The 2013 Annual Reading Challenge - Discussion Thread! - Page 32

Rumpelteazer · 11-01-2013, 05:01 AM

I've given up on my Classics Challenge, maybe I'll try again next year. My series challenge (not to have too many series going at once) was going in the wrong direction, but with several series I only have to read one or two books to finish it, so that's going in the right direction. My 2013/2014 age challenge isn't going so well, partially because I'm currently focussed on series, but since I've got 14 months to make it up I'm not worried yet.

Last night I've started my 100th book of this year, for the Goodreads challenge I entered that I wanted to read 104 books and I'm now 13 books ahead. This is partially due to the fact I read a lot more short stories than I normally do. But I think I will beat last year's page count, so despite the short stories I've read more.

susaz · 11-03-2013, 04:47 PM

Life is what happens when you're making plans.

Started the year with my dad being ill with cancer. Read a lot while in the hospital but yet, all of my plans went haywire.

I love Sci Fi, but also love to read in vogue books. Read much less than I wanted to, partly because of concerns after my dad's death.

Don't make plans, just read. Search the bestseller lists, sometimes jewels can be found. Try to veer from what you usually read with this. Recommendations from people are also great.

But remember... Enjoying your reading is SO MUCH MORE important than how much you read!

Stephjk · 11-05-2013, 12:05 PM

I'm way behind on my challenge again!

The book clubs have done for me - I thought I'd catch up by reading a bit chick lit (I can get through them pretty quickly), but I've gone off them, they just seem to be drivel now!

I'll just have to be content with the fact that I have enriched my mind by reading more thought provoking books. I've also read a few difficult classics this year so I haven't done too bad really (and there're still a few weeks to go so I may not flop completely!).

BelleZora · 11-05-2013, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephjk

The book clubs have done for me - I thought I'd catch up by reading a bit chick lit (I can get through them pretty quickly), but I've gone off them, they just seem to be drivel now!

I'll just have to be content with the fact that I have enriched my mind by reading more thought provoking books. I've also read a few difficult classics this year so I haven't done too bad really (and there're still a few weeks to go so I may not flop completely!).

Last night while looking through my books-read list on Goodreads I noticed that I began reading more classics and thought-provoking books after getting involved with the MR book clubs - not just the selections but choices inspired by those selections.

Stephjk · 11-05-2013, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BelleZora

Last night while looking through my books-read list on Goodreads I noticed that I began reading more classics and thought-provoking books after getting involved with the MR book clubs - not just the selections but choices inspired by those selections.

I completely agree, I've bought more books from past book club nominations than anything else this year. Just got to read them all now!

HomeInMyShoes · 11-06-2013, 11:10 AM

^The book pushers are doing their job a little too well these days.

pdurrant · 11-07-2013, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

^The book pushers are doing their job a little too well these days.

i don't know what you mean.

I only have around twenty more purchased ebooks on my TBR pile than I had at the start of the year!

jbcohen · 11-07-2013, 07:12 AM

As a general rule I try not to have anything unread. That does not stop me from deciding where I am going next after the one I am reading now.

HomeInMyShoes · 11-07-2013, 08:46 AM

On my Kindle, I have 29 unread books. I have about seven unread paper books at home as well. Those humbers include 16 free titles on the Kindle, a few Humble Bundle extras that might never be read and one book from my mom on my shelf at home.

Not bad. Only about 20 purchases lying around. I try to only collect things I know I'm reading in the next year. Right now, I'm collecting a few paper books for next year's challenge and I'm thinking awfully hard about Mo Yan's Big Breasts and Wide Hips that is availabe for $2.99 at Amazon this month. I was going to read Red Sorghum for my challenge next year, but $3 instead of a library borrow might be too good a deal.

pdurrant · 11-07-2013, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Only about 20 purchases lying around. I try to only collect things I know I'm reading in the next year.

An admirable ambition. I'm intending to get down to three to six months of unread books eventually, but I'm not sure how I'm going to achieve it. My attempt this year to reduce my TBR hasn't worked.

Yapyap · 11-07-2013, 11:11 AM

Calibre tells me my unread books count stands at 1210 now.

That does include a bunch of books I've got for free over the last couple of years (many of which I'll probably never read - as happens to many new Kindle owners, I went a bit trigger-happy with the free books at one point) but even so...

I also have a few hundred unread paper books lying around at home (well, sitting in shelves).

I've decided to view all this as my personal library where I'll never run out of reading material, not necessarily a list of "must read them all". It's the only way I'll stay sane.

