Preface to a Year of Books I've Read Before

I’m going to take a year to focus on books I’ve read before. It’s as simple as that. Most are books I own in some form: battered paperbacks, practically new hardcovers, multi-novel collections in one binding, e-books, etc. in all their cluttered glory.

For years (and years) I’ve passed over my favorite books and books I didn’t quite remember very well because I wanted to read more books I hadn’t read before. I did a Year (Plus) of Books I Should Have Read by Now (October 2011-December 2012) largely to try and clear the decks to focus on favorites. It was an enjoyable year (plus) of somewhat limited success, but enough of that for a while. I’m going to take this year (2013) to re-read as much as I can.

 

While I am an enthusiast, I’m also a realist. I am fully aware that I’m a very Distractible Reader. Other books, books that overwhelm my curiosity despite my best efforts to focus, will demand to be read during this year. I can just tell. Plenty of other things will probably get in the way as well. And so this is likely to be a Year of Books I’ve Read Before, with Distractions. So be it. Let’s see how this goes.

 

Just so you know, I’m strictly an amateur reader. By that I mean that I have no formal education or training in literature or the business of books or book reviews, at least no more than that afforded by a decent secondary and post-secondary education. I read because I love to. I write this blog because I don’t have enough people to talk to about what I’ve read (and I won’t shut up). I invite comments, complaints, questions and discussions (although, please read these guidelines first). I also invite suggestions, although if they are for books I have not read before, I might put them off for another year. Although, as I said, I am quite distractible…



A Year of Books I've Read Before