Petya, thank you so much for this fantastic opportunity. It was an absolute pleasure to sit and think deeply about your questions. It was a good chance to reflect, and I am grateful for the privilege of sharing my passion with others. My inbox is always open if folks have questions.
Well, I just bought the journals and pen set on Amazon. I am already reading the introduction to the Iliad. So definitely notetaking is something I want to do more of.
My theme is more of looking at the books that I have at home and trying to finish or start them. I am 70 years old and just retired in May after 40 years of teaching. So during my teaching I did not have a lot of time to read with raising kids and following their lives. So now it's my time. And I'm enjoying every second of it. 'Berta
I am so so excited for you!!! A return to reading after a busy season of life feels so gratifying! Keep us posted on your reading adventures, Berta! 🤓📚🥰
At 61, I guess I qualify as a GROWN person. Although I am always reading something, my reading tends to move in big cycles, falling off when I get engrossed in another of my hobbies. So, for example, there have been years when I read comparatively few books because I was spending most of my time embroidering, papercrafting, or Bible journaling.
Since discovering Substack through the Close Reads podcast, I have been participating in a number of online reading groups, which means that my reading has been primarily dictated by the group picks, most of which are either books I would not have chosen for myself or classics I had never read. I'm not sure how I feel about that for 2025, although I have already bought most of my groups' selections. In a way, it's making my reading feel more like homework and less pleasurable.
I sometimes wonder if I'm the only person who feels this way. I have a doctorate, so I feel like I "should" be more well-read than I am (hence the group reads), yet another part of me just wants to read for enjoyment.
That's the reason why bookclubs never work for me! I personally join along on the group reading projects I was planning to read already on my own or ones that peak my curiosity... but -- without speaking for the readalong organizers - I would be surprised if any of them expect you to read every single one of the books they suggest!
Oh, I know the leaders don't expect everyone to read every book, but that's part of the appeal to me, of getting out of my regular comfort zone in the company of someone who is advocating for that book.
I am switching to a commonplace book too. I thought I’d start in January but I actually couldn’t wait and started this weekend. I’m going to look into the club— my word for next year is connection, so it seems aligned.
This is just the best series. This really resonated with me: "For every book I choose to read, I also choose to probably not read something else." Is this my sign to put down the book I'm not loving and pick up something else on my TBR list?
Petya, thank you so much for this fantastic opportunity. It was an absolute pleasure to sit and think deeply about your questions. It was a good chance to reflect, and I am grateful for the privilege of sharing my passion with others. My inbox is always open if folks have questions.
This was so fun for me to read too!!!
Well, I just bought the journals and pen set on Amazon. I am already reading the introduction to the Iliad. So definitely notetaking is something I want to do more of.
My theme is more of looking at the books that I have at home and trying to finish or start them. I am 70 years old and just retired in May after 40 years of teaching. So during my teaching I did not have a lot of time to read with raising kids and following their lives. So now it's my time. And I'm enjoying every second of it. 'Berta
I am so so excited for you!!! A return to reading after a busy season of life feels so gratifying! Keep us posted on your reading adventures, Berta! 🤓📚🥰
At 61, I guess I qualify as a GROWN person. Although I am always reading something, my reading tends to move in big cycles, falling off when I get engrossed in another of my hobbies. So, for example, there have been years when I read comparatively few books because I was spending most of my time embroidering, papercrafting, or Bible journaling.
Since discovering Substack through the Close Reads podcast, I have been participating in a number of online reading groups, which means that my reading has been primarily dictated by the group picks, most of which are either books I would not have chosen for myself or classics I had never read. I'm not sure how I feel about that for 2025, although I have already bought most of my groups' selections. In a way, it's making my reading feel more like homework and less pleasurable.
I sometimes wonder if I'm the only person who feels this way. I have a doctorate, so I feel like I "should" be more well-read than I am (hence the group reads), yet another part of me just wants to read for enjoyment.
That's the reason why bookclubs never work for me! I personally join along on the group reading projects I was planning to read already on my own or ones that peak my curiosity... but -- without speaking for the readalong organizers - I would be surprised if any of them expect you to read every single one of the books they suggest!
Oh, I know the leaders don't expect everyone to read every book, but that's part of the appeal to me, of getting out of my regular comfort zone in the company of someone who is advocating for that book.
I am switching to a commonplace book too. I thought I’d start in January but I actually couldn’t wait and started this weekend. I’m going to look into the club— my word for next year is connection, so it seems aligned.
This is just the best series. This really resonated with me: "For every book I choose to read, I also choose to probably not read something else." Is this my sign to put down the book I'm not loving and pick up something else on my TBR list?