Reading Envy Readers discussion

Has anyone made any reading goals for the new year? Setting goals is something that keeps me reading more diversely and intentionally, but I've learned not to make a specific book a goal (because then it's the last thing I want to read.)

I'm going to post an episode about reading goals next week but here are a few I'm throwing around:

1. Around the World - In 2019 I focused on Asia, excluding the Middle East, and want to focus on the Middle East for 2020. I've covered many of the countries there but not all, so first priority is to cover those, then to look at underrepresented groups (I have some Kurdish revolutionary texts from the radical bookstore in Baltimore, huzzah) and some of the 21st century works that are newly translated.

2. Indigenous writers - I'm trying to decide if I want to make native US/Canadian writers a goal or if that's too similar to goals I've already made. But recently I've encountered some great bookstagrammers who are making this their focus, and it's peaked my interest at least.

3. Classics? Do I try this again? One thing I learned in making classics a goal last year is that I really have to be intentional about it.

4. TBR Explode - If I make this an ongoing thing is it really a goal?

5. Parenting books

Still mulling. I think I need a separate set of podcast goals too, so let me know what you think they should be. I want to prioritize readalongs over recommendations episodes for one.

Hey Jenny. Those goals sound great. I really enjoy your TBR explode project - I do something similar myself with my handwritten TBR list from 20 years ago. I have lots of bails but I also find some lost (to me) gems that make it an exciting endeavour. I’m also doing a small classics challenge of my own making. I’ve made myself a list of 30 or so classic books, mostly early 20th century as that’s where the biggest gap in my reading is (having studied mostly 18th and 19th century in uni). If I read 10 of these I’ll be really pleased - I try to give myself plenty of leeway in which ones I’ll read so I don’t start to feel trapped by a too specific list.

Paula wrote: "Hey Jenny. Those goals sound great. I really enjoy your TBR explode project - I do something similar myself with my handwritten TBR list from 20 years ago. I have lots of bails but I also find some..."

Interesting, early 20th century - what is an example? Steinbeck? Or are you doing more like UK titles?

Probably weighted to the UK. I’ve got TH White, Faulkner, Vita Sackville West, Graham Greene, Somerset Maugham, Waugh, Orwell, Pynchon... more about who I haven’t read than the date. Also de Maupassant and Proust - a bit earlier and James Baldwin - a bit later.

My goal is everything must come from the library wish list. We are retired and live in the tiniest cottage..so only a virtual bookshelf for me. I support authors by buying books as gifts, though.

My goal is everything must come from the library wish list. We are retired and live in the tiniest cottage..so only a virtual bookshelf for me. I support authors by buying books as gifts, though.

Paula wrote: "Probably weighted to the UK. I’ve got TH White, Faulkner, Vita Sackville West, Graham Greene, Somerset Maugham, Waugh, Orwell, Pynchon... more about who I haven’t read than the date. Also de Maupas..."

I just listened to a random Graham Greene focused podcast episode of the Guardian Book Podcast, I think it was his birthday or something, definitely made me want to read more of him. I think I’ve only read Our Man in Havana (funny) and The End of the Affair (a billion times, Colin Firth reading it is marvelous.)

James Baldwin is another one I’ve not read other than shorter works, and I work with a class called "reconsidering James Baldwin in the era of black lives matter" so I really have no excuse.

Perhaps instead of a classics goal this year I can focus on a handful on authors... I was thinking of Anita Brookner some more and others like that as well.....

Gail wrote: "My goal is everything must come from the library wish list. We are retired and live in the tiniest cottage..so only a virtual bookshelf for me. I support authors by buying books as gifts, though."

A tiny cottage sounds lovely! Do you have a reading spot? Any books that are particularly calling to you from the library wishlist?

I will look that podcast up and an audiobook narrated by Colin Firth sounds wonderful! I also think a list of specific authors could make it more enjoyable - a hill to conquer rather than a mountain!

Paula wrote: "I will look that podcast up and an audiobook narrated by Colin Firth sounds wonderful! I also think a list of specific authors could make it more enjoyable - a hill to conquer rather than a mountain!"

