I didn’t expect much from my reading this year. After setting a record of 35 books in one year last year, I figured dropping my Audible.com account would mean I’d read at least twelve fewer books this year. I never set a specific goal in this blog, but after joining Goodreads I set a goal of twenty for the year. I hit that this weekend, and I’ve still four months to go. Frankly I’m surprised.
I owe part of that success to reading shorter books, many of them non-fiction. But then I suppose I didn’t read many overly long books last year, either. I think perhaps I’ve just been more cognizant of my reading–and perhaps less enthusiastic about my writing, which means I’m not usually in the mood to write in the evenings. Reading has been an easy out.
Perhaps the most fun in reading this year has been the spontaneity. I don’t have much of a reading list any more. I keep it mainly to remind myself that I do have some options should I run out of reading. But for the most part I’ve allowed myself to choose in the moment what to read. This looks good? Okay, why not? My wife is hinting I should read that book? Okay, I’m on it! I want to read something I’ve already read before? Sure, let’s go. Perhaps that’s why I’ve been able to read more–it’s more reading for fun than it’s been, and not so much “this book is important.” It’s more fun to read when reading is for fun.
So who knows what I’ll do with the last four months of the year. I’m listening to Brandon Sanderson’s “Words of Radiance” again, as I wanted something fun to help keep me awake on a recent long-drive vacation, and once I started I don’t want to stop, so I guess I’m cheating a little bit in relapsing into audio books. I’ve got a few books on my shelf waiting for my attention, but I’m in no hurry. The authors already got their cut, so no harm done if I don’t get to them for a while. I have a son who regularly reminds me I haven’t finished reading his favorite series. That’s the thing. I doubt I’ll ever lack for something to read. The only real question is how much time to I have to devote to it.