I love to read. Which is what ultimately made me a writer. Up until a few years ago, I never made the least bit of effort to keep track of what I read. I just read all the time and was satisfied with that. But since I didn’t keep track, I had no idea how many books I read each year or how many novels versus non-fiction I read, etc.
A few years ago I somewhat haphazardly began to write down the books I read (in print or by audio). Mostly just a list with an occasional comment or 5 star rating.
This year I have determined to put to use one of several reading journals I’ve acquired over time. A quick look at Amazon shows me that the serious book reader has a number of nice options of reading journals.
Last year, I read Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books. Excellent book with lots of good tips for readers, including how the author writes in the fronts and backs of the books he reads, summarizing them for himself. Since I do most of my reading on my Kindle, the separate journal is my best option.
Almost two weeks into 2013, I have an audio biography going whenever I’m in the car (started in 2012, and since I don’t go out much, it can take a long time for me to get through an audiobook). I’ve started and finished one Christian suspense novel and now am reading a general market women’s fiction. And as part of my devotional time in the morning, I’m reading The Well by Mark Hall (chosen because my word for the year is “quenched”).
I forget how many times a person has to repeat something for it to become a habit, but so far so good. I hope it will become a lifelong habit to write down detailed thoughts about the books I’ve read.
Lots of people do reading challenges (200+ books in a year!), but I don’t want to read books just to make another entry in my reading journal. I want to absorb what I read, whether fiction or non-fiction. I want to enjoy what I read. Some books are meant to be read very slowly in order to savor the words on the page. Others, like a great suspense novel, are meant to be read while holding ones breath.
Whether or not you keep a record of the books you read in 2013, as I plan to do, here’s hoping it’s a great reading year for all of us.
~robin
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“Some books are meant to be read very slowly in order to savor the words on the page. Others, like a great suspense novel, are meant to be read while holding ones breath.”
Love this. Thank you for your post. May I quote you? That is so, so true. Kathleen
I kept track of what I read for a long time.Indeed,the danger is, that you start reading to add as many titles as you can in your reading journal. At least that was in my case. So I stopped doing it and since I read on Kindle I never thought about it anymore, until I read your blog.
Thank you for posting this. I always enjoy what you have to say.
Blessings upon your work. Michele
I have kept track of the books I’ve read for 10 years. I refer back to my list often, when people ask me for recommendations, if I wonder when I read a certain book, or even IF I have read a certain book. I also use it to make my “best of” lists at the end of each year. My only regret is that I didn’t keep track sooner, since I was an avid reader for nearly 30 years BEFORE I started keeping track. I tell all my students to start keeping track; they will be glad later on!
Yes, Kathleen. Happy to have you quote me.
Robin
I think what's important isn't the number of entries but writing down our own thoughts about what we read, both good and bad. I think these book journals you can buy really help encourage this. Glad you enjoyed the blog, Michele.
Robin
I'm so glad you are telling your students to keep track. I wish I'd started doing it back in high school. It would be great to be able to look back and see all the different books that I've read. And it definitely helps with those "best of" lists.
Robin
I’ve kept track of every book I’ve read since April of 1974. Yes…almost 40 years! I didn’t start putting exact dates on them until after I had over 100 on the list. I’m currently somewhere in the vicinity of 1300 titles (and I do list them again if I re-read them, for example, today, I finished The Hobbit for at least the third time). I don’t know the exact number, because the list is at home and I’m at work right now. A few years back, I put my list on a spreadsheet on the computer, but I still keep a written copy in a notebook from my college. With the spreadsheet, it’s much easier to find out if I’ve read a book before.
Awesome, Jeff. Wish I'd learned the habit 40 years ago.