I kept telling myself I wasn’t going to do an end of 2010 wrap-up post. But as everyone else’s kept popping up in ye ole feedreader I thought, hmmm, maybe I should. Introspection can be kind of fun. So last night I told myself I would get up this morning (because I was too busy last night playing Angry Birds) and take a look at the list of books I read in 2010 and write a few rambley thoughts. But then I got up and looked at the list and the thought of wading through the 150 books to tally up male/female authors, and countries visited, and fiction/non-fiction just seemed like too much work for a Saturday (or any other day) morning.
So, instead, here are just a few random thoughts on my reading (without any links, because as I just said, it’s Saturday morning and I can’t be bothered):
♣I read 150 books in 2010, less than I read in 2009, but still more than any other year. I read more at the beginning of the year, then I slowed down a bit. Not really sure why, but it’s not anything I’m worried about. I have no reading goals for 2011…I’m more of a “let’s just see what happens” type of person.
♥I’m also a vacation reader…if I’m in a place I’ve already visited. The family reunion last summer at Lake Tahoe was good for my reading, as was our recent trip to Hawaii. This year my mom and I are planning a trip to Boston, a place new to both of us. I’d put good money on the fact that there will be little reading accomplished. Although I’ll probably seek out some books on Boston before the trip. Any suggestions?
♦This year I read some classics, which I previously avoided like I avoid mayonnaise (the food I hate above all others, with the possible exception of salmon). The reading of classics was both good (The Odyssey) and bad (The Brothers Karamazov). I’ve decided that classics are more fun when read with other people. That way if they suck, you have people in pain with you. You know that saying, “Misery loves company?” It’s totally true when it comes to reading the classics. I will definitely be reading more in 2011, starting with War and Peace (my year-long date) and Ulysses. And I hope to drag you guys down with me.
♣Although I finished the Women Unbound Challenge, I totally failed at all the other challenges I joined, including my own. So I’ve decided no more challenges for me. Readalongs, yes. Challenges, no.
♥I still tend to gravitate toward female authors, although I’d be willing to bet my ratio of male to female authors was pretty close to 75:75 this year. I also read more non-fiction this year, and I can see that reading trend continuing, as well. Yesterday I bought a biography of the Mitford sisters that I can’t wait to dive into.
♦Although I love my nook, and I try to listen to audio books, paper will always be my preferred media for reading. I love browsing through the aisles of bookshops, and being surrounded by books. In fact, 2010 could very well be known as the “year of the bookshelves” in our house, since I bought 5 of the beauties (not all at once).
And that’s enough of that. On to the good wishes…
I hope you all have a fabulous 2011…that it’s a happy and healthy and safe year, filled with wonderful books and wonderful friends!
Happy 2011! Cheers to fly-by-the-seat-of-the-pants’ness!
Andi´s last [type] ..Why 2010 Did Not Suck – A Nontraditional Year in Review
I’ll drink to that.
Great post! I love your attitude toward reading, challenges, etc. Laid back and accepting of whatever happens. I also find that vacation reading doesn’t always happen because we’re out discovering new stuff rather than reading in a hotel room (I can do that at home, right?). Have a wonderful 2011 Jill
Helen´s last [type] ..Saturday Snapshot-January 1- 2011 Happy New Year!
Thanks, I really am pretty laid back, so I should now that planning my reading is a Very Bad Idea.
I admit I’m a total stat-cheat. I track them all year long as I read the books so all I have to do is write up a summary and publish at the end of the year.
Happy new year!
Amanda´s last [type] ..Best of 2010
Aha! You organized people scare me.
Happy year to you! I couldn’t live without my audiobooks
Beth F´s last [type] ..Imprint Friday- Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti
Now see, I want to be like that, but the daydreaming gets me in trouble every time.
My husband got me hooked on Angry Birds the other evening. Darn him. LOL I think you did a great job summing up your reading year. Here’s to more great books in 2011. Have a Happy New Year!
