There has been a bit of discussion during the week on Twitter about setting reading targets. I have done that on Goodreads the last couple of years. But I have been modest in my goals and both years I set it at 52 books, i.e. my aim was to read at least one book a week. I am gobsmacked at people who can set a target of 366 books, or a book a day. Really my aim was to document my reading and prove to myself that I actually do still read stuff even if sometimes I have felt that I had lost the art of recreational reading amidst lots of other necessary reading.
The first year I documented my reading on Goodreads in 2010 I read 62 books (or 10 above my target) and last year 2011 I read 89 (or 37 above my target). What will happen in 2012? Well, despite the extra day provided by the leap year I won't be anywhere near the 89 of last year. My "read 2012" folder on Goodreads stands at 69 today BUT of these seven are books that I still have in my "currently reading" folder. Am I really going to finish these seven books before midnight tomorrow? I doubt it. So stay tuned! My total for 2012 will be at least 62, so similar to 2010. But who knows? Forbidden fruit is one of those on the list. It's a reread but I count rereads!!
Recreational reading is a great way to wind down your brain after all the necessary reading one does for study or work.
ReplyDeleteI didn't document my reading habits, or have a goal as it would end up being another thing to stress over if I fell behind! Maybe a better goal is to enjoy what you read? Having read the same books over and again to my kids this year I would definitely count rereads :).