A problem I have is that while (for paid books) I do try to stick on things I believe I actually want to read, and buy them when there's a good deal, something that sounded awesome six months ago or last year doesn't sound nearly as appealing now. And my reading goes through phases - last year I read a lot of dystopian YA, this year it bores me, and so on.

DrNefario · 11-07-2013, 11:23 AM

Likewise. I'm not convinced I'd ever get down to three to six months even if I never buy or download another book, unless I have a mass deletion.

I have just deleted 35 books - the complete works of Anna Katharine Green - which I downloaded from here, and which I realised I was never going to read, especially after reading Julian Symons' opinion of them in Bloody Murder a couple of months ago. That makes my figures look a tiny bit better. It gets my TBR increase back under 100.

It's a bit like government debt, when you're happy about reducing the rate of increase, rather than an actual reduction.

There are still over a thousand rows in my TBR spreadsheet, but I do need to figure out how much of it is not junk. It really needs to be a database, rather than a spreadsheet.

Rev. Bob · 11-07-2013, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yapyap

Calibre tells me my unread books count stands at 1210 now.

Goodreads has my TBR stack at 957, a few of which are short stories or short collections (e.g. the "Tales from the Archives" volumes - four short stories each, but under 100 pages/volume). That's my paper and ebook libraries combined, but doesn't count some unread books that are still in boxes from when I moved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yapyap

I've decided to view all this as my personal library where I'll never run out of reading material, not necessarily a list of "must read them all". It's the only way I'll stay sane.

A problem I have is that while (for paid books) I do try to stick on things I believe I actually want to read, and buy them when there's a good deal, something that sounded awesome six months ago or last year doesn't sound nearly as appealing now. And my reading goes through phases - last year I read a lot of dystopian YA, this year it bores me, and so on.

I take a similar outlook. I tend to catch up on series in quick succession, so it's nothing for me to have half a dozen sequels on the shelf waiting to be devoured. Sometimes I feel like some mil-SF, like now when I'm reading the newest Kris Longknife book - I read the "Bloodhound" novella, proceeded to the new novel, and will probably go from there to the three books about Ray and Trouble, finishing up a five-volume run. Sometimes it's YA UF, and I've got two Rick Riordan series waiting on me to get around to 'em; I'll probably read all of the Kane and Heroes books when the final Heroes novel comes out.

And yes, I said that's what I'll probably do. I never quite know what I'm going to read next until I actually finish my current book and make a choice. Even then, sometimes I'll set that aside for a day or so to make room for a quick graphic novel...which is one of the few categories I still buy as ink-stained Ent corpses. I'm impulsive that way, and I like to have a variety of options open to me. No matter what I'm in the mood for, with 600 books on my e-reader, one of 'em's bound to suit me.

HarryT · 11-07-2013, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yapyap

I've decided to view all this as my personal library where I'll never run out of reading material, not necessarily a list of "must read them all". It's the only way I'll stay sane.

This is very much my philosophy; I already have far more books than I can conceivably read in any reasonable projection of my life expectancy, but still I buy at least 4 new books a week. Why? Because I enjoy buying books - it's as simple as that.

HomeInMyShoes · 11-07-2013, 12:29 PM

I find the spreadsheet works fine. I have a subjective rating of priority that I assign things. Unassigned is 1000, high priority/interest is 1, things that are interesting, but not quite so high get a 10. Binary works good because I can subrank within the 1s or 10s. Every now and then I just sort the list based on priority and reprioritize things and things in the 1000 area are the ones that tend to get deleted. I should add a column for date added so I can stale date items that obviously aren't getting read. If you have the right columns then it's easy to find things based on criteria in the spreadsheet and what my reading interests currently are. I use goodreads for the real TBR list that is more than likely. It stands at around 100 and 50 of those are challenge books for next year.

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11-01-2013, 05:01 AM	#466
Rumpelteazer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,100 Karma: 24047426 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition	I've given up on my Classics Challenge, maybe I'll try again next year. My series challenge (not to have too many series going at once) was going in the wrong direction, but with several series I only have to read one or two books to finish it, so that's going in the right direction. My 2013/2014 age challenge isn't going so well, partially because I'm currently focussed on series, but since I've got 14 months to make it up I'm not worried yet. Last night I've started my 100th book of this year, for the Goodreads challenge I entered that I wanted to read 104 books and I'm now 13 books ahead. This is partially due to the fact I read a lot more short stories than I normally do. But I think I will beat last year's page count, so despite the short stories I've read more.

