Reading Plan for 2016

I have been thinking about what my own challenges will be for the upcoming year. I think I have finalised it.

Novels and TBR Triple Dog Dare:
The first three months will be devoted to the Triple Dog Dare of TBR books (link here on James Reads Books).  It is not too late to sign up. The dare finishes on 1 April and I see this as good motivation to read both my vintage Penguin books and my non-Penguins on the shelves.
   
However I am also combining this challenge with a list of books on My Library Thing that I own and matching it to 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. You can search My Library using the name TravellinPenguin.

I will start at the back of the 1001 Books.... book and turn the pages one at a time. When I come across the first book I own that will be my read.  I like the 21st and 20th Century books more than the very ancient ones. So I am starting there. I will see how far I get. Many of the book in this reference book are published in Vintage penguins.  I can also align the 20th century books to the Classic Club's A Century of Reading challenge. I would like to get more of those  years completed.

Short Stories:
I will use a set of Giant Playing Cards I Own and align those choices to two books.  I have a book called A World of Great Stories edited by Hiram Haydn and John Cournos, published 1947.

The other book is called That Glimpse of Truth; 100 of the Finest Short Stories Ever Written Selected and Introduced by David Miller, published 2014.

 I will choose a card on the 1st of the month from the World of Great Stories and on the 15th of the month from That Glimpse of Truth. I will align that card to the relevantly marked short story. Many of these short stories have been translated and I feel I will get a good taste of various countries. I hope to find the time to blog about both stories each month.
Non-Fiction

I will devote early mornings to non-fiction books for 30 to 60 minutes as I drink my morning coffee. I will read one or two chapters per day 4 or 5 mornings a week. I will write about these as I go.  I plan to make this more of a discussion for others to join in on with their comments.  I am starting with Susan Wise Bauer's book The Well Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had.

Library Books

Book Jar

Now what do I do with all those book reviews and recommendations from friends? How do I use the library?  I have a book jar for library books.  Whenever I hear of a book that sounds really interesting I put the name of it on a piece of paper, fold it up and put it in the jar.  I will pick out the name of that book and book it through holds on the library web page. When it comes in I will read it. Once read I will choose another book from the jar. If the wait is more than 100 days long as new books often are, I will choose a second slip of paper from the book jar. These books, as they are only reserved one at a time will not count for the three months of TBR Triple Dog Dare challenge. We must support our libraries.

Literary Magazines
There are many Australian Literary magazines and their numbers seem to be increasing. I will read some of the articles in these to round out more information of current reading happening in this country. I will plan that reading in the evenings or when I am too tired for anything else. These magazines also include quite a bit of poetry which is sadly lacking from my experiences lately.

Book Group
I currently belong to two book groups but one will be the main one I attend over another one. There will be more about this new book club I have been accepted into when I attend my first meeting at the end of January. It is more social but I understand they are serious about books.  We meet in the lounge of a large hotel on the Hobart Waterfront in the evening. They often go to movies together after reading the book and it is not as formal as the other book club I belong to. I have followed their Facebook page for more than a year as I waited for an opening to come up. Members choose the books.

The other book group has been with the independent book store of Fullers. There are several reading groups that meet during the first week of the month at the store. Members do not choose the books. Often books are not chosen that are thought to upset some  members.  It is more formal and once the discussion is over that is it until the next month. Everyone reads the same book from month to month and people swap days and times for convenience so the continuity is often disrupted regarding those who attend. No chance for making solid friendships.  However they do choose good books that make me think and if I can carry it off I will attend some of their group meetings as they are enjoyable when they occur.

I think all of this will keep me busy and once again I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. If so then I will reassess the situation down the track a bit.

I plan on updating the blog more often as my reading gets underway. I also plan on having a weekend wrap up that sums up some of the high and low points of the previous week. I really enjoy blogs that have a personal side to them and I hope others feel the same way. It is a good way to get to know the person and become friends with those others who share common interests.

I am really enjoying seeing what everyone else is up to on their blogs regarding their 2016 plans. It is lots of fun and I hope to get some serious work done as well as enjoy those fluffy, light hearted times that pop up here and there. Enjoy 2016.