One of my favourite Reading Challenges that I joined in 2016.
I don't think Evie from the Bookish Blog still carries this on, as I can't find it on her page but her words with which she started this challenge are still true: "We all have those books. We buy them, win them, they're gifted to us. Then we put them up on a bookshelf and there they stay, collecting dust, waiting for the time when we'll finally decide to pick them up."
As I mention every year, even now, after seven years of participation, my TBR (To Be Read) pile is still a lot longer than it should because I just can't resist buying any new books and going to the library though I have tried to attempt reading more old books than buying new ones. But I read lately that buying books, collecting books and reading books are three completely different hobbies. And I have them all.
I could, of course, try to tackle the 50+ challenge but we all know that is not going to happen, instead, I tried to do at least 11-20 old books in addition to the new ones I'm buying and those I get from the library and wished to be pleasantly surprised at the end of the year. That happened, I have reached the 21-30 (First Kiss) and 31-40 (Sweet Summer Fling) sometimes in the last years, maybe I can get to 41-50 (Could This Be Love?) one day.
I have read
37 books in 2016,
32 in 2017,
38 in 2018,
23 in 2019
25 in 2020
15 in 2022 and 13 in 2023
of the books that had been waiting to be read for more than a year.
I hope I will manage more in 2024.
(I always add the German title - when available - in brackets for my German friends) So far, I have already read these of my "old books" in 2024:
Taschler, Judith W. "Sommer wie Winter" [Summer and Winter] - 2011
Brontë, Charlotte "The Professor" (Der Professor) - 1857
Yates, Richard "Revolutionary Road" (Zeiten des Aufruhrs) - 1961
Harris, Robert "Fatherland" (Vaterland) - 1992
Tomalin, Claire "Jane Austen - A Life" - 1997
Orwell, George "The Road to Wigan Pier" (Der Weg nach Wigan Pier) - 1937
Schnoy, Sebastian "Smørrebrød in Napoli. Ein vergnüglicher Streifzug durch Europa" [Smørrebrød in Napoli. A fun journey through Europe] - 2009
Out of curiosity, how many languages are you able to read in? I have a copy of "Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen" but haven't made it all the way through. I can do some comic strips in Spanish and German, but that's about it.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, where do I begin, Stephen? Languages that I'm comfortable with that I would pick up any book to read in are German (my mother tongue), English, French, Dutch, and Esperanto. There are a few more that I can read easy books, Spanish and Swedish, and others that I speak enough to read an article. But those are the general ones.
DeleteI don't think Harry Potter is a good book to pick up first unless you almost know it by heart. There are too many words that don't appear in normal languages, like muggles etc. Try a shorter and more "normal" book. LOL. I always started with children's books.
Wow! I had a teacher who could speak and read five languages, but she was cheating a bit because they were English, Middle English, and three romance languages. Yours are more varied!
DeleteI quickly found that out about Harry Potter and strange words! There's a reason I haven't finished it -- though I do almost know that first book by heart. It and Azkaban are the two I re-read most often.
So, at least you knew what the words had to mean. But you can try again with another book. Good luck.
DeleteLike you, I read, collect, and buy books!! I try to read older books when I can, but lately (as in the past 2+ years) I have been gravitating towards audiobooks due to eye/vision issues. The smaller print and eye fatigue/strain is a problem for me at times so listening to books is a much better fit.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that, Lisa. But it's great that there are audiobooks. I can't really get into them, my mind drifts too much. Luckily, my ophthalmologist has told me, I will be able to read small print into very old age. I am short-sighted and need strong glasses but reading I can do without them.
DeleteIt is difficult to lower your numbers on these pages. I have tried for years, but the total number at the end of the year seems to be constant. I have read 19 so far this year, and the last years I have tried to read from the shelves. The problem is now, I almost only have very thick books left, haha ...
ReplyDeleteDefinitely hard to lower the numbers, Lisbeth, because there are always so many new books that we want to read. I always try to read at least one thick book at a time, takes longer, of course, but that way I get to enjoy them.
DeleteI think I need to work in the numbers of books from my TBR I read weekly on my Tackling the TBR post, in addition to just stating how many books I read for the week. I stupidly have not included it because apparently it has not occurred to me until now *facepalm*
ReplyDeleteBut you read so mucn more than me, Sarah, so you cannot complain. I often read the newer books first, especially if they are for a book club or everyone around me has read them. So, I am sure you also tackle more TBR books than me.
DeleteI am all over the place. Sometimes I am in the mood to get all my ARCs done. Then an hour later I MUST read all the library books and get them returned. But the next day I want to focus on what I own so I can sell it and get them out of the house.
DeleteSounds similar to my reading habits, Sarah. I always read the book club books first, then the ones I borrow from friends. Since I don't go to the library here (due to many reasons I've mentioned before), I can concentrate on my new an TBR books.
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