Oh I’m wrong, it was BBC:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07y...

I’m putting a moratorium on my paper book buying as I own more books than I have years left to read them. It’s ridiculous. I need to read what I own, and use Audible for other books on my TBR. We’ll see how long I stick to that.

I am also going to read more classics, I can’t remember one that disappointed me.

I'm going to challenge myself to read form my huge TBR shelves!!

Jeff wrote: "I’m putting a moratorium on my paper book buying as I own more books than I have years left to read them. It’s ridiculous. I need to read what I own, and use Audible for other books on my TBR. We’l..."

I don't dare try that - I'd turn purple and die before I even completed the thought! But I only buy used books, so at least I'm a recycler. I'm sure I'd read through my own books much faster if I quit Goodreads, but again - purple death.

I love James Baldwin Jenny. I have tried to tackle a book in his back catalog over the recent years. I'm always reminded why he is one of my favorite authors.

I think I'm going to try to make a dent in the books I own. My husband gave me a book for my birthday in October and two for Christmas, so I want to get to those sooner than later.

I try to play it loose with goals as it makes the pressure build on my already stressful life. I like to go with what hits me as interesting.

Jeff wrote: "I’m putting a moratorium on my paper book buying as I own more books than I have years left to read them. It’s ridiculous. I need to read what I own, and use Audible for other books on my TBR. We’l..."

I guess the question is, do you have any classics on your shelves already? (Do the two goals go together?)

Deb wrote: "I'm going to challenge myself to read form my huge TBR shelves!!"

Yes! Do you have a strategy?

Elizabeth☮ wrote: "I try to play it loose with goals as it makes the pressure build on my already stressful life. I like to go with what hits me as interesting. "
Not all of us feel the need to be book achievers! And sometimes it depends on the year. I'll look forward to what you find that fits your moods.

Elizabeth☮ wrote: "I love James Baldwin Jenny. I have tried to tackle a book in his back catalog over the recent years. I'm always reminded why he is one of my favorite authors. "
Any titles you recommend over others?

I really liked Giovanni’s Room and The Evidence of Things Not Seen.

Elizabeth☮ wrote: "I try to play it loose with goals as it makes the pressure build on my already stressful life. I like to go with what hits me as interesting...."

This is my strategy too. Although I do want to read more nonfiction this year - not a difficult goal, since I only read 7 last year, which was 6% of my total. Fiction is the only thing that gives me FOMO. What fantastic fiction am I missing while my nose is buried in a nonfiction book? The only nonfiction book that didn't make me feel that way was The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration because it was so rich in every possible way.

I’ve been wanting to read the book Nadine. I didn’t realize it was non-fiction. I like non-fiction, but I don’t make it a rule to read a specific number each year. Sometimes I have a year with many NF titles, other years I stick to fiction.

Your goals sound awesome as usual, Jenny! Would you mind saying more about TBR Explode? I’m intrigued. I’m sure I’ve heard you talk about it before, but I can’t remember the details as my brain is even more scattered than usual lol. Edit: Just read the thread about the challenge. I didn't see it in the app, somehow. Please ignore me.

My main reading goal is the #Classicscommunity reading challenge hosted by Lucy the Reader. I want to read outside my comfort zone once again this year, and I’m finding Lucy’s challenge to be a concrete way of doing that. I’m also trying to listen to more audiobooks than I did in 2019.

My other goals are to track the time I spend reading and track the details of the books I read outside of GR. For the latter, I’m using Bookriot’s 2020 tracker/log.

Nadine wrote: "This is my strategy too. Although I do want to read more nonfiction this year - not a difficult goal, since I only read 7 last year, which was 6% of my total. Fiction is the only thing that gives me FOMO. "

So I'm curious what specific strategies you will use to read more non-fiction. Find a challenge that includes it? Pick up a non-fiction after each fiction? Or do you think general awareness will do it?

