Revisiting My Reading Goals For 2024

There Was An Attempt, But Not A Successful One

Reading Gaskell was the only reading goal I met this year

Hello!!!

This is Joyie and welcome back to my little bookish corner of the internet where I talk all things books!

This week, I'm still reading The Myth of Sisyphus. Have you been reading anything this week?

Today I want to talk about my reading goals I’d set for this year. I had two different sets of goals. The first one was about some new reading habits. The second one was about five writers I decided I was going to read this year for the first time.

Let’s address them one by one and see how I’ve been faring (this is going to be hilarious).

First, new reading habits:

1. Reading fairytales: I read like three, from Andrew Lang’s The Blue Fairy Book.

2. Reading non-fiction: I read ten pages of one before giving up, and now am at my second and am trying my best to make it through.

3. Keeping a reading journal: I maintained my journal for like half the year and then just discontinued.

Now coming to my list of writers I was supposed to read:

1. Anthony Trollope: Didn’t read.

2. Thomas Hardy: Didn't read.

3. Émile Zola: Didn’t read.

4. Virginia Woolf: Read ten pages of A Room Of One’s Own (this was the first attempted non-fiction book I mentioned).

5. Elizabeth Gaskell: Read North And South which I totally, absolutely loved.

So, in total I’d give myself a 1.5 out of 8 I think. Not great.

With all that being said, do I think in terms of reading 2024 has been a bad year? I actually don’t.

First of all, to me, a bad reading year would be a year where I didn’t even read and that hasn’t been the case this year.

Secondly, I’ve read a few great books this year, for example: Anna Karenina, The Idiot, The Bell Jar, A Tale Of Two Cities, North And South, Anxious People, What You Are Looking For Is In The Library. Also, since Jujutsu Kaisen, one of my favourite mangas (seralised Japanese graphic novels) was ending this year, I re-read the whole story from the beginning, which was nostalgic and fun. And right now, even though I’m struggling with The Myth Of Sisyphus, I’m still reading it. Even though I’m not getting it all, whatever I’m getting is enough for a first read. Reading Camus always feels very comforting, his philosophical views really resonate with me for the most part.

So, yeah, I think 2024 has been a good reading year for me, despite me failing to meet pretty much all my set goals for the year. And honestly, I think this suits me very well.

I am in general the type of person who does not move with a plan. I see things, find them interesting, and jump straight in, not really thinking long term. I’m not saying this is healthy or recommended but I like the freedom this allows me in terms of making my decisions. Things in my life always make a lot more sense in retrospect, in prospect it’s just chaos. I have no clue what I’m doing with my life and I don’t pretend like I do. So, definitely this gets reflected upon my reading habits as well.

Still, I think it was fun, having those goals in mind (while disregarding them). However, I think I won't set up any reading goals for the coming year. It’s just not my thing, even though it’s fun seeing everyone else doing it.

What about you? Do you set reading goals? And can you actually stick to your reading goals? I'd love to hear about it!!!

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That’s it for today, I'll be back in your inbox next week.

Until then,

Joyie 🌻