The 2013 50-book challenge
In 2013, I want to read 50 books. Why 50? Well, 52 books in 52 weeks sounds a lot better, but I decided to give myself just a tiny bit of wiggle room. So I can read a few doorstoppers. Or actually catch up if I get behind.
I really love libraries. (This is me on a road trip.)
Why such a hefty reading challenge at all? Because I know that I’m not only happiest, but also most creative, engaged with the world, and adventurous when I’m reading a ton. But it’s too easy to let a must-read sit on my nightstand for weeks while I fill my time with work, more social activities, and other important things. If I give myself a challenging goal and make it public, I think I’ll have a better chance of prioritizing reading. Will other values, like my relationship, family and friends, and career fall to the side while I pursue hours curled up with novels? I don’t think so. Instead, I expect I’ll sacrifice after-work reruns of old sitcoms (lame), evenings surfing the web (waste of time), and subway rides staring at my shoes (boring). And office life, social ties, and leisure time? I’d guess that all of those will see a boost.
What I’ve Read So Far
1) Local Girls, by Alice Hoffman
2) Nine Stories, by J.D. Salinger
3) This is How You Lose Her, by Junot Diaz
4) Empress of Fashion: A Life of Diana Vreeland, by Amanda Mackenzie Stuart
5) The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
6) Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins
7) Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins
8) An Object of Beauty, by Steve Martin
9) Dear Life, by Alice Munro
10) Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, by Ben Fountain
11) The Hours, by Michael Cunningham
12) Lean In, by Sheryl Sandberg
13) Paris in Love, by Eloisa James
14) The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
15) And What Do You Do?, by Barrie Hopson
16) The Invisible Thread, by Laura Schroff
17) Unaccustomed Earth, by Jhumpa Lahiri
18) Sad Desk Salad, by Jessica Grose
19) The Sense of an Ending, by Julian Barnes
20) Life of Pi, by Yann Martel
21) The Dinner, by Herman Koch
22) Yes, Chef, by Marcus Samuelsson
23) Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, by Mindy Kaling
24) Tender at the Bone, by Ruth Reichl
25) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, by Jonathan Safran Foer
26) The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri
27) My Kind of Place, by Susan Orlean
28) Revenge Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger
29) TransAtlantic, by Colum McCann
30) Reading Like a Writer, by Francine Prose
31) Brazen Careerist, by Penelope Trunk
32) The Interestings, by Meg Wolitzer
33) I Feel Bad About My Neck, by Nora Ephron
34) The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
35) The Lowland, by Jhumpa Lahiri
36) Cat’s Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
37) My Life in France, by Julia Child
38) 1Q84, by Haruki Murakami
39) Vaclav and Lena, by Haley Tanner
40) A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, by Anthony Marra
41) Bunheads, by Sophie Flack
42) Heartburn, by Nora Ephron
43) The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert
44) Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, by David Sedaris
45) The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain
46) The Defining Decade, by Meg Jay
47) The Little Black Book of Style, by Nina Garcia
48) Looking for Alaska, by John Green
49) Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality, by Elizabeth Eulberg
50) I Like You, by Amy Sedaris
(For a peek at my full bookshelves, check out my GoodReads page.)