Happy New Year! (It’s still just about early enough to write that, right?)
I don’t set strict reading goals for the year – I did after I first started the blog, but I haven’t done for a while now, as I’ve realised that they just become something for me to get stressed about. I do, however, like to look over what I’ve read in the previous year, and think about whether there is something I want to read more of in the upcoming year – what I want to prioritise, in other words. I did do a Plans and Priorities post last year, after not having done one in 2020 (thank goodness), so how did I do?
- More science fiction. I’m always very careful not to set numbers for these priorities, because that is the quickest way to make it feel like homework – but tehcnically I achieved this. I read five and reviewed four science fiction novels last year – still nowhere near my usual level, but a marginal improvement on four books and three reviews in 2020. I think this will be a much easier thing to accomplish this year, since I imagine I will be charging through the Vorkosigan Saga series in pretty short order!
- Progress on my In Lieu of Travel challenge. Yes, I read a few more books for this – though still almost all for Russia, with one entry for China. Finding books about Mongolia – especially present-day rather than medieval Mongolia – is proving rather challenging.
- More cookbook reviews. I did, technically, no cookbook reviews at all (though I think that The Whale and the Cupcake should count at least a bit). However, I have a project for this year that – if successful – will definitely deal with this. See below!
- Progress on my new Classics Club list
I mean, define progress. I read and reviewed seven Classics Club books in total, when I said I wanted to read eight by September. However, one of them was Anna Karenina, which definitely counts as at least two. Right? Right.
And what do I want to accomplish this year? I will be carrying on with the two challenges I already have underway (Classics Club and In Lieu of Travel), but there are a few other things I’d like to work on this year too:
- Cook through Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower
The people have spoken, and by the people I mean mostly me, because I accidentally submitted several votes in my own poll. (There were other votes for this book too, though!) I’ll be cooking through Gill Meller’s Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower this year. It arrived just before the New Year and it looks extremely promising. I’ll try to do a little round-up post every month or so of what I’ve enjoyed cooking, any out-and-out disasters etc. - More non-fiction
I haven’t really had the sustained attention span necessary to read lots of non-fiction the past couple of years. On top of that, my normal favourite topics – health research and medical history – were suddenly everywhere in rather dramatic fashion. This somewhat diminished my desire to read about them for pleasure. However, with (hopefully) a bit more normality on the way, I’d like to start reading more non-fiction again. - More historical fiction
Historical fiction is a genre I tend to impulse buy and then never actually read, even though there are some historical fiction novels up there among my forever favourite books. Not many, but the Gilead series by Marilynne Robinson and Doomsday Book by Connie Willis both have historical fiction elements. I have many books on my shelves that I’m still excited about, but I end up not reading them because they tend to be chunky and intimidating. This is silly, because I am currently reading a Trollope novel the size of a brick and enjoying it very much.
Making non-book plans in a world where everything is still changing all the time seems unwise, but I have a few anyway. I would like to finish decorating the two rooms in my flat that are mostly-but-not-quite done, and make a start on a third; I would like to go on holiday somewhere – really anywhere – other than Hampshire; I would like to go to a fancy restaurant, something I used to do as an occasional treat but haven’t managed since before the pandemic. Most of all, I would like to see one of my best friends, whom I haven’t seen since 2019. (Eight hours on the midnight train to Glasgow is a much less fun prospect now that masks are involved). I feel like all of these things should be managable – let’s see how it turns out!
louloureads 
1 and 2. This is not a perfect answer, but Cixin Liu writes great SF and part of the story of The Three Body Problem is set in Chinese Mongolia. I’m not sure it contains any cooking but it is definitely a classic! (and the science may even count for NF).
Thanks! I’ve been curious about his work for a while but a bit intimidated by his reputation as extremely cerebral and quite hard work. The plot does sound appealing though and now I know it’s also set in that part of the world I am more tempted to give it a go!
I can’t say what you will and won’t like of course, but it’s worth picking up second hand or from the library. In some ways it’s standard space opera type SF – and granted that it’s 3 or 4 years since I read it – I think the characterisation is good and the plot innovative.
Biscuit and I recently finished The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd, which is historical fiction that focuses on the wife of Jesus that I think you’d find interesting. There was a Jeopardy! category the other night on The New Testament, and I got them all right thanks to Kidd’s novel.
