety it causes taking a toll on my family and a lot of people I love, I am giving myself
permission to read whatever book at whatever time I have the mental and emotional capacity for - regardless of the gender or nationality of the author or the genre of the book. I need reading to be my happy place again.

[Allison]

Good idea Natasha. This too shall pass…

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺]

2021 goals:

I'm going leaner with my reading goals this year:

1. GOAL: Read 100 books, including:
• 36 by Canadian authors
• 24 by BIPOC authors

ACTUAL: 100/100 books exactly 😂
• 32/36 by Canadian authors 😞
• 26/24 by BIPOC authors 🙂

2. Complete Canadian Content bingo challenge 🙂

3. Read the Canada Reads shortlist 🙂

4. Read the Giller shortlist 😞 Read 3/5

5. Finish Shakespeare 40 before 40 (if not by my birthday in June, at least in the year I turn 40!) 😞 epic fail

[Allison]

I've been giving some thought to Reading Resolutions. For a few years now I haven't made any at all. But recently I've been refinding reading as my escape room, and I need more of that.

So here's a very personalized bunch of reading goals for this year. I'm hopeful that if I put them in writing, they may just come true. They aren't wild goals, so here's to hoping!


1. Read the book that's been on my GR Want To Read list the longest (that happens to be 419)

2. Read all the Canada Reads books (but okay to give up if I don't like them and I'm tight on time :))

3. Join at least two Giller book club discussions (currently planning on What Strange Paradise and We, Jane)

4. Read at least one science-based non-fiction.

5. Read at least 2 books by trans or non-binary author.

6. At least 50% of the books I read need to have been gifted to me.

[❀ Susan]

as the year comes to an end, I won't get to my goal of 100 books this year, may get to 85 but it was an election year for my trustee role so campaigning had a significant impact on my reading time.

I did read a lot more self-care books which has been helpful as I have been encouraging wellness at work (for myself and others) and continue to enjoy diverse topics and authors.

for 2023 - I will set a goal of 100 and more books that inspire a positive difference in this world. the last few years have been hard and we all need to do our little part to start the ripple of kindness and healing.

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺]

I struggled to get to my 100 book goal in 2021 and lowered it to 80 in 2022. Then, in April 2022, I took a new position much closer to home, thereby eliminating my commute and my audiobook time. It was a challenge to hit 80 this year, so I'm going with 75 for 2023.

My other goals include:
•complete bingo in this group
•read the Canada Reads shortlist
•read the Giller shortlist

[Kathleen]

When I finish the book I am currently reading for Canadian Content BINGO, I will have met my 2022 reading goals.

I am happy to keep these same goals for the coming year.

- Complete the Canadian Content 2023 BINGO
- Read five Canada Reads books
- Read more books from my shelves
- Continue to discover and read new-to-me Canadian authors along with favourite Canadian authors

[Rainey]

Canadian Content Goals for 2023:

- Finish Reading the Canada Reads books I purchased in 2022
- Read the final 5 Canada Reads books
- Complete the 2023 BINGO
- Unless buying for my various book clubs - read the books I own
- Continue reading diverse authors

[Yanlaptak]

My 223 resolutions:

Personally my focus will go back to Britain and on children’s or YA books. But I will keep on reading some Canadian authors’ books. I chose to touch on the Governor General’s literary awards winners:

1. Sheila Heti’s “Pure Colour”, and

2. Jen Ferguson’s “The Summer of Bitter and Sweet”.

[Allison]

I didn't do well with my resolutions! Read far less than I wanted to, and only 31% was gifted books - I was trying to hit 50%.

70% were female this year, and 30% male - no non-binary or trans, which was a goal I was also trying to hit but missed.

62% = Canadian, 35% American, and just 3% outside of N. America. 46% were written by people of colour.

I'm going to try to increase gifted books read and I'm going to try to expand outside N. America a little more next year.

[❀ Susan]

As we wrap up 2023? did you reach your goals?

