In the post, ‘2014- The Year in Reading and of Reading Resolutions’, I told as soon as I am decided on my reading goals, I am going to tell you about it. Well here it is. The major one. I have pledged to read 125 books this year, at least. As usual, I will be using Goodreads.com to track down my reading challenge. It’s a great website for book-nerds, for tracking your lifelong books and yearly also. Go check it out.
I have even started contributing towards my reading goal by reading Macbeth by William Shakespeare and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. On reading Macbeth, I have come to realise that it is not the best work of William Shakespeare and certainly not better than Hamlet. Still quite sharp and adequate and short read for wintry nights. The latter one I read in a day, was all over me. I could think about any other thing once I started reading The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry which is very-well written, a nerdy book for book nerds and anyone who likes to read. is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love. And believe me, it won’t take anyone much time to read it. It’s a perfect to-be-read-in-one-day that you can do anywhere. Well to sum up: “Every word the right one and exactly where it should be. That’s basically the highest compliment I can give…” to it.
Currently, I am reading The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy, another one of those that written to be read on wintry nights.
For time being, I have lots of indiereads on my shelf waiting to be read loudly or silently. As long as they are being read, they don’t mind, I hope and certainly, they are not going to be read by themselves. And there are always some books compelling enough to be distracted from one’s desired reading schedule. So it’s going to be a busy week.
Ciao!
Macbeth may not be Shakespeare’s best play but it is still my favourite. I love the witches and all their misleading predictions and, of course, Lady Macbeth’s sleep-walking scene when her mind has finally gone. I’ve pledged to read 100 books this year at GoodReads. Come to my website (mysmsbooks.wordpress.com) and click to vote your pledge in my poll. I’m hoping to get 100 votes to make it really interesting!
Yeah, I like those witches too. Sure, I’ll make a visit!
There are some GREAT short books out there…. 😉
Short books?
Well, if you’re setting book targets, I find it becomes tempting to choose your next read based on its length: with a cupboard of maybe 1,000 unread books to get through, I often find myself going for the 100-200 page ‘easier’ reads, rather than the Infinite Jests and Roberto Bolaño monsters!!
Well that’s an attractive thought but I don’t actually pick books according to their length. 🙂
🙂
I read Macbeth for the first time 2 years ago and re read it last year. It’s the only of Shakespeare’s tragedies I have read. I might have to give hamlet a try!
Hamlet is wonderful! Do give it a try 🙂
It’s a great play. One of my most popular posts is one that I wrote about the symbolism regarding the number 3 in Macbeth. If you feel inclined, check it out…
http://stuffjeffreads.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/unholy-trinity-the-number-three-in-shakespeares-macbeth/
Thanks Jeff, sure I will 🙂
Ah, Macbeth definitely isn’t the best one out there…but the soliloquy towards the end is so timeless that I’d just praise the book for having that within it!
125 books this year? Good luck with that – glad to see that you’ve already started the year with lots of great books!
Haha I have just read too 🙂
Yeah, I agree with how you have defined the end part.
Great short reviews. I particularly like that you’re not afraid to be critical of a famous classic. Most of us just accept what we’re told – that these books are incredibly good, without judging for ourselves.
While I love many of the “classics”, I find some of them to be boring.
Keep reviewing what you read. I enjoy your blog.
Thanks Cynthia 🙂
Well I like to have my own opinion for every book I have read regardless of their fame in both positive or negative manner.
That’s an ambitious goal there! But you have some real classics to look forward to. Keep us posted.
I am targeting some specific classics including by Trollope and Hardy. Thanks, I will 🙂
I love Macbeth. Back in the day I saw Judi Dench and Ian Mckellen in it and they really raised the hairs on the back of my neck. I think it’s available on DVD and worth checking out.
Thanks I will. 😛 Ian McKellen always does that to me too.
I set my goal at 48 on Goodreads last year and read 80, but this year i am trying to read less but read more fully/deeply with a few novels thrown in so the brain doesn’t explode. So i have set my goal on GR at 60 see where i end up.
Good luck with your challenge that’s a lot to read.
Thanks 🙂
I hope you exceed your goal.
I posted a reading challenge on my blog a couple days ago – 50 books, different categories. Check it out for your reading challenge. http://runwright.net/2015/01/07/now-that-mark-zuckerberg-made-reading-cool-again/
And add me on goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/36838620-runwright
All the best with your goals
Sure Run. I’ll go through the links 🙂
How are you doing with your reading challenge thus far?
Right now, I am done with 5 books. 🙂 What about you?
Two. I finished a book today that was sucking my reading mojo how slow it was but now i’m getting back to cranking out some reads.
Well, Happy Reading then!
Setting a reading goal sounds like a wonderful idea. Thanks for posting this. I better head over to goodreads and check it out.
Sure do. It’s will push you to read more 🙂