Jump to content

Menu
Giving You and Your Child a Road Map to the Best Possible Education
The Well-Trained Mind Community

A Book a Week in 2009 -- Who's in with me?

Kay in Cal
 Share

Recommended Posts

Melinda in VT

Melinda in VT

Posted
Posted
Melinda, was it worth it? I keep thinking I should read a Xanth book for the eleven-year-old's sake, but... ugh... Piers Anthony stopped being fun when I was 15.

 

Yes, it was. My son and his twin sister were thrilled I read it, and I gained a new understanding of what they like about the books. (I find the idea of warrior cats laughable, but the books are well plotted.) Of course, they don't quite understand why I'm not rushing to read all the other books in the series . . .

 

I also read the first book of the Edge Chronicles, which is another series they like.

 

My 13yo now wants me to read The Mote in God's Eye, so I'm going to try to work that into January, as I need to wrap up the three books I'm currently reading first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 114
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

PrairieAir

PrairieAir

Posted
Posted

Hey, Linda! I haven't read The Kite Runner yet either. I've been thinking about it since seeing folks talk about it here, but I'm a little worried about one part of the book in particular. I don't know that knowing ahead makes it easier. It just makes me wonder if I really want to do that to myself. I think I will put it on the list for this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kris

Kris

Posted
Posted
I'll give this a try...but I must say, you ladies must be some fast readers and I must be slow poke:) The thought of getting through a large novel (500+pages) in a week is hard for me to fathom. I guess I'll have to choose short books :)

 

I was wondering if there was *anyone* with this reservation. There's just no way I could do 52 books a year. I'm reading one now that I'm really loving, but I've been reading it at least a month! Maybe a 12 in 12 for us? :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
buddhabelly

buddhabelly

Posted
Posted

I would like to participate if we are doing an accountability thing on this forum, though. I have the new translation of "War and Peace" (Pevear and Volokhonsky are the translators) and am thrilled about reading it.

 

I also haven't finished "John Adams", and can't imagine reading that in a week either. Obviously I like nonfiction.

 

Two of my old favorites (your library should have them) are "Smilla's Sense of Snow" and "The Shipping News." And also "The Magician's Assistant." The last one mentioned does have a same-gender love affair in it, if that sort of thing would limit your enjoyment of the book.

 

My plan is to say no magazine reading until I read 20 pages per day of whatever book I am reading.

 

How do you all divide your time between reading spiritual books and "other"? I have so much Buddhist reading to do, but I don't want that to be my only reading. I think I will schedule it: Buddhist reading after meditation in the morning, then "other" at night before sleep. Do y'all read your Koran/Bible/expository texts etc. at a different time of day than your nonfiction or fiction reading?

 

Julie

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jane in NC

Jane in NC

Posted
Posted
There's just no way I could do 52 books a year. I'm reading one now that I'm really loving, but I've been reading it at least a month! Maybe a 12 in 12 for us? :lol:

 

Worst case scenario: Kay in CA comes after us if we haven't completed our assignment. We have all wanted her to visit anyway, right?

 

Count me in. There should be less activity on these boards if we are true to our intentions.

 

Best,

Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PrairieAir

PrairieAir

Posted
Posted

Uh, yeah, I have reservations about the 52 books in 52 weeks, too. I'm just going to make that a general goal, but if I have something like War and Peace I want to read, I'm going to give myself some leeway. There are books that long or close that I could read in a week, but I'm not sure War and Peace is one of them. I'd have to really be digging the story or have lots of extra time on my hands.

 

Julie, I do my Bible reading in the morning after prayer--before anyone else is up. If I don't do it then, I have a hard time getting around to doing it later. I read for fun in the evenings before bed, but I get so tired at night that it can be hard to read much before falling asleep. Sometimes I take short (or they're intended to be short) reading breaks as a reward for getting different bits of work done.

 

More books I've put on my to read list:

Frankenstein (oldest ds keeps recommending this)

Atlas Shrugged (Mom keeps recommending this)

The Creature from Jekyll Island

The Kite Runner (Okay, I've finally decided!)

Into the Wild (I'd forgotten about this until I saw it mentioned here today.)

Walk Across America (since oldest ds will be reading it and it's a subject which interests us both)

The Good Earth (Thanks for the reminder.)

