One of my goals for each year is to read the equivalent of a book every week = 52 books per year. This week, I am happy to say that I have reached that goal and it is all more books from here on in! There are a lot of different books on that list and I’m not too picky about what is a book (though I haven’t been reading picture books this year): there are graphic novels, 900 page historical accounts of particular events, novels, and text books. All that counts is that I read it cover to cover. Now that I’ve reached my goal, that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop reading! On the contrary, in the 2 months left in this year, I should be able to hit 60…!
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gillian's island 
I took the “100 Book Challenge” this year and looks like I’m going to (barely) make it.
Next year, I’m concentrating on BIG novels–I’m convinced the time I spend on the internet has made me a lazy reader and I’m going to challenge myself with 600+ page tomes that will require some mental weight-lifting. Among my selections is the newest Murakami novel (900 pages).
As an author, I hope that reading will never become a luxury, something we only do when we “have the time”. I’d like to see literature front and center in more people’s lives…but the proliferation of computers and video games likely makes that an impossibility. And my job outlook looks increasingly untenable with each passing year, dedicated readers aging, dwindling.
Great, now I’ve depressed myself.
Good post, Gillian, and for God’s sake KEEP READING.
Thanks Cliff!
I don’t intend to ever stop reading. I’d be interested to hear what you think of the new Murakami. I was only introduced to him a couple of months ago and just saw there is a new one out. Book length seems to be a problem for me only when it isn’t a good book – then it becomes unending! Most of the time I don’t even notice if it’s 200 or 800 or more pages. If it’s good, I just fly through it.
One of my favourite authors (Madeline L’Engle) wrote in one of her autobiographical works that she was asked on a survey of alumna from her university how many books she read a week. She said that she felt ashamed being able to put only 2-3 because of all of the influential and important people who had graduated from her school (Smith I think?). Then she was shocked to see in the results that most people had put “0”. That will not be me!