Bianca wrote: "Your goals sound awesome as usual, Jenny! Would you mind saying more about TBR Explode? I’m intrigued. I’m sure I’ve heard you talk about it before, but I can’t remember the details as my brain is ..."

I see you found the TBR Explode info so I won't bother. I still need to write a wrap up post of everything I read, kept, and deleted from 2019 because I think I only ended up with 20 books on my TBR (from 120!)

I like these classics challenges and I've seen a few.

And like Nadine's non-fiction question, I'm curious how you will listen to more audio? One thing I often do is check my public library's audiobook options when there is a book I want to read. We used to have a joke when I was part of the SFF Audio podcast that a book under 7 hours was a "Jesse" - he wouldn't read books longer than that in audio. My husband and I have the opposite opinion when looking for audiobooks - for him, he's going to listen every time he drives to/from work so longer is no problem and feels more cost effective. For me, I seem to favor getting through books and it would be rare for me to pick an audiobook longer than 12 hours or so (and even that feels too long.)

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "So I'm curious what specific strategies you will use to read more non-fiction. Find a challenge that includes it? Pick up a non-fiction after each fiction? Or do you think general awareness will do it?.."

I used to read a nonfiction and a novel at the same time - mornings for non-fiction, evenings for the novel. I think I'll do that again. The novel reading always goes faster, so the ratio will probably be 3 to 1. I've devoted too much time to reading the news in the morning - I'm going to start rationing that.

Nadine wrote: "I used to read a nonfiction and a novel at the same time - mornings for non-fiction, evenings for the novel. I think I'll do that again. The novel reading always goes faster, so the ratio will probably be 3 to 1. I've devoted too much time to reading the news in the morning - I'm going to start rationing that. "

Oh I like this idea a lot!

My main goal is to keep up with the book groups that I'm already a part of and read books for the #ReadingEurope2020 challenge on Litsy. I hope to use mostly books by authors that have lived in the country and if possible also from the 1001 books to read before you die list. I also try to make sure I include at least one nonfiction a month, usually on audio.

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: I guess the question is, do you have any classics on your shelves already? (Do the two goals go together?)

I do have some classics on my shelf and will probably check LibriVox to see what they have. I'm guessing my book buying moratorium won't last long. :-)

I don't dare try that - I'd turn purple and die before I even completed the thought! But I only buy used books, so at least I'm a recycler. I'm sure I'd read through my own books much faster if I quit Goodreads, but again - purple death

Ha, ha! Yeah, used book stores are dangerously good! Along with Goodreads, podcasts are a great way to make the TBR blow up and ultimately make me open my wallet for more books.

I'm not setting a true # goal for myself. I'm trying to remove the stress factor and just enjoy myself. My goal is to read more of the unread books I already own and to be much more deliberate in the choices I add to my TBR. That's the tough one. Seeing your posts of what you all are reading in addition to podcast episodes makes me want to read EVERYTHING!

Daisey wrote: "My main goal is to keep up with the book groups that I'm already a part of and read books for the #ReadingEurope2020 challenge on Litsy. I hope to use mostly books by authors that have lived in the..."

Europe has so many interesting places to read about, how fun.

Jeff wrote: "I don't dare try that - I'd turn purple and die before I even completed the thought! But I only buy used books, so at least I'm a recycler. I'm sure I'd read through my own books much faster if I q..."

For a goal I added to my list after recording my goals episode (always) I actually NEED to go to a used bookstore ... I even have credit so it's like free money!

Carol Ann wrote: "I'm not setting a true # goal for myself. I'm trying to remove the stress factor and just enjoy myself. My goal is to read more of the unread books I already own and to be much more deliberate in t..."

I like the idea of flipping through a shelf and "rediscovering" a book you just haven't gotten to yet.

My main goal is to make reading my default activity instead of scrolling on my phone or watching TV or YouTube to relax.

Jessica (thebluestocking) wrote: "My main goal is to make reading my default activity instead of scrolling on my phone or watching TV or YouTube to relax."

Love it. I find it easy to choose reading over tv but the phone is too easy.