Thursday, February 4, 2010

In Which I Keep Track Of Books

So I read all these lovely blogs where they set goals for themselves regarding how many books they should read this year, or trying to read 1 book a month by a debut author (this goal is awesome - I think this should be required of all readers). But I have a hard time setting a reading goal when I don't know how many books I normally read in a year.

I know there's a 100 books a year goal (almost 2 a week) but is that a lot for me? Too little? I have no clue.




So, for the first time ever, I'm going to try to keep track of all the books I read in a year - that way I can better prepared to set a reading goal next year.

So far this year I have read:

Total Oblivion More or Less by Alan DeNiro
Interworld By Neil Gaiman and Michael - King of the 80's - Reaves
The Way of the Shadows by Brent Weeks
Hooked by Les Edgerton
Shadow's Edge by Brent Weeks


Huh. Listing them all out it seems pretty good. That's a book a week so far.

I will be keeping a running list as a tracker on the sidebar as the year progresses.

Anyone else keep track of their books?

20 comments:

Anne Gallagher said...

I just started. Two so far. And I too, am keeping them on my sidebar.

DL Hammons said...

I keep track of my books by adding to them the shelf in my library. I love filling up my shelves.

Sarah Ahiers said...

Piedmont - great minds and all that... ;D

DL - is this like an actual physical Library? Because my bookshelves are already filled to the brink - the ratio is about 70 - 30 read to unread

Austin Gorton said...

I do not. It's a good idea, but I'm afraid it would just depress me, as I don't read nearly enough books in a year; not as many as I used to, not as many I want to.

Plus, I have this annoying habit of reading multiple books at a time (right now I'm in the midst of, I dunno, six?) which makes it look like I'm a really slow reader (and I'm not). This is why I don't have a "currently reading" sidebar on my blog.

And then there's the always-looming stack of comics and graphic novels to read as well. I usually read that stuff before I go to bed, but I've been making a point lately to read an actual book before bed as well, simply because my "actual book" reading time keeps getting depressingly truncated...

Unknown said...

You're definitely on-track for 100books in 2010, Sarah! I'm like you; I don't know how many I typically read in a year -- but I know it hasn't been one a week (which is my goal). Good luck with it!!

Hannah said...

One a week is too much for me, personally. All household chores are up to me, I'm trying to write more, and I work forty hours a week...plus, I watch a lot of TV. So, I go for 2 a month.

Last year, I only hit 20-25 books...it was a bad year for reading apparently. My goal this year is 40. I keep track of all of mine on goodreads.com. I even plan my reading list ahead of time...although it's very fluid. There are also some that I re-read and I don't put those in my year count.

That's a good idea to keep them on your sidebar...but then again, that's one more thing for me to remember.

Kelsey (Dominique) Ridge said...

I've started keeping track this year for my goal of 50. It's going okay, but it seems odd to me, even as I do it.

Joan Crawford said...

I can slog through one a week and I am most proud of this! I usually have two or three books going - not because I am thirsty for as much knowledge as possible but because I leave them somewhere else and am too lazy to get them.
"Hmm, where is it? Damn it, it's in the car! No way in hell am I putting on shoes AND a coat to get it. Ah, well, guess I start reading this new one."
I have book stations everywhere: Bathrooms, bedroom, car, kitchen, dining room...they are becoming furniture, really.

Sarah Ahiers said...

Teebore - well you could make a currently reading sidebar thing and include all the books you're reading

Nicoel - good luck to you too! And it's still really early in the year so we'll see how it goes

Palindrome - i just always forget to update my stuff on goodreads and since i'm on this blog almost every day, it seemed a better solution for me

Dominique - 50 isn't so bad - that's one a week, with 2 extra weeks thrown in just in case

Joan - the pile of books in our bathroom is huge!

Anissa said...

This is a great idea. I never have any idea how many books I read in a year. I may start this too!

Elana Johnson said...

I never have, and this year I decided to do just what you're doing. So far, I've read seven and I'm keeping track of them on my Wicked Awesome Bloggers blog sidebar.

xoxo said...

I don't keep track of who many books I read but I know I can read a whole book in one day...if it keeps me interested.I don't read that many books in a year because I can't really find an interesting one and I'm trying to write one myself.

Shannon O'Donnell said...

I'm trying to keep track for the first time this year too. So far, so good. :-)

Sarah Ahiers said...

Anissa - Do it! Join the bandwagon! We have apple cider (is that weird? it just seems that apple cider is what you would drink while riding in a wagon)

Elana - 7 beats my 5 - if i was really nerdy i could make some sort of spreadsheet and log what date i started a book and when i ended it and then i could see which books took me a long time. *GASP!* there could even be graphs!

xoxo - yeah i've done the whole book in a day as well (Harry Potter typically). I have mixed feelings about it because it's like shoving a delicious dessert down your throat and not really tasting it.

Shannon - Yay for trends!

kah said...

No. But I should. I'm so bad at staying organized and accountable. Sounds like you're off to a good start.

Sarah Ahiers said...

Karen - yeah it looks like a good start, but we'll see where i'm at with it in a few months...

Southpaw said...

I've never kept track of my books. I just read one then go to the next. To me it's a lifestyle to read and seem weird to track it. Is that weird?

Rebecca T. said...

I did this for the first time last year, inspired by a friend of mine. I keep an actual pen and paper journal of it, and am continuing to track it this year. Last year I made 85 books, which kind of surprised me, but a lot of them were "brain candy". I didn't realize how many I had read until I tried to post about them. It took 4 posts. ha. I like the idea of posting them in a sidebar, though. :)

Sarah Ahiers said...

Southpaw - i don't think it's weird. That's the way i used to go about it. But then at the end of the year i'd hear so many people say "I read so many books this last year" that i felt kind of jealous that i didn't know how many i had read.

Sonshine - sidebar is fun, but with a journal, you get to buy a journal and a Pen!

Hannah said...

@SonshineMusic- 85?! That's great! I wish I had the time to read that much. But I didn't read as much YA fiction as I usually do and I can usually plow through a ton of those. I think I only read two YA books last year. Bummer.

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