#reading-goals — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #reading-goals, aggregated by home.social.
-
Summer Reading: Paradise Lost
By Elizabeth Prata
When someone says “summer reading” it usually brings to mind beach reads, AKA light novels, that are aimed to entertain. Since people take vacations in summer, they bring with them a novel that isn’t mentally demanding, just aiming to soak up the book in their hand and the sun above as they escae briefly from their workaday life.
I’m the opposite. Summer reading for me means I choose demanding books because I’m off work for the summer. During school my mental capacities are stretched to the max. I teach reading to a succession of 6 small groups over 4 different grades using 3 different reading programs. It’s a lot. I love it, but it drains me mentally.
When I get home, I’m a zombie and it takes a pot of tea and an hour to recover. I have nNo capacity for demanding novels.
So in the summer when I’m off and I’m not being challenged mentally, it’s the perfect time to make my TBR stack of classics, or ‘books I’ve always wanted to read but haven’t yet’ or ‘a book that is hard for me. Four summers ago I tackled Moby-Dick. Then it was Treasure Island. Then Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. So this summer it’s going to be…
I saw it advertised on Grace Books’ website and it is not only one I’ve always wanted to read but this edition is a beautiful book. I mean, you had me at ‘gilt edged’. And ‘cloth bound’. Yes, I judge a book by its cover. Come at me, lol.
It’s John Milton’s epic poem, “Paradise Lost’. Written in 1667, the publisher promises that it is an unabridged version but there are margin notes for unfamiliar words. So already I know the language is going to be demanding. And harder for me personally, is the fact that it is written as an Epic Poem. I have a rough time with poetry, I just don’t understand it.
An Epic Poem is (according to Encyclopedia Britannica), “long narrative poem recounting heroic deeds. Outstanding examples of the written epic include Virgil’s Aeneid and Lucan’s Pharsalia in Latin, Chanson de Roland in medieval French, Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando furioso and Torquato Tasso’s Gerusalemme liberata in Italian, Cantar de mio Cid in Spanish, and John Milton’s Paradise Lost and Edmund Spenser’s Faerie Queene in English.”
I read The Aeneid, The Odyssey and The Iliad, when I was in my early 20’s. Forty-five years later – ahem – my brain may have dimmed somewhat. In fact, I when I was in High School and just after, I read most of the standard classics listed in top 100 lists and I’m glad I did back then because reading or re-reading them now is much harder. But every summer, I select a classic to read or re-read, and that is my Summer Reading!
The version issued by Grace Books was on 40% off the regular price at the time (it’s still 10% off now), so of course I could not resist. The book itself (according to the blurb) contains:
Explanatory notes are included in the margins for allusions to Greek mythology and obscure words.
- Introduction by Dr. Leland Ryken
- Cover design by Stephen Crotts
- 50 vintage illustrations by the renowned Gustave Doré; modified to cover nudity
- Genuine cloth cover with gold foil print and a ribbon page marker
What is Paradise Lost about? Adam and Eve’s rebellion and humanity’s fall from grace. One reviewer of this edition on Amazon said,
“Having biblical backgrounds in its plot of being about Adam and Eve‘s temptation and humanity’s fall from grace, “Paradise Lost” should be read for its unparalleled sonorous language, it’s profound exploration of human freedom, disobedience and rebellion, and its impact on Western literature. It offers a complex, timeless, psychological portrait of Satan serving as a foundational text for understanding the archetypal antihero.”
Beautifully illustrated cloth cover Gorgeous end papers!! AND a ribbon! Crisp font and white pages for easy reading, side notes with explanations and scriptures. One of Dore’s illustrations. He was a master at his craft.
OK, this should keep me busy! Here are the photos of this beautiful edition. I appreciate Gustave Doré’s illustrations. He was a famous French artist, printmaker, and caricaturist who died in 1883. He is best known for his wood-engravings illustrating classic literature, especially Dante’s Divine Comedy. What I really appreciate in this edition is that though the language has been left alone, the illustrations have been lightly edited to cover up the nudity in Doré’s illustrations.I mentioned I do judge a book by its cover. Here are two others I’ve recently acquired. The Pilgrim’s Progress was a free gift from Chapel Library, and the Van Dyke I bought myself. See what I mean? If I am going to own books, they might as well be beautiful. My other reading selection this summer is a re-read of Pilgrim’s Progress. I’ll also finish the Grisham I started, as well as Lady Audley’s Secret, Lord willing and the eyes don’t fail!
Happy reading and book-ing this summer! What is on your TBR list?
#bookReview #books #fiction #literature #reading #readingGoals #summerReading #writing -
In total, I read 11,288 pages this year. That’s a lot of words, but every page was worth it.
#ReadingGoals #GoodreadsChallenge #books
https://thisgrandpablogs.com/goodreads-2024-reading-challenge/ -
I read 8,295 pages in 2025. Not perfect. Still proud. Reading should feel like progress, not pressure.
#ReadingGoals #BookStats #Goodreads #books
https://thisgrandpablogs.com/goodreads-2025-reading-challenge/ -
I’m trying to do more #reading this year and am getting away from goodreads so if you want to keep up with my reading… #books #bookstadon #ReadingGoals https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/wittieshae
-
Ready to conquer your reading list? Set achievable goals! #ReadingGoals #BookLover #ReadMore #Motivation #Books
-
I have decided that my reading goal for 2026 will be … 3 books…. Just kidding I am shooting for 25 😊📚📖📚
-
This new year will be about pushing myself to be the best I can be as a reader, a writer, and a student! However, I want to do my best to include YOU in the process.
With that said: what are YOU reading this month?
-
Happy New Year, everyone!
This year, I want to take my goals to the next level. I want to:
📚Read more books!
🖋️Write 4 standalones!
🎓Start my thesis novel for college!What are your goals?
#HappyNewYear #ReadingGoals #WritingGoals #2026 #NewYearNewBooks
-
My reading goals for 2026 are:
- keep seeking out Jewish books
- be even better about finishing my book reflections (I have so many notes for unwritten reflections from this year!)
- reread Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, the Priory of the Orange Blossom, and the Amelia Peabody Egyptological series
-maintain at least the same proportion or more of non-fiction (25%)
-read the list of graphic novels I compiled from all the great suggestions from people here
- Read more poetry! This year I read one small volume and also a non-fiction book focused on poetry. I’d like to read several volumes, especially ones I bought from Ben Yehuda Press.
- read at least 20 audiobooks in Swedish, as I have done for the past few yearsB”H
#Reading #Bookstodon #StoryGraph #Books #ReadingGoals #MiaoReads
-
If you're looking to hit your 2025 reading goals over this final week of the year, sure look for smaller stories if you're behind. BUT it would be even better if you looked for smaller stories by indie authors. Many of them (myself included) even have eBook sales this time of year through Smashwords, Kobo, etc. It's a win win for everyone - you meet your reading goals and make an indie author's Christmas extra special.