Chapter 4 - Read Harder

As you know, I challenge myself each year (inspired by Goodreads) to read more books, last year my goal was 130 and I finished 131. The year before I set my goal at 125 and read 130. So I started thinking about this and realized how stupid and, well, arrogant that was. It's not that I share the goal or the accomplishment with anyone on an ongoing basis, but - what's the point? Sometimes I feel the pressure to read to catch up and that's not very fun. And...reading should be pleasurable right?

So this year I am allowing myself to have no set goal for a challenge. There are definitely books I want to read - like the books of authors I will see at the Savannah Book Festival in February. Of course, I always enjoy new books and I try to mix up fiction, nonfiction, short and long books as well.

So these are my challenges to myself this year -

• Continue on the Harvard Classics reading (by the way, so far, so good). This is my biggest challenge!

• Read books currently on my bookshelves at home. This may be a tough one because I have so many and I get distracted by new, sparkly books.

• Read books for my two book clubs. I always do this so this is really a give-me.

• Give myself permission to go for a week without reading a book. This is kind of crazy I know but just the fact that I do means I probably won't.

• Give up a book I don't enjoy. I have a rule of thumb that 100 page minus my age is how many pages I have to read before I give up on a book. This year I need to stick to that and not slog through books I don't like.

Being a type A personality when it comes to books (and other things my husband tells me), it might be hard to stick to my challenges. But for 2020 my Reading Challenge will be to read better, not harder!

Does anyone else have this problem or am I the only book lunatic out there? Please let me know!