The last couple of years, my boyfriend, a mutual friend and I have challenged each others with books. We each choose a book for the two other – a book, that we think the recipient will like but it a bit out of their comfort zone. We also each write our own individual goals and then we share them with each other on Google Drive and update them throughout the year, keeping track on how the other two are doing. Last year, the only one completing his goals, was my boyfriend – and I even bet him, that I would finish mine and if I didn’t, I would have to buy him a book… Otherwise, I would have received a book, but alas, I have to get him a book of his choice.
Anyway, one of the things I really liked about my goals last year, was that I read one book by each of my favorite authors. I so enjoyed it that I am going to repeat that this year. Also, I read one book by a Danish author and since I am Danish, I figure, reading one Danish book a year is the least I can do. Also, I want to explore some authors that I haven’t read enough – or nothing – by and since I get too easily carried away by lovely fiction, I also have to challenge myself to read some non-fiction.
And finally, I have a small list of 5 books, that I want to get through this year as well as the 4 books, I didn’t get to read from last year’s list.
So far, I am only signed up for one challenge – the epic readalong of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series – and I’m not sure if I’m going to sign up for any more. Last year I missed having more free room to read whatever I wanted and since I couldn’t narrow my list of reading goals further down than 24 books, I will only sign up for challenges I really truly will enjoy to participate in – one of these probably being joining up for at least some of the discussions in Caroline’s Literature and War Readalong 2013.
My 2013 Reading Goals
Read 52 books.
- Read one book by each of my five favorite authors:
- John Irving
- Stephen King
- Haruki Murakami
- Joyce Carol Oates
- Terry Pratchett
- Explore the following authors (ie read at least one book by each):
- Margaret Atwood
- Philip Roth
- John Updike
- Toni Morrisson
- Read (at least) one book by a Danish author
- The Christmas Classic: Alexander Dumas: The Count of Monte Christo
- Virginia Woolf: Orlando
- Richard Adams: Watership Down
- Evelyn Waugh: Brideshead Revisited
- Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
- Read 3 non-fiction books (at least one about parenting)
+ the books I didn’t finish for my 2012 list of reading goals:
- Don DeLillo: Underworld
- Finish Sherlock Holmes
- One non-fiction about collecting
- One non-fiction about philosophy: Coppleston vol. 1
Chosen by friends (2 books – 0 read)
Total: 24 books.
The Literary Bunny 
I disagree that your boyfriend was the only one reaching his goal, Christina. I also reached mine — at least one of them, seen from the quantity perspective;-) That said, his was a more complete result (quantity as well as specific books mentioned from the start);-)
In any case, looking forward to read your reviews again this year. Always a treat 🙂
Yes, but you didn’t read all the ones you had planned, now, did you? Or get your to-read list on Goodreads far enough down? 😉 So you achieved some of your goals – as did I – but not them all and therefore, it doesn’t really count. But this year, we’ll take him down and both reach our goals too, right?
Well, to me the quantity aspect counts quite a good deal; and more than the rest, in fact;-) But yeah, we’ll get him this year:-)
I think this is a great resolution! I’ve decided on keeping track of what I’m reading this year, though I don’t have a set number of how many books I want to knock out. I hope you achieve your goal, and happy reading!
Thanks for mentioning the Literature and War Readalong. I hope you can join us for the one or the other book.
I love the idea of reading one book from each favourite author, I should really consider that as well. I have a small list of authors I´d like to read all of – like Joyce Carol Oates. I´d like to read Blonde.
Which authors would you like to read all of? I feel that way about my favorite authors – but with one book a year, I’m definitely not going to make it through Joyce Carol Oates or Stephen King’s back list! I loved Blonde by the way!
Pula Fox, Rosamond Lehmann, Elizabeth Taylor, Jennifer Johnston, Neil Gaiman, Robin McKinley… and many more : )
Wow. I haven’t even heard of most of these – well, Gaiman and McKinley of course. Gaiman is so very close to make it on my list of favorite authors!
I hope so too. I can’t get the first one from the libraries here in time for the discussion and I don’t have money to buy it right now so maybe I’ll sit the first one out. Last year was the first year I read one boo from each favorite authors and I simply loved it so I’m really looking forward to it again this year. And I’m considering rereading Blonde this year. It was my first JCO novel and it was responsible for making me love her works!
This is a good set of resolutions, and we have a lot of favorite authors in common. I’m so excited for you to be reading Margaret Atwood and Toni Morrison this year–they’re two of my favorites, too!
I have ordered Beloved from Strand and am eagerly waiting for it to arrive. I have read and loved two of Atwood’s books – Alias Grace and The Handmaid’s Tale. I’m not sure which of hers to continue with. And yeah, we do have a lot of favorite authors in common!!
I am very interested in reading some Nordic authors (including some Danes). Would you have a suggestion for a classic Danish author (not too contemporary) that is available in English? Something that perhaps is taught in school as a requirement?
Oh Andrea, I feel so guilty about not getting back to you earlier. Maybe Martin Andersen Nexø PELLE THE CONQUEROR, Tom Kristensen HAVOC or Karen Blixen THE AFRICAN FARM. Or the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen.