Category: Reading and Book Journal

In January, my daughter-in-law’s book journal inspired me to create my own. I went all out: A bookshelf page with titles of the books printed in tiny handwriting on the book spines of the books I was reading, a “Currently Reading” page, a “Did Not Finish” page, a variety of reading challenges, monthly stats pages, book reviews, series trackers–way too many pages and I wasn’t using most of them. I didn’t keep up with the challenges for a variety of reasons, mainly because some of the elements of the challenges did not appeal to me.

So, today, I revamped my reading journal. I kept the pages I used and tossed the rest. Instead of keeping a master list of current reads, I decided to do monthly tracking. Now each month includes the following spreads:

• A monthly statistics page (number of books read/finished, number of pages, the format of the books (audio, physical book, e-book), genres, and number not finished.
• A list of books read during the book
• Books read for three book clubs: The Book of the Month Club, Aardvark Book Club, and a local book club, “The Coffee Shelf Book Club” (I started it!)
• The favorite/best/most memorable Book of the Month
• Book reviews for each book with publication details

This is my new cover page with my reading goal. I set a modest 52 book goal, but I believe I'm going to exceed that goal, so I added the plus sign after 52.

I haven’t added the May statistics yet because I want to finish one more book by Friday.

May has been my “busiest” month as far as the number of books is concerned–thirteen finished and a third of the way through the fourteenth.

The plan for the “book of the month” is to print out a thumbnail of my pick of the most enjoyable, best, favorite book for the month and then write a one-page reflection about my reading for the month.

I didn’t photograph the individual pages for each book, but on those pages I record the book stats, start and finish dates, number of pages, genre, format, copyright, and publisher. Then a write a one-page summary and reflection. At the end of the year, I will have a record of the books I’ve read.

I am using a disc-bound journal with dot-grid pages. The smaller junior size makes this journal portable. It will fit in my purse or tote easily when I’m traveling and want to take the journal with me.

I think this format will be more useful to me than trying to track five different challenges (although I’m keeping the original pages created for the various challenges in another journal in case I get stuck in a rut or need some inspiration), daily reading page counts, and the like.

As I look back over my journal for this year, I wonder why I didn’t do this before now.

I know; I have another week to go before the end of May, but I may not be able to type at the end of the month. I’m having some out-patient hand surgery at the end of the month.

I out-did myself this month with reading–thirteen books. That number includes some books I started in April and one audio book. Here’s my take on my reading this month.

I started a light-hearted detective series by Lynn Morrison, the Dora and Rex Mysteries, and have read the pre-quel, and the first five books. I just started the sixth book this morning. Dora is a spy for the British government. She has cast aside her identity as Lady Dorothy Cavendish to become Theodora Laurent, a femme fatale and “party-girl” in the 1920s. She met Lord Rex when he was a patient in the hospital where Dora worked as a nurse during World War I. Working independently in Murder at the Front, they solved the murder of Dora’s husband. In Murder, I Spy, the two collaborated to solve the murder of one of Rex’s closest friends and Dora’s fellow spy. The two continue their collaboration, both as spies, in Death Undercover, Doublecross Dead, and The Roman Riddle.

What I like about the series is the historical backdrop of post- World War I Britain and Europe. Dora and Rex move in the group known as the Bright Young Things as they pretend to party their way through life without a care in the world. However, they work undercover for a secret spy master known only to a select few in the British government. They move seamlessly from the shadow world to the ballroom to the jazz clubs, rubbing shoulders with mafia dons and royalty and everyone in between. The novels also develop some serious themes: justice, betrayal, classism, sexism, and the effect of war on individuals and society. Political issues, such as the possible threat that Mussolini might become (The Roman Riddle) appear.

This series has become a binge read for me.

Another mystery series I enjoyed this month was the Secret, Book, and Scone Society Mysteries by Ellery Adams. Four women come together to talk about books but end of solving a number of mysteries along with the sheriff of their small resort town. I’ve read three in the series and plan to get to more next month.

Dame Judi Dench’s memoir with Brendan O’Hea was a fun book to listen to. I love Shakespeare. (what do you expect? I’m an English major and retired teacher!) Dame Judi discussed various Shakespeare roles she has played throughout her long acting career. She does not discuss the plays so much as works of literature but as living pieces. She analyzes the characters and discusses her approach to bringing them to life on the stage. She does so with seriousness, but also with humor. I particularly enjoyed her analysis of Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet, and came away with a greater appreciation of these plays. I wish I had had this book when I was still teaching Romeo and Juliet.

The most serious book on my list was Jane Eyre. I remember reading this book when I was in high school (gulp) fifty years ago. Mrs. Richardson encouraged me to read widely, and this was one of the books she recommended. I read the Scholastic version with its white cover with the title in black. I’m sure–as Scholastic often did with the classics–it was probably an abridged version, but that story stuck with me. I’ve reread it several times over the years, and each time it is a “new” book. I see something I didn’t see before. I see how Jane is more than a product of her era, how she rebels against the norms society has placed upon her, and how she takes her own life in her hands. It is an empowering book.

I am still working my way through Les Miserables and have started What the River Knows, another book in which the female protagonist pushes back against the roles society places upon her. That book will come up in next month’s reading roundup. I’m also working my way through the Court of Thorns and Roses series. I’m almost midway through the second book, A Court of Mist and Fury. I’m using a hybrid approach–reading on my Kindle and listening on Audible. I am enjoying listening to books more than I thought.