It might seem a bit late to be formulating reading resolutions for 2015, but it is only a month into the new year and it took me the whole of January to decide what I want my reading life to look like for the next 11 months. At first I hatched grand, ambitious plans to read every book from this list or that list, to read only galleys, to read only books from a certain bookcase in my house, to read only new books, and on and on. About a week ago I faced reality and realized that I can’t read according to a set plan. It crushes my soul. My best reading comes when I stop and listen to my heart and choose books that appeal to me at that very moment in time, that suit my mood and what is going on in my life or what I’m passionately interested in or curious about. So, I’m reading according to my heart’s desires this year. Every book you’ll see on Gudrun’s Tights in 2015, with the exception of book club titles, will be something I chose to read based on my own wishes.
There are two small goals I’d like to accomplish this year:
- Read at least 10 books from my Persephone collection
- Read 1 chunky book – something like Anna Karenina, Moby Dick or Middlemarch
And that’s all. I have no other goals or challenges that I want to work on for 2015. I will join in on select reading events when they feel right. At the end of the year I want to look back on my reading with fondness, pleasure and contentment and I want to spend less time agonizing over what I should be reading and more time focusing on the books I genuinely want to read.
Did you set any reading goals for 2015?
A Certain Fondness 
That’s the only way for me to read too, it does mean that some of my books languish unread for years whilst others are read as soon as I get a hold of them, but heigh-ho!
I’ve read Moby Dick and Middlemarch and I’d plump for Middlemarch if I were you, but if you go for Anna Karenina how about a readalong?
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I love your attitude, Katrina! And Anna Karenina is actually my first choice of the chunksters and I’d love to do a readalong. How about April or May?
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I couldn’t agree more – the only way to read is to follow your heart! I read Anna Karenina recently and loved it – highly recommended!
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I wish I would have followed it sooner. I’ve spent years reading the things I thought I should read. I really do want to read AK – it’s my first choice of those I mentioned so I’m glad to see you recommend it.
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I’m thinking along similar lines, and trying to read more of the neglected books on my own shelves. I can second Kaggsy’s recommendation of Anna Karenina, and I also love Middlemarch.
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I’m reading from my shelves too and only those library books that call to me.
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I feel the same way. I used to sign up for a bunch of reading challenges every year. Now I just read what I feel like reading when it’s time to pick up a new book, I’m a mood reader anyway, so this works for me. Happy Reading!
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That sounds like the ideal reading life, Kelly!
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I was just reading something about how it’s better to take a little time to make resolutions anyway, so not to jump on January 1st. I think yours are perfect! I absolutely believe in following your heart in reading, not a schedule. I hope you’re enjoying your long weekend, and getting lots of time to read.
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I’ve enjoyed my weekend, but haven’t read much! I’m working on knitting a scarf for a co-worker and am trying to finish by Thursday. The great thing about my new reading resolution is that I feel no guilt about this. 🙂
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Never to late to make a few resolutions 🙂
I think you’ve set two great goals, nice and small and it means you won’t feel any pressure to read this and that. Regulated reading crushes my soul too, I much prefer reading when I get to chose what I want when I want.
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I wanted to keep my goals small and ones that I know I can manage. But I won’t kick myself if I don’t meet them.
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I am keeping my goals loose too. “Just read” is pretty much my motto; whatever I want to read at a given time. My only structured goal is to read one Japanese novel per month, chosen from the stack I already own.
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I love your motto! And your goal is small and neat – the kind I like.
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I’m a mood reader too, and I feel no guilt about it. Happy reading in 2015 🙂
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I need to learn how not to feel guilt over reading by mood. I will follow your example!
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Ninety-nine percent of the time that’s how I read. Oh the joy of standing in front of your bookcase, trying a title or two on for size, and then walking away with something that feels just right. As for more Persephone….absolutely!
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I’m so looking forward to standing in front of bookcases this year with no guilt. I own about 20 Persephones and haven’t even read half of them so I’m going to get a move on with reading a fair chunk this year.
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They sound like great resolutions. I’ve been trying to avoid making ambitious plans and signing up for challenges too as I want to keep my reading free of stress this year. Good luck with the chunky book – I loved Anna Karenina and Middlemarch but haven’t been brave enough to try Moby Dick yet!
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Challenges are great, but sometimes they do cause stress. I am hoping to avoid that this year. Anna Karenina sounds like the one I should read!
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Perfectly reasonable time of year to be making your resolutions! I’ve just resolved a few things about my reading demographically, to stop me from falling into a pit of all white Americans, and aside from that, my only resolution is to read more webcomics. I know there are wonderful ones out there! I am going to read them! (This is already going great for me; my first foray into webcomics for the year was one called Nimona, and I crazy loved it.)
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The pit of all white Americans – scary! 😉 I’ve never read a webcomic. You have me interested.
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I’m in a list-making phase right now (it helps me to remember what I want to read), but if it starts to be a chore I shall jettison them all. I hope your spontaneous approach gives you much joy this year. Of your chunkster choices, I have read two (Moby-Dick and Middlemarch) and really want to read Anna Karenina this year. I have to say I would probably not read M-D again but it’s one of those you have to look into to see what everyone else is talking about.
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I’m not sure this is the year for Moby Dick – I think it will probably be Anna Karenina. My heart desires it more.
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Good luck with your goals. I also avoid strict goals or challenges. This year I will be continuing with The Classics Club as I’m making good progress and really enjoying it.
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Thanks, Jessica! I wish you luck in reading more from the Classics Club list.
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I feel the same way. I could have made a lots of lists, but I know that in the end I will choose my readings according to my feelings, my mood, or in what genre I’m passionately interested at that very moment. If I manage to read one of Dickens’s novels this year, or War and Peace (this I have tried a few times already but I failed) I will be very pleased. Happy reading and good luck whit your goals!
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I read “Middlemarch” last year and I am so happy I did. It is wonderful! I felt so good about finally reading it. It is truly one of the great novels!
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Thanks for the Middlemarch love – I admit it intimidates me!
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Yes reading whatever takes my fancy is I think the way forward. I am slightly bogged down by review copies of great new books, but they will have to wait their turn if something else grabs me from my shelf.
It always feels so liberating making these reading choices. Reading should never be a chore.
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It is completely liberating! I feel more excited about my reading life now than I have in months. Review copies are wonderful until they start to feel like a chore – that’s when I’ve abandoned the majority of mine lately and have concentrated on older books, my true beloveds.
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I think your resolutions are perfect & they’re the way I tend to read. I have some unread Persephones I want to get to this year & apart from celebrating anniversaries of John Buchan & Anthony Trollope, I have no other plans. I listened to Moby-Dick on audio just before Christmas & loved it so that may be an option if you find it intimidating. Middlemarch & Anna Karenina are two of my favourite books so you can’t go wrong with either.
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Listening to Moby-Dick is a brilliant idea! I think I’ll see if my library has a copy – I do spend lots of time in the car commuting back and forth to work and working on one of my reading goals while I do it would be wonderful.
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