The only New Year’s resolution that I have ever kept was the one where I vowed never to make another New Years resolution. These are therefore things that I plan to do in term of reading over the coming twelve months but are not hard or fast resolutions. I enjoy reading and I fear if it becomes too much of a chore or job then I’d stop. This fantastic Tom Gauld Cartoon sums it up for me.
My Own Books
I think this year I have bought in excess of 60 books, not sure exactly how many as I stopped counting then. So my note to myself from last year (try not to buy so many books) didn’t really get listened to… I did get given a first edition Lord of the Rings set and found a signed Margaret Durrell which I am quite pleased about. I have bought one new bookshelf and I am about to order another with some of my Christmas money. I realise that I have a lot of books that I want to read but not necessarily want to keep, so what I have decided to do with these books is to read them and pass on or back to charity shops or to my local secondhand bookshop. The aim of this is to free up some much-needed space!
Review Copies
I have managed to keep on top of my 2020 review copies, but have not really made any inroads into the massive backlog that I have acquired that goes back to 2018! I think there are around 93 review books that I need to read that still take up two shelves on the bookcase behind where I sit. I will be working my way through these as fast as I can and where I have been sent books to read that I hadn’t requested I will be passing them on or donating them to the library.
Library Books
My local library (Wimborne) has been fantastic during the most recent lockdown. They couldn’t open but were running a click and collect service. Yes, I still have too many library books out, and will still keep getting them out too, one of the factors that libraries are measured by is book issues so I like to feel that I am doing my part. I am fortunate that I have two library cards, what I intend to do is to get them down to a point where all my library books fit on one shelf on the bookcase in the lounge.
Female and BAME Authors
In 2020, 31% of my reading was by female authors. I was lower than I wanted, but intend to read at least 35% this coming year. I read 12 books by BAME authors this year and want to read at least one book a month next year too.
Poetry
Last year I managed to read two poetry books a month in 2020. I am aiming to continue this in 2021
Literary Awards
Having failed to do some or all of these last year I will be aiming to read all of these again
Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards (much shorter prize this year because of Stanford’s financial woes and the lack of travel)
Wainwright
Royal Society
Baillie Gifford
Arthur C Clarke
The World From My Armchair Challenge
I have read a further 20 books now for this from the countries listed below.
Bolivia
Brazil
Bulgaria
Cuba
Cyprus
Fiji
Greece
Kiribati
Latvia
Macedonia
Malaysia
Myanmar
Nepal
Slovakia
Somalia
Syrian Arab Republic
Timor-Leste
Turkey
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
I did spectacularly fail to read my #20BooksOf Summer which was all books for this; only managed half of them. I will be reading my way through the rest in the early part of this year. I have now read books about or passing through 64 countries and seas out of a total of 215 so far.
Discworld
Managed four more from the Discworld series this year, but these are still to go:
I Shall Wear Midnight
Snuff
Raising Steam
The Shepherd’s Crown
I am also intending on reading his Bromeliad series after I have finished Discworld
Science Fiction
Only read seven science fiction books this year which I am ashamed of really as I had high hopes of getting more than that read. Aiming to read at least one book a month again.
Blogging
I have always been a reader first and foremost and I get immense pleasure from reading and talking about books. It was reading that introduced me to NB magazine and the blog came off the back of that. I am still going to continue with the blog, mostly because of the friendships that I have got from it. It will still be all about the books though, but not exclusively about the shiny new books. I am still happy to receive a book for review if a publisher or publicist still wishes to send them to me and will only be requesting books that I really want to read so I can work my way through my backlog.
So there we have it, broadly the same as last year, with a few tweaks here and there.
What are your reading intentions?
Good luck!
Thank you, Linda.
I have a bit of a backlog of NetGalley books though “only” six left from 2019 – I am aiming to keep up with the newest ones as they come out then work through the backlist. I have two for Shiny New Books and aim to get them read and reviewed before their Christmas hiatus ends, and three others from Dean St Press and British Library … so that covers January along with my two Anne Tylers! Happy reading whatever you end up doing. And good luck passing books on, that’s been my big problem this year as a Bookcrosser with no shelves available to put them on!
Snap! I have got two to post off, plus the one for you when Sarah has read it.