I love making book lists, and I make one of these "to read" lists every year and then usually promptly forget it, so here I am once again thinking about the sorts of books I want to read in 2011. Although I've been trying not to make many reading plans and just go wherever my mood takes me, it's hard not to have a few ideas in mind. I know I want to read more classics next year (have not done a very good job this year) and more books in translation, so my list reflects that somewhat. I like how a number of bloggers came up with lists of books that have been on their shelves to read and have been making their way through them this past year, so I am taking my inspiration from them. These are all books I have on hand and hope to read next year. I've kept the list to only thirteen--that is roughly one book a month--surely manageable? And to keep me honest and the list close at hand I'll be making a tab for it, so I can keep a close eye on my progress. The hard part is coming up with thirteen books that I'll hopefully want to read as much next year as I do right now. In no particular order, I'd like to try and read:
- East of Eden, John Steinbeck (should really read The Grapes of Wrath, but East of Eden appeals more--maybe I'll get the chance to read them both?).
- 2666, Roberto Bolano - I had to have this when it came out and even bought the nice slipcased three volume paperback set, but here it sits still unread.
- The 39 Steps, John Buchan - A classic spy story and I hope to read more spy novels in general in the coming months.
- Effie Briest, Theodor Fontane - Since I'm reading Anna Karenina and Madame Bovary I might as well finish out the trio and read the Fontane as well as it has a similar theme.
- All Our Yesterdays, Natalia Ginzburg - From what I understand she is a well respected Italian author and I'd like to read more books by Italian writers.
- We Were the Mulvaneys, Joyce Carol Oates -Oates has a way of disturbing me when I read her work (have read far too little of it), so I wonder what this will be like.
- Night Shift, Maritta Wolff - Wolff was popular in the 40s and 50s. I read her last novel some years ago and have always meant to read more.
- Jane and Prudence, Barbara Pym - So many Pym novels to choose from, I don't know where to start. I loved Excellent Women, and hope this is equally as good.
- Fortunes of War: The Balkan Trilogy, Olivia Manning - Another author and set of novels that has long been on my list. She wrote another set of books also about WWII that I have as well.
- North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell - Should I admit that the thought of watching Richard Armitage in the film adaptation has sparked me to read this? In any case it was on my pile well before I had any plans on seeing the movie.
- The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family, Mary Lovell - Maybe I'll work on my Mitford project after all.
- Saplings, Noel Streatfeild - One lone Persephone and another novel set during WWII--it has been often recommended to me.
- The Rainbow, D.H. Lawrence - I started reading this novel a few years ago, but set it aside. I wonder if I'll get on better with it this time around? I know not everyone likes Lawrence, but he seems such an important writer that I feel like I really need to read something by him.
To kick things off I've started reading Mary Lovell's biography of the Mitford sisters, which really is as unputdownable as so many of you have mentioned. I've tried to balance the list out a little--not all women authors or all British authors, which is what I tend to read, but I know it is still slightly skewed. There'll be plenty of opportunity to read whatever else I like, but hopefully I will get through this list by this time next year!