Weekend Update: Reading Resolutions Check-Up
It's over. Finally, after what feels like forever, I turned in my ballot for the 2012 Hugo Awards. I'm a little drained in that regard, to tell the truth, and there's a lot of thoughts I have about my voting process, the nomination process, as well as what I'd like to see from the awards in the future (however unlikely it may be). But that post is for another day, when I can get my head on straight and my thoughts figured out.
Instead, I kind of wanted to talk about reading in general, my schedule such as it is, as well as what I'm reading and why. Now that the Hugos are no longer demanding my attention, I can read what I want, when I want, so my attention has turned back to the challenge that is the Mount TBR pile.
Yet without realizing it, I've added a resolution to my reading goals this year, and that resolution is to read almost every single book I buy in 2012 before 2012 is over. I say almost for one reason only: if I get ten books for Christmas, it's doubtful I will be able to finish reading all ten books by year's end. :)
At any rate, my previous method of working through my TBR pile, both old and new, was such:
1) Series
2) New
3) Old
Series referred to books in a series that I already had, which also meant that they, too, were old. But after taking that break to read Hugo stuff, I'm kind of not feeling the series stuff right now, so for now, I'm just going to go New Book, then Old Book, and so forth until I change my mind. Going back and forth also allows me to read a series installment if I want, but right now, what I'm really jonesing to do is get through my 2011 purchases, and I'm approaching the batch I bought during Borders' Closeout last year, as well as the batch I bought from Dreams & Speculation, all of which has an interesting variety of titles.
Variety is a funny thing. I just got through reading a smattering of YA novels that were next in the pile, and it looks like I'll have a smattering of urban fantasies next. It's funny how, at least for me, what I buy goes in stages. I'll either have an idea for writing and therefore want to read what others are doing in that genre, or I'll just be in a particular mood, which is fine, if I read said books while I was in the mood, but as you all well know, my habit has been to buy and read later. Much, much later.
I think that's one of the reasons I'm looking forward to the books at the top of the "old" TBR pile: I've got Ekaterina Sedia, Ben Aarronovitch, Connie Willis, Stacia Kane, Sharon Shinn, Jim Hines… just to name a few. And because I've already filled up my September allotment with pre-orders (Rae Carson, Pearl North, Richard Kadrey, Ann Aguirre, Seanan McGuire), I'm trying to work through the "new" TBR as fast as I can, so that I can have an excuse to get James S.A. Corey's short story and sequel to Leviathan Wakes, as I'm very much looking forward to them.
Of course, there are a few specters lurking in the TBR pile that I really, really need to read but keep putting off: Myths of Origin: Four Short Novels is Catherynne M. Valente's early work in an omnibus, but it's a beast of a book and Valente is always best in book-sized bites, not omnibus-sized bites. Then there's George R.R. Martin's A Feast of Crows, which I already know is the worst in the series, yet it's waiting, and I've promised to read one Martin per year until I catch up (and that means I catch up with A Dance of Dragons next year). Again, it's a beast of a book, and it doesn't help that I know it's the worst of the series to date. I was eyeing my upcoming reviews and realizing that I could conceivably go ahead and read it now and my reviews won't suffer, but that would screw up what I'm doing now, which is tearing through the 2012 TBR pile in preparation for the September influx.
I know, I know. I'm babbling gibberish here. All these possibilities, and yet I juggle them to either provide a variety of reviews to keep YOU, the reader entertained, as well as myself so I don't get stuck in a rut. But I do know I most certainly, quite definitely, want to smite the TBR pile as a whole. If I read 50 books from it per year (and the other 50 are new purchases), then it'll take me… almost five years. The good news is that this year, I finally figured out how to curb my spending, and while it means putting off books I know I want (Elizabeth Bear, N.K. Jemisin), I'm hoping that as certain series wrap up and as I fall out of love with certain authors, I'll become a pickier buyer, which will provide room for those titles I don't quite have room for yet. FUN FACT: this time last year, I'd bought 70 books. This year? A whopping 29, and some of those are novellas and shorts. No, I'm not including the Hugo Voter's Packet, but if I did, it'd be one slot, because that's what I bought. :)
The point of all this babbling is to say this: I look forward to a day where the only books in my TBR are nonfiction titles and classics that I'll read "one of these days," where I don't feel bad if I want to re-read a book or a series, and where I can read a new book as soon as I buy it. It's a habit I'm trying very hard to cultivate right now, but it'll be great when I can buy five books at a time and know I'll be able to finish them in a month.
