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Saturday, December 31, 2011

Reading Goals for 2012

Setting goals for my reading kind of gives me a sense of direction and purpose.   

Novels

Here are some of the Novels I most want to read in 2012.   They are in pretty much random order.   This list leaves out my Japanese TBR items.  

  1. The Guide by R. K. Narayan-considered by all to be his masterwork-really looking forward to this
  2. The Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand-considered his best work-
  3. The Wings of the Dove by Henry James-read in February for the Feb. in Venice Event
  4. Bleak House by Charles Dickens-in honor of Dickens 200th Birthday-try to read by Feb 7
  5. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens-as above
  6. Hard Times by Charles Dickens
  7. Cousin Bette-Need to read some of the best regarded Balzac novels
  8. More Zola
  9. Vanity Fair –been on my TBR list for decades
  10. Anna Karenina in the P and E translation
  11. something by George Elliot, Willa Cather, and Louisa May Alcott-Probably Little Women
  12. Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce.
  13. Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust
  14. more  Turgenev at least Father and Sons
  15. reread A Sentimental Education and read Salammbo
  16. Don Quixote by Miguel Cervantes in the Grossman translation
  17. more novels by Elizabeth Bowen, finish up Virginia Woolf, and Henry Greene.
  18. maybe reread the big FMF novels.
  19. Savage Detectives by Roberto Balano-a reread-for a read along
  20. maybe a read along of Clarrisa-this is set as a year long real time event-will ponder it-read it ten years ago
  21. A Shakespeare work a month

Short Stories List for 2012

I expect short stories to be an ever increasing part of my reading and blogging life.  Here are some of my reading hopes for 2012.  

  1. The Complete Short Stories of Guy de Maupassant-sounds like a lot at first but under 2000 pages-
  2. Finish the stories of Flannery O’Connor-1/2 way done now
  3. read the collected stories of Issac Babel
  4. Read a lot more Irish short stories-at least 70 by Frank O’Connor-most stories not very long
  5. Read a lot more Chekhov-maybe will try for all but at least the P and E collection
  6. read a lot more Turgenev
  7. try more Raymond Carver-try to over come my prejudice against stories about drinkers-he is for sure brilliant
  8. more Hemingway-maybe all the short stories if I can
  9. more Eudora Welty and Katherine Porter
  10. discover lots of new to me  writers
Short stories are just a wonderful way to discover new to you writers.  

These goals are just sort of list to motivate myself.   I am sure and I hope I will be taken down new lanes and reading highways in 2012 just like I have been since I began my blog in July 2009.  


Mel u

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13 comments:

  1. You've some big old books on there Proust, Cervantes, also a Bolano & Turgenev, this is a fantastic list & I will be following with interest
    Best wishes for the coming year .

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  2. What great plans, mel! I see a lot of writer's writers in these lists. I'm still processing your series of yearend posts. A very well spent year for you.

    Happy New year!
    -Rise

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  3. good luck for the coming year mel ,all the best stu

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  4. Solid list! I read Anna Karenina last year. It's a huuuge one! Hope you enjoy it. :)

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  5. I actually had a draft written with books I wanted to read next year, but then I thought, 'what about that book, or that other one' and I gave up completely. Other than the Foodies challenge and the South Asian challenge, and the little Venice one, I'm going to do as I've always done. Walk around the house, and choose a book. :<)

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  6. Me again. Is there a place on your blog where you've noted who all the people are in your banner picture? I so love looking at all those faces.

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  7. I'll be following your blog with interest as well. This is a great list. I hope you will achieve them all. I'm hoping to read something by Willa Cather, Elizabeth Bowen, and Chekhov, too, in 2012.

    Happy New Year!

    Nancy @ Simple Clockwork

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  8. great goals! for me, that will be mostly traveling to 52 countries. http://wordsandpeace.com/2011/12/30/year-of-reading-2011/

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  9. look forward to reading your reviews, esp cervantes! Have a wonderful 2012:)

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  10. Great list!

    I'm reading a collection of Irish short stories by different authors: 44 Irish Short Stories (editor is Devin A. Garrity).

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  11. I was just petting my Collected Frank O'Connor stories the other day, wondering if 2012 would be the year for that...but it's such tiny print! In any case, I'm sure I'll read something of his for Irish Short Story week, at least!

    What impressive reading goals for the year: I hope you find many new favourites therein. (I have Cousin Bette on my For Sure list this year, too, having almost no experience with Balzac!)

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  12. Buried in Print-I have read only one work by Balzac-Father Giorrot-I enjoyed it a lot-send me a comment when you start Cousin Bette and maybe I can read it at the same time-thanks so much for your comments and visits

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  13. I will read my first Dickens this year. I like your reading list, it's quite comprehensive.

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your comments help keep us going and do a lot to make the blog more interesting.thanks