So, I didn't do a "My Year with..." personal challenge in 2019 because I just couldn't settle on one. But I have figured out one for 2020! It will be My Year with C. S. Lewis. I'll kick that off by participating in Olivia's read-along of Till We Have Faces over at Meanwhile, in Rivendell... which you can learn about here.
Besides it, I aim to read some books about Lewis, and maybe reread Narnia, but also maybe read some of his books that are sitting on my to-be-read shelves. Especially since Cowboy gave me a boxed set of a bunch of Lewis books for Christmas.
Which brings me to the rest of my reading plans for 2020. Y'all, I have too many unread books. How many? This many:
That picture's a little misleading. The books piled on the floor are ones I've already read, but don't have homes for. The books ON all those shelves are ones I haven't read, plus about 60 more that are in the basement on our nonfiction shelves. Grand total of unread books I own and want to read (so, not counting research resources) is 537. EGAD. That's crazy talk. Ouch.
I've been trying to get a handle on these for a couple years now, by doing the Mount TBR Challenges and so on, but it hasn't helped much. So this year, I'm participating in #theunreadhselfproject2020 challenge from The Unread Shelf. My goal is to clear off one whole shelf in my bedroom so I can put those books piled on the floor onto an actual shelf instead. I'll be tracking my progress on Instagram and probably talking about it here too.
This project comes with specific month-to-month challenges, which will be an interesting twist on the "read books you already own" sort of thing I've done previously.
I've dedicated a couple of pages in my bullet journal to keeping track of what I read, especially as regards this project.
So. Those are my reading plans for next year. Do you have reading plans? If so, what are they?
A year with C.S. Lewis! What a wonderful idea! <3
ReplyDeleteThanks, Katie! I think it's going to be epic.
DeleteI intend to use the weekend plus two off days next week to plan next year. I'm re-reading Narnia now. I've gotten into a reading slump. I think that may be my main reading plan, try to work a little harder to read well and not only to escape.
ReplyDeleteLivia, that sounds like a good plan! Intentional, but enjoyable reading is such a laudable goal.
DeleteOh, I need to check out that challenge. You definitely top me. I'm in the 300 range of books owned but not read; and that is my goal, too, for 2020. Get these unread books read, and no more new books until I do...except the ones my husband just bought me.
ReplyDeleteRuth, it's a cool challenge, and it comes with some downloadable things to help keep track, and I really just like her approach overall.
DeleteI'm not putting myself on a book-buying ban, as I tried that last year and failed utterly. Instead, I'm going to try really hard not to buy any books that I want to read "someday." If I buy a book, it has to be because I want to read it NOW. And then I have to go ahead and read it next after whatever I'm already reading. I feel like I can stick to that, cuz after all, I read books from the library soon after I check them out. But that will cut down on "oh, that looks good, I'll read it sometime" buying, which I'm sooooooo guilty of lately.
YAAAASSSS.
ReplyDeleteFirst, obviously, I'm so happy you'll be doing the TWHF readalong (thanks for the shout-out!), but also, a year with Lewis sounds fantastic in general. Perhaps I should try that.
I've already come up with a couple reading ideas for 2020: I'd like to read through my collection of Christian romance to see which I'll keep and which I'll pitch. That should be fun. ;) Plus, since you mentioned the unread shelf project, I've looked into that and that looks quite good, as well. So I guess we'll see. :-P
Olivia, I'm confident it's going to be fantastic. I was going to do just A Year in Narnia, but then I decided to do your read-along, so I switched it to Lewis in general :-)
DeleteI like your plan to reread and cull a particular collection! That's going to be instructive, I suspect.
I love the Year with C. S. Lewis idea! I've only read the Chronicles of Narnia (favorite series ever! <3 I want to reread them, too!) and Reflections on the Psalms, but there are sssssssooooo many others that I want to do! I'll definitely be joining in on TWHF. Good luck on all of your unread books!!!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteMC, how cool you're joining the read-along too! I've honestly only read Narnia, that space trilogy, and Screwtape Letters... and the space trilogy was back in high school, so two decades ago. I don't remember it at all, heh.
DeleteThanks!
Every year is a good year to read Lewis. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's been my intention to read more of Lewis' academic works that I haven't gotten around to yet. Have started The Discarded Image in the last few weeks. Also finally rereading That Hideous Strength. Been awhile since I read it since it always frightens the willies out of me. I'm hoping to follow along with the Till We Have Faces read through.
Will also hopefully get to read some Tolkien this coming year. I'm long, long overdue for a reread of The Silmarillion.
I did the Mount TBR challenge this past year & did pretty well, almost a hundred books down on it. Regarding the unread shelf project, I'm a bit unsure how to participate. I have plenty of books on shelves downstairs but I only read them slowly and some are pretty deep theological works with small print that my eyes don't handle well anymore. So I read mostly ebooks. I'm thinking I'll set up a collection on my Kindle for a set number of unread ebooks I have. Following their challenge fully seems a bit overwhelming to me and I don't want to get stressed trying to follow their goals, so I'll just trim things down to a size I think I can handle.
George, this is true! I am confident I won't get through all my things by Lewis, so it might have to stretch into two years. We shall see.
DeleteYou read almost a hundred books for Mount TBR? WOWIE ZOWIE!!! That is spectacular. I read 15. But that's because it's limited to books I owned BEFORE the year started... which is why I'm not doing that challenge this year, as that restriction chafes me.
I know some people are using the Unread Shelf thing to get through the ebooks that have been sitting on their devices for a long time, unread. So that would totally work, I think. And I don't know that the monthly challenges are 'required' -- I mean, this isn't school, lol.
My reading plan:
ReplyDeleteRead. As much as you can.
The end. :P
Gabby, this is a good plan :-D
DeleteOh my word, that is a lot of unread books. xD Sounds like a fun challenge though!! I'm sure you'll conquer your mountain. ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have any particular reading plans, except to read more widely genre-wise. I'd like to dip my toe into more contemporary and science fiction!
Melissa, um, yes, it is. Thanks! I know it will take me years, but I am determined to get through them because I bought all of these books knowing I would enjoy them... so I should start enjoying them already!
DeleteReading more diversely or widely is a good goal!
Now I don't feel so bad about my 102 XD
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Skye, lol! Always happy to make other people feel better about their TBR stacks ;-) Thanks!
DeleteGood luck with this! Sounds like you're in for some great reading!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Davida! So far, I have had an amazing month of reading, and I'm looking forward to it continuing that way too :-)
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