2024 Reading Ins and Outs

Hello wandering tomes; goodbye "treadmill reads"

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

I wrote last month about how I reduced my Goodreads reading goal for 2024. I dropped my goal from 52 to 45 for a number of reasons:

1. I want to read with more intention in 2024. I want to read more involved, wandering stories that feed my soul like A Little Life (it’s a casual 832 pages) or the book I’m reading right now — The Quickening by Elizabeth Rush — which, for me, requires close, studied reading.

2. I intend to read more in Italian. This takes time. This is something I have overlooked for years because it takes me so much longer to get through a book.

3. Because I know myself, I know I wouldn’t achieve the above desires without lessening my goal.

Which brings me to my 2024 reading ins/outs list. Somehow, in all of my years online, I have never done one of these, and since I am going a little against the grain by reducing my reading goal, I thought now would be a good time to try my hand at it. If anything, I can use this list as a reminder of my 2024 reading intentions.

Maybe my ins/outs list will speak to you. Maybe you will be opposed to it, which would speak to you in a different way. Notice what comes up when you read these ins and outs, and if you’re feeling inspired, make a list of your own!

Reading Ins

• Books in translation;

• Rereads of craft books I’ve been putting off because they aren’t in my TBR stack;

• Rereads in general;

• Books like this, the first Native American romcom by a major publisher;

• Reading with coffee before I start the day;

• Annotating rather than just underlining.

Reading Outs

• “Getting through a book.” Just DNF it and move on!

• Books available from the library that I requested months ago because I heard about them, but don’t have that much of an interest in reading anymore. (Though it can be a fun surprise.);

• Reading books to understand the hype;

• Reading books because they are lent or sent to me;¹

• What I call “treadmill books,” which are books that are mindless enough for me to read while walking. These books are fun. These books are refreshing sometimes. But they don’t provide me with the things I want books to provide me with this year.²

  

Now it’s your turn: What are your reading ins and outs? Please share in the comments. Happy reading!

Love,

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1. I am so grateful I get sent books. It’s basically the highlight of my life. But so is reading books I purchased because I wanted to read them. More of that this year!

2. The exception will be holiday books. The exception will always be holiday books!