How many rooms do you have in this apartment?? It sounds spacious!
I’ve heard about that novel but I don’t think it’s for me – I’m sure Sue Monk Kidd had good intentions but for me the concept of fiction about Jesus’ life is inherently disrespectful, no matter how well-done it is. I’m glad you enjoyed it but I will leave it to other readers!
Yes, after spending most of a decade living in shoeboxes, my flat feels still feels like a palace, even though I’ve been here nearly two years. It has three bedrooms (though one of them is *very* small)! I’ve mostly finished decorating the little box room, which is my office, and the spare bedroom, which I use as my library/reading room (what a privilege!). It was amazing when my family came at Christmas, because my mum only has two bedrooms – it was the first time in years that no-one has had to sleep on the sofa!
Ahhh, I hadn’t thought of how it might be disrespectful because it is fiction, I thought it might be something folks would enjoy because Kidd did so much research. However, I see what you are saying but hadn’t considered. Thank you 🙂
I haven’t own a full-on actual sofa (we buy love seats) in ages, so I would always say bring an inflatable mattress, and everyone would stay in a hotel, lol.
These sounds like great plans and I hope you get to accomplish them, especially the travel and eating in restaurants and seeing friends ones. Happy New Year!
Thank you – I also hope I get to accomplish them! Happy new year to you too!
I read this and thought I’d commented, but hadn’t. Love all this. I love the idea of In lieu of travel challenge.
And this interested me: “my normal favourite topics – health research and medical history – were suddenly everywhere in rather dramatic fashion. This somewhat diminished my desire to read about them for pleasure.” I think I went off on a reverie about whether something like this would diminish my desire to read a topic, and then I forgot to come back.
I notice Bill didn’t say anything about your Historical Fiction goal – haha.
I love that you included some non-book wishes too. I hear you re decorating rooms. I need to do some things like replace sofas that are more than at the end of their useful – meaning comfortable life. We thought of having friends over for a movie night, but really, the sofas are just not comfy anymore.
(And about visiting friends. I have a friend whom I meet for a couple of nights every year – half way between her city and mine. We haven’t done it since 2019 and are getting antsy. Maybe this year?)
Thanks! The thing with health and medical nonfiction is that I already have to read about it for work, so once it was in the news everywhere, the time I spend reading for pleasure was almost the only escape from the pandemic that I had. I suspect that, had I been able to keep up with other hobbies, it might not have been such a problem – but all of them were suddenly illegal, so reading was all I really had!
I hope you get to see your friend this year! I’ve just booked my sleeper to Glasgow for February – I’m trying to hold it lightly as who knows what’s going to happen in the intervening weeks, but I’m hopeful that this time it will actually happen.
Ah, makes sense. Thanks for explaining. And thanks. I do hope you see your friend, but holding it lightly is a good idea.
So many of us have come to think of reading goals and plans as stress-inducing. I see many bloggers sign up for multiple challenges and merrily checking off their progress – I can only watch in amazement at their ability to do this. I’ve learned from the past that the minute I make a plan, I lose interest in it. So this year, like you, is going to be more general directions than specific plans.
I do like your idea of the virtual travel. Mongolia has me stumped sorry.
I used to sign up for a lot more challenges, and I inevitably failed to finish them, so these days I’m much more careful. I don’t want blogging to start feeling like homework!
Very sensible. I had enough of goals and deadlines when I was working, I don’t need it in my private life too
Ha, yes, I think Anna Karenina definitely counts as two… maybe three! I’m trying to read some of the chunkier ones on my new CC list early because otherwise they tend to weigh on my mind. 😉 I hope you achieve your plans, or at least enjoy the attempt. 😀
Yes, I have quite a lot of chunky books on my CC list and I am trying to intersperse them with the thinner and lighter reads!
I’m excited to follow your cooking project, I remember you mentioning that! Seems like such a wonderful goal – I’ve long wanted to do a blogging/cooking combo of some sort but can barely keep up with the blogging I set myself as is. All to say – amazing that you’ve set yourself these challenges and looking forward to cheering you on!!
Thank you! (And apologies for the long delay in replying – I am very behind on blogging so far this year!) I don’t think I’m going to get through the whole cookbook this year, but I have really enjoyed the things I’ve made so far and looking forward to writing my first post about the project.