21 Comments

I have an endless list of books that have piqued my interest, but I’ve found that prescribing a set list for a month or year never works -- I hate being told what to do, even by myself! The “stare at the shelves until something calls to you” is my usual method of picking my next read. :)

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"I hate being told what to do, even by myself!" -- You've captured one of my biggest problems. Years ago, my new boss of one week suggested everyone on her team take an aerobics class together and I said, "No thanks, I hate being told what to do." This went over really well and probably accounts for why I ended up working for myself. As you say, even that isn't a piece of cake...

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I just finished reading The Round House by Louise Erdrich. I would move that one way up on your list. What a voice. The writing inspires me. Can't believe it took that long to discover this author!

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This is the reason she's on my list. Several members of this community and many friends have urged me to fill the gap in my reading that is Louise Erdich. This will be the year, although I don't know when during the year I will read it.

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I do not compile a TBR list. I just read about books and browse bookstores and when something clicks, I will either download a sample on kindle, see if it’s available on Libby or just buy it. Just buy it seems to be my preferred method though, much to the chagrin of my husband lol. I have overflowing books everywhere. They keep me company and some are there to comfort, some to help me learn something new, some to entertain, and some to enrich my life. I am in a book group and they choose books I would never have purchased otherwise. Some are good and some I couldn’t finish, but I like it. And the wine. Lol. And most especially the camaraderie of fellow book readers.

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"They keep me company..." Yes. I love the feel and look of books in a stack, on my shelves. They have a substantial presence that reminds me I will never be alone if I don't want to be. Book clubs are a wonderful reminder of how books can bring people together too.

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p.s. Also, could you/we write about the books of our childhoods? You. mentioned Sherlock Holmes which was a great influence on me. I have two books published with a female Sherlock and Dr. Watson because of that influence.

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This is a great idea, Sandra! Let's do that. A while back I wrote about a couple of specific children's books but this is a different idea entirely and it's a discussion that bears repeatedly looks and conversations. I'll think about it and then reach out to you about this some more.

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I'll be here! xo

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I always look at Book Riot's Book Challenge for the year to see if I want to follow it that year. Ever since the first year I did that, I have read way more books by black authors, indigenous authors, and authors from other countries. I have always read LGBTQ books because I am a queer author myself. I read books recommended to me by my sister, and books that strike my fancy because I read reviews, or other readers recommended them. I gave up on book clubs when Zoom happened. I just finished two books by Nobel Prize winner Annie Ernaux, and am currently reading a book by a queer author. I have a thriller waiting for me at the library.

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How did you feel after reading the Ernaux books? I'm reading at least one this year. I'm very curious about her and what she is doing with the material of her life and how her work seems to blur the boundary between fiction and nonfiction.

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I LOVED A Woman's Story (except for one line which I wish I could cut out of my brain). The Years were too much about France, and too much French that I couldn't read (I read intermediate French), and I didn't want to do that much research. I'm glad I read them, so happy for her to have received the Nobel Prize.

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My TBR consists of books that are, well, to be read. No planning except for a monthly book challenge I participate in. I generally pick a book the same way as Ashley commented!

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I think, ultimately, staring at the books and seeing which ones seems to speak up is a good way to do it. When I read Ashely's comment I immediately thought, "Me too!"

I've always resisted monthly challenges. Maybe this list of mine combines both ideas: I'll stare the books on it until one picks me and, I suppose, putting it together suggests a kind of challenge to myself.

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I'm also in a monthly book for the first time in a very long time! I have a book blog so I come up with the idea for the monthly challenge. I like how it makes me stretch my reader wings and knocks another book off Mt. TBR.

The "searching through my TBR until something catches my eye" method has worked very well for me. Fingers crossed it works for you too!

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I was described by a writing class tutor some years back as ‘a promiscuous reader’. I don’t think she intended it as a compliment but I took it as one. I don’t do reading lists nor am a fan of book clubs. Last year you introduced me to ‘The Kitchen is Closed’ by Sandra Butler. I was reading a hard copy two days later and loving it. Thank you again for that. And today? Well,I am in bed for a second day with a stinking cold and starting to read ‘Anne of Green Gables’ for the umpteenth time, a favourite book since childhood 70 plus years ago. I didn’t know I would be doing this yesterday. It was watching a 1934 RKO film version on BBC iPlayer that has prompted me. In the film Anne’s school teacher says to the class ‘No definite rules are necessary for fine writing’. I can’t remember that in the book. I will see. I have never been good at grammar or clever with words. I enjoy you talking about books, but you might save yourself a lot of angst if you took one book at a time. Here’s to another great year for Spark. ❤️Robert 🐰

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A P.S. I have just reached the point where Anne starts ‘A Story Club’, the members of which read their stories to one another. Anne’s guardian Marilla is disapproving: ‘Reading stories is bad enough, but writing them is worse.’ - Robert 🐰

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Marilla is correct.

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I've never read that quote, "No definite rules are necessary for fine writing" and I'm glad to know it now. I hope your cold improves quickly and that you heal fast. And I'll try to take one book at a time. I certainly read them one at a time but it's hard not to think about others sometimes when I pick up my head and look around.

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I track books that I want to read almost endlessly, but I've never actually created a full-on goal list of books that I want to read in a given amount of time. I'm a big fan of the idea and might create separate lists for the first half of the year and the second half of the year to make it more manageable. Also, would love to hear your tips on how to tackle those "monster" books like Ulysses, which I love to THINK about reading, but I always chicken out before I even start.

(And of course, I must thank you for the newsletter recommendation. Truly, it's greatly appreciated!)

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January 7, 2023
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Exactly. Putting books in a form TBR category raises expectations and opens the door to anxiety. Historically, I've always done better by letting a book choose me. I think this year will end up that way but the exercise of putting the list together had some unexpected "side effects" that were interesting. I realized I wanted to be less vulnerable to incoming data and to be a little more intentional. I think by listing the books I have listed, I had a chance to reflect on things that had nothing to do with the titles. I've got them all in front of me, now let's see which ones speak loudest.

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