Quote:
Originally Posted by dncharles
Is there something spectacularly and good about reading a hundred books in a year- the little line creeping across the screen, the achievement of another notch on the culture belt...?
I don't mean to diss it but it seems to me like quantity for the sake of it. Book conquest as competition? Please don't apologise for not finishing a book - it's the author's problem, not yours.
I'm a little more fussy about what I clutter up my head with- maybe a good book a month, really taken in (early morning before starting writing is best - NOT the bed at end of day!), anticipated, savored and devoured slowly like a good meal...
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I can't speak for everyone but...
First of all, it's more a shared personal goal rather than a competition. I don't think any of us are doing it competitively, in the sense that those who make it are winners and the rest losers. I'm quite pleased with the reading material I've consumed this year, both in terms of quantity and content, and even if I don't make it to 100, I'm happy I chose to participate.
There's also a social aspect to shared goals. Some of us are in a MR challenge group on Goodreads, and I've made some good friends through this.
You say you're fussy about what you clutter up your head with, but as you are a self-proclaimed hedonist, I'm assuming that pleasure is an important part of the selection process. I'm no different in that sense. I choose books I think I will enjoy. Besides, there's something to be gleaned even from bad books, I think.
For me, it's not about the number so much as it is the journey. My ereader makes it so much easier to read, and since I'm already planning to enjoy that to the fullest, why not have a goal?
Short answer: Because it's fun!
