Summer Reading Achieved

10 books is a lot in a summer. At least for my schedule. I tried reading about 20 minutes a day, at least, and would often read for an hour or so. But there were a few days when I just couldn't bring myself to pick up a book - if only because I was doing other things, I was sleepy, or needed a break.

10 was an ambitious goal when I started on June 9. But, I made it before Labor Day! I think a tradition of mine might be 10 books between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Here they are, in order of completion:

1. The Green Mile by Stephen King
2. My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
3. Room by Emma Donoghue
4. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
5. What is the What by Dave Eggars
6. Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools by Glenn Singleton and Curtis Linton
7. In the Deep Heart's Core by Michael Johnston
8. Fist Stick Knife Gun by Geoffrey Canada
9. The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
10. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

I enjoyed each book in its own way, with my clear favorites being The Green Mile, What is the What, In the Deep Heart's Core, and The Outsiders. I would recommend any of these books to my friends, though, knowing that each has its own purpose and diverse qualities.

I really like the experience of setting a reading goal and working to achieve it. It sometimes made reading seem like a chore, but I would always quash that feeling with the knowledge that finishing a book feels so good! Therefore, I think I will set goals for myself each season to keep my reading going.

My other "reading seasons" will be marked by holidays...

Fall: Labor Day to Thanksgiving
Winter: Thanksgiving to St. Patrick's
Spring: St. Patrick's to Memorial Day

For the fall, I only want to finish two books:

"A Game of Thrones: Book One of A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin
(because I want to watch the TV show and I've heard this series is amazing)
"The Lacuna" by Barbara Kingsolver
(because I want another read like Poisonwood and Kingsolver will surely deliver)

I will probably read more than these - but I set the goal just around them because they are so lengthy and I want to make myself finish them. I hope to finish at least a couple of the books on my shelf I have bookmarks in halfway through, like "American Gods" and "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman.

But my goal will be to get through Martin and Kingsolver, with any other finished books being purely coincidental.

Here goes!

~MJ