Friday, February 15, 2008

And then there were none

This entry is most likely of interest just to me. I have quit all the book challenges. I am simply and positively the kind of person who wants to read what I want to read, when I want to read it. I loved the sound of the challenges and signed up eagerly, but then when I find myself slogging through a book, I say to myself, why am I doing this? Reading is my pure pleasure. I love it. And I want to read "my" books, period. So, remind me of this if I forget and sign up next year for any challenges, okay? :<)

15 comments:

  1. You don't have to apologize Nan. Reading should be for pleasure and not pain.

    The new photo on your header could be a real pain in the ... Brrrr makes me cold looking at it. :)

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  2. This entry was of interest to me...LOL. I hear you about wanting to read what you want when you want. I say, "Me too!". You've just given my reason for never signing up for them. However, I do think that they are incredibly diverse and creative. I enjoy reading about them.

    Love the new header. I showed it to friends at work today. We have sloppy rain.

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  3. A little bit of me feels exactly the same way about the challenges - I'll just have to see how it goes. I've given myself permission to fail at them regardless. ;-)

    I do love your new header photo.

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  4. Ah, this is always my problem. I eagerly sign up for a challenge, loving the act of compiling a list of theme-related titles, only to read but one or two from the entire list. I'm such a mood reader! And with all the great books I received for Christmas, little gifts of kindness from friends, and several ARC/comp copies from work, I'm too easily distracted to stick to my original lists. Good for you to say you quit! :)

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  5. Good for you! I went on a reading expedition of my own about ten years ago, and could not understand the prevalence of book clubs and such. I started with Don Quixote and made myself stay with it simply because it was a book I'd heard about all my life and wanted to read. Friends would invite me to their book clubs, but I was too busy with Great Expectation, Pride and Prejudice and all the others I'd put off "until I had time." Now I have time, and I've got a lot of catching up to do yet.

    By the way, I loved those books I chose myself!

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  6. No need to apologize for dropping out, Nan. Seriously, I feel like doing the same -- and I've honestly considered it. But, instead of dropping out, I decided to just ALLOW myself / give myself permission to NOT finish all the challenges I signed up for. That way, if I finish them, I do, and if I don't, I don't. ;o)

    Either way, don't feel bad about dropping out. Reading is supposed to be F-U-N!...not pressured. I TOTALLY understand, and say "kudos to you!" ;o)

    <>< MizB of the TBR Challenge

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  7. That's what I think too!
    Except I am teaching literature
    to a small group of high school students AND I have a wonderful
    group in a Book Club. We're low key though, reading about 2-3 books a year! Otherwise, I read that which
    interests me! I know you have that
    love too. What's everyone is such a hurry about, even with reading?!

    Bonnie

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  8. I'm with you, Nan. I gave up my book club this year and also a course on Great Books that I had taken for a few years.
    If it is meant to be for pleasure - there should be no 'slogging' involved. Also, I am listening to lots of books on my MP3 player. I enjoyed "Loving Frank" last week.
    Once in a while, tell us of something you read and enjoyed.
    I also gave up on Knitalongs, and for the same reasons!

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  9. I've felt the same way. I signed up and did the Fall Reading Challenge last year - decided afterwards not to do another one. It felt too much like a school assignment and I felt like somehow I letting "someone" down by not finishing. I'm with you - I want to read when I want to read and what I want to read.

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  10. This is exactly why I dropped out of a monthly book club years ago. Oh the ladies were nice, and the snacks were great, but there's only so much time in a life, and far too many books on my personal "to read" list!

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  11. Yes, too many 'have-tos' spoil the fun! Life is too short :)

    I enjoy your reviews of the youth books you read. Many of those are familiar titles that I haven't thought of in many many years.

    Jeanne

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  12. There are too many wonderful books that we will never have the time to read, that it's just not worth forcing yourself to read books for a challenge.
    Seeing your porch still under snow does not stop me from imagining how nice it must be to sit in a favorite chair there in Spring and open a good book!

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  13. I'm like you, Nan - except I never even signed up to the challenges! I tend to read the challenge, amuse myself by considering what I would read if I were doing them, and leave it at that. Reading time is too precious, and enough is already taken up with (lovely) review books...

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  14. I am delighted to have gotten so many understanding responses to this post. Thank you very much for taking the time to write.

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  15. I am also in complete agreement. The only challenges I am interested in are ones I give myself. (Such as, read more fiction by male authors.) Otherwise, I just enjoy reading about challenges.

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