My 2020 Reading Plan
I love me a good list. It's rather a compulsion; my children even recognize this, and have--on the occasions of stressful days--confidently brought me paper and pencil and asked, "Would it help to make a list, Mama?"
Like every other area of my life, I feel settled and confident when I make a list of my reading plans. I choose one or two reading challenges, craft a curated list of titles, and jump in.
The problem is, somewhere around April I start feeling less excited. I always find so many other books that I want to read, whether they're on my own shelf or the library's or a book sale table stacked waist-high. And suddenly my perfect list begins to feel like a chore chart. Those books I'd planned with so much enthusiasm in January, I have to slog through in July, because I'm no longer in the mood to read them.
Have you ever experienced this? It's such a regular pattern with me, that I've decided to make some changes for 2020. I still chose two reading challenges that I love: the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge, and Haley Stewart's CathLit2020. But this is the extent of my planning:
As you can see if you look closely, there are five titles chosen for those 20 categories (though some categories overlap over the two challenges; for example, What Happens Next, by Claire Swinarski was my choice both for Book by a Catholic Novelist and Debut Novel). These five titles are those I really, really want to read--in fact, with the exception of one which releases later in the year, I'll probably read them all before February is through. But I'm purposely keeping those other lines blank, waiting to be filled in throughout the year.
Yes, it means I feel a little incomplete now. Yes, it means I can't post a cute picture of my book stack or gleefully pre-order the books I want to read in the fall. But it means I can read at whim, for whimsy, for love.
***
If you're really interested, these are my must-read five titles for 2020.
(Note: You can order these titles from Amazon by clicking on the images. I have to tell you that I'll receive a small tiny percentage of each sale, at no extra cost to you. But. I'm always happier to hear that you supported your awesome independent book seller. ;)
Like every other area of my life, I feel settled and confident when I make a list of my reading plans. I choose one or two reading challenges, craft a curated list of titles, and jump in.
The problem is, somewhere around April I start feeling less excited. I always find so many other books that I want to read, whether they're on my own shelf or the library's or a book sale table stacked waist-high. And suddenly my perfect list begins to feel like a chore chart. Those books I'd planned with so much enthusiasm in January, I have to slog through in July, because I'm no longer in the mood to read them.
Have you ever experienced this? It's such a regular pattern with me, that I've decided to make some changes for 2020. I still chose two reading challenges that I love: the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge, and Haley Stewart's CathLit2020. But this is the extent of my planning:
As you can see if you look closely, there are five titles chosen for those 20 categories (though some categories overlap over the two challenges; for example, What Happens Next, by Claire Swinarski was my choice both for Book by a Catholic Novelist and Debut Novel). These five titles are those I really, really want to read--in fact, with the exception of one which releases later in the year, I'll probably read them all before February is through. But I'm purposely keeping those other lines blank, waiting to be filled in throughout the year.
Yes, it means I feel a little incomplete now. Yes, it means I can't post a cute picture of my book stack or gleefully pre-order the books I want to read in the fall. But it means I can read at whim, for whimsy, for love.
***
If you're really interested, these are my must-read five titles for 2020.
(Note: You can order these titles from Amazon by clicking on the images. I have to tell you that I'll receive a small tiny percentage of each sale, at no extra cost to you. But. I'm always happier to hear that you supported your awesome independent book seller. ;)
Faith, you are too organized! I remember filling out the Cathlit list but I recently cleared my desk and never found it, so who knows where it is--either filed or thrown away. Beauty immediately struck my eye! But I think the most beautiful book on beauty is by Fr. Dubay: the Evidential Power of Beauty.
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