Janalyn I started a Book Log in Word in 2005 and start a new one yearly. It has saved me from buying a book that sounded interesting as I ck back and note that I read it 2 or 3 years earlier. I also helps me stay on top of 'series' books-I enjoy a good series!

There isn't 'one' book on my list 'to read', I just love going to Fantastic Fiction periodically to ck on new or coming releases, so I make sure I don't miss a good book!

Pat

My resolution is to READ. This has not been a good year in many ways and my reading has dwindled down to glancing through the newspaper and magazines with an occasional good book thrown in but not nearly as many as usual. I have a great collection of TBR books waiting for me on my Kindle.

My resolution is to actually read all the books my book club selects, even the ones I really don't like. >>sighRosefolly

Are you supposed to read all of the book, Rosefolly, even if you dont like it? In my club you are asked to try to get through at least 25% and that will suffice.
When I first joined I tried to get them to read some sci-fi -- like Oryx and Crake , for example, and I have since given up.
One of the women, loves dysfunctional family books. I am allergic to those and will usually skim through the required 25% and go for the good conversation, wine and cheese. :)

My resolutions are:

1. Read more from my TBR stack and then SHARE them (i.e. get them out of the house). Like a brand new piece of exercise equipment, this one is usually covered in dust by Valentine's Day.

2. Read Mill on the Floss (see Janalyn's thoughts re: Moby Dick above)

3. Not feel guilty about getting rid of a book

PAM

I could tell you all that I resolve to read more intellectual books, but it wouldn't be true. I adore murder mysteries.

Carolyn, Me too! I do occasionally pick up a book from another genre which is featured on the display stand at the library or request something that corresponds to a TV program I have watched.
EG...at present I am reading "Sense and Sensibility". I picked up a DVD of an old BBC series and was interested to see what had been changed and what I had forgotten! I never realised that there had been a duel and was quite indignant that one had, as I thought, been added for effect. "My bad!"

I'm with Carolyn and AnnPan...good intentions but find myself engrossed in another mystery or intrigue book (I share with my brother). No, they aren't great literature but in my 70's now, I guess I don't have to read things that I "should" be reading but rather what I "want" to read. And, I usually don't have time to read until bedtime so something deep would be totally forgotten by morning. Enough excuses?????? LOL I don't make resolutions at this time of year either, but I am thinking I should read at least THREE "good literature" books in the coming year along with my other stuff.

Connie, I'm afraid it's not an age thing. I, too, am in my 70s, but I've always been like this. I do read some of the loftier suggestions here and usually really like them, but it's like settling back into my favorite chair with a warm afghan to return to a good mystery.

Janalyn, we are supposed to read them all, but of course no one really does. Well, maybe one member, bless her heart. I end up reading only a little over half.

Part of my goal in joining this group was to expand my reading horizons, so if I keep in my narrow box I'm defeating my own purpose.

Good to have you back Janalyn, I hope this isn't just a passing visit . . . and did you and the family EVER make it to England?
I don't make New Years resolutions as I know I will never keep them. As far as reading goes I decided a while ago that I should read the occasional 'classic' and so far have managed to get through a couple a year; in 2012 it was David Copperfield and Great Expectations . . . and Ann, I know you suggested I go and watch the G E film. My intentions were good but the weather got in the way. It is a 10 mile drive and first rain and floods prevented travelling, followed by black ice and freezing fog and now lots more rain and further flooding (thank God for sandbags) . . .the film has now 'moved on'.
I have never had much interest in who-dunnits or 'light' romance, although I'll make an exception for Susan Hill or the undemanding Maeve Binchy. I still prefer a good bio/autobio. Would these be considered 'lofty'? ;-)

Vee, I was just talking to my sister in Sussex and she said it has rained for 3 weeks non-stop! I consoled her by moaning about the 40C/100+F we are expecting on Xmas Day. I am going to a place without a pool too! One extreme to the other.
Can you get GE on DVD?

I would like to stop my very bad habit of putting aside books without finishing them. Sadly I do this with the sincere intention of picking them up later in the year. I always seem to end up with five or so books on my nightstand, each with a reproachful bookmark stuck at the spot where I gave up.

I get stuck on mysteries too, though I prefer the older ones. One of my reading resolutions is to start the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which I have shamefully put off until now.

Yes Vee, we did make it to London about two years ago and are planning a trip to Cornwall soon. One of my cousins from Cornwall spent about a month here visiting us and the surrounding area this past summer. We had a great time, I had never gotten to know him and his wife before. I am really looking forward to seeing them again.

Tim, I think you should just make a resolution to not feel guilty about quitting on a book. Then release them to find someone who appreciates them and will make them feel loved. ;) (Your "reproachful bookmark" made me laugh)

I would like to just read more next year. I have also spent a lot of this year reading 'fluff', and while I don't do 'intellectual' very often, I need to read more of the middle ground for my job.
I would also like to post here more often, and paradoxically, spend less time on the computer.

I want to actually read more books, and not the total fluff I have been reading the past two years. I started in October by joining a local book club. And, I'd like to get involved in some of the discussions here rather than lurking. I thought retiring would be one big trip to the library, followed by indulging in all day reads and drinking tea. Instead, I found myself asked to volunteer for all kinds of good, but time consuming, things. I have finally extricated myself from all but a few for which I have a real passion.

I am resolving to read more books whether I re- read old favorites or find new ones; I don't care. I found to my dismay that I have read less books this year than in any of the previous 12-15 years since I started keeping a list of books read. My only excuse is that for several months, until I had bookcases made, most of my books were packed away in boxes and not easily accessible. I know, it's not a good excuse since I live only a 5 minute walk from my local library.

