Thirty-two years of tracking my reading: 06/09/19

I reiterate some version of this story every year on this date. But it's why I read like I do. On this date in 1987 I saw a copy of The Active-Enzyme Lemon-Freshened Junior High School Witch by E.W. Hildick at my junior high library. I had loved reading it a year prior in elementary school but I couldn't remember the title, only the cover. I took the re-appearance of the book as a sign that I should keep a list of everything I've read. Consider that pre internet book-blogging.

Last night marked the close of my 32nd year of tracking my reading. I am two-thirds the way through my third handwritten volume. I'm at 8758 books read.

Two years ago summary, I predicted that by January of 2018, I would cross ten thousand books. Silly me. I do read a lot but even I have my limit. Instead of ten thousand, I'm at 8415. Back then I was reading about 430 books per year. I'm not any more. I'm reading more like 340. I'm still below 9000 books and at my current rate won't hit 10,000 until December 20222. That still will put me fifteen years ahead of schedule per my handwritten notes done in the mid 1990s.

Last year I mentioned that I still hadn't reviewed my last book from year 29, Kraken by Wendy Williams. I have finally posted the review. It was posted last October.

My first book for year 32 was Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella. My last book was Riverboat Roulette by Carolyn Keene. I plan to have it reviewed in the first week of August.

Looking towards my thirty-third year of tracked reading, I have essentially run out of the backlog of reviews I built up a decade ago. I am also now more focused on curating my reading and the resulting reviews. I am focused on diversity, my road narrative spectrum research and reading, graphic novels, mysteries, and being more current in reading and reviewing newly published materials.

I am also working again, albeit part time. I'm an art teacher. I'm also an artist and I want to have time to produce more art to sell locally and online. To do that, I need my weekdays. What all this means is that this year I won't be volunteering to read for the Cybils. I've done it for a decade but I need a break.

Comments  (16)

Comment #1: Sunday, June 09, 2019 at 20:12:10

Erin @ Cracker Crumbs

Wow this is awesome! I love your dedication to tracking your reading. I kind of wish I had started thirty two years ago, I wonder what my numbers would be? I've always been a huge reader but have slowed down the past four years due to kiddo. Congrats on your anniversary!

Comment #2: Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 21:46:00

Pussreboots

I had a slow year the year my oldest was born. But I did count all the picture books I read to him and later to his sister.

Comment #3: Sunday, June 09, 2019 at 21:09:31

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz

Thirty-two years of keeping track of your reading. Wow. Thirty-two years is a long time. I wish I'd written down the title of every book I've read (I bet a lot of people tell you this, too). Now and then I will read a book that is on a recommended reading list, and I will realize that it is a book I already read. I've been reading since I was two, so that is sixty years of reading. I've only been keeping track since 1999. I went through at one point and added all my old reviews to Goodreads. I am at 4854 currently (although some of these have minimal or no reviews.)

Comment #4: Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 21:49:00

Pussreboots

I wasn't much of a reader until fourth or fifth grade. I don't recall when I learned to read, although I do remember struggling with it in first grade.

Comment #5: Monday, June 10, 2019 at 04:51:59

Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out

Congratulations on such an impressive milestone. I wish I had thought to do the same,

Comment #6: Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 21:52:00

Pussreboots

It was just the right set of circumstances for me to start the list when I did.

Comment #7: Monday, June 10, 2019 at 06:47:16

>Laurel-Rain Snow

Wow, that is amazing. I have only been tracking mine since 2008.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Comment #8: Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 21:55:00

Pussreboots

It was the right set of circumstances. By now it's a lifetime habit.

Comment #9: Monday, June 10, 2019 at 08:42:31

JoAnn @ Lakeside Musing

Wow, that's amazing!! I started tracking my reading around 1998... sure wish I'd started back in junior high. It would be fascinating to remember all of those books now.

Comment #10: Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 21:55:00

Pussreboots

The list shows all the assigned reading through jr high, high school, college, and two rounds of grad school. It has the picture books I read to my children. And everything else in between.

Comment #11: Monday, June 10, 2019 at 14:36:52

Reese

Very cool! I think of myself as a bit of stats junkie, so this is fun. Must be nice to have records of all this to look back on.

Comment #12: Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 21:57:00

Pussreboots

It is. It's an interesting document.

Comment #13: Monday, June 10, 2019 at 15:32:08

Katherine

Wow! That is a milestone! I started keeping track by hand when we moved to Arizona in 1999 (I think), but I don't read nearly as many books as you do. Congratulations!

Comment #14: Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 21:59:00

Pussreboots

I haven't always read as much as I do now. And there were a few times when I've read more than I do now.

Comment #15: Sunday, June 16, 2019 at 10:41:53

Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

Wow!! I'm so impressed that you've kept track for that long. You were ahead of your time! LOL!

I've only been tracking since I've been blogging (with the exception of a few books I added that I knew I read in earlier years), so Goodreads shows I've read 1420 books. That's a far cry from your total!!

Comment #16: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at 22:26:00

Pussreboots

Goodread's count and my personal count don't match. I've included things, like articles, that don't count for the site.It's been an interesting project.