Reading Through the Rest of 2021

Can you believe that at the time of this post, we are more than halfway through August and there are only 4 months left of the year. Like … HUUUUUUUH!?

I did not set a goal for how many books I wanted to read this year because, it’s just a number and has no significance regarding the quality of my reading in a year. Yes, I aim to read as many books as I can because the lists of books I want to read keeps getting longer, and I like to keep track of the number from year to year to see how my reading fluctuates, but other than that, it’s arbitrary to me. 

Here, I have the books that I hope to finish by the end of the year, and even though there are only 5 books here, three of these are pretty hefty and will take some time to read and digest. Again, I’m focusing on quality, not quantity and if I can squeeze additional books in along the way, then great! If not, I’m not losing sleep. 

A Little Life - I decided to read this book and prioritize it because there is so much discussion about this book being hard to stomach. I like feeling uncomfortable, so here we are. Also, I want to have a detailed conversation about fiction and realistic tragedy/trauma. 

Moll Flanders - I have not read Robison Crusoe and I don’t know if I ever will; somehow I’m just not interested. However, Dafoe’s novel Moll Flanders is right up my alley - scandalous women in the 1700s!? YES!

Wolf Hall - I’m always in the mood for the saucy Tudors. This will be the perfect October read. 

Northanger Abbey - This is one of two of Austens’ novels that I still have yet to read, so I decided to sneak this in this year. I feel like I’ve taken a break from reading a lot of Regency and Victorian classics this year and I miss them. 

Bleak House - Speaking of the Victorians, I plan to finish out the year with this mammoth door stopper of a book. Dickens and his books that are the size of Bibles… I’m both excited and intimidated by Bleak House - this is my War & Peace. I feel that if I can read and understand Bleak House, my limit does not exist ... 

What are you reading plans for the remaining quarter of the year? 

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