Your 2012 reading goals

[Serik]

Happy New Years, folks. Here's hoping for an exciting apocalypse on 21 December.

That being said, anyone else set reading goals for 2012? My goal is to read at least one book on each of the world's major commodities, e.g., petroleum, coal, wheat, rice, timber, cotton. I got a head start by finishing Merchants of Grain last December, and am now reading Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations. While dirt isn't exactly traded in Chicago, I think a background in soil management practices through time will be helpful when I launch into riveting books on bananas, tomatoes, and rice. I might also revisit Cronin's Nature's Metropolis, one of the best history/geography books I've read (Cronin does a fantastic job of explaining the origins and operation of futures trading).

[Chiasm]

To read a lot of classic sci fi / horror literature that I've never read before.

I got a Kindle Fire for Christmas but I nearly had a heart attack when looking at e-book prices, some of which are for more than the physical copy of the book.

So my kindle is now a repository of free classics that I've never read.

I'm currently reading Bram Stoker's Dracula. I've got 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Time Machine, War of the Worlds, John Carter of Mars, Frankenstein, and a number of other classics ready to go next.

[Jmacq1]

Since it's scheduled to end this year, I'm going to try re-reading The Wheel of Time from stem to stern. I'm told that when you don't have to wait several years between books it's a much different experience.

Hard to believe a series I started back in 1994 will finally be ending almost 20 years later.

[i_mmmchocolate]

For 2012:

-I'd like to read two Faulkner novels (Light in August and As I Lay Dying).

-I'd like to finish, once and for all, two Bolaño novels that I started some time ago (2666 and Savage Detectives).

[Chiasm]

Since it's scheduled to end this year, I'm going to try re-reading The Wheel of Time from stem to stern. I'm told that when you don't have to wait several years between books it's a much different experience.

Hard to believe a series I started back in 1994 will finally be ending almost 20 years later.

I reread the whole thing just before the last book came out and it is different because its amazing how many hints Jordan put along the way about things to come, some of them several books before they would happen. Reading the books as they came out you've long since forgotten about the hints but on a re-read you pick up on them and its actually pretty cool.

And if you aren't aware Brandon Sanderson has completed the last book and its now in the revision stage. He estimates 5-6 months before it actually hits the shelves.

[CaptainCanada]

- Knock another 11 names off the Nobel Laureates list; I slacked off a bit last year, but I figure one per month isn't unreasonable. I already did one for January (Solzhenitsyn). That'd take me to 60 by the end of the year (out of 108; well, it'll be at least 109 by the end, damn moving targets).

- Finally revisit Lord of the Rings, after first attempting to read them back in 2001.

[dupersuper]

To start a nuclear war and survive in a shelter a'la Burgess Meridith so I have time to read more. I don't need glasses, so I should be fine.

[Ben Akers]

I would love to get back to my 52 or more books a year goal that I reached multiple times just a couple of years ago, but struggled with the past 2 years.

[Karl O'Neill]

My goal in 2012 is to be more patient with some novels. I read a fair amount of books last year, but there remains many books on my shelves with book marks sticking out of them from last year alone.

I can't seem to finish Crime And Punishment. It's not impenetrable or difficult by any means, but some of the prose is just so stiff and lifeless. It's like wading through a muddy swamp that is also filled in with logs and rubbish.

[jesse_custer]

I hope to read at least A Storm of Swords, The Hunger Games, and Dirty Work within the next month or so.

[Libaax]

My goals for this year is broading my scope of literature reads and read more of my fav genre. By lit i means books in general and not just general fiction.

* I will read 5-10 novels/collections by African based authors. To get closer to important books, good genre fiction and explore modern history of Africa and its literature. Im starting Things Fall Apart by Achebe.

* I want to read 10 modern Science Fiction books. I read too many classic SF.

* Read 7 books by my top 3 fav authors in : Jack Vance, Robert E Howard.

* Read more Cherryh, CL Moore, Brackett. Fav female authors.

[Slam_Bradley]

I have no goals.

[Karl O'Neill]

I have no goals.

That's your goal, not to make any goals.

[Libaax]

I have no goals.

Interesting do you get to read books whenever you want ? Not work or anything else that stresses your every day life. It depends on your situation, stage of your life. I was uncomfortable by the fact i didnt get to read what i wanted in 2011.

I didnt need reading goals when i had more time to read.

[Slam_Bradley]

I was being somewhat flippant, but not too much.

I usually end up reading prose for about 30 minutes a night before bed. It is 100% to escape dealing with representing criminals all day long.

Goals make it seem like a chore. And if I feel like I "need" to read certain things or certain amounts I get what amounts to "reader's block."

For the last year I've been reading a mix of literary noir, comic fiction and light non-fiction. Overall it's worked pretty well. But as soon as I lock myself in to some sort of pattern or goal I vapor lock.

So no goals other than to enjoy the time off.