Yes, the question. Is it time to clean up my reading as the year dwindles down to a few months? Is it worth making any sort of very very loose plans on what I want to try and accomplish or finish reading. I don't really have any goals that I feel the need to meet at this point other than to finish out my reading prompts. It would be nice to clean up my reading pile, however, which is what I usually try and do at this point of the year.
I did this last year and the year before (and probably previous years, too) with mixed results, but usually I can finish some of those 'in progress' books sitting on my pile or return those false starts back to their spots on the bookshelves. This year I have a few books I would love to still read just to round things out--series books or sequels or catching up on an author books. Not necessities but would be nice to accomplish sorts of reads.
So my list of reading to see me through the end of the year starting with those in progress books that have been languishing (as opposed to those books I am consistently reading and will finish for sure):
- Circe by Madeline Miller
- Three Summers by Margarita Liberaki
- I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
- When Women Were Birds by Terry Tempest Williams
- Melmoth by Sarah Perry
- I have almost a whole year's worth of NYRB Classics (and it is time to decide whether to renew for next year or not) to consider as well. Usually at this point those books just get added to my library collection--I only managed to read one and have three in various stages of completion. But they are books I want to own in any case and don't get recycled out of my collection even after I have read them. Definite keepers for me.
And then there are those 'rounding out' reads that would be nice to get to still this year.
- Joy School by Elizabeth Berg (there are three books about the character Katie Nash)
- The American Agent by Jacqueline Winspear (it would be nice to catch up with this series before the next book comes out--I am reading To Die But Once right now, which was her previous book)
- The Long Trail (1917) by Cynthia Harrod Eagles (the next book in her WWI six book series
- O is for Outlaw by Sue Grafton (I would like to finish the series next year, and then maybe I will find another mystery author to tackle--but who can possibly compare with Kinsey?!)
- Autumn by Ali Smith (It would be nice to read her books according to the season I am in)
The books on the first list are all in progress, so it is only a matter of sticking with them. A few not mentioned here will quietly go back to the shelves and the second list is only a wishlist and easy enough to carry those books over into the new year.
I have two more prompts to look forward to: "Something Blue", and "Art and Music". At the moment I am reading John Wyndham's Trouble with Lichen for October and I think everyone has convinced me that I really should read AJ Pearce's Dear Mrs. Bird. I will finish my Gladys Tabor book--three months left and three chapters.
I am only peripherally thinking about next year (is it too soon?). I need to start a new list of prompts--any ideas of fun themes for my monthly reads? But I think to start the year (and these are only loose ideas of where I want to start my reading journey for 2020--not a set plan for the whole year), I think I want to pay more attention to my own shelves (which means not requesting so many library books--even if they mostly end up being returned to the library unread as this seems to be a distraction for me--but easier said than done!) and especially my classics shelves and that lovely NYRB collection.
I really need to do a serious weeding of my books and other crafty things in general. I am constantly thinking of downsizing and getting rid of things. It is a matter of where to start and maybe once that first attempt is successfully made it will go much easier. I live in a house I no longer really like and dream of a small space very pared down of contents (other than books that is). I know spring tends to be the traditional time to clean house, but apparently fall is the time for me.