The 2014 Annual Reading Challenge Discussion Thread!

[Dazrin]

Technically I completed my yearly page goal last night by getting past 72% in my current tome. I won't count it as complete until I completely finish the book though; at nearly 1,100 pages it is taking a while.

This book also brought me pass 100,000 total pages read since I started tracking in January 2011 (after getting my Kindle for Christmas.)

Edit: 11/14: I finished Great North Road tonight and with it my challenge as stated above. Now to see how much I can pad it.

[Tarana]

I am 5 books behind, but still think I can meet my main challenge of 120 books for the year. Health issues and meds are still putting a damper on things, but sometimes if I select something different (i.e. a cozy instead of a crime novel), I can at least enjoy a book.

I still have about a dozen books left on my age challenge. Not sure I will make it before the end of the year. I do have 4 books to fill in slots (reading one right now), but can I get 8 done in the right years? Not so sure, but I will continue to pursue.

Yes, I had other challenges, but I'll only be able to meet one more. It's ok though. I tried to restrict to things already on TBR. Unfortunately, many are too long to fill in this late in the game.

[CharredScribe]

Just reached my target of 50 books, but but behind by sub-goal (15 books of African fiction). I still have six weeks to go!

[HomeInMyShoes]

^I'd love to see your list of African fiction.

[sun surfer]

Well, I finished my page count goal! I'm now standing at 6,046 pages complete out of a 6,000 page goal for the second half of 2014.

However, I have five subgoals and only two completed so far. I still need 7 books to complete the rest - two Irish books, three English classics (though I'm reading one right now) and two book club nominees. That's a tall order for me with only a month and a half to go!

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by sun surfer

Well, I finished my page count goal! I'm now standing at 6,046 pages complete out of a 6,000 page goal for the second half of 2014.

However, I have five subgoals and only two completed so far. I still need 7 books to complete the rest - two Irish books, three English classics (though I'm reading one right now) and two book club nominees. That's a tall order for me with only a month and a half to go!

Book club nominees should be fairly easy since next month is Short Stories. That should help for the others as well.

[sun surfer]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Book club nominees should be fairly easy since next month is Short Stories. That should help for the others as well.

Thanks Dazrin, I hope so! I have some shortlisted from other months and will see what December brings.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by sun surfer

However, I have five subgoals and only two completed so far. I still need 7 books to complete the rest - two Irish books, three English classics (though I'm reading one right now) and two book club nominees. That's a tall order for me with only a month and a half to go!

A book a week doesn't sound too challenging . You could always choose shortish books, such as James Joyce's "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", for example (which is also the most "accessible" of Joyce's works, to my mind).

[DrNefario]

I'm on my sixth of eight crime books to complete the last of my sub-challenges for the year. I should manage that.

I also need to read a bit faster than I buy. I'm only slightly behind on my TBR target, but it keeps moving away. I could always cheat and throw in some short stories, but I don't feel it has come to that yet.

[sun surfer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

A book a week doesn't sound too challenging .

Well, let me give my situation some context. I'm currently reading two books, one at close to 1,000 pages that I'm in the middle of (Bleak House, which will count for an English classic), and the other at close to 500 pages that I'm closer to the beginning of (a book club selection which won't count for my subgoals). I will also probably be reading at least one if not two book club winning selections in December that won't count towards my subgoals either (my book club subgoal is to read nominees that didn't win). So I have to read six more books for my subgoals in addition to that and I'm not the fastest reader. I know it will be tight for me but hope springs eternal!

You could always choose shortish books, such as James Joyce's "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", for example (which is also the most "accessible" of Joyce's works, to my mind).

Thanks, Harry. I read Ulysses last year and really enjoyed it. I haven't read that one though and will consider it. I've already chosen two books to read for my subgoals - Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles for an English classic and Flann O'Brien's At-Swim-Two-Birds for an Irish book, which will leave me needing one more for each of those two subgoals. I know Tess is a bit longer but I wanted to read a Hardy for my English classic subgoal, wanted one of his most famous and didn't want to start with the shorter but more challenging Jude the Obscure.

[CharredScribe]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

^I'd love to see your list of African fiction.

Sure. This is what I have read this year.

• Daughters Who Walk This Path by Yejide Kilanko (excellent)
• The Great Agony and Pure Laughter of the Gods by Jamala Safari (good)
• The Spider King's Daughter by Chibundu Onuzo (excellent)
• Heart of Redness by Zakes Mda (excellent)
• Bom Boy by Yewande Omotoso (good)

And here are books in my reading list (I own them but have not read them)

• Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie (reading now)
• Dreams by Oliver Schreiner
• A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong'o
• July's People by Nadine Gordimer
• Sarah House by Ifeanyi Ajaegbo
• The Spiral House by Claire Robertson
• The Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner

[Nyssa]

I've not been a very good hostess/thread leader, as I've been in a reading slump for about 6 months now and therefore haven't been participating. For that, I apologise.

I want to thank all of you for keeping the 2014 thread alive and active in my prolonged absence.

I also wish you all continued success as we finish out this year and look forward to the next.

I know for myself, I am hoping for a fantastic, fiction filled , 2015 and wish you all the same (or nonfiction if you prefer) .

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

I've not been a very good hostess/thread leader, as I've been in a reading slump for about 6 months now and therefore haven't been participating. For that, I apologise.

I want to thank all of you for keeping the 2014 thread alive and active in my prolonged absence.

I also wish you all continued success as we finish out this year and look forward to the next.

I know for myself, I am hoping for a fantastic, fiction filled , 2015 and wish you all the same (or nonfiction if you prefer) .

Sorry to hear that Nyssa. In my several decades of reading life, I have never experienced a reading slump, and I read of it with horror when I see it mentioned by yourself and others on the forum. With horror that it might one day happen to me. Sending you reading vibes for a better 2015 .

I am a couple of books ahead in my 75 book reading challenge, so should make my target comfortably this year.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by orlok

Sorry to hear that Nyssa. In my several decades of reading life, I have never experienced a reading slump, and I read of it with horror when I see it mentioned by yourself and others on the forum. With horror that it might one day happen to me. Sending you reading vibes for a better 2015 .

I am a couple of books ahead in my 75 book reading challenge, so should make my target comfortably this year.

Thank you Orlok and congratulations on a great year!

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

I've not been a very good hostess/thread leader, as I've been in a reading slump for about 6 months now and therefore haven't been participating. For that, I apologise.

I want to thank all of you for keeping the 2014 thread alive and active in my prolonged absence.

I also wish you all continued success as we finish out this year and look forward to the next.

I know for myself, I am hoping for a fantastic, fiction filled , 2015 and wish you all the same (or nonfiction if you prefer) .

You shouldn't beat yourself up, Nyssa. You got the thread going, and got us all started down the right track. And I well understand a reading slump. For me, what usually works is to reread a favourite series, but we all have to find our own way through it.

I'm at 149 books this year, one short of my stretch goal. It's good that I got here early, because it's knitting season, and I can't knit and read at the same time. Except reading audio books.