Forever Free: Reading Goals for 2015

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

-Frederick Douglas

Post 21/100, sorry it’s late, WordPress and my computer weren’t friendly for some reason. Anyway, we’ve already heard about how much I love to read. But I have some specific goals in mind for 2015. I’d like to branch out some more, and also keep myself accountable for all of the damn books I keep checking out from the library. So, the first few books on this list have specific titles, since they’re in my room now and I’d like to stop renewing them in vain. After that there are some general goals. I’m always open to book suggestions!!

1.The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrun, retold by J.R.R. Tolkien. I’ve been halfway done with this book for two months. Let’s get this over with, Jess.

2. Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II by Keith Lowe. Again, I’ve been partially done with this for like two months… I’m bad at finishing what I start, apparently. Potential partners, beware!

3. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Other Lessons From the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty. In comparison to how long I’ve had the other two books, I’ve read a hell of a lot of this one in a short period of time. It’s a great book- I read a chapter almost every day. Let’s finish it!

4. Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks by Ethan Gilsdorf. I’ve heard mixed reviews of Gilsdorf’s portrayal of being a D&D nerd. But it has to do with escapism and gaming and it sounds awesome!

5. American Whiskey, Bourbon, & Rye: A Guide to The Nation’s Favorite Spirit by Clay Risen. I like to be informed of the things I enjoy. And I enjoy the hell out of good Whiskey.

6. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. A guy I’ve been seeing let me borrow it and suggests it- so it’s on my priority list. Mostly because he (of course) wants it back soonish and I’d like to comply. I’ve already read half of the book… I got it a week ago. Go me! But really, I’m super embarrassed I haven’t read it yet.

7. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. My mom told me I needed to read it and gave it to me the last time I went to visit her. Well, okay, mom!

8. Bring It! written by the wonderful, gorgeous Tony Horton! I’ve never read a book about fitness, and his introduction to the book compelled me when I read it in the library.

9. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls. Another mom suggestion. She has good taste in books, so I trust her.

So, those are all of the books strewn about the various table tops in my bedroom. Now, to the other stuff.

10. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I have read it in its entirety once, over the course of six years. I’d like to do it all in one month. I’m sweating bullets just thinking about trying it again. That book is a doozy.

Numbers 11, 12, and 13 are “books that I read for high school.” So, any three of the following books: The Great Gatsby, As I Lay Dying, The Sun Also Rises, Grendel, Heart of Darkness, To Kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies, Fahrenheit 451, Great Expectations ( I remember nothing other than hating it), Slaughterhouse 5, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Things They Carried, Alas Babylon, The Awakening, The Invisible Man.

Numbers 14, 15, and 16 are “‘classic’ books not listed above.” Here’s where I admit I’ve never read: 1984, The Scarlet Letter, Flowers for Algernon, Animal Farm, Of Mice and Men, Brave New World, Catch-22, Death of a Salesman, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Gone With the Wind, A Clockwork Orange (started but never finished), or anything by Jane Austen (well, I tried really hard but I hated Pride and Prejudice…)

17. A new Stephen King book I’ve yet to read

18. An old Stephen King book I’ve yet to read

19. A banned book I’ve already read, not mentioned in numbers 11-13

20. A banned book I’ve never read, not mentioned in numbers 14-16

21+ all books suggested to me by comment on this post!

So, please comment on this post! I’d love suggestions on what books to read for numbers 11-21! I’ve read a LOT of Stephen King so I didn’t list them on here. I’ll let you know if I have when/if you suggest them. I don’t generally care if I get comments or not, but I’m in love with books and I’d love for you to share your favorites and opinions with me!

Until tomorrow, folks!

Reading is an Adventure

Hey folks, welcome to post 3 out of 100. Today I want to talk about one of my passions in life: the written word. Well, reading the written word, to be exact.

My mother and father did a great job of getting me to read and love reading at an early age. Before kindergarten I was able to read simple sentences and I could read newspaper articles by the time I was in the first grade. Also when I was in the first grade I was reading with third graders. When I was in the sixth grade, I was taken out of class to go read with the other “gifted” kids. I tell you this not to brag but to let you know that reading has been a huge part of my life (and I have been good at it) for quite some time. So that when I tell you how much I love reading, you can understand that I have been in love with books longer than I have had romantic interests. I have loved books longer than I have loved The Barenaked Ladies, and if you know me at all, you know that is a huge deal.

I greet a new book like a new friend. I am always excited to get to know it; I want to know what makes it tick. There are times when I get so wrapped up in a book that I don’t eat or don’t sleep just because I need to know what is going to happen on the next page. Books are our way of sharing adventures, morals, information, and secrets. Fiction, nonfiction, it doesn’t matter- all books are sacred to me. That doesn’t mean I’ve necessarily enjoyed all of the books I have read, but I have at least enjoyed the act of reading them.

To me, reading is the easiest way to go on an adventure. It’s the cheapest way to go to the moon. It’s the only way to fast forward to the future or rewind into the past. Books are incredible. They have taught me how to be a better thinker, teacher, student, friend, daughter, and person. They have explained situations and emotions I could never begin to imagine or understand on my own. They’ve helped teach me empathy. Books show me different cultures and different ideas. They use words, just simple letters put together, to tell the most elaborate stories. Whether a book tells me a made-up story about the Boy Who Lived or it tells me about the true story of a war-torn country, they always teach me something.

Because of my love of reading I get something more than a paycheck from my tutoring job. I get pure satisfaction from sharing my oldest and strongest passion with the youth of today. I get to show children who can’t read, don’t like to read, or who (gasp!) are told that reading isn’t important by their parents that reading can be exciting. It can be fun. Every day that I teach I feel as if I am one step closer to helping these children discover something they like about reading. Even if they end up not being good readers or not liking books all that much (much to my despair), at least they will have a better understanding of the importance of books and the importance of reading.

Right before Christmas break I gave every one of my students a book. I told them I wanted to hear about their books when we got back from break (tomorrow). They all said they were excited to read their books, but my second graders told me they wanted to hear about what I was reading. Which, to be honest, was awesome to hear! So, over break I started a new book and finished one I had been reading for months. Just finishing a book felt good- like I was back on track to being 100% happy. And this new one I started is incredible! I’m so happy they asked that of me because it gave me motivation to finish my book. I haven’t been very motivated to read as of late, mostly thanks to 9 seasons of Supernatual being on Netflix. These past two weeks have helped rekindle my ardor for books. And thank goodness for that- I don’t think I would have lasted much longer without my fix for fiction.

Well, thanks for reading my blather about books, y’all. Until tomorrow!

What books have changed your life? Leave a comment below!