Somehow I abandoned my Book It page and forgot to mention four books that I finished in the last month: Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton and all three books in the Hunger Game series by Suzanne Collins. That would bring the total of books I read for pleasure this year up to 31. I think we can all agree I had some pretty extensive time on my hands from the beginning through the middle of the year, with a severe decline of free time beginning in August. In fact, between the start of August and the start of December I think I read three books for pleasure. Sad. But completely understandable.
That got me thinking about how many books I would like to read for pleasure this year. One aspect of being a student in an English literature graduate program is that one must read quite a bit. The brain rapidly fills up with important quotes, characters, tropes, allusions, past literary references, and plot development that will be imperative to remember for a possible exam. That doesn’t leave much space for New York Times bestsellers and chick-lit.
But, if I make incorporating books that I want to read in my spare time part of my resolution, then perhaps I will make more effort to actually read them. Maybe that means eliminating ginormous tomes like Infinite Jest, which took me two and a half months to read. That’s not really fair to myself, now is it? So I read 31 books in 2011, that’s a number I feel pretty good about. I don’t want to stray too far from that, but I am trying to be realistic about my course schedule for the year: 3 literature classes next semester, one summer school class, and three classes in the fall. So I think for 2012 I will half it and attempt to read 15 books. There it is, my resolution: I will read 15 books of my own choosing in 2012.
Maybe it seems silly to choose a resolution involving reading, but for me it’s great. As I’ve seen this past semester reading for pleasure is something I can let go all too easily. And resolutions are supposed to be about discipline, right? (Or did I make that up?) So if that is the case, then this resolution is perfect for me.
This might be tough come summer time when I am learning Old English and wanting desperately to go to the beach and ride the waves or just go limp in a beach chair. But, I will read on! Same as this past year, the progress will be recorded in the Book It section. Any recommendations??
A Broad At Home 