Like many people this year (and every year) I made a New Years Resolution. Mine was not to be healthier, smarter or more appealing in some way – mine was that I would read a new book (on average) a week for a year.
This challenge is significant for me because when I am stressed I Stress-Read, which basically involves retreating into the intimately known refuge of a well loved book, and staying there until I finish, dashing to the next safe-book. These are worlds and stories I love to love over and over again, and it makes me feel better after a long tiring day. It’s especially helpful on my breaks at times.
The trouble is new books. When I am tired and stressed the idea of opening up a new book and getting started is somehow overwhelming. It could be because my day-job can be very heavy, mentally and emotionally, but there are times when I just want to curl up and hide in my loved and trusted books. As anyone could have guessed, nursing through a pandemic was one of those things that sent me into a safe-book spiral.
So to kick myself of the habit (and the safety net) I set myself the challenge of reading an average of one new book a week over the course of the year. The idea of regimenting it to mean I had to read one new books EVERY SINGLE week made me pause – That’s not something I’m willing to commit to. There are times when thats simply not happening and during a week of night shifts is usually one of them.
Now nearly four months in to my challenge I am 17 books in and absolutely loving it. I am finally picking books off the to-be-read pile and dusting off the corners of the bookshelf looking for books I’ve been looking forward to reading in the most hypothetical way possible.
The idea to begin reviewing these books as I go came far later than would have been ideal – I am currently starting with a back log of 17 books that I have opinions about (the urge to capitalise the word opinions was strong, but I resisted). I want to tell the world about them all right now, but patience is a virtue, most noteably when you only have 24 hours in a day. So I will try to catch up as I go along.
Please feel free to join me for the ride.
