It has taken me a while but I have finally come up with some reading goals for this year.
My first goal is to read 60 books this year. I usually aim for 70 but because quite a few of the books I plan to read are rather large I have gone for a lower overall book total.
My second goal is to read more classics this year. Last year I really missed reading classics so I made a decision that this year I would get back into reading them. I’m aiming to read at least 10 classics.
Another aim is to get back into reading poetry this year. I really struggle with poetry and a couple of years ago I made an effort to regularly read poetry and by doing this I found certain poets that I loved to read. This year I am trying to start each day with a bit of poetry again in the hope of finding some more poets that I love to read.
My final aim is to finally finish off several book series that I have started but never finished and also to make a start on The Witcher books. The series that I aim to finish are:
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey
Shardlake series by C. J. Sansom
Overall, I hope to make my reading experience a lot more relaxed this year as last year I found myself pushing myself to get certain books read and to read enough books to complete my height in books.
So there are my reading goals for this year.
Happy Reading
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Happy Friday! I hope everyone has had a good week.
My chosen poem this week is by a favourite poet of mine and one I studied quite a bit for my dissertation. Sappho was an ancient Greek poet from the island of Lesbos. It is believed that this poem is the first time the moon was described as silver in any form of literature.
The Moon
The stars about the lovely moon
Fade back and vanish very soon,
When, round and full, her silver face
Swims into sight, and lights all space.
Sappho
Happy Reading
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The quote this week is by the British author and playwright Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924) who also wrote one of my favourite books The Secret Garden.
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Happy Reading
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Goodreads Monday is hosted by Lauren’s Page Turners. All you have to do is show off a book from your TBR that you’re looking forward to reading.
Hello!
I hope everyone has had a good Monday so far. I haven’t had much teaching today which has meant I could do bit of reading and have a lovely walk. Tomorrow is a busier day for me so will probably mean less reading but I am still hoping for a nice walk to clear away the cobwebs.
I am continuing to use my Goodreads Monday posts to feature a book on my Classics Club List as that makes up quite a bit of my TBR pile at the moment.
Taken from the poverty of her parents’ home in Portsmouth, Fanny Price is brought up with her rich cousins at Mansfield Park, acutely aware of her humble rank and with her cousin Edmund as her sole ally. During her uncle’s absence in Antigua, the Crawford’s arrive in the neighbourhood bringing with them the glamour of London life and a reckless taste for flirtation. Mansfield Park is considered Jane Austen’s first mature work and, with its quiet heroine and subtle examination of social position and moral integrity, one of her most profound.
This will be a reread for me but I last read Mansfield Park in 2014 so it will be nice to read again and refresh my memory.
Please drop me a comment if you have taken part in Goodreads Monday and I will head over for a visit.
Happy Reading
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I have been trying to start my day with a bit of poetry recently and the other day I came upon this poem and it really left a mark on me so I have decided to share it.
My chosen poem is by the American poet Maya Angelou.
Caged Bird
A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
Maya Angelou
Happy Reading
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I have seen this tag in the book blog world quite a bit recently and decided I would give it a go, as it looked fun.
How many books are you planning to read in 2022?
My Goodreads goal is 60 books which is slightly lower than usual. Usually I aim for 70 books but this year I have some pretty hefty books planned on my TBR, so I thought with the higher page count I would most likely read less books.
2. Name 5 books that you didn’t get to in 2021 but want to make a priority in 2022.
Oh dear, there are so many books to choose from! My selected 5 are:
The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal
The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell
Lore by Alexandra Bracken
I, Claudius by Robert Graves
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
3. What genre do you want to read more of?
I really want to get back into my classics this year, so I plan to read more books published in the 1700’s and 1800’s.
4. Name 3 non book related goals for 2022.
To pass at least one exam on the ukulele
To get the planned home improvements started and finished.
To do more performance work.
5. What’s a book you’ve had forever that you still need to read?
This is a tricky question because I have so many. I very rarely get rid of books and I would never get rid of a book that I have never read. The book I will choose though is The Man in the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas.
6. One word that your hoping 2022 will be: adventurous.
7. Tag a friend!
If you like the look of this Book Tag consider yourself tagged!
Happy Reading
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