Luggage and Literature

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. - St. Augustine

2021 Reading Plans

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Maybe it’s a little early to be making plans for 2021, but I’m so over 2020 that I can’t help but do a little daydreaming about what I’m hoping will be a better year. Anyway, in previous years, I’ve done the PopSugar Reading Challenge, the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge, put together my own reading list, and also just read with total freedom. There were aspects of all of those approaches that I loved (structure, forcing myself out of my comfort zone, freedom, etc). There were also aspects that felt really restraining (reading a book or genre that I hated, not being able to pick books that felt right in the moment, books that I was excited about sitting on my shelf for months or years, etc.).

In 2021, I’m doing something totally different with my reading plans. In 2021, I’m picking 12 categories, one for each month. I’m not assigning a category to a particular month, so that I can use discretion about which category is the best fit for me in a particular month based on life circumstances, number of books in the category, or just what feels right that month. Instead I will be pick which category I want to fulfill at the start that month. I’ve also left a couple of months as “whatever strikes my fancy” so that I can delve more into genres that I read more often, revisit a category from another month, or just read whatever the heck I want to.

Within the category, I’m listing books that I already own that fulfill that category. Some categories have more books than others. The goal will not be to read all of them, as that would be unrealistic. Instead the goal will be to read from books that I already own or have borrowed from others, and to make the bulk of that month’s reading come from that category. I think this will help me to broaden my horizons for some months, or really ‘dive deep’ in other months.

This probably sounds complicated, but it’s really not. I think I’ll just dive into my categories and the books that fulfill those categories, and this will make a lot more sense. For the books, I’ll italicize Kindle books, underline audiobooks, and leave in plain text the physical books. So, here we go…

#1–Borrowed Books

#2–Mysteries

#3–Frank McCourt Books

#4–Nebraska Authors

#5–Children’s/Middle Grade/YA

#6–Books by “John”

#7–Memoirs

#8–Witch Books

#9–International Authors

#10–Adventure Stories

#11/12–More from Above Categories, or Whatever Strikes My Fancy

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