50 Book Pledge | Book #51: Sutton by J.R. Moehringer |
I’m ecstatic to report that as of Monday, October 8, 2012, I turned the final page on my 50 Book Pledge. For those doing the math, that’s nine months, seven days, eleven hours and twenty-eight minutes.
I still can’t believe I did it because when I first set out I wasn’t entirely convinced I could. I considered fifty books in fifty-two weeks a tall order, especially since I’ve never read that many books in a single year before. My greatest fear could be summed up in a single word: Time.
What a fool I was. Time wasn’t a factor at all. In fact, my biggest dilemma ended up being what to read next. But, obviously, that didn’t last very long.
By the Numbers |
3 # of non-fiction books I read |
4 # of classics I read
2 # of series I started
3 # of poetry books I read
1 # of books I stopped reading
15 # of books I read by HarperCollins Canada
43 # of authors I read for the first time
The amazing part about participating in the pledge was how it turned me into a literary monster. With every book I finished, I found that my hunger for reading grew exponentially. I couldn’t get enough! In the words of George R.R. Martin the reader in me wanted to live “a thousand lives.” (Now I’ve only got 950 to go.) And that’s precisely why I’m going to continue reading and why I’ll be taking the pledge again next year.
Looking back it’s hard to pick a favourite because I read some truly phenomenal books. Instead, here’s just a small sampling of books that knocked my socks off:
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Now that I had finished, the beauty of my dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart …
The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary by Andrew Westoll
Dignity begins when an animal feels that she is the chief instrument of change in her life.
100 Selected Poems by e.e. cummings
i like my body when it is with your body.
It is so quite new a thing.
Muscles better and nerves more.
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.
It wants the truth.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Once, in my father’s bookshop, I heard a regular customer say that few things leave a deeper mark on a reader than the first book that finds its way into his heart. Those first images, the echo of words we think we have left behind, accompany us throughout our lives and sculpt a palace in our memory to which, sooner or later—no matter how many books we read, how many worlds we discover, or how much we learn or forget—we will return.
A huge thank you to The Savvy Reader for making 2012 the best reading year of my life!
50 Book Pledge | Book #50: The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafón |
On Friday, September 7, 2012, Graeme Paton of The Telegraph published an article called “Children ‘too embarrassed’ to pick up books, study says.” Paton’s article is the latest in a long line of reports that brings to light a growing trend: Today’s children aren’t reading. Here’s just a sampling of what the National Literacy Trust found:
[T]hat 38.1 per cent of pupils read in their spare time when the study was first carried out in 2005. This dropped to 37.7 per cent in 2007, 32.2 per cent in 2009 and 30.8 per cent in the latest poll completed in 2011.
[T]hat 54 per cent of those questioned preferred watching TV to reading.
Of those who did read outside class, 47.8 per cent said they read fiction, down from 51.5 per cent in 2005.
As disheartening as the above statistics are, I don’t find them nearly as disturbing as the following:
[O]ne-in-six children admitted they were too embarrassed to read in front of their friends for fear of being labelled a geek.
Knowing this breaks my heart because I make the conscious decision each and every day to pick up a book and read. Why? Well, I’ve got the typical answers of enjoyment and escape. But there’s far more to it than that. The truth is, I read just as much to find myself as I do to lose myself.
Courtesy of How to Self-Publish (Blog)
The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary by Andrew Westoll taught me that I’m an animal rights activist to the point where I’m willing to put my money where my mouth is. And herein lies the power of reading: It can help you see yourself and your place in the world more clearly, especially when it calls on you to make a choice.
Gloria Grow doesn’t really think only 2 percent of us are truly conscious or caring. She understands how many things in the world need changing, and she doesn’t resent those who choose to champion another cause or fight another fight. All she really wants is for people to make a choice, to become a champion or learn how to fight—to use the gift they’ve been given.
“As long as you care about something,” she says. “Something beyond yourself.”
The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary helped me find myself as a person and Phil Hall’s Killdeer helped me find myself as a poet.
It is by such encounters – brash – rude – naïve foolhardy or accidental – that we discover or select our lineages as writers
(I think – too – of Dorothy Livesay – late in life – stooping to touch my daughter’s hand – blessing her)
Margaret Laurence touched the hand I write with – otherwise my pen might belong nowhere – have no family – be part of no continuance
She touched many – deeply – & me merely in passing – but without her touch I might be as if one-armed
I would have to hit myself to clap
I might be silent
I read because the one thing I don’t ever want to be is silent.
50 Book Pledge | Book #38: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón |
From time to time I catch myself looking back on the books I read as a child. This past week has been one of those times. I quickly came to realize that a huge majority of the books I cherished featured animals. Some that come to mind are The Berenstain Bears, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Winnie-the-Pooh, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The amazing thing is that these books made me want to learn all I could about animals. For me, there was no better place to do that than the zoo, especially on a warm summer’s day. That’s why I’m delighted to feature The Nature Conservancy of Canada‘s latest contest in partnership with the Toronto Zoo.
Here are the two prizes up for grabs:
1) A symbolic grizzly bear adoption kit! As a Zoo ‘parent’, you’ll receive a Certificate of Adoption with a colour picture of a Toronto Zoo grizzly, an acknowledgment card, an animal fact sheet, newsletters and recognition on the Zoo’s Parents’ Board Wall.
2) One of 2 pairs of Toronto Zoo passes to visit Canada’s premier Zoo. Your free admission includes access to all pavilions, exhibits and daily shows (excluding any separately ticketed events, rides, exhibits and parking).
So, what are you waiting for? The contest ends on Friday, July 27, 2012. Simply click “Same planet. Different world.” and complete the form to enter. Good luck!
That is awesome! Congratulations!!! I signed up for the Goodreads challenge and set my goal at 50. I’m at 30 books now and fear that I won’t fit 20 in before the year is over. We shall see. I’m going to try and really push it to make it. I’ll keep your success in mind. Love that you broke the list down too! It’s a great way to determine what you love reading most and reminding yourself to keep your reading diverse. Great post!
Thank you so much, Beth! I’m glad that you liked my list: One of my goals was to be as diverse as possible in my reading. Remember: It ain’t over ’til it’s over. That noise you hear in the background is me cheering you on. Good luck!