Kathleen, I think that is wise. It is easy to be every bit as busy with volunteer work as it was with paid employment. Now that is fine for people who want that. Indeed, some do. For most of us though we want to retain an involvement in the larger community and make a contribution while still having generous time to enjoy our long-deferred passions: books, travel, garden, sky-diving, whatever. That means pick one or two volunteer activities, and make a conscious decision about how much time to give to them. It's easy to slip into too much involvement, and do I speak as someone who has slipped on that slope!

Rosefolly

Try not to buy anymore books of short stories, I am always drawn to buying them at my charity shops, they have a shelf of their own in one of my bookcases, BTW this week I have ordered from Amazon two more of these little collections!!!

I have also resolved to post more frequently here rather than lurk. It is much too easy to say that I'll post something next time! LOL

On that same note, I'll resolve to post here once in a while. I've been lurking for some time, but I haven't posted much because I'm really shy. Actually, I could never remember my username! Or both.

My reading resolution is to re-read more often. The idea is to get a deeper reading experience from my favorite books. There have been a few books in my life that were such a good experience that as soon as I closed the last page, I returned to the beginning. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn was one of those.

I work in a library and part of my job is to lead book discussion several times a year. I usually read through those books twice, and I am often amazed at how much more detail comes through on the second reading.

I also want to make this the year I get through Ulysses. My bookmark is currently trapped in the "Oxen of the Sun" chapter, and I would dearly like to have it back.

Sarah

Post more and lurk less...
I firmly resolve to read whatever type of book I want to-nuts to intellectualism.
I firmly resolve to not finish a book if I don't like it.
I firmly resolve to not feel guilty for getting rid of books.
I promise to buy fewer books and frequent the library more.
I resolve to very soon now go through my 6-8 book bins in the basement-have been there for 8 yrs. untouched.
I also promise to go through and rearrange all my bookshelves, including TBR shelves.....toss what I see fit and dust everything.
Is anyone keeping track of these resolutions????

Go ahead and read, Pam53. We won't tell. It took me two days to clean my living room last fall, most of which time was spent sorting and dusting books. (And I still have to do the den where all the paperbacks live.)

Cheers for all those who say they will post more and lurk less!!

Yep, I am mostly a lurker here too. My resolutions are:
--to go back to some of those paper books distributed all around my bedroom and whittle the stacks down. ( I got a paperwhite for my birthday and it is like an appendage. That, combined with all the audiobooks I listen to, leaves little time for old-fashioned books.
--to post a written review of every book I read
--to find a book club? Iffy. I don't have a clue how to find one--most of my friends don't read alot and don't live close by. Also, I don't like the idea of reading books that don't interest me. Still . . . I could use more "reading" friends.
--I like the idea of less lurking and more participating here, too.

kathy9 - For a book club, have you checked with your local library? Mine has one - they meet regularly in one of the library event rooms.

Great idea, janalyn. I will check it out.

timallan, when cleaning the house for Christmas I finally gave up on all the unfinished books on my bedtable, removed the bookmarks and dealt with the books in various ways. I put some on a shelf as think I may go back to a few of them later but I put most in the basement awaiting disposal. I hope my brother can take a few when he comes to visit next summer. It was a great relief to rid the table of unfinished sadlooking books.

Mariannese, I think will follow your lead and just clear my bedside table. At this point I have forgotten what I've already read. I should just re-shelve the ones I want to keep, and put the rest into the book donation box. Glad to read someone struggles with this too!

Another mostly lurker here. I feel I'm using you all by getting ideas all the time and not sharing, so I resolve to remedy that.

I recently had a big book purge. I've done that before and ended up buying some of the purgees back, but this time I resolve not to do that. Seven boxes of books went to the library -- books I was so sure I wanted/needed to read again but had sat unopened in my bookcases for at least 8 years. Someone else can have the enjoyment of those Dick Francis novels, the 40's mysteries, the books I had read in my distant past, the ones I thought I SHOULD read -- too many new books and not nearly enough time.

Dusting all my books? Perish the thought....
I'm another one who loves to re-read old favorites. I still want to re-read "Little Women" which was my childhood favorite. Also classics such as "Madame Bovary".

As some of you know, I went through a major book purge when I relocated and downsized 2 and a half years ago. But I kept 5 bookcases! Now, from what I find at rummage sales and from what new friends keep giving me, I find my collection is growing once again! I guess I am just a book collector, at heart. And having worked in libraries most of my life, I am used to seeing myself in rooms surrounded by books.

My New Year's resolution is to be more selective regarding the time I spend posting on these forums. I plan to stick with RP, but have been spending far too much time on another garden web forum.

Wood -

I have finally reached the realization in my head that the older classics will *always* be on-line somewhere and thus don't need to take up space on my bookshelf...

This has been somewhat liberating in some ways, I think.

My resolution/goal is to give each book I choose a more solid effort to give it a chance to take off. I seem to have a better experience if I can sit down and really delve into a book for a while rather than jumping around. This will depend on time available, of course, but it has worked with the books I have read so far this year.

(Oh, and to read more from my TBR pile. I know - old resolution but it's 3 out of 3 TBR pile titles right now. Hooray!)

Hi All,
Its great to see so many avid readers. I would like to offer you all free membership to a new type of social networking site www.bookood.com.Its based on matching people through their top ten choice of books of all time.If you go to the become a member section and fill in the form using my name as the person who invited you, in the next week you can get completely free membership. Either way I would be interested in your feedback on the idea. Kindest regards Sarah