Literary Feline´s last [type] ..2010- A Year in Review
I conquered the Lite version of Angry Birds…I may have to invest in the real deal. Although it’s a ginormous time suck.
I’m doing the War and Peace year-long project too–got the first chapter done already today
and it wasn’t even painful. If you’re looking for more classics, I’m going to host a Great Expectations read-along, probably starting in late February. It should be relatively painless too–I’m going to structure it the way the book was originally published, three chapters at a time.
You’re trying to suck me into another readalong. That’s mean, since I just admitted they’re my new weakness.
You know you want to…you WANT to…
Amy´s last [type] ..Happy New Year
I am glad you put together a little something
I am the opposite in my reading plans — I found readalongs didn’t really work well for me, but challenges I like. So I’ve signed up for a few challenges but not any readalongs…though I may just try to tackle W&P with everyone this year anyhow. Hard to say! In any case, I know that 2011 will bring lots of reading of one sort or another 
You should join us!
You read twice as many books as I did (I read 54), while I tend to gravitate more towards male authors (only 16 books I read were written by women!). The latter has been a source of angst for me ever 2009′s wrap-up post, in which I resolved to read more female authors. Which I guess I did – I only read 14 last year.
EL Fay´s last [type] ..A Long Donkeys Tail for Pinochet
That’s why I like reading your blog…our reading tastes and styles are so different!
I am like Amanda. When I finish a book, I log it in a spreadsheet, so the year end report is easy-peasy (the tables only had to be compiled once and now it’s a lot of copy and paste).
Happy New Year!
Trisha´s last [type] ..Christmas- Mexico- and Books Oh My!
I couldn’t even keep up with GoodReads…the spreadsheet is so not happening.
I’m happy you decided to give us nosy nellies a recap, along with your thoughts for 2011. exciting to hear that you are visiting Boston in 2011 (we live about 95 miles from Boston, yet I only get there about once a year
It is a lovely city, especially in nice weather.
have a great 2011 Jill.
Bibliophile By the Sea´s last [type] ..Happy New Year Wishes to All
I’m hoping Boston will be just perfect in October.
I loved this wrap up and I loved your musings as they always make me smile! 150 books is a heck of a lot! What biography of the Mitford sisters did you buy? I read one in college when I studied in London and found them totally fascinating
Amused´s last [type] ..Looking Back and Forward
The Sisters, by Mary Lovell…and it’s not a new book, so chances are good that it’s the one you read.
Before going to Boston I would recommend “Paul Revere’s Ride by David Hackett Fischer. It’s nonfiction, it has footnotes, it’s one of my favorite books ever!
Also, I would personally get a mapquest thing for directions to Bedford Farms in Concord. That’s the place about which Dawn is always singing praises…
rhapsodyinbooks´s last [type] ..Happy New Year!
The first book for my Boston list…thanks! And we should just have Book Blogger Con at Bedford Farms…I know three of us would attend!
“Ulysses?” Well, I suppose if I’m ever to read it (and I’m not sure why I want to) it would definitely be best to read it with others. Like you say, misery loves company. And maybe you’ll be able to explain it to me!
Lisa´s last [type] ..2010 Wrap Up and Looking Forward to 2011
Explain?? I have my doubts about that!
Fun post! I agree with you about the classics thing – doing read-a-longs is really fun. I loved doing The Odyssey.
One way that makes stats not to horrible is to keep up with them with each book read. I have a spreadsheet where I put in the book info right after I finish reading, so then when I want to do stats posts I just have to count rather than try and figure everything out.
Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness)´s last [type] ..2010- My Year in Bookish Stats
Well I’m going to attempt the War and Peace read-a-long. We’ll see – I’m so good at completing challenges as it is. lol.
Happy New Year Jill and I wish you all the best in 2011!
Darlene´s last [type] ..Happy New Year Everyone!
Happy New Year Jill! I have digging around more in the classics as well.You go for the toughies. Russians and Ulysses? Don’t know if I can hang with you!
