A Year in Books, 2006 (post one)

For the past two years, I’ve been keeping an ongoing list on my blog of what books I’ve read throughout the year. This year, I added little codes like “authors new to me” or “YA novels.” You can see them in the borders of this blog.

I started it in 2005 as a lark, but I wound up really loving the exercise, and what I learned from it. Not only does it help me remember books I read and when I read them, but it helps me remember all the books I read MORE. I also like making myself accountable for reading more books. It’s one of my favorite things about keeping this blog. (On the other hand, I find I’m much lazier about updating which movies I’ve seen, so I probably won’t try that again next year.) Last year, I read 52 books, one for each week. This year, I made the same goal, and surpassed it. (We’ll see by how much on December 31st.)

For 2007, I think I’m adding an extra challenge to my “book a week” diet. More classics. Despite my literature degree, I find I have a big gaping hole in my education where certain classic novels belong, so I’ve slowly started making a list of Classic Novels I Never Read But Probably Should. Here’s the list so far:
Moby Dick
East of Eden
The Trial
Catch-22
The Catcher in the Rye
Jane Eyre
anything by Virginia Woolf

I’m sure I’ll add more as the year goes on. (I’m equally sure I’ll get suggestions and warnings here; feel free).

In addition to the classic novels, I already have a whole bunch of “on deck” books to read in the coming year. My TBR pile is pretty much out of control.

Somewhat later, I’ll be posting my thoughts on my favorite books of the year, and also, because it’s December and that makes me reflective, I’ll post about my thoughts, a year later, of books from 2005.