I’ve begun to feel a little less frenzied about my reading ever since I mentioned it on Monday. You all, of course, helped. I decided that I really needed a loosely constructed plan, otherwise with school sucking up nearly all of my free reading time, things get, well, frenzied.
So my “plan” is to stay away from the new and shiny unless it comes highly recommended by someone I trust or is written by a favorite author. Shiny is okay sometimes but I’ve been overindulging lately. This also means that I can focus on reading more classics and books that have been out for years that I have always meant to get to but just haven’t managed to. This strategy is not meant to be just for this year, but ongoing. And as with any book plan I can ditch it or modify it at anytime.
That said, over the next month or so I plan on working through my in-progress books and especially try to finish the ones that have been languishing for ages. This doesn’t mean I won’t start any “new” books, only that the already in-progress will take higher priority. Once I manage to whittle those down to manageable, I plan on diving in to Enchanted April. After that, The Moonstone will be in order. I also want to dig in to my TBR book piles and see what gems I have been neglecting.
Writing it all out makes it seem so simple and easy, so easy that I feel like I’ve been frenzied over nothing. I’m not usually one to make mountains out of molehills but that’s what I have done with this. I think part of my trouble might also be the imbalance between school and reading time–I’m having reading withdrawal symptoms. What that means is, I had better get started on school for the evening so I can stop before I am too tired to read before going to bed. Yes. I like that idea. Thanks for letting me ramble this evening.
I’m like you in that this summer I’m going to try to stay away from “new and shiny” and try to read more books of the AP Literature List (dominated by classics I’ve been avoiding) and books that have been sitting on my shelves for years. I have six books coming from PaperBackSwap and another stack of new ones I’ve either swapped for or bought, so I’d liked to clean off my shelves and make room for those.
Stefanie…I am in awe of your blog…especially considering you are going to school and posting all these wonderful reviews. I have nominated you for a Lemonade award.
Please see my blog for the details.
Please enjoy school and good luck in future endeavors.
Does this mean you’re actually going back to Proust??
That sounds like an excellent plan to me. I don’t think you were making a mountain out of a molehill – you were really missing your reading but under a ton of pressure with work deadlines. So the little reading-is-vital voice had to yell loud to be heard!
And you cannot possibly go wrong with either The Enchanted April, or The Moonstone. I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say about both of them!
It’s funny how our reading effects our mindset. I was getting really grumbly reading all new books I’d been reading about on blogs (as if someone was making me read them) and searching for specific books in bookstores and the library. I ran across The Periodic Table in my old pattern of reading all the titles on the shelves and pulling out the ones that caught my attention.
Christina, ah the AP literature test, I remember that one. One of the few tests I have actually done really well on. The GRE subject test in literature, not so much. But both have excellent reading lists. Good luck with you reading plan!
Tina, you are so sweet and kind, thank you!
Sister, yes, yes it does, eventually. I have a lot of books to get through!
Litlove, I want to hug you right now! You should be a book therapist
Carrie, oh yes, it is amazing how reading has such an impact. For some reason I am always surprised!
I’ve been following a similar plan for the past year and have found it works wonderfully. A few shiny books for spice, but mostly things I’ve had on my TBR list for 10+ years. It’s resulted in a wonderful year for reading!
I’m just like you and Christina. I would love to read a lot of the books I have on my shelves this summer before adding new ones. Since I’ve started school I’ve learned that moderation is key or else some area of my life suffers. Good luck with your plan.
I know I’m repeating myself here, but The Moonstone is one of my all time favorite reads. I am so happy Wilkie Collins has been re-discovered. You really can’t go wrong with the classics, can you. There’s a reason they’ve hung around so long. Happy reading.
I disappeared into a void with the new school year in April. Books have taken a very back seat; however, starting Tuesday I will be commuting by train and hope to use some of the time for reading.
My plan is to read a couple books in their English translation to grasp the overall concept, and then in the original Japanese to see if I can get new vocabulary from context rather than a dictionary. “Kitchen” is the first. After that I hope to start grabbing books of the “to be read” pile in any order.
Good luck with your loose plan.
I think your plan sounds great, and is a good idea as a principle to follow on a regular basis. Guidelines rather than lists work better for me, definitely. That way you can still have some freedom but also some focus. I hope it goes well! Enchanted April will be a nice treat.
Oh, Stefanie!
You have inspired me.
Hmmmm….. for years, YEARS I say, I have intended to read this ancient ancient Literary Guild edition of The Moonstone that has been on my bookshelf for four eternities.
And just tonight I finished a book, and have a 2 week vacation in front of me…. so… I shall hit my Reading Partner with this proposition.
The Moonstone.
Perhaps the time is right .
I’m trying to get back to the classics as well! Enchanted April is a wonderful novel–just the thing to keep your mind off school. And anything by Wilkie Collins is good. I really liked The Moonstone and will have to reread it sometime. I’m working on his The Dead Secret at the moment!
This sounds like a great plan! Something I need to follow in the footsteps of I think.
Jenny, how good to know a similar plan has worked out so well for you! I have hope that maybe I have at last found something that works as a guide but isn’t guilt-inducing.
Vasilly, ah, I must locate your moderation
Grad, I am so excited because I know I am in for some good reading ahead! I can hardly wait to dive in to The Moonstone.
Bikkuri, you’ve been busy moving house too! I think your plan sounds like a good one. Good luck!
Dorothy, freedom and focus, that’s a nice way to put it. I hope it works.
Cip, I hope you like The Moonstone! I am certain you will and then your great posts about it will get me even more revved up to read it!
Danielle, I know, you are the one who inspired me, both to try to read more classics and to move Wilkie to the top of the list!
Karen, thanks, I hope you find a plan of your own that works!