The Book Thief (looks interesting)

 

I think I've got a good start here, and I'm excited!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SFP

SFP

Posted
Posted

I'm in. So far this year I've read 75. I've been following the blog of a woman whose goal was to read 200 classics this year while tending to a newborn and a 1 year old (she has four days to knock out the Iliad and the Odyssey and she'll be done) and I recently discovered the blog of a woman who's read 400 books this year. Some people read incredibly fast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ChristyB in TN

ChristyB in TN

Posted
Posted

I finished Into the Wild last night. I am completely and utterly stumped about this book. I want all of you who are planning to read it to post back here and give me your thoughts. I'll tell you why. I don't understand why this guy is such a mystery and his little journey and ultimate demise is so glorified. I don't understand why there is a book and a movie about him. He was an interesting young man but probably not any more interesting than a lot of the homeless people out there. I have a friend who has a man living in the woods behind her house in a tent. He comes out sometimes to talk and evidently he was a preacher before he decided to escape into the "wild" of her woods. None of us really want to watch a movie about him, kwim? I thought I would be able to relate to this guy on some level but I just haven't been able to. I feel soooooo unbelievably sorry for his family and friends and frankly, see him as astonishingly self centered. Now, somebody help me figure this one out!:bigear:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Melinda in VT

Melinda in VT

Posted
Posted
I finished Into the Wild last night. I am completely and utterly stumped about this book. I want all of you who are planning to read it to post back here and give me your thoughts. I'll tell you why. I don't understand why this guy is such a mystery and his little journey and ultimate demise is so glorified. I don't understand why there is a book and a movie about him. He was an interesting young man but probably not any more interesting than a lot of the homeless people out there. I have a friend who has a man living in the woods behind her house in a tent. He comes out sometimes to talk and evidently he was a preacher before he decided to escape into the "wild" of her woods. None of us really want to watch a movie about him, kwim? I thought I would be able to relate to this guy on some level but I just haven't been able to. I feel soooooo unbelievably sorry for his family and friends and frankly, see him as astonishingly self centered. Now, somebody help me figure this one out!:bigear:

 

One title, two books.

 

The book Nukeswife had on her list was Warriors Into the Wild. This is the book I read. It's a children's book about fighting tribes of warrior cats that's ridiculously popular with the 9 yos in my house.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PrairieAir

PrairieAir

Posted
Posted

Now, see, I was talking about Into the Wild. I wondered how the warrior cats entered the discussion! I was intrigued by the idea of Into the Wild when I first heard about it, but I didn't know until today that the guy went out there and starved to death. I think I'll read it anyway. I like wilderness books and I find crazy people interesting;) Going out there with only a bag of rice and a book on wild edibles sounds pretty crazy. I wonder if he had any experience or training. All I really know is the quick snippet I read on amazon.com. I bet it will be interesting for me at least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JennW in SoCal

JennW in SoCal

Posted
Posted

This is a great idea for so many reasons!

 

 

  • Having a weekly check in to get new book ideas
  • An incentive to actually read all those books I bought LAST year
  • An excuse to re-read some old favorites

 

 

As for my current list? A few Lord Peter titles I haven't read yet along with re-reading Nine Tailors. A non-fiction book on violin making -- pretty esoteric stuff unless you are a string player! The new Orson Scott Card book about Ender's lost years. I'll have to do an archaeological dig around my night stand to see what other titles are waiting patiently for me!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Happy

Happy

Posted
Posted
I'll have to do an archaeological dig around my night stand to see what other titles are waiting patiently for me!

 

Hey, I resemble that remark!

 

I'm cautiously saying this might become a goal. :D I have sent ambitious writing goals and they have to come first. But reading is essential for a writer, so I'm going to see if I can really drive myself crazy in the first few weeks of January. ;) Writing, reading, and homeschool...it ought to be interesting at the very least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ChristyB in TN

ChristyB in TN

Posted
Posted
Now, see, I was talking about Into the Wild. I wondered how the warrior cats entered the discussion! I was intrigued by the idea of Into the Wild when I first heard about it, but I didn't know until today that the guy went out there and starved to death. I think I'll read it anyway. I like wilderness books and I find crazy people interesting;) Going out there with only a bag of rice and a book on wild edibles sounds pretty crazy. I wonder if he had any experience or training. All I really know is the quick snippet I read on amazon.com. I bet it will be interesting for me at least.

Good! Please read it and tell me what you think. I think I would have liked it more if it had spent more time on the survival part. I can't wait to hear how you feel about it after. It is a quick read so it will be perfect for the 52 books in 52 weeks goal!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dm379

dm379

Posted
Posted
I would like to participate if we are doing an accountability thing on this forum, though. I have the new translation of "War and Peace" (Pevear and Volokhonsky are the translators) and am thrilled about reading it.

 

I also haven't finished "John Adams", and can't imagine reading that in a week either. Obviously I like nonfiction.

 

Two of my old favorites (your library should have them) are "Smilla's Sense of Snow" and "The Shipping News." And also "The Magician's Assistant." The last one mentioned does have a same-gender love affair in it, if that sort of thing would limit your enjoyment of the book.