Of course, once I reach that point, my self-destructive habits may just create a whole new TBR pile, and then I'll be angsting again! At any rate, the Summer Olympics are upon us, so why don't grab a good book, plant yourself in front of the television, and watch some games in between chapters?
And, while I'm at it, how are your 2012 reading resolutions going?
Instead, I kind of wanted to talk about reading in general, my schedule such as it is, as well as what I'm reading and why. Now that the Hugos are no longer demanding my attention, I can read what I want, when I want, so my attention has turned back to the challenge that is the Mount TBR pile.
Yet without realizing it, I've added a resolution to my reading goals this year, and that resolution is to read almost every single book I buy in 2012 before 2012 is over. I say almost for one reason only: if I get ten books for Christmas, it's doubtful I will be able to finish reading all ten books by year's end. :)
At any rate, my previous method of working through my TBR pile, both old and new, was such:
1) Series
2) New
3) Old
Series referred to books in a series that I already had, which also meant that they, too, were old. But after taking that break to read Hugo stuff, I'm kind of not feeling the series stuff right now, so for now, I'm just going to go New Book, then Old Book, and so forth until I change my mind. Going back and forth also allows me to read a series installment if I want, but right now, what I'm really jonesing to do is get through my 2011 purchases, and I'm approaching the batch I bought during Borders' Closeout last year, as well as the batch I bought from Dreams & Speculation, all of which has an interesting variety of titles.
Variety is a funny thing. I just got through reading a smattering of YA novels that were next in the pile, and it looks like I'll have a smattering of urban fantasies next. It's funny how, at least for me, what I buy goes in stages. I'll either have an idea for writing and therefore want to read what others are doing in that genre, or I'll just be in a particular mood, which is fine, if I read said books while I was in the mood, but as you all well know, my habit has been to buy and read later. Much, much later.
I think that's one of the reasons I'm looking forward to the books at the top of the "old" TBR pile: I've got Ekaterina Sedia, Ben Aarronovitch, Connie Willis, Stacia Kane, Sharon Shinn, Jim Hines… just to name a few. And because I've already filled up my September allotment with pre-orders (Rae Carson, Pearl North, Richard Kadrey, Ann Aguirre, Seanan McGuire), I'm trying to work through the "new" TBR as fast as I can, so that I can have an excuse to get James S.A. Corey's short story and sequel to Leviathan Wakes, as I'm very much looking forward to them.
Of course, there are a few specters lurking in the TBR pile that I really, really need to read but keep putting off: Myths of Origin: Four Short Novels is Catherynne M. Valente's early work in an omnibus, but it's a beast of a book and Valente is always best in book-sized bites, not omnibus-sized bites. Then there's George R.R. Martin's A Feast of Crows, which I already know is the worst in the series, yet it's waiting, and I've promised to read one Martin per year until I catch up (and that means I catch up with A Dance of Dragons next year). Again, it's a beast of a book, and it doesn't help that I know it's the worst of the series to date. I was eyeing my upcoming reviews and realizing that I could conceivably go ahead and read it now and my reviews won't suffer, but that would screw up what I'm doing now, which is tearing through the 2012 TBR pile in preparation for the September influx.
I know, I know. I'm babbling gibberish here. All these possibilities, and yet I juggle them to either provide a variety of reviews to keep YOU, the reader entertained, as well as myself so I don't get stuck in a rut. But I do know I most certainly, quite definitely, want to smite the TBR pile as a whole. If I read 50 books from it per year (and the other 50 are new purchases), then it'll take me… almost five years. The good news is that this year, I finally figured out how to curb my spending, and while it means putting off books I know I want (Elizabeth Bear, N.K. Jemisin), I'm hoping that as certain series wrap up and as I fall out of love with certain authors, I'll become a pickier buyer, which will provide room for those titles I don't quite have room for yet. FUN FACT: this time last year, I'd bought 70 books. This year? A whopping 29, and some of those are novellas and shorts. No, I'm not including the Hugo Voter's Packet, but if I did, it'd be one slot, because that's what I bought. :)
The point of all this babbling is to say this: I look forward to a day where the only books in my TBR are nonfiction titles and classics that I'll read "one of these days," where I don't feel bad if I want to re-read a book or a series, and where I can read a new book as soon as I buy it. It's a habit I'm trying very hard to cultivate right now, but it'll be great when I can buy five books at a time and know I'll be able to finish them in a month.
Of course, once I reach that point, my self-destructive habits may just create a whole new TBR pile, and then I'll be angsting again! At any rate, the Summer Olympics are upon us, so why don't grab a good book, plant yourself in front of the television, and watch some games in between chapters?
And, while I'm at it, how are your 2012 reading resolutions going?