As the year winds down my thoughts always turn to books…how much reading I have done in the last year, how big the pile of to-be-read books is…
In the interest of trying to initiate some form of self-control, Jeff and I decided that we were going to gather together all the unread books in one location in our respective homes and treat it as a sort of library…the hope was that the sheer mass of unread books would shock us out of our complusive book buying and help us to reduce our to-read piles. I know…wishful thinking.
Not counting a stack of used Edgar Rice Burroughs paperbacks I purchased early in the year because they had Frank Frazetta covers (and I’m only not counting those because I haven’t cleaned them up and brought them to the pile) I have 47 books to read. Christmas of course added to the pile with wonderful gifts like: Human Acomplishment: The Pursuit of Excellence in the Arts and Sciences, 800 B.C to 1950, Angels and Visitations, The Complete Peanuts Vol. 4, Max Perkins: Editor of Genius, The Conquering Sword of Conan, and The Complete Calvin and Hobbs.
Oi Vey!
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This is of course the time of year when people release their best of lists and while I don’t feel compelled to read something just because some unknown group or individual feels it deserves recognition it does remind me how genre specific my reading often is and how little reading I get done in a year. Book Info Net’s Best of 2005 includes only one book that I have read this year, Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys. Their site links to several other best of lists. The ALA’s best books for young adults in 2005 is a nice list from which to get good reading ideas.
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I hope to read more in the coming year. Looking back over the year I have not read as much as I planned. My goal was 50 books (each had to be 100 pages or greater). As far as my memory serves this year I read, in no particular order (linked ones point to book reviews I did):
1. Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
2. Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
3. Orvis by H.M. Hoover
4. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
5. The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian by Robert E. Howard
6. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
7. The Knight by Gene Wolfe
8. The Wizard by Gene Wolfe
9. Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories
10. The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo
11. Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody
12. Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
13. Tithe by Holly Black
14. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
15. Stardust by Neil Gaiman (re-read)
16. Clockwork by Phillip Pullman
17. Winter of Enchantment by Victoria Walker
18. The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison (re-read-you’re surprised?)
19. Planet of the Damned by Harry Harrison
20. Tolkien: A Biography by Michael White
21. The Complete Peanuts Volume 1 (1950-52) by Charles Schulz
There may be others but this is what I can remember…far short of my goal. If I counted graphic novels, comics, magazine articles, books I have started and are waiting on the pile to be finished, etc I have no doubt read enough pages to equal my goal but it is not the same thing. The one thing I would have to say though is that there were no duds in the group, I would highly recommend all of the above list.
So what about you? How much reading did you get done this year? Any reading goals for next year? Want to join Jeff and I in our effort to at least consolidate our book piles in one location so we can monitor the damage? What are your thoughts on any of the best of lists? What was your best of in your own personal reading this past year?
Looking over my pile there is some really great stuff I’m looking forward to reading and I’ll do my best to post the occasional review if I think it might be something you would enjoy. Don’t let books go out of style folks, keep reading!
Yes! I want to join you and Jeff; I have 10 books waiting to be read now! Hi, my name is Janet and I’m a book addict…
It is a good thing that we are a very accepting club Janet as your paltry 10 books might not get you in the front door! 😉
Glad to have you on board!!!
Oh I’ve consolidated… Bad news, guys: doesn’t work. But buying books is such a pleasure I’m not sure I really mind… 🙂
hmm.. i may have to compile a “best of” scifi books that i’ve read this year to post on my site.
i’m still with you on the books-to-be-read pile that’s getting out of control.
speaking of libraries, i’ve asked my dad & grandfather to build me floor to ceiling book shelves covering an entire wall in my den. since i’ve run out of room with the 2 – 7ft bookshelves that i’ve already double & triple stacked.
That’s awesome Angela, you’ll have to post some pics when they’re done…and a ‘best of’ sci fi list sounds great.
Anne, I agree, book buying is one of the greatest pleasures there is!
As far as a Best Of list of what I’ve read this year I’d have to say that The Time Traveler’s Wife is the best I’ve read this year with The Knight/The Wizard running an extremely close second.
Out of the children’s books in that list I’d say Once Upon a Marigold was my favorite.
And it was great to read Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard. I have more John Carter of Mars and Conan stories to read in the coming year and really look forward to them both.
I finally had to put all my unread books in one place because I bought books I already had at least twice this year!! I have 50 or so to read, including Calvin & Hobbes (I’m almost done with v1) and re-reading The Princess Bride. My new year’s resolution is to buy no more books until I’ve made a dent in my pile of un-read ones I already own!!
Without a doubt The Time Traveler’s Wife was my favorite of the year. I think that I would be dismayed to see how many books I have yet to read. And now I’m really not going to be decreasing my piles as much because of Borders and Barnes and Noble gift cards and…Bloomsday is returning to Brookside!
That’s great news about Bloomsday…can’t believe they shut down for awhile. Any idea when they are coming back?
And what exactly constitutes a “dent” Shannin? Are we talking a door ding or a real fender bender?
Ok Carl. We need to add Bloomsday to our next book shopping day. 🙂
anne… I’m sorry to hear the consolidation idea doesn’t work. So far I’ve consolidated 79 books onto my to be read shelf and I’m sure I have another 40 or more to add. Man I’m pathetic. Now some of these books I’ve recieved as gifts, and some I’ve bought at regular price but most I’ve picked up cheap ( less than three dollars ). I love shopping the used and outlet book stores. I just can’t pass up a good deal on book that I’m SURE I’ll read someday. Yes. My is name Jeff and I have a sickness… 🙂 I know I won’t completely stop buying them because I love books but I do need to cut back because let’s face it that a ridiculus amount.
Like Carl I also read comics too. Love watching movies. I’m just an all around pulp culture junkie and now my kids have bought me a Playstation 2. I always find time to read everyday though. Usually late a night after everyone has gone to bed. Plus I try to squeeze a few pages at lunch everyday. I also love to read the newspaper too. I read the paper for as long as I remember. I prefer it to TV news.
Best books I read last year. That’s tough but off the Top of my head ( ” A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings ” by George RR Martin, Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman, Time Traveler’s Wife, Davinci Code by Dan Brown, ICON by Frank Frazetta ). All these are great books. I also read many more that I can’t remember right now.
I didn’t count the 2 Frazetta books this year, ICON and Testament though I should have as I read every word and they are quite long….great stuff!
Bloomsday was a wonderful used bookstore and I was really disappointed when they closed. We will go there once they reopen.
Wow, you crazy people! I don’t have the same problem as Carl and Jeff who start one book and then jump to another. I very methodically read through my books (OCD). I also love the library!!!! Come on guys, some books are there to buy because you will re-read them, but I love my public and university library. I am also big on getting books on CD from the public library; they make my 45 minute commute fly by.
Carl got me some great young adult books this Christmas. Image Cascade Publishing has gotten the rights to reprint several of the authors my mom read as a youngster and that she introduced me to as a junior high kiddo. I have just finished reading my very own copy of Meet the Malones by Lenora Mattingly Weber (orginally published in 1943). Fun stuff!!!
Image Cascade is a really cool little company reprinting books from the 40’s and 50’s.
The library is great, but there is a pleasure that is hard to describe (you know it if you’re the type who does this) in buying a good book, holding it in your hand and knowing it is yours. I do enjoy getting stuff from the library occasionally but cannot resist the siren call of a good bookstore.
I may have to have you go library searching with your wonderful powers again Mary sometime this next year to find the Uncle books of J.P. Martin. Neil Gaiman linked to this article on these books and they look like something we would like to check out.