Sunday, September 4, 2011

Sunday Salon: August's Accomplishments, September's Goals

When the clock struck midnight, September 1, I'd met most of my reading goals for the month but not all of them. I'm enrolled in four challenges this year; The Art of the Novella Challenge was just running for the month of August but the rest are year-long. My progress:

Art of the Novella: Goal: 6 books. Read: 6 books. Met my goal.
Europa Challenge: Goal: 14 for the year, 2 per month. Read this month: 2. Met goal for the month; on track for the year.
Complete Booker Challenge: 12 winners for the year, 1 per month. Read this month: 0. As of September I'll be 3 behind for the year. Boo.
Ireland Reading Challenge: Goal is 6 for the year. Read so far: 5. On track to meet goal.

I have no specific plans about how to finish the Ireland Reading Challenge but there are plenty of Irish books in my TBR and I'm confident I'll find something. I could always read Roddy Doyle's Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, which would also qualify for the Complete Booker. I have another Irish Europa Editions book, too, so there are lots of options.

I'm frustrated about having fallen behind on the Complete Booker but I'll do my best to catch up. It's that darn Naipaul book that threw me. Oh well. And here I thought it would be an easy one because it's short. Turns out it's darn-near unreadably boring, too. But I won't let it defeat me.

As for September, I'm going to continue my challenges and continue reading through my stash. I'm less worried these days about keeping up with new releases and buzz books, and more interested in my own interests. Today I'm reading Christopher Priest's Inverted World, a science fiction type book about a devastated Earth and a city on rails. He's kind of a genius. I think literary fiction readers wanting to dabble in scifi should really check him out. He has a new book out this month, The Islanders, which I'm trying to get a hold of though it doesn't have a U.S. publisher yet. Thank goodness for Powells.

What are you looking forward to reading this fall? Have a great Sunday!

More Sunday Salon here.

14 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I'm doing so poorly in my challenges, I'm about to throw in the towel. Right now, I'm reading for book clubs, SIBA, author events and Club Read.

Frances said...

Wow. You are a reading force of nature, woman! Thanks again for joining in with Art of the Novella too. It was an exhausting but highly rewarding reading month. For fall, I am looking forward to quite a few new releases as well as the RIP Challenge where I enjoy reading the posts of others so much.

Cassandra said...

Yeah...in the stack of September releases that I have, I am only really getting enthused about 2 or 3. I think I'll spend the rest of the month on catching up with my challenges. I'm pretty far behind on some of them. On others, I'm sure I've done okay, but not because I was trying. They just matched my tastes too well :)

Sandy Nawrot said...

This was my year of no challenges. Except for RIP that is, which must be had every fall. With the exception of book clubs (which, who cares?) I read whatever I want, and it is turning out to be the best reading year of my life I think. Challenges do have a way of getting your out of your comfort zone, but I found they just stressed me out more than anything.

Zibilee said...

I also have trouble with challenges and can't seem to ever get them completed, so I tend to stay away. It sounds like you did fairly well though, and were pretty much on track, except for the Booker challenge, which is a mighty challenge indeed! I also wanted to tell you that I finally bought The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine! After I read your amazing review, I knew I had to read it, and snapped it up when I saw it in the store. So, so looking forward to it!

Col (Col Reads) said...

Your goal-orientation is fantastic. As for me, I'm ready for the cool weather so I can find more reading time!

caite said...

I have no goals...so I always reach them.

Audra said...

Great job with your challenges! I'm woefully behind on most -- I'm learning that if I review new releases, I have to give up on my challenges -- they rarely overlap.

Alexia561 said...

Like bermuaonion, I'm about ready to throw in the towel for my challenges as well. Also giving serious consideration to not accepting any more review books, as the pressure is starting to get to me. I like the idea of reading what you want, when you want. You're an inspiration! :)

Anonymous said...

You're doing great on your challenges! I've done well on some, not so well on others - including the Wendell Berry Challenge, which I am hosting! Better get busy on that one. :) Have a wonderful week, Marie.

Erin said...

That's clever to divide up challenge commitments based on how many books you have to read for each per month! Challenges overwhelm me partly because I feel like I have to read only challenge books until I've finished the challenge. It looks like overall you had a good month!

Kathleen said...

You are doing quite well with your challenges. I never join them any more because I start resenting that I have to read certain things and/or I just get too busy to finish them. I really enjoyed your posts for your Art of the Novella challenge. I definitely learned about quite a few authors/novellas that I will be adding to my list.

Anonymous said...

If it's unreadably boring, why continue with it? Seems like there are plenty of other books to take its boring place.

I'm looking forward to finishing the Charlie Chan series this week and continuing with the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series later this fall.

Anonymous said...

doing great!
here is my Aug wrap up with my own challenge updates: http://wordsandpeace.wordpress.com/2011/09/06/august-2011-wrap-up/
Emma @ Words And Peace