30 December 2010

reading resolutions

Though I'll never be as rapid a reader as any of the book bloggers, one of my resolutions this year was to read 50 books. I came just short with 46. But undeterred, I've made not one but two reading resolutions for 2011: to read 50 books and to finish half my Persephones.

Luckily, I have a jump start on the Persephone project. There were two duds this year (It's Hard to Be Hip Over Thirty and Daddy's Gone A-Hunting) but these were more than made up for by a shelf-ful of fabulous reads:

Other highlights this year included Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín,

The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford, and My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell.

I'd love any suggestions for the coming year, Persephone or otherwise, though at 590 pages I think I better leave Few Eggs and No Oranges till 2012!

15 comments:

  1. No duds on that Persephone pile, Kristina! But like you, I have half a dozen lying around, abandoned half-read (but I do mean to pick them up again, honest I do) or never started ... I really, really mean to read The Far Cry, though I think Few Eggs and No Oranges has possibly defeated me. I think my resolution should be along the lines of, just because it has a grey cover, you don't have to own it!
    There's something very satisfying about a row of them on the shelf, though!

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  2. I've made a little challenge to myself to read through the book list for the World Book Night http://www.worldbooknight.org/. So far I've read Toast (think he must have been living in our larder!) and Half a Yellow Sun, both brilliant. I've now moved on to the Alan Bennett (with my own impression of his speech going on in my head!). Happy New Year!

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  3. My Goodreads list says I've only managed 28 books this year, though I feel sure there must have been more - I am not terribly good at remembering to enter them.

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  4. I've come nowhere near your tally. I do like the idea of a reading challenge though - perhaps I'll go for a more realistic (for me) 30 in 2011 ...

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  5. How do you choose?? I clicked the Persephone link, and, oh my! So many interesting-sounding books!

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  6. The Shooting Party by Isobel Colegate, anything by William Trevor and have you read any Andrew Greig? In Another Light, That Summer, Electric Brae. Happy new year and happy reading.

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  7. I have a basket next to my bed full of books I'm determined to read this year... (it's hard to resist buying new ones though, sigh)

    Have a wonderful new year my friend!

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  8. oh... and I got to 47 too!!

    I'll race you.

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  9. My Family & Other Animals has been my favourite book since my 6th grade teacher read it to us aloud. I read it over and over again any time I need to feel calm, secure & happy. It's book 1 of a trilogy you know ??

    I'm terribly slow to get through a book because I only read at bedtime and the act of reading tranquilizes me almost instantaneously.

    Thus my side bar book list (not at all long) actually covers nearly the life of my blog - 3.5 years - eek. A few of my favs from that list are

    Freedom
    Not Wanted on the Voyage
    Dog Years
    A Homemade Life
    Still Alice
    Middlesex
    The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
    Julie & Julia

    and not on the list but an all time favourite A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

    Happy Reading- if you click on the titles at my side bar you'll link up to more info

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  10. The cover art on Brooklyn threw me as it's the same as my edition of The Finest Type of English Womanhood.

    I must add The Winds of Heaven to my Persephone collection and get busy reading the ones I already own!

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  11. I like the idea of a book reading challenge but I'll be lucky to get up to 20 books at the rate I read. Happy New Year Kristina!

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  12. What a wonderful stack of books. I love Persephone, those dove grey covers and beautiful endpapers, not to mention titles from the 1920s and 39s. Did you choose all the titles or were they a present?

    Since I discovered knitting on the train I have fallen back a bit on my reading, but I was averaging 3 books a fortnight at one time. I like the idea of setting a target, I am thinking about 1 a week for 2011. But where do I find the time? I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett in a day but that is because I was on holliday.

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  13. S gave me a 6 month subscription to Persephone as one of my Xmas presents! I was so pleased. Daddy's Gone A Hunting is on the list . . . I shall read it when I'm feeling strong.

    I've read two books, both recommended, in the last week: Any Human Heart (LOVED) and The Postmistress (liked a lot).

    See you on Goodreads, (not to mention London's nicest bookstores), friend.

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  14. And oh yes; I've got Brooklyn on my shelf! Definitely a January read.

    Also: Read The Cookbook Collector! You will really like it.

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  15. I've just today finished Brooklyn, and then eerily found myself back on this post...

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