Until a week ago, I didn't have any idea how many books I read in a year. Goodreads put that number in front of me (a wrong number at that, because I read stuff I don't "report" to Big Brother), and I couldn't care less. When I was a teenager who spent all my free time in the cinema, I kept a list of the movies I'd seen. I found one of these lists. It made me smile... wow, I thought, tickets were cheaper in these days!
I don't count what I read during a month or year, but read a lot across genres. The timing things bugs me because some books demand slow, careful reading and others you can just breeze through.
I treasure my stack of unread books and sometimes want a longer book to read just so it won't end soon. As for Goodreads and others like it, I recall the saying, "If the service is free, you are the product." Undoubtedly our reading preferences are recorded and monetized. I prefer to preserve the joy in my reading.
Goodreads just seems like another way for big tech to make a profile of me that might be someday used for nefarious purposes. If I actually want to review and recommend a book to readers, I can elsewhere. I just enjoyed Susan Orleans The Library Book and am in the middle of Changer l'eau des fleurs by Valérie Perrin (you can get the original French from Melcat when I am done in another week).
"True, the Percocet I took for pain did make me hallucinate a bit, but I relished the books just the same."
On the one hand, the rampant hallucinations and warped perspectives in this story make it an ideal candidate for a head trip. But then you could never keep track of the subtle complexities and interwoven mysteries, which is the series' main appeal, IMO.
I am at times embarrassed by my slow reading pace, but I at least really enjoy and absorb what I do read. The trade-off is that there are thousands of worthwhile books I'll never get around to. I shudder to think of the person slogging through books they barely enjoy just for some arbitrary reading goal.
I think we're all different when it comes to how fast or slowly we read.... I *had* to read faster when I was reviewing heavily for various newspapers, but it wasn't as much fun. I now and then had to take a whole month off for simple pleasure reading.
The last tme I had "reading goals" was in grad school. That was a long time ago. And every day I still wake up grateful to be able to read if and as I want to read.
I just told my spouse that yes, I was indeed reading a handful of books at the same time because I was old enough not to have to listen to any teacher or librarian who said one had to read a book from start to finish to truly enjoy it. :-)
That's a good policy. When I reviewed books, I did the same. Why spend time reviewing a book you don't like when you can turn readers on to a worthy book?
A few times, though, I have felt the need as a reviewer not swayed by the crowd or the PR juggernaut or amazing production values to write (or report on air) about a book that I thought was being wildly over-praised. I name no names. I termed it, on air, a Readers' Alert. :-)
I can't say that I have ever felt external pressure to meet my reading goals, whether before or after the arrival of the GoodReads reading challenge. For that matter, if anyone is shaming me, they are doing it behind my back, as I expect happens with respect to countless characteristics and flaws that I possess. And so it goes. For me, however, I like the consistency bias that comes from publishing my goals - reading and otherwise. I want to make the time to read and by publishing my goals, I hold myself more accountable. I also signal to the people closest to me that reading is important to me and that if I ask for time to read, rather than engage in some other activity, it is an important request because it aligns with my goals.
I'm right now reading a Napoleon biography, The Spoils of Poynton, The Forge of Democracy, and a book about the history of Alexandria because that city came up often in two books I read about Ancient Rome.
“Take the Lev Raphael Nose Job Reading Challenge.”
Does this mean I have to write another spoof? :-)
Only if you’re in a spoofin’ frame of mind.
Wait till later this month. Lit Mag News is going to have a very big satirical piece of mine.
Until a week ago, I didn't have any idea how many books I read in a year. Goodreads put that number in front of me (a wrong number at that, because I read stuff I don't "report" to Big Brother), and I couldn't care less. When I was a teenager who spent all my free time in the cinema, I kept a list of the movies I'd seen. I found one of these lists. It made me smile... wow, I thought, tickets were cheaper in these days!
I don't count what I read during a month or year, but read a lot across genres. The timing things bugs me because some books demand slow, careful reading and others you can just breeze through.
I treasure my stack of unread books and sometimes want a longer book to read just so it won't end soon. As for Goodreads and others like it, I recall the saying, "If the service is free, you are the product." Undoubtedly our reading preferences are recorded and monetized. I prefer to preserve the joy in my reading.
I am so with you. Like the time I picked Middlemarch because I hadn't read it since college. It was heaven.
And yes, it's nobody's business but ours what we're reading.
Goodreads just seems like another way for big tech to make a profile of me that might be someday used for nefarious purposes. If I actually want to review and recommend a book to readers, I can elsewhere. I just enjoyed Susan Orleans The Library Book and am in the middle of Changer l'eau des fleurs by Valérie Perrin (you can get the original French from Melcat when I am done in another week).
I hadn't thought of the profile issue. Good call!
I don't need a goal or a race to read books. I do it all for pleasure and delightful escape.
Amen! And sometimes I'm in the mood for a quick read, other times for something long and languorous--like The Crimson Petal and the White.
"True, the Percocet I took for pain did make me hallucinate a bit, but I relished the books just the same."
On the one hand, the rampant hallucinations and warped perspectives in this story make it an ideal candidate for a head trip. But then you could never keep track of the subtle complexities and interwoven mysteries, which is the series' main appeal, IMO.
I am at times embarrassed by my slow reading pace, but I at least really enjoy and absorb what I do read. The trade-off is that there are thousands of worthwhile books I'll never get around to. I shudder to think of the person slogging through books they barely enjoy just for some arbitrary reading goal.
I think we're all different when it comes to how fast or slowly we read.... I *had* to read faster when I was reviewing heavily for various newspapers, but it wasn't as much fun. I now and then had to take a whole month off for simple pleasure reading.
The last tme I had "reading goals" was in grad school. That was a long time ago. And every day I still wake up grateful to be able to read if and as I want to read.
I just told my spouse that yes, I was indeed reading a handful of books at the same time because I was old enough not to have to listen to any teacher or librarian who said one had to read a book from start to finish to truly enjoy it. :-)
Corollary: Adults don’t have to finish books they’re not enjoying.
Another corollary: as a book reviewer I did not have to review a book I didn't enjoy. I could pass.
That's a good policy. When I reviewed books, I did the same. Why spend time reviewing a book you don't like when you can turn readers on to a worthy book?
A few times, though, I have felt the need as a reviewer not swayed by the crowd or the PR juggernaut or amazing production values to write (or report on air) about a book that I thought was being wildly over-praised. I name no names. I termed it, on air, a Readers' Alert. :-)
The last reading challenge I participated in was in the third grade--and I won the challenge. 'Nuff said. 😉
I hope you got a lovely commendation card!
I can't say that I have ever felt external pressure to meet my reading goals, whether before or after the arrival of the GoodReads reading challenge. For that matter, if anyone is shaming me, they are doing it behind my back, as I expect happens with respect to countless characteristics and flaws that I possess. And so it goes. For me, however, I like the consistency bias that comes from publishing my goals - reading and otherwise. I want to make the time to read and by publishing my goals, I hold myself more accountable. I also signal to the people closest to me that reading is important to me and that if I ask for time to read, rather than engage in some other activity, it is an important request because it aligns with my goals.
It was a satire.
I'm right now reading a Napoleon biography, The Spoils of Poynton, The Forge of Democracy, and a book about the history of Alexandria because that city came up often in two books I read about Ancient Rome.