It is time again for National Just Read More Novels Month. I have promised myself to do better than my lowly 3 of last year. This year if a novel doesn't capture me, I am going to put it down to read more slowly later.
My inability to read for long periods is one of the saddest things of my life. I grew up inhaling novels. They did not so much get read by me as they captured me and became part of me. There are books that I read so many times the covers wore out. I'm on a second personal copy of these and these are the books I still read at least once a year. Some are childhood favourites, like Little House in the Big Woods and the Swiss Family Robinson and some are new favourites like Stephen King's the Stand and everything Jane Austen ever wrote.
NaJuReMoNoMo is a great way to move me off my complacent behind and try some new authors or new stories from authors I know. Last year I read the wonderful novel, The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks and before this month is over, I am gong to read March, her Pulitzer Prize winning novel.
I don't know what else will come my way, but there will be more than 3 books.
As you can see I also have a nifty new Knit Metre widget on the side of my blog. I hope that it doesn't make loading the blog painfully slow. It is there to track my meterage for the 5 k in 2010 challenge that we are having on the Edmonton Knitter's group on Ravelry. As we talked about setting the 5 k up, some of the ladies realized they knit considerably more, but they are kindly keeping the number reachable for all.
My other goal for the year is to learn to read some Russian and Ukrainian. That is going to be step one of learning to speak the language. We felt like such stupid Canadians when we traveled, and though I did study some French in school, without using it, I had no reason to retain it. I'm back to cereal box French and that doesn't count in the grand scheme of things. Next time I go the Ukraine, it would be nice to be able to communicate with ordinary people in writing if nothing else.
So, back to books, back to knitting, back to the routines of everyday life. Only one question remains. How long will it feel odd to write 2010?
3 comments:
Thanks for the mention. While lots of NaJuReMoNoMo participants read dozens of novels, it only takes one to declare yourself a winner. Relax and enjoy.
I just finished Year of Wonders. Another great read. While I haven't been reading many novels for a number of years, I will read more Geraldine Brooks. Hope you find some good reading this month. GD
I read People of the Book and loved it. I hope to read more of Brooks work soon. I see you're doing the Read More Novels challenge again too.
You've got some great goals outlined, learning some Russian and Ukrainian is quite impressive. Happy reading in 2010.
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