Nicole´s last [type] ..Holiday Reading & December 2010 In Review TSS
How about Banned in Boston by Neil Miller? Or anything by David Lehane, since everything he writes is set in Boston? Or My Most Excellent Year, a YA book that is basically the most Boston book I’ve ever read? Or Boston by Upton Sinclair, since you’ve been loving those classics?
Cass´s last [type] ..In Praise of nook
Happy New Year and all the best in 2011! Sounds like you had a good year of reading. I also think mayonnaise is disgusting, and challenges are impossible to actually complete
Amy´s last [type] ..Happy 2011!
I’m a good vacation reader during the travel-from-one-place-to-another part, but not so much when I get there. But my shoulder injuries were probably the biggest source of reading time – talk about a mixed blessing!
My 2010 reading skewed more toward women authors as well, which is fine with me. I do hope to read more nonfiction and e-books in 2011, but don’t really care about the gender of the writers.
Are you going back for BEA/BBCon this year? I’m finally taking the plunge. And I hope you’re coming back to LA for FoB this spring!
Florinda´s last [type] ..Sunday Salon- Reviewing Review Policies
Year end reviews are fun but they do take a lot of work. I like the little notes you made of your reading trends. I feel like my reading trends are similar. I know that I’m probably going to be giving up on the challenges. I haven’t even tried a read a long – that might be something that I attempt in 2011.
I actually started War and Peace a few days ago to join in on the readalong. I started early because I can see myself skipping days at times, and didn’t want to get behind. It’s sort of a slog at this point though, and I am hoping that it picks up a lot of steam, really soon! I have made it to chapter 10 and am sort of stuck! Happy New Year, Jill! I hope that you have a great 2011!
zibilee´s last [type] ..Top 5 Reads of 2010
Happy New Year Jill!!! I have to admit, like Beth, i love my audiobooks. But I don’t track stats all year long I just total them up at the end, I don’t read too many books so I’m ok with that. If I read 150, I probably wouldn’t track that at all LOL. Happy 2011!!!
Kristina´s last [type] ..2011 Goals
I hope you have fabulous year ahead too!! I have not yet counted my books. I am sure they will be around 30
I hope we have more years of fizziness from this blog of yours
Veens´s last [type] ..Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
I completely hate mayonnaise too! So gross. I wish I had read 150 books! I am like you though, in the sense that I didn’t make any resolutions and have instead decided to go with the flow this year.
Stephanie´s last [type] ..The Sunday Salon- 1-2-2011
Happy 2011! Happy Reading!
Care´s last [type] ..Personal Deliberate Reading 2011
We have to get you reading some classics that isn’t like a long protracted trip to the dentist for a root canal. Call me crazy, but there are some that don’t make you want to commit Seppuku.
Happy New Year
Gwen´s last [type] ..Ding- Dong the Year is Gone 2010 in Review
Ha! I love this post–better than the typical retrospection, I think.
Especially this part: “I’ve decided that classics are more fun when read with other people. That way if they suck, you have people in pain with you. You know that saying, “Misery loves company?”’ YUP. But like you, I’m done with challenges but love the readalongs.
Hope it’s a great year for you, Jill. And no books on Boston (unless you want books about Salem), though the city is great. If you can make it up to Cape Ann (Gloucester, Salem, Danvers area) I’d recommend the visit.
Trish´s last [type] ..Sunday Salon 32- Books for Future Generations
You got sucked into Angry Birds? My whole family got involved with that over the summer … I’m still stuck (possibly forever) on this one level.
Jenners´s last [type] ..A Eulogy for My Mom
I’m with you on being a paper person, though eReaders and audiobooks are good supplements. I’m also with you on readalongs-yes, challenges-no. The readalongs seem to work way better for me. I’ll be doing the Tolstoy thing, but Joyce is my mayonnaise, in your analogy, so I will go to my grave without reading Ulysses. I’ll look forward to your posts about it, though!
Erin´s last [type] ..Thoughts on “Like Water for Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel