Reading Challenges For 2012

[[deleted user]]

Hello, everyone.

I recently undertook the Goodreads 2012 reading challenge and committed myself to attempting to finish 50 novels this year. This is a little ambitious considering the amount of study I must do over the course of the year but, nevertheless, I'll persevere and do my damnedest to reach it.

This got me wondering, are any of you undertaking the Goodreads Challenge? Have you promised yourself that you would expand your horizons and explore new genres? Maybe you want to finally read that daunting classic that you promised yourself you'd tackle.

If you have any reading ambitions for 2012, please share them with the group. I, for one, would love to hear them.

Declan. :)

[Roberta]

Hi Declan and Happy 2012

My reading challenge this year is to reread all of Jane Austen. It's been a long time and I'm at the stage where I think I know more than I actually remember.

My other challenge is to read at least one of the many professional interest books I keep acquiring each month (community development, facilitation, conflict resolution).

Good luck with your challenge. It's so great hunkering down with a really good novel.

[Sarah]

I challenged myself to 50 however I am already 3 books ahead apparently. I may bump this is up as time goes on but for now I am playing it safe :)

I am also in a couple of other GoodReads groups and they do other group challenges from time to time. Currently on a "Winter Reading Challenge" which challenges you to read 10 books (plus a bonus 1) during December 22nd-March 19. Each book has to do with an event during those months for example: St. Patricks day: Read a book that has something to do with Ireland, Mardis Gras: Reas a book that takes place in New Orleans, Friday the 13th: Read a book that has to do with luck ... and so on. It's a fun and creative way to have fun picking my reads.

[Mo]

I challenged myself to 52 books last year and made it, so I decided to really push myself and shoot for 70 this year. I'm really hoping to trim down my To-Read list!

[Kevin]

I got back into the habit of reading last year after a long break owing to my intense job and was surprised that I had managed to exceed my year's quota, so I was looking forward to participating in this year's challenge.

I had initially set my goal to completing 50 books before the end of this year; however, I had a change of heart and decided that I should re-discover my love and passion for classic literature, thus I'd cancelled this challenge. My goal for this year is to absorb as many greatest classics possible regardless of number. I may in the end acquire my 50 book target, who knows!

That said, I do wish everyone who is participating in this year's challenge all the best in meeting your targets and happy reading!

Kev :)

[[deleted user]]

There are some pretty admirable challenges in there. I might modify mine slightly slightly to include some of your goals into them. For a long time I've considered James Joyce's Ulysses. I'm from the Liberties in Dublin and every Bloom's Day the Joyce society stroll around the place in period costume. I was put off by the amount of his fans who said that they had to struggle with it,so it made me reluctant.

[Ciaran]

My challenge is quite simple, enjoy my reading more by being more open to new subjects. Broaden my horizons .

I might try Ulysses and find out what all the fuss is about

Ciarán

[Laura]

Declan, you are ambitious! 50 novels and school work as well. I'm going to go for 40 books but include social psychology and history books in the lot. And I am going to reread Ulysses which really should count for 5. I am also going to read one of Paul Krugmnan's (N.Y. Times columnist) economic books to try to figure out what the xxx is happening. I hate economics so this will be a chore.

[[deleted user]]

We could make an open discussion on Ulysses so people could come and go with their comments as they tackle it. I've pretty much made up my mind that I will read it when the next semester finishes.

@Laura. I know what you mean about economics. A friend of mine has given me two books about the current Irish crisis. I can't even bring myself to open one of them. I really feel guilty about it. Like I'm being incredibly apathetic towards it.

[Laura]

An open discussion on Ulysses sounds great. When does your next semester end?

[Laura]

Roberta wrote: "Hi Declan and Happy 2012

My reading challenge this year is to reread all of Jane Austen. It's been a long time and I'm at the stage where I think I know more than I actually remember.

My oth..."

I like this "I'm at the stage where I think I know more than I actually remember." I think I might be there too.

[[deleted user]]

Laura wrote: "An open discussion on Ulysses sounds great. When does your next semester end?"

It won't be until around the beginning of May. I won't know for sure until I get my final exam table.

[Emma]

last year i read 55 books so this year my aim is between 60 and 100 books, but i keep changing my mind as to how many are doable

i would like to read more non-fiction, popular psychology books, more facts and real life topics, although i will admit, they scare me a little, im always afraid i wont understand the topics and feel stupid, so trying to get over that fear! lol ;)

also want to read more of the classics and popular fiction books :)

[Aoibhínn]

I'm doing the challenge. So far I'm at 48/52 books and 17630 pages. I'm going to up my goal soon.

[[deleted user]]

I thought I be almost finished my challenge by now. I don't have much reading time when college is on, but I thought I'd read at least 20 over the Summer. Boy was I wrong!

