Anatúrinbor Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I'll try this year to read some of the huge classics that I've been putting off due to their length. For example The Count of Monte Cristo, Les Misérables, War and Peace, David Coperfield, and Anna Karenina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maarsen Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Ok, I said I would read 26 books this year in Ini's thread, but I also like the idea of targeted reading, especially of books I already own. Eleanor Catton - The Luminaries Susanna Clarke - Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell Markus Zusak - The Book Thief Neil Gaiman - Neverwhere J.K. Rowling - The Casual Vacancy Paul Cornell - London Falling Terry Goodkind - Wizard's First Rule I will try to read this year's Canada Reads books: Margaret Atwood - The Year of the Flood Joseph Boyden - The Orenda Esi Edugyan - Half-Blood Blues Rawi Hage - Cockroach Kathleen Winter - Annabel And I also have classics that I have never gotten around to reading: James Joyce - Ulysses Leo Tolstoy - Anna Karenina Sun Tzu - The Art of War Homer - The Illiad (I may try to pick up an audio book as well) Arthur Conan Doyle - Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (since I first read it over 40 years ago, I think I can count it again :) ) And a whole bunch of others. I may read more than 26 after all. FB, I just finished The Iliad in a newish translation by Stephen Mitchell. It was a much easier read than I expected, and from what I remembered from excerpts read during my formative years. I have to say I quite enjoyed it. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fragile Bird Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I've been looking for an inexpensive audio book version of The Illiad, and stopped off at a discount bookstore that carries audio books. They had an Illiad, but it was $35, too much, but I also am doing a re-read of GoT, and have the first 2 books as audio books. I have found Dotrice hard to listen to, but have ACoK in my car now, and was checking out Amazon for ASoS, but it was $65 or so. I didn't get The Illiad, but picked up ASoS for $30. I am finding as I listen to ACoK that I am hearing things that I never noticed on my previous reads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthFigpucker Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 1 book per month would be ideal. I'm also going to write a new novel in addition to the one I've written. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maarsen Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I am back on historical nonfiction for a bit now. I just finished the first of a 2 volume book on Napoleon Bonaparte. After reading all of Patrick O'Brian, seeing the other side of the story was rather interesting. Then it is back to Iain Banks. I can never read enough Banks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isis Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 Hang out the flags! I've just finished a book! I'm a little behind as I'm at 1/10 complete on my goal for this year and we're > 1/6 of the way into the year. Just to update on how the whole 'not challenging myself to read a certain number of books' thing is working out - it definitely feels better to not be looking at a number on a screen and thinking 'oh, I'm so behind, I should really read X and Y next'. I feel less self-imposed pressure to read in a certain way. However, I am clearly still thinking in terms of completing a goal - otherwise I wouldn't be reporting back on how I'm doing with my challenge. It's an important difference in my mind though, that I am aiming for quality over quantity. I've accepted that my lifestyle has altered so that I do more reading of articles and writing of blog posts than reading novels these days. Which, actually, makes it all the more important to me that the books I do read are high quality, rather than just filler. I completed Booker Prize winner Last Orders by Graham Swift this morning. This is (I think) the third of his novels I've read and they have all been outstandingly worthwhile, thought-provoking reads. He writes so compellingly about 'ordinary people'. This novel tells the story of a group of drinking pals who go on a day trip to dispose of the ashes of one of their group. Along the way we learn their stories of how they arrived at that point in their lives. These stories are closely interconnected to the point where the same events are seen through the eyes of different characters. It says a great deal for the 'readability' of the book that these interlinked narratives (the chapters are different character POV) are actually a bit confusing at first and it's not easy to differentiate the characters initially. But at no time was I tempted to give up on the book or (as someone on GR suggested) get a pen and paper and make notes. To me that would ruin the appreciation of the author's work - the characters all blend to a degree because they are so closely related. It's a story you understand through feelings. Next up I need to put some more effort into making progress with Guns, Germs, and Steel. Struggling so much with a non-fiction work makes me feel a bit of an idiot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry_dresden Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Trying to get 130 done this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deleted01 Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I know I've said this before, but: My goal is to read all (or most of) the books I have on my to-read pile. I made a list tonight, and the total stands at about 80. I have to stick to this, and stop buying more, because I'm moving house soon, and I do not need more stuff to worry about boxing up and ferrying across the country :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowborn Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I made a list of 35 books I want to read this year. So far only eight out of the fourteen books I've read were on the list (all the Malazan ones, The Folding Knife, The Half-Made World and American Gods. I want to finish with these ones before buying more too, but I read on Kindle mainly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Richter Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 My goal is to read 50 books this year. At the moment I am 5 books ahead of schedule so I am going to read two Steven Erickson books, Bonehunters & Reapers Gate. Each month this year an audio version of the Malazan series will be released, March is the Bonehunter. Saved up my audible.com credits for this series. If you like audible stuff, check out your local library. See if they have Overdrive online, or go in and check out the physical inventory. Homer's stuff should really be listen to because that was the original method of delivery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaenaOfMyr Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 My goal is to read the 6 Frank Herbert Dune books this year (in the past have only gotten through the first 2). Just have to finish my rereading of ASOIAF before I start! Couple of hundred pages into ADWD so shouldn't be too far off. The Dune books should fly in comparison to the lengthy ASOAIF novels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night's_King Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Oh, it's just too much... 25 is my goal for 2014. Mostly Fantasy, then a few classics and I hope I can do some rereads (Kingkiller for example) For more info, check my Goodreads :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 I'm aiming at 50. Little under one a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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