What I read and why

I started off writing a post showcasing the statistics on 'what I read' from Goodreads ... but I bored myself. So, clearly I'm not going to invite anyone else to read that load of old nonsense!

Nevertheless, it's been interesting seeing the patterns appear from the records I've been keeping on Goodreads of the last couple of years of my reading. I am - slowly - filling in the gaps of what I've read in the past too, but that has proven to be a rather more random process.

As a youngster, I read a lot of pap - I just needed to read and so grabbed whatever was to hand. I didn't develop fully as a reader until I returned to England and had access to so much good stuff ...

It was even later when I realised my family and friends had me pegged as reading a 'certain type of book' before I realised that I'd developed a preference. You see, I read widely and shared many a book with friends and family. But there were always those ones, the ones I liked the best, the ones which caused them to just look at me with a smile and a raised eyebrow when I offered to lend them.

But then, I don't read solely for entertainment. I like to be challenged, to be pushed, to learn. It took me a while to realise that not everyone feels the same way. I used to be such a crusader, I just couldn't get my head around it and was always pushing my favoured books on to others <shakes head>  Now, I tend to recommend books based upon what I know that person enjoys and it's proven to be much more satisfying - on both sides.

One other thing my foray into Goodread's stats highlighted was that my reading falls almost entirely into the contemporary fiction box. I've read very few classics, very little of anything written pre-20th century. Now, I could do my usual and fling myself into a concerted effort to change that, or I could just relax and put the shoulds and oughts behind me (as recommended by Alan who commented recently). I'm going to go with Alan. After all, two years ago, I read absolutely no science-fiction and now it's a firm fixture. And that just happened, gradually and organically ...

From now on, I think I'll leave the reading challenges alone - I can always take up writing challenges instead!

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