 

My plan is to say no magazine reading until I read 20 pages per day of whatever book I am reading.

 

How do you all divide your time between reading spiritual books and "other"? I have so much Buddhist reading to do, but I don't want that to be my only reading. I think I will schedule it: Buddhist reading after meditation in the morning, then "other" at night before sleep. Do y'all read your Koran/Bible/expository texts etc. at a different time of day than your nonfiction or fiction reading?

 

Julie

 

 

I assumed I was the only Buddhist on the board! I plan on alternating Buddhist/fiction/nonfiction then starting over with another Buddhist. I have tons I own but haven't read yet and have many more on a wish list. I'm looking forward to hear what you're reading.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dragons in the flower bed

dragons in the flower bed

Posted
Posted

How do you all divide your time between reading spiritual books and "other"?

 

Wow, I'm more random than I thought. Does no one else just pick up what looks good and read it 'til they're done? Probably half of my reading is related to my religion, but I don't intentionally alternate. I figure there's so much to read, why waste time planning?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Crissy

Crissy

Posted
Posted
Does no one else just pick up what looks good and read it 'til they're done?

 

I do. I have tried reading plans and lists, but I have never, ever been able to stick with one.

I get so much more from my reading, whether fiction, non-fiction or spiritual, if I read what appeals to me at the moment I am choosing my next book.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
buddhabelly

buddhabelly

Posted
Posted

Although I do appreciate Krakauer as an author, this is one case where the movie was better than the book. The movie was extremely well-done, and I was interested in the main character. The book......meh. One thing that the movie (and possibly the actor) added to the story is how much everyone liked him. Everyone who met him was extremely fond of him, and the Hal Holbrook character wanted to adopt him. That was an amazing part of the movie and Holbrook should have won an Academy Award for it. Another thing that changed *everything* for me (I had no interest in seeing the movie or reading the book either) is finding out that (spoiler way down below for those of you that are still reading....)......................

.....

....

 

.....

.....

 

 

 

......

......

.....

 

.........

 

.........

.........

........

He didn't starve to death because he was stubborn or stupid. He left a trail back to civilization, and he actually wasn't very far from civilization. He decided to go back because he realized the happiness is not possible if you are not sharing it with others. But he couldn't go back......the river that he had crossed originally was a raging torrent. My heart broke.

 

Since Dawn asked.....

Two of the Buddhist books I am currently reading are "No Time to Lose: A Timely Guide to the Way of the Boddhisattva" by Pema Chodron, and "Nothing to Do, Nowhere to Go" by Thich Nhat Hanh. The first one is very dense; I'm sure I will be reading it for the rest of my life. It is a useful one to read every day when I am setting my intention for compassion.

 

Julie

Link to comment
Share on other sites
coffeefreak

coffeefreak

Posted
Posted
Wow, I'm more random than I thought. Does no one else just pick up what looks good and read it 'til they're done? Probably half of my reading is related to my religion, but I don't intentionally alternate. I figure there's so much to read, why waste time planning?

 

I'm with you. If I'm not in the mood, it doesn't get read. Sometimes it's Homeschool, sometimes is religion, sometimes it's smut:blush: I also take time to read something. I'll often have 3 or 4 books going on at once. This will be good motivation for me to finish some of these.

 

I talked about this with my DD and DH and we're going to do it together. We're each just setting the goal of 52 books. That way, if I read a big one like "War and Peace,"(soooo not happening:lol:) and it takes a month, I can "catch up" with some good mysteries or romance novels (I usually finish those in a day). The only thing we won't count are Bible studies. Those are separate.

 

This is a great goal!

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
prairiegirl

prairiegirl

Posted
Posted

I have been keeping track of this thread since it started. I so wanted to do this but the '52 books in 52 weeks' thing was a bit daunting to me. There are times when I just cannot push out a book in a week. But if I use this as a general goal, then I would like to be included as well.

 

I have a boxfull of books that I have not read yet and I received a bookstore gift card for $100 for Christmas so I think I will have enough to keep me busy for awhile. :tongue_smilie:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
eaglei

eaglei

Posted
Posted

I'm in! I love to read but evenso, originally found this idea a bit daunting due to so many *serious* things going on here right now - but reading is what I do for *me* - even though these days it is often *lighter* reading. So I am looking forward to this!

