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Does anyone have a specific reading goal they would like to share? Mine is to read two books per month through August on the theme of emotions (I started in April). By the way, I am open to suggestions.

My goal would be to learn from or just enjoy the book I'm reading. Not sure why a numerical reading goal is needed unless it helps you attain some other goal. For example there are groups that read gobs of books in order to become better managers or lists of books to read instead of investing in an MBA; here's a similar list. But other than something like that, I don't understand a numerical goal for leisure reading...

Hi LanDroid. Implicit in my goal is that I am reading for enjoyment and especially to learn. I also enjoy making it into a goal because I seek to get a broad scope of any given topic.

I want to catch up on book club recommendations. I was hoping to finish a book a week, some are short novels (maybe 200 pages max) so it isn't like it's a real hardship lol. However, basically, I want to expand my genres and accept different writing styles. So, I'll go online and read book recommendations that range from classical literature to modern day events to civil rights all tossed in different genres or point of views. It's easy to get caught up in your favorite style and genres and than you stop expanding your horizons when reading is suppose to transport you to anywhere.

Good luck on your reading goal!

cv808 wrote:I want to catch up on book club recommendations. I was hoping to finish a book a week, some are short novels (maybe 200 pages max) so it isn't like it's a real hardship lol. However, basically, I want to expand my genres and accept different writing styles. So, I'll go online and read book recommendations that range from classical literature to modern day events to civil rights all tossed in different genres or point of views. It's easy to get caught up in your favorite style and genres and than you stop expanding your horizons when reading is suppose to transport you to anywhere.

Good luck on your reading goal!

cv808,

That sounds great. Indeed I learn the most when I branch out into authors or types of books I'm not familiar with. Good luck and thanks for the encouragement! Feel free to update on your progress in this topic.

Currently, I am reading a much larger book than I usually do (it's almost 600 pages). So I'm considering regarding it as two books for the purposes of my goal. I am still deciding.

A minimum of 25 is what I've set for 2021, with a mix of various genres.

LanDroid wrote:My goal would be to learn from or just enjoy the book I'm reading. Not sure why a numerical reading goal is needed unless it helps you attain some other goal. For example there are groups that read gobs of books in order to become better managers or lists of books to read instead of investing in an MBA; here's a similar list. But other than something like that, I don't understand a numerical goal for leisure reading...

did you manage to complete all the goals? some of them seem pretty hard, huh

I don't have a number goal, either, and that's partly because my total would seem disappointing to me. I intend to read so much more than I actually do. But one goal that I've just come up with is to reread fiction that I either didn't have a strong liking for, or I simply have a hazy memory of it. It can be surprising how Old Guy sees books differently and more appreciatively than Young(er) Guy did. That is gratifying--well, anything that makes aging seem like a good thing has to be.

I've long had a desire to read more Great Books of the Western Canon. I've tried a few and was surprised at how good they were, Plutarch's Lives is one. But some can be quite turgid or boring. Think about how old these books are. I remember thinking "this book might be interesting if there was no internet, if there was no television, if I could not afford to go to plays or movies, if there was no radio etc... I.e. it was probably fascinating to people at the time it was written, but my modern addled attention span is having a hard time with it." Perhaps when I retire (next year?) I'll spend more time on great books; I find patience is required.

St John's College has a curriculum based on great books.
https://www.sjc.edu/academic-programs/u ... ading-list

Harold Bloom's list of The Western Canon
http://sonic.net/~rteeter/grtbloom.html

I have none, I guess. Reading is just listening to what other people have to say. If you do not have many people around you, who reflect on things, then a book is a good solution