Year 3: A Number of Books Over a Period of Time
My Readerly Friends,
Here we are. 2007. Two years since I started this 52 Books, 52 Weeks project and two years since I’ve completed it. The second year was definitely more difficult than the first, considering I went through a period where no book managed to entice me, I came to realize that I wouldn’t make good on my promise to read more Booker/Orange/Pulitzer Prize nominees and/or books recommended by magazines, and Alice and I upped our efforts with the Gapers Block Book Club. It’s been busy times and this year offers little difference, especially since, and here’s my big announcement, I’ll be starting grad school in the summer.
Yep, grad school. Having gone through the awful, embittering experience that is the University of Chicago, I’ve spent the intervening years proudly proclaiming that I’d never go to grad school, so my decision to go was as much a surprise to me as it was to everyone else. It was something of an impulsive decision, in the sense that I hadn’t really planned for it or spent that much time thinking about it, but once I did start thinking about it I knew that I had to do it NOW or I might never do it. I spent some time freaking out about the application process and waiting for the school’s response, but now that I’ve had my admittance letter for a few weeks I’m actually starting to get excited about it. What continues to concern me, however, is time. Between work and GB, I’m usually busy occupied with some task. Add classes and homework to that and, well, as my friend put it, one day she’s going to realize she hasn’t seen me for a month and find me in my apartment, buried under a pile of books (in the bad way, not the good way). I need to decide what I’m going to continuing doing and what I’ll have to quit. And by that, I mean this blog.
However, after much thought, I’ve decided to keep it. I like writing about the books I read and even though I sometimes bemoan the arbitrary task of keeping up with it, I’m pretty sure I’d miss it if I quit. I’d also miss being a part of this community of writers and readers who share their love of literature. But this is the end of my 52 Books challenge. Before I go through the unnecessary worry of not being able to complete it, I’m just going to say right now that I’ll read what I can and write what I can, with no pressure to reach any specific quantitative goal. I do have certain qualitative goals, though. After reading The Inferno, I developed a keen desire to read the literary source of all literary souces: the Bible. I’ve already started and, even though there are definitely parts that are ridiculously dry, it’s a far more interesting read than I expected. I’ll be blogging that book by book, but I’m not putting pressure on myself to finish the entire thing in one year. I also want to read Ovid’s Metamorphoses, which I read for the first time in my first year of college but retained no information on the text. There were innumerable Biblical and Ovid references in The Inferno and I’d like to get the two books under my belt before I continue with The Divine Comedy. And I want to read more comics and graphic novels, too. I’ve got some Superman and Batman just waiting for my eager little hands.
Thus, in lieu of 52 Books, 52 Weeks, I give you A Number of Books Over a Period of Time. Thanks for continuing with me on the ride.
Yours in Books,
Veronica
(Oh, and it’s a Masters in English, in case you had any doubt. Which means I get to blog my academic reads, as well.)
Here we are. 2007. Two years since I started this 52 Books, 52 Weeks project and two years since I’ve completed it. The second year was definitely more difficult than the first, considering I went through a period where no book managed to entice me, I came to realize that I wouldn’t make good on my promise to read more Booker/Orange/Pulitzer Prize nominees and/or books recommended by magazines, and Alice and I upped our efforts with the Gapers Block Book Club. It’s been busy times and this year offers little difference, especially since, and here’s my big announcement, I’ll be starting grad school in the summer.
Yep, grad school. Having gone through the awful, embittering experience that is the University of Chicago, I’ve spent the intervening years proudly proclaiming that I’d never go to grad school, so my decision to go was as much a surprise to me as it was to everyone else. It was something of an impulsive decision, in the sense that I hadn’t really planned for it or spent that much time thinking about it, but once I did start thinking about it I knew that I had to do it NOW or I might never do it. I spent some time freaking out about the application process and waiting for the school’s response, but now that I’ve had my admittance letter for a few weeks I’m actually starting to get excited about it. What continues to concern me, however, is time. Between work and GB, I’m usually busy occupied with some task. Add classes and homework to that and, well, as my friend put it, one day she’s going to realize she hasn’t seen me for a month and find me in my apartment, buried under a pile of books (in the bad way, not the good way). I need to decide what I’m going to continuing doing and what I’ll have to quit. And by that, I mean this blog.
However, after much thought, I’ve decided to keep it. I like writing about the books I read and even though I sometimes bemoan the arbitrary task of keeping up with it, I’m pretty sure I’d miss it if I quit. I’d also miss being a part of this community of writers and readers who share their love of literature. But this is the end of my 52 Books challenge. Before I go through the unnecessary worry of not being able to complete it, I’m just going to say right now that I’ll read what I can and write what I can, with no pressure to reach any specific quantitative goal. I do have certain qualitative goals, though. After reading The Inferno, I developed a keen desire to read the literary source of all literary souces: the Bible. I’ve already started and, even though there are definitely parts that are ridiculously dry, it’s a far more interesting read than I expected. I’ll be blogging that book by book, but I’m not putting pressure on myself to finish the entire thing in one year. I also want to read Ovid’s Metamorphoses, which I read for the first time in my first year of college but retained no information on the text. There were innumerable Biblical and Ovid references in The Inferno and I’d like to get the two books under my belt before I continue with The Divine Comedy. And I want to read more comics and graphic novels, too. I’ve got some Superman and Batman just waiting for my eager little hands.
Thus, in lieu of 52 Books, 52 Weeks, I give you A Number of Books Over a Period of Time. Thanks for continuing with me on the ride.
Yours in Books,
Veronica
(Oh, and it’s a Masters in English, in case you had any doubt. Which means I get to blog my academic reads, as well.)
posted by Veronica at 1:25 PM
5 Comments:
Haha you sound like me. I've been proudly anti-grad school for a few years, until a few months ago when I started rethinking that stance. Good luck with your masters!
Thanks, Sara!
Good luck! I have also been feeling the pull of school, for the first time ever! I hate to say it, but I am a little afraid of the grad school application process.
Best of luck! I've really enjoyed reading your blog—and look forward to reading whatever time permits in '07.
Good luck with grad school! I found you through 50 Books over the summer and have really enjoyed reading your thoughts on books that I wouldn't necessarily have been interested in otherwise.
School can be an all-consuming pain in the butt at times (I started grad school in September '06), but it just makes you appreciate those few spare hours that much more. I'm looking forward to reading whatever you have time to comment on!
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