11-03-2013, 04:47 PM	#467
susaz Zealot Posts: 149 Karma: 664784 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Buenos Aires Argentina Device: Nook Color, Grammata Papyre 6.2, Sony PRS T1, Nook ST Glow,Kobo Glo	Life is what happens when you're making plans. Started the year with my dad being ill with cancer. Read a lot while in the hospital but yet, all of my plans went haywire. I love Sci Fi, but also love to read in vogue books. Read much less than I wanted to, partly because of concerns after my dad's death. Don't make plans, just read. Search the bestseller lists, sometimes jewels can be found. Try to veer from what you usually read with this. Recommendations from people are also great. But remember... Enjoying your reading is SO MUCH MORE important than how much you read!

11-05-2013, 12:05 PM	#468
Stephjk Cruiser Posts: 525 Karma: 1157886 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: on a small yacht! Device: kobo glo, samsung galaxy tab note	I'm way behind on my challenge again! The book clubs have done for me - I thought I'd catch up by reading a bit chick lit (I can get through them pretty quickly), but I've gone off them, they just seem to be drivel now! I'll just have to be content with the fact that I have enriched my mind by reading more thought provoking books. I've also read a few difficult classics this year so I haven't done too bad really (and there're still a few weeks to go so I may not flop completely!).

11-06-2013, 11:10 AM	#471
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	^The book pushers are doing their job a little too well these days.

11-07-2013, 07:12 AM	#473
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	As a general rule I try not to have anything unread. That does not stop me from deciding where I am going next after the one I am reading now.

11-07-2013, 08:46 AM	#474
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	On my Kindle, I have 29 unread books. I have about seven unread paper books at home as well. Those humbers include 16 free titles on the Kindle, a few Humble Bundle extras that might never be read and one book from my mom on my shelf at home. Not bad. Only about 20 purchases lying around. I try to only collect things I know I'm reading in the next year. Right now, I'm collecting a few paper books for next year's challenge and I'm thinking awfully hard about Mo Yan's Big Breasts and Wide Hips that is availabe for $2.99 at Amazon this month. I was going to read Red Sorghum for my challenge next year, but $3 instead of a library borrow might be too good a deal.

11-07-2013, 11:11 AM	#476
Yapyap Guru Posts: 861 Karma: 3543721 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Estonia Device: Kindle Paperwhite, iPad 3, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge	Calibre tells me my unread books count stands at 1210 now. That does include a bunch of books I've got for free over the last couple of years (many of which I'll probably never read - as happens to many new Kindle owners, I went a bit trigger-happy with the free books at one point) but even so... I also have a few hundred unread paper books lying around at home (well, sitting in shelves). I've decided to view all this as my personal library where I'll never run out of reading material, not necessarily a list of "must read them all". It's the only way I'll stay sane. A problem I have is that while (for paid books) I do try to stick on things I believe I actually want to read, and buy them when there's a good deal, something that sounded awesome six months ago or last year doesn't sound nearly as appealing now. And my reading goes through phases - last year I read a lot of dystopian YA, this year it bores me, and so on.

11-07-2013, 11:23 AM	#477
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,099 Karma: 11315768 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	Likewise. I'm not convinced I'd ever get down to three to six months even if I never buy or download another book, unless I have a mass deletion. I have just deleted 35 books - the complete works of Anna Katharine Green - which I downloaded from here, and which I realised I was never going to read, especially after reading Julian Symons' opinion of them in Bloody Murder a couple of months ago. That makes my figures look a tiny bit better. It gets my TBR increase back under 100. It's a bit like government debt, when you're happy about reducing the rate of increase, rather than an actual reduction. There are still over a thousand rows in my TBR spreadsheet, but I do need to figure out how much of it is not junk. It really needs to be a database, rather than a spreadsheet.

11-07-2013, 12:29 PM	#480
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	I find the spreadsheet works fine. I have a subjective rating of priority that I assign things. Unassigned is 1000, high priority/interest is 1, things that are interesting, but not quite so high get a 10. Binary works good because I can subrank within the 1s or 10s. Every now and then I just sort the list based on priority and reprioritize things and things in the 1000 area are the ones that tend to get deleted. I should add a column for date added so I can stale date items that obviously aren't getting read. If you have the right columns then it's easy to find things based on criteria in the spreadsheet and what my reading interests currently are. I use goodreads for the real TBR list that is more than likely. It stands at around 100 and 50 of those are challenge books for next year.

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