Goodreads 2011 Book Challenge

If you're not a member of the website Goodreads, I highly recommend that you join. This is currently the only social networking site that I use and it is a fantastic site with multiple social and intellectual benefits. Goodreads allows you to share the books that you have read, are currently reading, and want to read. There are also literary quizzes, polls, lists, reviews, ratings, and other networking possibilities. In my opinion, it's a much better way to spend one's time than trolling on those other social networking sites.

For 2011, Goodreads advertised a book challenge (naturally)encouraging users to push themselves to read a certain number of books. Since I graduated from college, I've had a goal of reading four books per month (except in a month when I am reading something like Anna Karenina), but this year I'm going to aim to read something in the neighborhood of 30-35 books. I have a big project to begin in February (details to come) and I hope to be returning to the hallowed halls of academia later this fall. Thus, I better make the most of my leisurely reading time while I can!

So, here's what's on my immediate book radar:

1) "The Consolation of Philosophy" by Boethius. I've wanted to read this for awhile and I finally found a good edition of it at my library.

2) "Seven Days in the Art World" by Sarah Thornton. My applications to PhD programs in art history piqued an interest in the fast-paced world of modern art. I'm even contemplating an internship with Sotheby's or Christie's. Ergo, I thought it would be a good idea to check out various aspects of the art world in this book.

3) "The Distant Hours" by Kate Morton. This brilliant Australian author is one of my absolute favorite contemporary writers. Her book "The Forgotten Garden" is one of my top ten favorite works of fiction.

4) "The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath." I've read the first 200 or 300 pages of this book somewhat sporadically, but I want to commit to actually finishing it this year. I find her personal writing even more compelling than her fiction and poetry.

5) February's Book Project. Technically, this will be February and March's Book Project, but details will come at a later date. This book will be my reward for completing all of my grad school apps. I'm really looking forward to it!

6) "Cousin Bette" by Balzac. I've really enjoyed the two books by Balzac that I've read previously (Pere Goriot and Eugenie Grandet), so I'm looking forward to this one. Also, one of the grad schools that I applied to sites the works of Balzac in a few of the course listings. Better to get started on that now!

7) "Troilus and Criseyde" by Chaucer. I think we're all familiar with The Canterbury Tales, but I want to delve a little bit deeper by reading this work by the father of English literature.

8) "The Gay Science" by Nietzsche. My uncle loaned this book to me when I had a course in philosophy my senior year. Regrettably, I still haven't read it. That must be remedied.

9) "The Old Patagonian Express" by Paul Theroux. My favorite travel writer has an anthology coming out this year, but I'd like to read this classic on travel through the Americas first.

10) "Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballet Russes," by Jane Pritchard. This is the print companion to the exhibit at the V&A that I previously wrote about. I've been in my library's queue for it for weeks, so hopefully a copy arrives soon.

That's just a small sample of what's on my literary plate this year. What will you be reading? Send interesting recommendations my way!

(** This photo was taken by me in one of the Great Halls of the British Museum.**)