Monday, December 19, 2011

A 2012 Book Manifesto

For 2012 I want to do something different.  Something that will involve commitment and patience.  Something that also will clear up a lot of the TBR pool.  Something I've been thinking about (and alluded to) for a while now.

Declarations
  • I will not purchase any new/used books in 2012.***
  • I will read only from books I own or can attain freely (ie, library, friends, publishers, et al.)
  • I will will read only selections from my GoodReads To-Be-Read shelf (dated 12/31/11).  This is currently visible on the right side-bar.
Reasons
  • I won't have to spend money on books.  (Granted, I don't spend that much money on books as it is, but even so, in principle, I'm saving money.)
  • I can finally dwindle down my TBR pool and read things I've been putting off forever.
  • To see if I can actually do it.  Self-discipline is a tool that needs to be used more, as its benefits are manifold.
Exceptions
  • I will continue to make my monthly trek to the comic shop and pick up the newest issue of Fables, as has been my wont for some time now.
  • I will purchase anything Pat Rothfuss releases, though the only possibility (to my knowledge) is a potential novella.
  • If I receive gift-cards to bookstores during the year, I will use them, as I'm not spending any of my money.
  • ***If I get an amazing deal through my Kindle with Special Offers, then I'll likely gobble it up, as these offers are usually $1 or $2 for a book and not altogether common and I would be a fool to turn my nose to the offer.
Hopes
  • Finally read The Brothers Karamazov, 100 Years of Solitude, The Shadow of the Torturer, Peter & Max, and the multitude of random comics/graphic novels that have piled up. {own}
  • Finish the Fate of the Jedi series, as I have only two books left.  {library}
  • Read a lot of Lovecraft during the RIP challenge for 2012 and possibly The Stand.  {own}
  • Read The American Book of the Dead, which I received earlier this year but haven't had a chance to even start it yet.  {own}
  • Continue getting free books from the few publishers I receive from, as well as possibly take on some new authors/publishers.
  • I hope Justin Cronin's sequel to The Passage comes out, and I also hope Peter Brett's third volume in the Painted Man series is released.  {library}
  • The Alloy of Law?  {library?}
There we are.  This manifesto will be stored as a separate page under the appropriate tab above.  Wish me luck.  (This list is subject to change and edits throughout the year.)

Anyone else have any bookish goals for 2012?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

these are great goals, good luck!

My goals are not dissimilar, though I need to read what I get from the Library before browsing for more (or at least picking them up)--excepting long-standing request, of course.

I hope to read more grown-up fiction (to incl. comics) in the coming year, read more outside my usual zones, and read from my own shelves.

In the end, however, I do want to do something about my TBR pile as well. This past year I wanted to remain more current (w/ more 2011 publications) but it often meant pushing of earlier dated books I've been waiting on forever.

~L

logankstewart said...

Yes, I think the goals are attainable, and hopefully I can do it. Best of luck with yours, too!

Okie said...

wow...ambitious. I unofficially tried to do that to some extent this year. But I still ended up spending too much time/money at various bookstores.

On the plus side, I finally purchased stock in Barnes & Nobel so at least I can claim I'm helping my investments. ;)

Though I don't shop at BN as much as I do our local indie & used stores

Carl V. Anderson said...

Best of luck, Logan. I already know too many books I am looking forward to so I won't be joining you in anything but spirit. I did purposefully cut down my book buying several years ago because there was way too much purchasing just to have books sit on the shelf. Now, at least in my own mind, the buying is moderate. The change a few years ago did make me do a lot better at looking past that first urge to spend to question myself about whether or not I really wanted something.

logankstewart said...

@Okie: Good luck with the stock, friend. That's pretty cool to have a share there.

@Carl: I've culled my book purchases significantly over the last few years, mostly attributed to my lifelong love of the library. Still, purchasing even less and forcing me to consider is one of the benefits I'm looking at getting out of this thing. Plus, I like a challenge.

ibeeeg said...

I wish you tons of stamina with this goal. I do believe that you can accomplish it.

I sure hope you will not mind, I am going to do something similar to your manifesto but tweak it slightly. I am going to post this goal of mine giving you credit for the idea. Thanks for putting this idea into my head.

logankstewart said...

@ibeeeg: Ha, I don't mind at all. I'm looking forward to seeing your tweaks. And thanks for the well-wishes!