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February 28, 2007
Spring Reading Challenge
What with this being the last day of February, it's time to wrap up the Winter Reading Challenge and begin anew. And boy, do I feel a need to begin anew! The Winter Reading Challenge was a complete bust for me--other than my book group books, I read NOTHING that was on the list. I have no good reason for this. Looking back, they all seem to be perfectly lovely books, and it's not like I didn't read any other books. But it was just not a season of reading a list. Maybe it was because I so many other lists of things to do!
But my stacks of unread books still call to me, and I know that they must be tackled. I suppose it is impossible to continue to buy books but never read them. Isn't it? Zman even remarked, "Mom, sometime soon you've got to sit down and start reading and quit buying." If even he has noticed, I think I've got to do something!
So, I made another deal with myself not to buy another book for myself until June. Three months of spring, three months of reading completely off my shelves. A sort of "spring cleaning" start to the "to be read" piles.
Here's the plan for spring:
First, my two book group books (I've already read the April book):
The Cave by Jose Saramago
The Keys of the Kingdom by A. J. Cronin
Then, from the massive stacks, a hodge podge of books, but with an emphasis on the nostalgic and fun:
Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brien
Venetia by Georgette Heyer
Standing in the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (a re-read from my teen years, found at the library sale)
Forever Odd by Dean Koontz
Grand Opening by Jon Hassler (one of my favorite writers!)
Rockspring by R. G. Vliet (because I like the occasional Western, and this one was published by SMU Press)
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz (the first of his Cairo trilogy)
Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough (a nonfiction book about the youth and young adult years of Teddy Roosevelt)
So, there it is. And I promise (imagine me holding up my hand) that I will not darken the doors of 1/2 Price Books until June. And I won't go to the Book Rack. Or Barnes and Nobles. Or cruise Amazon with credit card in hand. At least until June.
Now, how many days is that?
Posted by MamaT at February 28, 2007 7:56 AM