QVB, Melbourne
(Can never resist to take a jumping picture when met with big open field)
As much as goals are meant to be abandoned, I can’t help setting myself a few reading plans for this year and see how far I will drift away at the end of the year.
But first thing first, how did I go in 2010? The bullet points in italic were what I said beginning of 2010:
* Read more non-fiction. I plan to spend half of my commute time reading non-fiction. I’ve been doing it since last week and it seems to work.
Did not achieve this. Non-fiction is still less than 5% of my read. But I’m optimistic given the fantastic two non-fictions I read at the end of last year. It might have triggered me to look out for more.
* Read more short stories. I plan on doing regular Short Saturday (not every week, but hopefully often enough) in which I share my journey to find the greatest short stories ever.
I actually managed to read one short story per week for a number of weeks, but it died down somewhere in the middle of the year perhaps? I feel there’s very little incentive for me to read short stories. Too short and nobody cares when I write about them.
* New-to-me authors that I plan to tackle this year: David Mitchell, Sarah Waters, Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte (Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre specifically)
I managed to cross one of them as I read Pride and Prejudice last year, but that’s it. The rest will have to be brought over to 2011.
* Start on my personal project to read big readers’ all-time favorite books!
I had this twice (half of the quarterly thing I planned to do) so it’s not so bad. Will continue this project in 2011! I have one blogger in line, but I have yet to find the time and mood to read her book selections.
So what’s the plan for 2011?
I plan to tackle this year:
New-to-me authors: David Mitchell, Sarah Waters (both brought over from 2010), Yukio Mishima, John Steinbeck
Specific books: Jane Eyre, Anna Karenina (There are THREE War and Peace read-along that I know are going this year, but alas, my mind is set on Anna Karenina for 2011), Gone with the Wind, and His Dark Materials
Known authors: Truman Capote and T.C. Boyle (I’ve read both one of their short stories, which rocked my world, and I’ve been meaning to read their longer works)
On top of continuing my perpetual projects, I will try to read more authors specifically from South America as that’s one part of the world that I feel is really lacking from my reading life, and to add more new countries in general to my Reading the World project (in 2010 I only read 3 new countries). Just a personal musing: I find it funny when people say they want to read more “International fiction”. For me all fiction in English is International fiction, as English is not my first language and I don’t read books in my mother tongue (since they’re almost non-existent).
Now, challenges. I went back and forth in my mind about joining challenges this year. I want this year to allow whim reading as much as possible. But then challenges are good to meet people with overlapping book taste. Last year, having decided to not join some challenges though I had high interest in them, I ended up following the challenge site/page anyway, lurking and stalking. Seems a bit silly. Why not just join? That way I get to introduce myself to people “Hi, my name is Mee. I’m interested in these types of books and will try to read more of them this year…”, support the challenge host and spread some love. Even if I don’t complete them, who cares? There’s no challenge police (or is there?). So I created this challenge page for 2011 in which I gather all the challenges/non-challenge activities around the blogosphere that I’m interested to follow. Whether I’d be successful in completing them or not is beside the point. All in the name of fun. Guilt free!
So there you go, my set of plans. How about you?
Bookie Mee 
22 replies on “Can’t Let the New Year Go By Without A Set of Plans for 2011”
Belated Happy New Year, Mee, and good luck with your plans! As someone who can’t get enough of Latin American literature, I naturally am especially looking forward to seeing what your South American reading choices end up being. So many great possibilities are in store for you, that’s for sure!
Richard, belated happy new year to you too! Your blog is definitely a place I would go to for Latin American literature. I’m not quite sure where to start to be honest. Probably go with Isabel Allende and see where that takes me. Huum, I might be more clueless than I thought, because I can’t think of another one on top of my head!
Some interesting well thought out plans
I for one at least would be very interested in reading your short story posts!
Mel, I know you read and post a lot of short stories. I wish I am as passionate about them as you are! I hope to read more short stories this year, just don’t have any kind of plan for it, just take it where I go.
I use international as a synonym foreign, since foreign has a bit of a perjorative connotation in my mind. So it makes sense that much of your reading is international for you! 🙂
I don’t read a ton of South American authors, either, so I’m looking forward to seeing the books you choose. I’ve decided to look more at chronological factors than geographical ones in my fiction this year, but I hope to still read a decent variety.
I had developed a good habit of reading short stories in 2009 that I completely lost in 2010. Need to get back on that train! 🙂
Eva, I wasn’t saying that International fiction is incorrect term. I like it more too than ‘foreign’ 🙂
Your decision to go more for chronological factor is interesting. I would probably do that some time (not this year). As I remember you have read everywhere from around the world though, so I’m a bit surprised if you said you don’t read a ton of South American authors!
Happy new year Mee 🙂
Hope you’ll have great reading moment this year.
I always pick challenges that’s not going to burden me. I should put reading more short stories in my resolution too…I rarely enjoy short story unless it was written by my same author in one books
Happy new year Novroz! Hope you have great reading year too this year. I join challenges that I have interest in and don’t require that many books to read (3 is probably the maximum, apart from a couple of exceptions). But in any way, I want them to be for fun and guilt-free!
About short stories, I’m the complete opposite! I don’t enjoy reading a bunch of short stories by one author as they usually start to mesh together and seem similar with each other. I tend to go more for anthology to enjoy a variety of authors.
South America — wow, I have read almost nothing at all (if anything!) from South America. I’ll be interested to see what you find. 🙂
Jenny, don’t worry I have read almost nothing from there too *shame*. Hope to rectify that this year.
I love that picture of you leaping in joy! 😀
and I thought your plans are very specific and one that I could have written it myself. Because I do want to do a 2nd read for Mitchell and Waters, like to read more South American Lit and would say Yay for supporting challenge host!
I’m waiting for your cue on John Steinbeck and also at some point you should come join me and read 2666! 😀
Best of luck and I hope you achieve what you set out to do this year. 🙂
JoV, thanks! I’m in a bit of reading slump right now. Still reading, but feel I’m lacking passion, if that makes any sense. Non-fiction seems to grab my interest more these days. I’ll let you know when I pick up East of Eden, but don’t hold your breath. You know, you actually start to convince me about 2666. It’s entirely possible for me to join you this year 😀
I understand about the reading slump thing..(must be the tow truck incident. :D) No pressure, take your time!
Hahaa, I blame the tow truck incident too ;D. On a side note, I just started Nothing to Envy this morning and I can’t wait to read more!
I like your plans mee ,I read lot south american fiction last year going try more asian fiction this year my self ,all the best stu
stu, means we should exchange notes 🙂
I’m the same re: international fiction. Almost everything I read is international to me 😛
Goals might have been made to be broken, but they’re still fun to list. Best of luck with yours, and a belated Happy New Year!
Nymeth, great we’re on the same boat ;). Yes it’s always fun to make list, especially in regards to reading (I don’t actually make lists at my other aspects of life!). Have a great reading year and happy new year too Ana! 🙂
I’m a big fan of David Mitchell, Sarah Waters, Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte, all of the new authors you listed. I hope you enjoy them!
Melissa, they seem to be favorite authors of many people. I should really try their books!
I recommend Drop City by TCBoyle (I must read more of him in 2011) and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (ditto).
Claire, thanks for the recs! I think I actually read your guest post somewhere where you mentioned Drop City. I have noted it down and it’s on my list. The problem is my library doesn’t have many of Boyle’s books. Only one or two the last time I checked and they’re not the ones I’m particularly interested to start with. So I have to buy it. On the other hand I have Of Mice and Men on my shelf. I intend to read East of Eden this year though, so we’ll see which one I can fit in!