A New Year of Stories
I suspect that, like me, you’ve been bombarded with entreaties to start the new year with new habits, new goals, perhaps even a new wardrobe.
It can be overwhelming.
I keep a pile of books beside my bed. They are books that I want to read, or that I have been given as a gift and feel I ought to read because someone took the time to select it for me. This is my “To Be Read” pile, or TBR.
Those of us (not me) who post our reading history monthly on Goodreads.com may sometimes feel that they should read a certain number of books a month, or even a week. One a week, five a month, 500 a year. And then they should write a review, and keep a list of books they want to read. That reading is a competition.
Like New Years resolutions, or the January 1 suggestions on social media or the morning newscast, posting your reading goals online can be overwhelming.
I love to read, and I enjoy talking about books that I have read, so I belong to two book groups. That puts a certain amount of pressure on me to read at least two books a month. But that’s my personal decision; no one is telling me I should do that. In addition to my book club books, I listen to audio books as I drive or walk, and I always have a novel beside my bed that I read from each night (my current nighttime read is The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.)
Recently I bought a reading journal, which provides a place for me to record books I want to read, books I’ve completed, and space for over 50 two-page book reviews. I bought the journal because I noticed that most of the participants in the Mystery Book Club I’ve recently joined refer to similar notebooks as they give their report on the previous month’s selection.
I’m curious how this will alter my feelings about my TBR pile. Will it increase the pleasure of reading, or increase the pressure I feel to complete a certain number of books a month? We’ll see.
This morning I wrote a review for the first book finished in 2026, False Witness by Karin Slaughter. A thriller I would never have read if it hadn’t been selected by the mystery book club, but that I actually enjoyed.
Do you have TBR piles in your life? Or other goals that you want to complete in the new year? How do you manage them so that they don’t overwhelm you? I’d love to hear from you.
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Marlene Anne Bumgarner writes primarily about food, family, and traditions. Her 2020 memoir, Back to the Land in Silicon Valley, is about raising children, animals, and vegetables on a rural plot of land in the 1970s. Organic Cooking for (not-so-organic) Families will be out soon, and she’s working on an update to The Book of Whole Grains while also crafting a cozy mystery, Death on a Sunny Afternoon – a Harriet Palmer Mystery.
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I started taking notes on books I am reading for a church book group so that I can remember the main points and my thoughts after I return the book to the library. I find that note taking helps me retain more of what I read, just like in college. I do not record the books I read for light entertainment. If I don’t remember who done it a few years from now, I can read it again and enjoy it just as much.
Nancy,
I love the way you differentiate between books you read for group discussion and books you read for “light entertainment!” Especially that if you don’t remember the book a few years later you can enjoy it all over again!
I never considered keeping a book journal that includes reflection. I’ve kept a list of books I’ve read since high school, with title, author, date finished reading. More recently, I’ve added ratings and source, e.g, audiobook, owned, lib. I used to keep that list in a delightful app that automatically pulled in book covers and many details I wouldn’t otherwise have taken the time to add (page count, publisher). Sadly, that app isn’t supported on recent macOS’s. So now it’s Goodreads. I don’t “own” that data, though, so it’s precarious. I leafed through the online images of the journal you show, Marlene, and by the reflection. As a writer, probably a good thing. That it isn’t electronically searchable…hmm. Thank you for making me think, Marlene!
Lisette, thinking is always a good thing, is it not? (Sorry; I’ve been watching Poldark all week.)
I have belonged to book groups since before I moved to Santa Cruz 15 years ago, and the books that we read together have merged in my mind so that if someone asks me if I would recommend a book I had read or that s/he was considering, I can no longer remember the specific details or even if I liked the book or not. I thought writing a review when I finish a book it might both wake up my brain and serve as a backup to my memory.
I check out books online from my local library. When I see a book or someone recommends I add it to my reading list. Once I’ve read the book, the app keeps it in an archive so I know what I’ve read and always have the library review to spark my memory of what I’ve read.
My list of unread books is over 400. I keep adding to the list…don’t think I will ever read them all, but at least I have my local library to keep me on track!
I also like the option to be able to download the books to my kindle or read on my phone if I forget my Kindle.
Keeping a book journal seems like homework. As a widow, I am having a hard time just keeping up with journaling life! Journaling “they said” would help me through my dark season. Well even my life journal is hit and miss of my thoughts. I just rather bury my head in a book!
Dena,
I can see how it may seem like homework, and you seem to have a very good system going with your public library. I totally failed at journaling my sadness when Dennie died, so you won’t find me judging you on that score. I think for some people the journaling is very helpful, but if you have trouble getting yourself to do it, then perhaps it isn’t so useful for you. I’m glad reading a book helps. I agree with you on that.
I’d like you to come to a bookstore in the San Jose – Santa Cruz – Palo Alto area to sign and talk about your book.
I don’t know exactly where
Thank you for letting me know, Gianna. When Organic Cooking is finally released by the publisher I will begin scheduling readings and signings all up and down the state. If you have some specific bookstores that you frequent please let me know.
one of my book groups selects books 4 month in advance, so I am reading Hamnet and have While Justice Sleeps, The Weight of Ink and the Personal Librarian standing by. I am also almost finished with The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store (A Thanksgiving exchange). My Anti-Bias Book Group is reading Teach Truth: The Struggle for Antiracist Education. So it’s quite a stack beside my bed. Glad we are into the Holidays and my life is quieter than usual.I keep the finished books stacked on the kitchen counter for anyone that would like to take one. Journal just a little beyond my follow through capacity.
What a wonderful list of books, Gaby. I’ve read a few of them, but not all. The journal may be beyond my follow-through capacity also – time will tell!