One of the fun things I do each year is to compile a list of books I want to read. This year I have been a bit behind schedule in compiling my list but it’s better late than never, right?
My list is usually small, perhaps 10-12 books at most. It is a random collection of titles from various genres, and range from books classics, not-so-old bestselling titles, obscure works, and of course niche reads or books spoken with high regard by people I respect.
During the pandemic, I set out to read books from different countries, hoping to virtually travel through the written word at a time when the world was shut down. From reading printed books featuring translations to audiobooks narrated by people with unique accents and transported me to faraway continents, reading has been an unbelievable adventure.
Sometimes I wander through library stacks or bookstore aisles and pick up books on a whim. And recently, I have found interesting book references in some of the Korean dramas that I watch!
A map, not a GPS
My 2023 reading list shown above is a visual reminder of books I intended to read during the year. It serves as a cue and guides me when I’m feeling a bit lost in my reading journey, something that happens often since I have a tendency to veer off course.
I don’t often consult the list. After going to the trouble of collecting recommendations, instead of reading what’s on the list and systematically checking them off, I pick up random books depending on what catches my fancy at the moment.
I also stop reading books midway if they don’t hold my attention and have learned not to feel guilty about doing that – life is too short to harbor ‘book guilt”. Don’t you agree?
A couple of years ago, it struck me that making a list is just the first step. A way to invite something into your life with intention. By compiling a list, I am consciously choosing to make time for reading. From a wide range of choices, similar to a lavish buffet, I am picking things to put on my plate.
I may not like the taste of all that looked attractive at first sight or even get around to doing justice to everything I choose, but it helps me make a beginning.
Tracking is harder than reading
To be honest, reading is easy, especially when I get out of a slump and into the flow. But tracking is another thing altogether. I know that avid readers use Goodreads to make and track reading goals, but that’s another app to figure out. It also seems a lot more competitive with people galloping away and overachieving on their goals while I take unplanned detours and sloppily update my reading progress.
There was a time I bought a pretty book journal that required manual filling in. It was an impulse purchase in a bookstore and made perfect sense. However, I have entered only a handful of books in the past three years.
Between scrolling through my library loan history, the haphazard list on the notes app in my phone and my social media feed, I can piece together a list of books I have actually ended up reading in the past few years. None of them are fool proof. But there is one method that works well to appreciate my reading habit.
Writing book reviews to remember books
If you are of a certain vintage like me, you will remember childhood as a time when we wrote copious notes. There was a lot of handwriting involved – both in school and later for homework. If you missed school, you borrowed notebooks from helpful classmates to help you get back on track.
Writing is a great way to enforce concepts learned, either through printed words in textbooks) or words spoken by a teacher in the classroom. The simple act of copying notes written by others can help us learn what was taught in class when we were absent.
Similarly, I find that writing reviews helps me cement my reading. I don’t always write reviews but when I read a book that I would like to linger with me, I write reviews. Sometimes I write long ones, like the one for Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, a Korean novel that made a deep impression on me and for What We Carry, a memoir that inspired me to write my own.
It doesn’t matter that these reviews don’t help me improve my grade (as notes did back in school) or make much of a difference to famous authors, but for me, they serve an important purpose – they keep the essence of the book close to me long after the reading is done. Reviews are invaluable for indie authors and I write them for books that I have enjoyed, like The Magic of Ordinary by Melissa Gouty, who is now a good friend, although we haven’t met in person.
I wrote reviews long before I imagined that I would one day write a book. It was my way of appreciating the author and showing my gratitude to them for writing stories that I enjoyed. When my book Rewriting My Happily Ever After was released, I was thrilled to receive so many reviews from readers. I guess what goes around does come around!
What do you think about my reading list for 2023. To be honest, since I compiled the list in Feb, I have already read a few books on this grid. But my list definitely has scope to evolve. And it definitely has room for your suggestions. So please add your recommendations in the comments section below.
How do you make and track your reading goals?
Photo by David Travis on Unsplash
What a delightful way to capture your reading! And of course, I love reading your reviews and thoughts .
Thanks Niru, for stopping by and for your kind words. I enjoy your writings on Medium as well.