Tuesday 1 February 2011

January Reading


I have been using my Persephone Diary to record my reading thus far in 2011 (as my trusty notebook that had been in use since 2003 was about to run out), and I'm rather enjoying it. It is lovely to see the beautiful endpapers as I jot titles down. I've done well with my reading in 2011 so far; I am back on track with reading "proper" books after my slump into Babysitters Club books last May that I never really recovered from. I am doing pretty well with my Virago Modern Classics reading too, spurred on by Rachel and Carolyn's Virago reading week. Most days I have managed to read two books, though do not be too incredulous, normally this has been one novel and then a childrens book or a cookery book or something like that as a second title.




Here is the full list, copied from my Excel spreadsheet - I have made some slight refinements to my categorisation which I think will help me make better statistics of my reading.- here are the abbreviations:
VMC = Virago Modern Classic
P = Persephone
LBD = Little Black Dress (my current guilty indulgence!)
CB = Cookbook
T = Travel
AB = Autobiography
B = Biography
NF = Non fiction (other than the above categories)
C = Children's
CW = Cornwall related in some way
RR = Reread.

Mystery of Mrs Blencarrow Oliphant, Mrs P
Bid me to live H.D. VMC
Mrs Marridge Project Fisk, Pauline C
Goldengrove Unleaving Walsh, Jill Paton Cw
Christmas at Fairacre Read, Miss RR
Stoner Williams, John

Fortnum and Mason's Afternoon tea
NF
Girl in translation Kowk, Jean

12 days of Christmas Ashley, Trisha

Salem Chapel Oliphant, Mrs VMC
Yes sister, no sister Craig, Jenifer AB
Good daughters Hocking, Mary VMC
Diary of a lady Johnson, Rachel AB
The love boat Lace, Kate LBD
Izzy's war Dewar, Islar

Indifferent heroes Hocking, Mary VMC
The air hostess
LBD
The good psychologist


Easy chocolate Marks and Spencers CB
Salzburg: City Guide
T
Skippy dies Murray, Paul

Word watching Horne, Alex NF
The loved and the envied Bagnold, Enid VMC
Papercraft Marie Claire Ideas NF
Housebound Peck, Winifred P RR
Hidden places of Cornwall
T
Welcome heroes Hocking, Mary VMC
Seagulls in the attic Hadsworth, Tessa AM CW
The village Laski, Mangerita P RR
Millennium hall Scott, Sarah VMC
Comfort and joy Knight, India

Return to Peyton Place Metalious, Grace

Voices in summer Pilcher, Rosamund

Room Donahue, Emma

Learn to cook wheat, gluten and dairy free Savill, Antoinette CB
Tiny bit of marvellous French, Dawn

Dean's lighthouse adventure Fiddler, Kathleen C
Repeat it today with tears Peile, Anne

Animal instincts Dixon, Nell LBD
Every home needs a balcony Dunn, Raina

Party frock Streatfeild, Noel C RR
Daddy's gone a-hunting Mortimer, Penelope P RR
Pete, Pam and Jim: the investigators Fiddler, Kathleen C
Glitter of Mica Kessoon, Jessie VMC
Noel Streatfeild Bull, Angela B RR
We that were young Rathbone, Irene VMC
Starter marriage Harrison, Kate

Susan Spray Kaye-Smith, Sheila VMC
Barrow Lane Gang Streatfield, Noel C
Growing up gracefully Streatfield, Noel C NF
Christmas cooking with kids Rigg, Annie CB C
Zoe Jewsbury, Geraldine VMC
Seriously good Vickery, Phil CB
Sunlight on a broken column Hosain, Attia VMC
Diary of a medical nobody Lane, Kenneth AB


I feel quite pleased with this start to the year...I am sure the Persephone Diary has made me try hard with my reading :)

And what will I be reading in February?
Here's my stack of chick lit (on the left), slightly more serious reading in the middle, and three books which I have recently acquired. Can't wait to read We had it so good. Oh, and I hope to be reading from my recent haul of Viragos too!

14 comments:

  1. Now that's a terrific way to use your diary! Which endpapers are your favourite or are they too numerous to mention?

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  2. What a great way to use your Persephone diary. I'm intrigued by the book - 'Every Home Needs a Balcony'.... What did you think of comfort and Joy?

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  3. I am SO impressed - if only I could read half of what you get through! The Persephone diary is just beautiful isn't it?

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  4. What a wonderful use for a Persephone diary. I think next year I'll have to acquire something similar! Of course, I'm afraid mine would be awfully blank compared to yours!

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  5. That is some serious reading! Plus some more nice reading for February by the looks of the books.

    Good use for your diary as well.

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  6. Ha! I think mine would be largely blank if I used it for the same purpose (if I had a Persephone Diary, that is!)!! I get through a book a week if I'm lucky - life is just too busy to find time to read these days!

    The Persephone Diary is just beyond gorgeous. I will get one for 2012. But I'll have to wrap it in some form of sticky back plastic because knowing me and the state of the insides of most of my bags, it will be covered in grime by the end of January 1st.

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  7. You are so organised! What a lovely way to use the Persephone Diary... it must add to the aesthetics of reading and spur you on to more :-)

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  8. Oh, what a lovely idea. I'm jealous! I haven't been able to read like that for yonks, can't wait to see your reviews.

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  9. Wow, you have read alot so far this year! Love your diary!

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  10. Your diary is being used for just the right topic. Two books a day still stuns me completely. I am struggling to read half a book. I love Miss Read's Christmas stories, they are just so cosy.

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  11. Perhaps it is a combination of my love for the bookish and writing, but I really want to start a daily reading journal! I have my usual journal that I write in a few times a week, but I would love a place to record my daily reading habits.

    The OCD girl that I am must wait until my birthday or new year's to begin such an orderly task!

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  12. i don't think I've got through even a third of the number of titles that you've managed! Wow! I do like the idea of a special diary for book recording - and a Persephone one sounds just the job.

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  13. I thoroughly enjoyed "Winter's Tale" which I read on my Kindle - eeek !

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  14. I love how you're using your Persephone diary. And a bit in awe at how many books you manage to get through. I thought I read fast, but you're super speedy and blog as you go!

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