[Aoibhínn]

So far I'm at 50/52 books and 18484 pages :)

[[deleted user]]

Good to see someone making progress. I was reading at least one book a week whilst at college, but I just can't get my head into it lately.

[Iuliana Naughton]

Some very good challeneges there, giving me ideas for next year.
My main reading challenge this year is 80 books, so far i am 1 ahead, so doing ok, thought generally i can get through 90-100 books a year (2 small kids put an end to that, but slowly getting back to normal lol).

I also wanted to reduce the list of books i have always wanted to read and never got around to, and made some progress there: i read Ulysses, Frankenstein, 2-3 books by Maria Edgeworth and have a few biographies lined up next.

[[deleted user]]

Apart from the number of books I intended to read, I also thought to read some of the Sci-Fi Masterworks.

But when I read the list Phillip K. Dick was hugely overrepresented and there wasn't a single Isaac Asimov novel on it.

[Aoibhínn]

I'm at 55/60 books and 20886 pages!

[Richard]

You folks are incredible! I suppose, if I cut out all the reality show watching, I might have enough time left, so I'll give it some thought. Since 3/4 of the year is already gone, can I get by with 12 1/2 books?

[Aoibhínn]

I'm at 60/60 books and 22414 pages :)

[Richard]

I haven't counted yet, but I'm reading Satanic Verses right now. Isn't that worth some fudged numbers?

[[deleted user]]

Congrats on finishing your challenge, Ellie.

I've read The Satanic Verses, Richard. Once you get pass the surreal beginning it turns into a fantastic novel.

[Richard]

Thanks -- I got past page 30, and the whole rhythm of the thing kicked in! Whew -- I was sweating it out until that point.

[Richard]

Now, if you want to talk of challenges, I just finished John Banville's most recent novel, Ancient Light. What a work-out. A real job. Whew.

[Laura]

Richard wrote: "Now, if you want to talk of challenges, I just finished John Banville's most recent novel, Ancient Light. What a work-out. A real job. Whew."

How was it. I love Banville's work?

[Debbie]

I think Satanic Verses ought to count for extra! I'm reading Joseph Anton but haven't had the nerve to tackle Satanic Verses yet!

[[deleted user]]

Once you get past some of the more surreal moments at the beginning, The Satanic Verses becomes an excellent story about Asian immigrants in the UK.

Also, its ending had some of the most beautiful writing I've ever read.

[Cathleen]

Hi Declan, I did the reading challenge last year--at what I thought would be an achievable number, 24, and I exceeded that and read around 30, so this year, I thought I'd push myself and set a goal for 36. I'm at 30 right now, so I'm expecting to meet or surpass it. I've always been much more of a fiction reader, but this year, I've expanded my horizons and added more non-fiction, including a book by Paul Krugman on US economics. I have about zero knowledge of economics, and since it's such a huge issue, I thought it was time to learn something. Krugman's writing is so clear and so absorbed me, that I'll probably read more of his work. I like these challenges, probably because it's the first time I've actually kept count of how many books I do read per year. Oh, by the way--I've seen Salman Rushdie on several talk shows recently, and I'll probably try one of his at the end of term. I'm looking forward to it.

[[deleted user]]

Hi, Cathleen. We seem to be getting through roughly about the same number of books. I'm studying too (or I suppose you could be teaching ?), so I know how difficult it can be to to make time for pleasure reading.

I also thought of learning more about economics and finance. I did it mostly through news articles and features. I found the whole thing deeply depressing. So far The Satanic Verses is the only Rushdie novel that I've read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Unlike most people who've read it I very much enjoyed the opening chapters. I could understand why it so problematic for some people, though. It's more than a little strange and quite surreal, at parts.

[Laura]

Cathleen wrote: "Hi Declan, I did the reading challenge last year--at what I thought would be an achievable number, 24, and I exceeded that and read around 30, so this year, I thought I'd push myself and set a goa..."

My mind seems to turn rather murky when I read about economics but it was one of my reading goals this year to read an economics book other than Economics for Dummies. It sounds like you would recommend one of Krugman's books. Which one did you read? I enjoy his column.

[Aoibhínn]

Currently I'm at 65/60 books and 25192 pages :)

[Barbara]

I haven't commented in this thread yet. My challenge for 2012 was 100 books which I have now reached and will surpass. Last year I read around 96 books. My "sub-challenge" was to read more non-fiction, which I really have to get on. I am currently reading 3 non-fiction books, but one is 700 plus pages (eek)!

[I-like-to-read]

@ Barbara

Wow that's loads, do you speed read?

[Barbara]

No, I am not a speed reader, but I am a pretty fast reader. I try to read 2 books a week. Also included in this total though are 13 audiobooks. With a 2 hour commute daily, I can get through an audiobook in a week or so.