More books? Are you kidding?

Yes, more about books. Sorry about that! But I have to write about what I know!

As you might have read, I was doing a reading challenge called the 999 challenge. You read 9 books each in 9 different categories in 2009. Catchy, right? I am a very fast reader and I finished the challenge in April. So I started all over, with a new set of books and categories, and I am halfway done with the new set.

So now I need another challenge. This time I have decided to read all the books I actually have in the house that I haven't read. This doesn't count any of Randy's computer books, because I'm not planning on reading them ever. But I have about 20 - 40 books around here that I haven't ever read.

Just in case you're interested, here's the partial list:

The Burning Bridge, Ranger's Apprentice book 2
Waxwork by Peter Lovesey
The Albatross by Charlotte Armstrong
Murder Has Its Points
Inspector French and the Cheyne Mystery
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
The Dragon's Village
All for the Love of a Lady
Slaves of Spiegel by Daniel Pinkwater
Magic Lost, Trouble Found
Murder by Decree
Gregor and the Marks of Secret
The Last Battle (Narnia #7)
George's Marvelous Medicine
Lionboy, the Truth
Fear Nothing by Dean Koontz
Idylls of the King
Life on the Mississippi
Caravan to Vaccares
Moby Dick
The Once and Future King
The Giant Rat of Sumatra
The Science of Star Wars
Glastonbury Reader
Lireal
Abhorsen
Warbreaker
Advance of the English Novel

Why so many unread books? Sometimes it's because it's part of a series and I don't remember everything that happened before this book, so I want to go back and reread the previous ones in the series first. But I have other stuff to read, so I put it off, and then forget even more. Then some of these books I have started but never finished them. If I start a book and really hate it, I will get rid of the book. But if I start it and then just get bored, I'll put it aside and give in another chance later. I have started Moby Dick three times now, and still haven't gotten them out to sea! That one may never get finished. And then sometimes when I think a book will be great, I save it for later to cheer me up when I want a really good book. I've been doing better about that one, and remind myself that I can always find another really good book, so I should just read what I have.

I know I am kind of obsessed with reading. We have books in every single room of the house. Most of them are mine, and I have read most of them at least once. We still go to the library, usually both libraries, about once a week. I don't always finish my library books, but I can never manage to leave without a dozen books at least. Even when I have a bunch to read at home! The only time I slow down is around Christmas, when I want to get the library books out of the living room so there is room for the tree. Then I'm stuck rereading what I already have.

I am doing better too at reading good books. I've decided to read more critically, and if something isn't worth remembering later, I won't read it. If it has questionable content, I will stop reading it. And even if everyone else I know loved a book (um, Twilight anyone?) that I know I will not enjoy, I will not read it. I think doing the reading challenges the past couple of years has allowed me to try some new authors and look for better books to read.

Enough of me talking about books. I could talk about my fabulous kids all the time, but they get embarrassed. So you're stuck hearing about books!