Last year was a banner year for me as far as reading numbers--and it wasn't that shabby for reading quality, either, but more on that later. I finished a total of 200 books, broken down as follows:
73 fiction
108 nonfiction
19 poetry
Of these, 32 were children's books (not including picture books) and 32 were re-reads. I also read 152 picture books.
My high numbers were due in part to Cybils children's book judging--I finished 139 books for first round judging, which includes picture books and middle-grade books--and in part to my push to reach 200.
The months I read the most were October (23 books) and November (20 books), due largely to Cybils books. My lowest month (not just this year, but for years) was December when I only read nine books.
I finished the year with a bad case of readerly unrest, and I couldn't settle into a book for love or money, which was especially unfortunate because I was off for nearly three weeks around Christmas, and I hoped to read, read, read. I was especially looking forward to reading adult books again after all that children's nonfiction. This condition persists in the new year.
For the most part, I was happy with everything about my reading year except for the pace. There were days I "had" to read instead of "wanted" to read. Still, I'm proud of myself for accomplishing this goal, though I don't think 200 is a goal I'll ever set again.
My 2020 Reading Goals
1. Read less.
I plan to read only 12-13 books per month, for a total of 150 books for the year. Still a lot, but a much more comfortable goal that won't require a lot of angst and will still leave time for readerly exploration. Fast experience has shown me that this is a rather natural pace for me.
2. Read according to my values.
I'm done with reading things because I should. I'm done with pushing myself to read things I disagree with. Unless there is something I feel I need clarity on, I'm putting this kind of reading behind me. I naturally read all kinds of things by all kinds of writers, and I don't need some book lister to tell me what will expand my vision of the world. I do that organically, and I need to trust myself. Books that promote identity politics, us vs. them attitudes, and hateful rhetoric are gone. I don't have time for them. Also out are thrillers and any book that manipulates to get its message across. I've read enough by those who disagree with my spiritual, religious, political, and moral values. This year I plan to seek out authors whom I agree with and books that edify my values.
3. Read well-reviewed books.
The number one reason I read is to read good writing, and I want to better learn to trust my instincts with books that everyone is rating highly but just don't seem like something I'd enjoy.
4. Buy books with intention.
It's too easy for me to enter a used bookstore and leave with a bag of books that I genuinely want to read, but I won't be reading soon, just because they're available. I want to be more honest about books that I likely won't need to own or re-read after I read them once.
5. Read lots of nonfiction, especially children's.
Even though I read a lot of nonfiction last year, I still ended up feeling like I missed it. Good nonfiction can be hard to find, and it's often long and takes me longer to read, but I still want to tackle more of it. Also, last year I found that I adore children's nonfiction, and I want more, more, more of it in 2020.
6. Read books published in 2019 and 2020.
I've made this goal for the last several years, and I've really enjoyed it. It's easy, for one, but it also keeps me reading books while they're current.
7. Do some re-reading.
I loved all the re-reading I did last year, and I want to continue with it this year.
8. Re-read Persuasion.
Each year I re-read a Jane Austen book, and this year I'm so excited for Persuasion.
9. Read (or re-read) a classic or (super) large book.
I've been meaning to re-read Wuthering Heights for a couple of years now. And I've also wanted to read George H. W. Bush's letters (he wrote no memoir), and I hope to get to both of these this year. Also, for years I've been kicking around the idea of reading Lonesome Dove, Team of Rivals, and Truman. Will this be the year for any of them?
10. Finish 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die.
At the end of 2019 when I couldn't seem to settle into any book, I picked up 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die, and I was quickly hooked. This 900-page monster is arranged alphabetically by author, and I've just finished the Ds.
11. Read a book by or about Mary Baker Eddy.
I plan to have only one poetry book and one nightly read going each month, to open up time to read 1,000 Books... and a biography of Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science.
12. No half-star reviews. Give more 1- and 2-star reviews.
If I had my druthers, I'd probably change the way I rate books on my blog to a 3-star scale instead of the current 5-star, but it's too late now. The least I can do is get rid of 3 1/2- and 4 1/2-star reviews. Also, I generally don't give anything lower than a 3-star review, which is ridiculous if you're using a 5-point scale. I never want to hurt anyone's feelings, but some books just deserve less than average scores, and I need to deal with that.
Some books I'm excited to read this year:
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