Although the Sunday Salon is supposed to be all about reading, I’m afraid I’m not planning much reading time today. Instead, I’m hoping to spend today getting caught up on blogging — comments, reviews, and end of the year posts — so I can spend the read of the month actually reading and working on my Christmas craft projects.
My major goal for today is to get caught up on reviews. After finishing Here Is a Human Being by Misha Angrist this morning, I’m six reviews behind. That’s a doable number, if I don’t get too distracted watching football this afternoon. Here’s what I have left:
- Mercury by Hope Larson
- Ghost Hunters by Deborah Blum
- Page One edited by David Folkenflik
- The Magician King by Lev Grossman
- The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
- Here Is a Human Being by Misha Angrist
Any suggestions where to start?
If I manage to get through most of those, I’d also like to start working on a couple of “Best Reads in 2011” posts. I’m not going to do “Best Books if 2011” because I don’t think I read enough 2011 titles to make that interesting. So, the list will be my favorite books read this year, regardless of when they’re published. I started a “short list” that has 25 books, but I think I can trim that down a bit for the final posts.
I also have a couple of posts that I’m thinking about writing, inspired by some other bloggers. Earlier this week, Sheila (Book Journey) wrote about how she picks a special book for her first read of the year. I love that idea and want to do it myself, so I’ve been thinking about what book I might pick.
Meghan (Medieval Bookworm) wrote her Sunday Salon post today about the books she wanted to read in 2011 but didn’t quite get the time to read. At first I thought my list would be too long to write, but as I’ve been gazing at my shelves this afternoon I can see only a few that I’m feeling really sad that I didn’t make the time to read yet this year.
And then of course there are the rest of the “End of the Year” posts — looking back on goals from 2011, looking at my overall book stats from the year, and setting some goals for 2012. I’m a miserable goal maker, but I do love the exercise of thinking about where I hope to be reading and blogging-wise. I’m not going to work on those posts today, but the’re on my horizon for the end of the month.
And if I do get some time to read? I’m honestly not sure what I’ll grab. Moby Duck by Donovan Hohn, a book I’ve been curious about since it came out in March, just came for me at the library. I also grabbed Columbine by Dave Cullen while I was there, and that’s calling my name, as are What It Is Like to Go to War by Karl Marlantes, and The Discovery of Jeanne Baret by Glynis Ridley. Many choices, little time.
What are your reading/blogging plans today?
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I love the idea of making the first read of the year a special one. I did that this year with a reread of Jane Eyre, but hadn’t actually thought about which book I wanted to read first myself in 2012.
I suggest you review The Emperor of All Maladies first as I’m very curious as to what you think of it! I read it earlier this year. 🙂
Ooo, I love the idea of rereading to start out a year, especially an old favorite. I really liked The Emperor of All Maladies — I have so many things to say about it!
I love the idea of saving a special book for New Year’s Day. I have Scorpio Races that I’ve been dying to crack open – but trying to get to my other “to be reads” first – so I might save that for New Years Day.
Excellent, I hope it’s worth the wait!
I finished a book after the gym but am also planning on catching up on blogging today. I have been grading finals all week, so it’s been crazy around my parts. Have fun! It’s always such a satisfying feeling to get blog work done.
Getting blog work done is satisfying. I didn’t get quite as many done as I hoped, but it was a start.
I like the thought of a Best Reads IN 2011 rather than OF 2011! Great idea.
My reading plan this afternoon is to hurry up and finish reading a book, and get the review done, so that I can get it in tomorrow! Plan should work since hubby will be occupied by football…so fewer distractions for me.
I was trying to think back to last year and whether I did a best IN or best OF list… and I can’t remember! But I read some great older books this year that might make a end of the year list.
I’m actually getting quick little reading spurts in all day! I just sat down to watch football – GO PACK!!
I got distracted watching football… all the afternoon games were really good!
Usually I love end of the year posts, but as this year has been such a strange year for reading, and next year isn’t shaping up to be particularly productive in the reading department, I’m having a hard time. 🙂
Yeah, that would make it hard to do any big “end of the year” lists or posts. But you’re going to have a baby, so you’ll be forgiven for not reading as much 🙂
Loved Emperor of All Maladies. Hope u do too. (I learned a lot).
I did! I’m not sure what all I want to say about it yet, but I did like it.
I think Mercury will probably be the easiest book to read and review. I read it earlier this year. I enjoyed it but didn’t love it.
I think it’s a great idea to think of what book to start 2012 off with. Maybe I’ll celebrate the new year with a new book right at 12:01. 🙂 My plans for today were to update my blog, read a book, and get started on reviews. Have a great week.
Yeah, that’s a good assessment — it was fine, but not exactly stellar.
Ha, yes, grabbing a book to start exactly as midnight! That’s excellent 🙂
I am not doing much reading myself. You would think that would mean being caught up in my blogging, but not really…
I get in kicks where I do a lot of reading and blogging, and other times when I don’t do much of either. It comes in fits and spurts 🙂
Blogging days are the best! I am looking forward to all of those posts. My best of list is always books I’ve read during the year as well rather than books published this year.
Awesome, I’m glad other people do it that way. It seems to make the most sense, since we all read more than just books published this year.
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on Emperor…it’s still sitting on my shelf. The size is scaring me.
It’s super good, I really liked it!