I didn't make it to 100 this year but should hit 80 by New Year's Eve. My Canadian content was less than half. In 2023, I added some poetry, read a lot of personal development and leadership books (goal of doing some coaching and talks when I eventually retire) and was close in my fiction vs: non-fiction ration this year. I also finished our book BINGO which makes me happy and gives me "stretch" books to read that I might not otherwise pick up. I also read along with my daughter's university classes on science fiction and inidgenous literature which gave me more insight into her essays and was great to chat about. Starting soon, I will read along with her Gender issues lit class.

for 2024 I would like to:
- Try and get back to 100 books read
- Read all the Canada Reads short-list
- Finish book BINGO
- Read more books from my own library that have been languishing
- Continue to read books from Erin's classes

[Susan]

My goal for the year was 130 books and I'm currently at 134, so yay!

I completed bingo this year and *almost* achieved my goal for Women in Translation, reading 14 of my goal of 15. I try to read a complete series or some linked books each year, and this year I read volumes 1 to 4 of the Heartstopper: Volume One series, graphic novels that I really enjoyed.

Goals for 2024:
Complete bingo
12 translated titles (by women or men)
12 books by black women
5 books by indigenous women

[Karin]

Yes, I made my count, but my Canadian reading wasn't as large of a percentage as I would have liked. I'm reading one now, but it's very disappointing, but then I bought it at an airport and anything good that I'd like to read that they had I'd already read.

[Rainey]

My Goal for 2023 was just to finish a number and I did.

Next year, I am going to be more intentional.

Goals for 2024:

- Read all of the Canada Reads Short List
- Read more books from my own Library - have to read 7 of my own before I buy a book (unless it's for a book club)
- complete the Bingo
- listen to more audio books

[Allison]

I kept stats again this year, and I hit approximately the goals I wanted to.

I had 42% female and 58% male. No trans or non-binary, but more men than the last few years for me.

21% were written by people of colour, which is far lower than usual for me. (Did I read more white men then!?)

37% of my books were Canadian, 37% were American, and 26% were other countries, which included India, Portugal, Ireland, England and Pakistan.

I read fewer gifted books than I intended to (what got in the way!?) so this year my goals will be more gifted books, and more authors of colour. I think that feels about right.

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺]

Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ wrote: "I struggled to get to my 100 book goal in 2021 and lowered it to 80 in 2022. Then, in April 2022, I took a new position much closer to home, thereby eliminating my commute and my audiobook time. It was a challenge to hit 80 this year, so I'm going with 75 for 2023.

My other goals include:
•complete bingo in this group
•read the Canada Reads shortlist
•read the Giller shortlist"

I successfully reached my 75-book goal for 2023 (I'm currently at 78) and I finished bingo about a month ago. I was also successful in finishing the Giller shortlist before the award ceremony. I did read the Canada Reads shortlist, but most were not in 2023. I can't decide if that counts or not. Maybe I should have re-read them, but I just couldn't spark the interest.

I used to be really stringent with my goals, aiming for certain percentages based on author country of origin, gender, race, and so on, but I didn't put that kind of pressure on myself this year. I still tracked my reading, so here is what I ended up with:

• female 63%; male 36%; non-binary 1%
• US 49%; Canada 34%; England 13%; Australia, China, Ireland, and New Zealand 1% each
• white 87%; BIPOC 13% 😬
• fiction 82%, non-fiction 18%
• 5 stars 12%; 4 stars 50%; 3 stars 33%; 2 stars 5%

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺]

My 2024 goals:

• read 75 books
• complete bingo in this group
• read the Canada Reads shortlist
• read the Giller shortlist
• read the following where I can (but no pressure!): books I already own or have been gifted to me, Canadian titles, BIPOC authors

[Julia]

1. Not read anything for work in my personal time.
2. Diversify my reading genres.
3. Read at least one book on my to-read shelf for new book acquired.
4. Keep my to-read shelf under thirty books.
5. Actively seek out books that represent me and my communities.

[Gail]

I don't really set goals any more. I just read what makes me happy, and try to challenge myself occasionally. I always find my stats interesting. This year I read 73 books, of which 30% were Canadian, 41% American, 15% British, and 14% other (Sweden, Australia, Jordan, Iceland, Ireland and South Africa). 67% were by female authors and 33% by male authors. 21% were by BIPOC authors. 68% were fiction and 32% were non-fiction.

My only reading resolution for 2024 is to continue striving for diversity in my reading...authors from many different countries, and more BIPOC voices.