2024 Reading plans?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been thinking for a while of reading biographies of all the presidents. Maybe I’ll do that in 2024. If anyone has read any particularly good presidential biographies, I’d love some recommendations.

Grant by Ron Chernow was excellent!

[Anonymous]

In 2022, I read most of Erik Larson's books and really enjoyed them. In 2023, I read a bunch of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I've enjoyed picking an author and going on a spree.

[Anonymous]

I made a ridiculous challenge of a book a day (beginning at Thanksgiving) but after the first 20, I am toning it down a bit to 100 this year. Trying to read the following over the winter break: North Woods by Daniel Mason; The Good Lord Bird; Chain Gang Allstars; Disappearing Earth and Our Hideous Progeny…

[Anonymous]

A bunch of books by Sophie Kinsella and Debbie Macomber. Since all of those will be light fluff, I will probably read the occasional heavier book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think I’ll focus on “women in translation”. I already read a lot of women authors, but mainly those that write in English. It will be a good project to try to find some from different cultures.

I'm PP from 14:54. Very much recommend Lies and Sorcery by Elsa Morante (translated into English from Italian) to kick this off. NYRB has it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I made a ridiculous challenge of a book a day (beginning at Thanksgiving) but after the first 20, I am toning it down a bit to 100 this year. Trying to read the following over the winter break: North Woods by Daniel Mason; The Good Lord Bird; Chain Gang Allstars; Disappearing Earth and Our Hideous Progeny…

OMG, lol. I didn't read that many books when it was essentially my job to read books. I maxed 3 books a week, with some short stories and essays on top.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think I’ll focus on “women in translation”. I already read a lot of women authors, but mainly those that write in English. It will be a good project to try to find some from different cultures.

I'm PP from 14:54. Very much recommend Lies and Sorcery by Elsa Morante (translated into English from Italian) to kick this off. NYRB has it.

Thank you! I love nyrb books but I don't have that one yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think I’ll focus on “women in translation”. I already read a lot of women authors, but mainly those that write in English. It will be a good project to try to find some from different cultures.

I'm PP from 14:54. Very much recommend Lies and Sorcery by Elsa Morante (translated into English from Italian) to kick this off. NYRB has it.

Thank you! I love nyrb books but I don't have that one yet.

DP here. Also want to read more books in translation so would welcome any suggestions!

[Anonymous]

More non-fiction, at least compared to the zero I read in 2023. A few on my TBR list include:

A Fever in the Heartland;
Cabin Fever: The Harrowing Journey of a Cruise Ship at the Dawn of a Pandemic;
Killers of the Flower Moon;
Know My Name

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had thought about Compelling Villains but then thought it might be too much effort to put together a list when I need to make the entry point for reading easier not harder. I am, however, thinking of assigning myself a minimum number of classics.

Some classics with compelling villains to start your list (I haven't read East of Eden or Vanity Fair in a couple of decades and I am still obsessed with Cathy and Becky):

Grendel / Beowulf

Becky / Vanity Fair

Cathy / East of Eden

Uriah Heep / David Copperfield

Ahab / Moby Dick

Humbert Humbert / Lolita

Captain Hook / Peter Pan

Napoleon / Animal Farm

I love Becky Sharp. I’m going to read East of Eden based on this rec. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Going to be reading some of the 19th century classics.

I read War and Peace last year (took me 2 months). Currently reading Bleak House by Dickens (reading one segment per day).

Also on the list is the other great Tolstoy novel Anna Karenina, Crime and Punishment, and Les Miserables.

I also have some more Dickens on my bookshelf: Little Dorrit and Our Mutual Friend, I'll see if I'll have time to include them this year.

In addition to the classics, I have some history books I want to read: Isabel Wilkerson, Caste.

Another one - a book I picked up years ago but only read partway is Tony Judt, Postwar.

[Anonymous]

Read 50 books and only read what I want. No more trying to read what I “should”.

[Anonymous]

*Read at least 24 books
*Read one classic
*Read at least one nonfiction book
*Read one book I already own but haven't read yet
*Read a long book (over 800 pgs I guess)
*Read a book that's been on my to-read list for 5 years or more
*Read at least one book published in 2024

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:*Read at least 24 books
*Read one classic
*Read at least one nonfiction book
*Read one book I already own but haven't read yet
*Read a long book (over 800 pgs I guess)
*Read a book that's been on my to-read list for 5 years or more
*Read at least one book published in 2024

+1

[Anonymous]

I’m going to do 50 again this year, I am sticking to the formula I’ve used for the last several years because it’s worked for me:

Female non-American authors are the bulk (currently all my favorites are from Aus/NZ? Harper, Muir, Catton take up a lot of my reading list)

Men audition to make the cut— either one of my “classics” spots (I try for 3-5) or having written something of enormous import. Last year Jon Fosse and Charles Dickens made the cut and I was happy with their contributions, on the other hand my husband convinced me to let Daniel O'Malley in because he wanted to see the TV show and ugh— bored to tears.

Spaces held for series’ I know have something coming out this year.

And for 2024 I’m going to read more in the romance genre. I decided to read Freya Marske.