A book a week

Last winter, just after I discovered Persephone Books, I discovered book bloggers. Or rather, a book blogger discovered me. I suppose it was inevitable given the fact that we live in the same town and are both fans of the U.K. publishing house, Persephone.

Becky aka A Book A Week sent me a note about a newspaper column I wrote about Persephone and I've been reading about what Becky's reading ever since. Sometimes I've read the title she's covering; other times I've been inspired by an unknown title.

But mostly I've been inspired to follow Becky's lead and read a book a week, something she's been doing for 25 years! It helped when I realized that — though I haven't managed to make it through 52 books in 2008 — some weeks I easily make it through a book or three. The problem is that a number of weeks may pass before I pick up another, let alone finish it. Or I read the same one twice — which isn't fair to count as two books (is it Becky?).

Persephone, founded in 1999 by feminist historian and biographer Nicola Beauman, publishes books, mainly by women, that are reprints of "neglected" novels, diaries, short stories, cookbooks and poetry from the early to mid-20th century.

My resolution for 2009 is to try to follow Becky's lead and read a book a week. In the meantime, I'm following in the footsteps of Stuck in a Book and Other Rooms with this end-of-year-roundup:

HOW MANY BOOKS READ IN 2008: 44 (and three in progress. I'm not counting cookbooks, gardening or design and decor since I tend to dip into them on an ongoing basis rather than "finish" them).

FICTION/NON-FICTION RATIO: 29/15 The non-fiction was mostly memoir and biography,

MALE/FEMALE AUTHORS: 13/31. This was not intentional, merely inevitable, given how many Persephone titles I read this year as well as an interest in women's history.

FAVORITE BOOK READ: I did mention a few favorites earlier but I read Frances Hodgson Burnett's marvelous  "The Shuttle" (Persephone) 2+ times since I ordered it early in 2008. An era that intrigues me, plus country houses and FHB's first ideas about gardens all coming together in a novel with an intelligent heroine who has money and power and wields both well.

LEAST FAVORITE: Anything I did not finish so it did not make it onto my final (unpublished) list. There are a number of contenders but I'll go with "The Zookeeper's Wife." Widely acclaimed but not by me — I consider it overwritten to the point of distraction.

OLDEST BOOK READ: Not a year for really old books for me; lots of early 20th century with "The Making of a Marchioness" taking the lead at 1901. 

NEWEST: Lots of 2008 titles like poet Donald Hall's memoir, "Unpacking the Boxes."

LONGEST BOOK TITLE: "Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, The End of Civilization" by Nicholson Baker.

SHORTEST TITLE: Winner by one letter, "Reflex," by Dick Francis — a re-read for the millionth time.

HOW MANY RE-READS: 7 (Dick Francis, a Spenser myster, "The Snow Goose" for Christmas, two F.H. Burnett, "Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict" by Laurie Viera Rigler (a new title this year and a hoot), and Georgette Heyer's "The Talisman Ring." 

MOST BOOKS READ BY ONE AUTHOR THIS YEAR: Frances Hodgson Burnett, five: "The Head of the House of Coombe," "Robin," "The Shuttle" (see above), "The Making of a Marchioness" (also above) and a new edition of "The Secret Garden" with enchanting illustrations by Inga Moore. Three each by Barbara Cleverly (mysteries) and Jeffrey Farnol (early 20th century novels — delightfully dated).

ANY IN TRANSLATION: None to my knowledge.

AND HOW MANY OF THIS YEAR'S BOOKS WERE FROM THE LIBRARY: 18. 

One of the pleasures of Persephone Books is that the endpapers are reproductions of fabric from the era when the title was originally published. Each book also comes with a bookmark of the same design (four examples above).

As for 2009, I'm not off to a very good start. I've barely picked up a book in the last two days. But I have spent some time thinking about what to read in '09. 

Should I have a plan? Follow a topic? Invest in an author? Be led by a blogger? I've thought about only reading books that are already sitting on my shelves but are still unread. I'm sure I've got a book a week there. And I wouldn't have to worry about library due dates or fines. 

But given the stories about troubled bookstores, I feel a degree of guilt if I'm not out there buying books. Still, I know I'll be horrified when I see what I've spent on books in 2008 — as if it will be any consolation to publishers. 

Have you got a reading plan for 2009?  Does it matter — or is just reading enough?

Comments

[Joni Webb]

very very very interesting post. this makes me guilty for my lack of reading lately. i am addicted to the internet! alas, not many books for me. makes me sad!!!

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Joni — I know what you mean. I worry that now that I've discovered blogs — and am blogging myself — that things like reading will be much harder to fit into my schedule.

Next Hanukkah, Joni, I think you should be in charge of decor and atmosphere and put someone else in charge of the food. Your house looked beautiful and I will remember your advice about table skirts!

[Inkslinger]

Oh! Frances Hodgson Burnett!! I need to visit the Persephone Books site and get some more books!

A book a week? Hmmm . . . that sounds doable. I've been overdoing it lately, so a plan in which steady, selective reading takes place can only be a good thing.

For me, blogging and reading have only complemented each other, but both have taken a serious toll on writing. Alas.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Persephone is such a treasure. I have a few of their titles on my stack that I have not read, so they are something to look forward to in 2009.

[CashmereLibrarian]

I just found your blog and I think it's great! I get up to Madison every so often--would love to hear your recommendations of fun things going on so I can check them up when I travel north!

[Bart Boehlert]

Hi Linda, thank you for visiting my blog. I want to wish you a Happy New Year. Now I am going to read a book! You have inspired me.
Cheers,
BB

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Cashmere — Be sure to hit Monroe St. and the Regent /Allen neighborhood for great shops. Keep up with what's happening via 77 Square.com.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Bart — thanks for visiting! My plan is to get a pot roast started and then read for a few hours while it cooks. Just have to settle on a title.

[Nicola]

Oh, I loved The Making of a Marchioness. I visited Persephone Books this time last year and it was just as nice as your photo. Lots of spring flowers in vases around the shop and the famous Keep Calm and Carry On poster. Very nice staff, too.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Lucky you! That's something I can only dream about. But it's comforting to know that the shop is as nice in person as it is in the pictures.

[Easy and Elegant Life]

What an admirable goal! It has been years since I indulged in that kind of dedicated reading and I miss it very much, indeed.

One of my resolutions is to get back to reading regularly. The stack of unread books sitting around the manse is shameful. Like yours, I'm sure they would take me through an entire year.

Best wishes for a beauty-filled, book-fueled, garden of delights of a year.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Thanks for those good wishes Mr. E&E. And isn't it amazing how many books we have just sitting around the house waiting for us to discover them?!

[Pamela]

Oh, my heart always beats a bit faster when I hit on someone's book posting!! So many new titles to discover! And I do agree, Persephone is a delight!

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

The only thing better than discovering a new title is actually managing to read the book! I'm hoping this post keeps me on track.

[Kate]

A book a week is my goal for 09!

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Kate — I can't get over how much you read as it is. And all those serious political tomes. I'm going to keep a list as I go. And I'm going to keep track of how many pages I read and then don't finish the book — compulsive, huh!

[Mr. McGregor's Daughter]

I often read more than a book a week. I've started doing the online GoodReads to keep track of what I've read. I can't remember everything I've read this year, as all of the 1st time reads have been from the library. My prime reading time is just before bed. This usually works well, except for the occasional nearly sleepless night when I'm getting near the end of a book and can't stop reading.

[LINDA FROM EACH LITTLE WORLD]

My niece got me started on GoodReads but now that I've started blogging I'm finding it harder to keep up with GoodReads. Though it was very helpful in putting together this end of year roundup.