Friday, June 18, 2010

A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION THAT I’VE KEPT -- SO FAR

I never make New Year’s resolutions. I figure I don’t need one more added stress in my life, and whether I make a resolution about it or not, no matter how much I diet and exercise, that muffin top isn’t going away. And let’s face it, isn’t that what 99% of New Year’s resolutions are about -- losing weight?

But why, you may ask, am I talking about New Year’s resolutions in June? Because even though I never make New Year’s resolutions, I did make one last year. I kept it last year, and I’ve repeated the resolution this year. (The trick is to pick something that has nothing to do with losing weight!)

Last year I decided to keep track of all the books I read. So I opened a file on my computer and named it BOOKS READ IN 2009. There are 23 books on that list. My BOOKS READ IN 2010 list is already up to 13. I’m well on my way to breaking last year’s record, and I’m feeling pretty good about that. I know many people read a book a day or at least one a week. I wish I had that much free time. I’m juggling 3 jobs. Carving out time for pleasure reading isn’t easy. So I’m grateful to have the time I do for the reading I’ve done.

I’m a very eclectic reader. So far this year I’ve read books as diverse as Pride and Prejudice, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Mistress of the Art of Death, and The Spellmans Strike Again. I’ve also read quite a few books by my fellow Inkspotters. Right now I’m reading Winging It, a memoir about a family and their pet parrot.

As diverse as my reading has been, I gravitate toward books with happy endings. I’m convinced as a society and a country, we need happy endings now more than ever. With people all around us losing their homes, their jobs, and their retirement nest eggs, plus an environmental disaster and two wars that show no signs of ending any time soon, we need an escape from reality. And what’s more of an escape from reality than books with happy endings? Who needs books filled with angst and despair when we get more than enough of that by watching the news?

So what about you? What kinds of books are you reading lately?

12 comments:

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

I decided to try to read at least one book by each author who's blog I follow. Quite a few since some blogs have multiple authors. I'm averaging
2-3 a week. May not hit everyone in a year but I'm having a blast. (Usually read during commute,in waiting rooms and with my morning coffee--that sort of thing)

Maribeth
Giggles and Guns

Lisa Bork said...

I'm working my way through the dozen books I received at Malice--all mysteries of course. My book club read THE HELP this month. I wish I'd written that book.

I love the Spellmans. Did you enjoy that book?

Terri Bischoff said...

I kept a running count one year and I read just over 120 books. This was before I had kids, before I had a house, before I had a career. I was a lowely book clerk and if we didn't crack the spine, we could borrow books from the store. Those were the days! Now about the only personal reading time I get is on the treadmill...

But I am reading the new Lee Child book right now and next up will be the new Charlaine Harris. Good thing there is a holiday weekend coming up!

For work, well, you probably don't want me to go into my work reading! :) Have a great weekend everyone!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I'm like Lisa--I'm reading my Malice books! I don't have as much reading time as I'd like, these days.

Sue Ann Jaffarian said...

Boy, if there is one thing I dearly miss from my pre-writing days it is all the reading I did. I used to read a book a week, now it's more like 1 a month. Though since May 1st I've finished 4 books, 2 of them Midnighters. But I attribute that to all the time I spent in hotel rooms and on planes last month. Currently I'm reading the ARC of To The Manor Dead by new Midnighter Sebastian Stuart, which I picked up at BEA. It's a hoot.

G.M. Malliet said...

I keep going back to old favorites, when I have time to read at all. I know I shouldn't, I know it! But these are comfort reads.

Maybe I could call it research for a "red-herring" panel I'll be on next weekend?

Darrell James said...

These days most of my reading is limited to my conetemporaries, just to see what they're up to. I'm currently reading a book (manuscript) to blurb, by author friend Jeff Sherratt, "Detour To Murder" (and loving it). And I'm getting ready to dig into Stephen Jay Schwartz's "Boulevard. It's his first book and it has hit the L.A. Times best seller list. I just "gotta know" what that's about.

Kathleen Ernst said...

I am in love with audio books, because it lets me "read" in the car. I, too, miss the reading time I used to have!

I also am in a book group, which I love. We focus on historical fiction, and include a lot of mysteries. It's exposed me to all kinds of books and authors I otherwise would not have found.

Kathleen Ernst said...

PS - I meant to add that keeping a list is a great idea. Especially with series...I often find myself in the bookstore, trying to remember where I am with a particular author. (And I do like to read series in order.)

Lois Winston said...

Thanks for all the comments, everyone!

Since my commute is all of down a staircase and along a hallway, reading during commute time isn't going to work for me. Audio books are a great idea, but I rarely drive more than 10 miles. If I kept an audio book in the car, it would probably take me a year to finish!

I usually don't find time to read during the week. I squeeze most of my reading in on weekends in-between loads of laundry, supermarket shopping, yard work, and all those other chores that pile up.

Keith Raffel said...

Me, too, Lois. Just like you, I started keeping track of the books I read. I use Visual Bookshelf, a Facebook app. Found I'm reading about 1.5 books a week. If you're a Facebook friend, you should be able to get hold of my list.

Lois Winston said...

Keith, I absolutely hate Facebook. I had one short experience with it that drove me to the point that I decided to delete the account. Then it took me nearly 3 hours of clicking through every possible link until I finally found the place to do that. I'll blog, I'll Tweet, I'll do a website, but I'm never getting near Facebook again. It's my little bit of protest.