 

Will someone clarify for me exactly when we check in and precisely what we check in with? I've read all the responses and it seems like Friday and Monday have both been offered as check-in times; and, posting what we finished, and/or what we're reading next, and/or a quick overview of what we read have seemingly also been offered as ideas. :confused:

 

Thanks to the OP! This is a great challenge!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Amie

Amie

Posted
Posted

Well I have never read 52 books in a year, but I think I'd like to try. I read War and Peace earlier this year and it took me a while. I have some more big ones on my to-read list, so I am a bit worried about keeping up. I'd like to try though. I think the accountability will be motivating.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
angela in ohio

angela in ohio

Posted
Posted
I'm in. So far this year I've read 75. I've been following the blog of a woman whose goal was to read 200 classics this year while tending to a newborn and a 1 year old (she has four days to knock out the Iliad and the Odyssey and she'll be done) and I recently discovered the blog of a woman who's read 400 books this year. Some people read incredibly fast.

 

Do you have links? I'd love to see what they've read. TIA

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ChristyB in TN

ChristyB in TN

Posted
Posted
Although I do appreciate Krakauer as an author, this is one case where the movie was better than the book. The movie was extremely well-done, and I was interested in the main character. The book......meh. One thing that the movie (and possibly the actor) added to the story is how much everyone liked him. Everyone who met him was extremely fond of him, and the Hal Holbrook character wanted to adopt him. That was an amazing part of the movie and Holbrook should have won an Academy Award for it. Another thing that changed *everything* for me (I had no interest in seeing the movie or reading the book either) is finding out that (spoiler way down below for those of you that are still reading....)......................

.....

....

 

.....

.....

 

 

 

......

......

.....

 

.........

 

.........

.........

........

He didn't starve to death because he was stubborn or stupid. He left a trail back to civilization, and he actually wasn't very far from civilization. He decided to go back because he realized the happiness is not possible if you are not sharing it with others. But he couldn't go back......the river that he had crossed originally was a raging torrent. My heart broke.

 

Since Dawn asked.....

Two of the Buddhist books I am currently reading are "No Time to Lose: A Timely Guide to the Way of the Boddhisattva" by Pema Chodron, and "Nothing to Do, Nowhere to Go" by Thich Nhat Hanh. The first one is very dense; I'm sure I will be reading it for the rest of my life. It is a useful one to read every day when I am setting my intention for compassion.

 

Julie

That is interesting. I wish I had watched the movie. I don't think I will watch it, though. I know how it ends, and all. The one thing I did enjoy about the book was seeing the books he was reading and the ones which influenced him. That's always interesting...obviously from the length of this thread. I didn't know Hal Holbrook was in the movie, he was a great pick. christy

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SFP

SFP

Posted
Posted

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFP viewpost.gif

I'm in. So far this year I've read 75. I've been following the blog of a woman whose goal was to read 200 classics this year while tending to a newborn and a 1 year old (she has four days to knock out the Iliad and the Odyssey and she'll be done) and I recently discovered the blog of a woman who's read 400 books this year. Some people read incredibly fast.

 

Do you have links? I'd love to see what they've read. TIA

 

 

Angela, I linked to them in today's post.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Aubrey

Aubrey

Posted
Posted

Alright, since I'm not going to use Austen for my kindergartener (saying it like that *does* sound different, eh?), I'm in. Because I'm planning to read Austen's 6 books, her bio, her letters, & The Prince. After that, we'll see, lol. I might need some Nancy Drew. :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WagsWife

WagsWife

Posted
Posted

Ohh...I am in on this. I think I *may cheat a bit on the school related books though. I just bought three books from Borders (3 unabridged books for $20) which I thought would be good to add to my girls reading lists, but had to admit to myself that I had never read them myself...or most of the books on their lists. I started to feel convicted that I should read more of what they will be reading...and not just read a louds.

 

SO...my goal will be to read one "classic" book a week. My first three will be the ones I bought the other day...A Wind in the Willows, Jungle Book, and Peter Pan.

 

  1. Read an average of a book a week - 52 books in 52 weeks
  2. Re-reading a book counts--as long as you read it before 2009 (ie, no rereading the same book three times in a row this year).
  3. School related books don't count (for me at least, if you really want to count them, there are no book-police coming to get you).
  4. You can start reading on 1-1-09 at 00:00:01AM

 

I didn't do well with my 8/8/08 last year... so another year, another try!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Robin M

Robin M

Posted
Posted

Okay I was wrong - it wasn't 204, it was 219. I'm not trying to brag. I'm just astonished with myself that I had time to read all those books, plus do home school, work, nano and everything else.

 

I posted a list on my blog if anyone wants to see. I promise this is the last time I'll mention it. I'll definitely be slowing down in 2009 to read some classics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mrs. Readsalot

Mrs. Readsalot

Posted
Posted

No catagories to figure out, no pre selection of what books to read. I'm in If I can count schoolbooks though I might make it. My ds is doing 9th grade level work and his reading requirements are very worthy of my time and efforts. For example early in 2009 he will be reading A Tale of Two Cities. Honesly a book I have never made it though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...