There's more to life than books, y'know

[millionreasons]

Mystery and Manners is over, y'all. This concludes my year of reading women - the new reading year arbitrarily starts in March (or near as). I can't say I've missed the Y chromosome, except perhaps when reading Tessa Hadley's The London Train, which was one of those domestic adultery novels (yawn). From my original list, I have failed to to read Eleanor Catton, Lauren Beukes, Barbara Kingsolver, Barbara Pym, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I also wish I'd read more non-Western novels: the only non Euro/American writer I read was Kiran Desai. Given that part of the reason one reads is to find out about other lives, it was poor on my part. I also read far too many modern (21st century) novels, and only a few written before 1950.

I started off with 392 books on my to read list, but now there are 395:- I watch a film and then want to read the book, or I read a good review, or I see something intriguing in a bookshop, or someone gives me a novel, or I finish a book by an author and want to read more by her. Also, I felt a bit unrestricted this year, so my next year's reading is going to be strictly off of my to read list, but not as restricted as when I only read the first 11 books on it; I'm going to read every 10th book, which will mean a mixture of things languishing at the beginning of the list, right the way through to those added this year.

First up is New Grub Street by George Gissing; I love a good Victorian potboiler.

Comments

[picosgemeos.livejournal.com]

I like your methods. I might copy them at some later stage.

I'm phasing out the books in progress I have at the moment in English and reading from then on only french books (apart from bookclub choices.) Also hoping to write book reviews in french as practice!

[millionreasons.livejournal.com]

Reading an entire book in French is impressive! Think I managed to do that once (L'Etranger). Are you going to read English books in French translation, or is that a step too far?

[picosgemeos.livejournal.com]

I thought you would have read many books in French! I've read quite a few - the easier ones are definitely translations and genre fiction. Currently reading an italian novel translated into French, which is going fine.

[millionreasons.livejournal.com]

I usually managed to find a translation when I was doing my degree. I do have Winnie L'Oursin en francais though.