Reading books is one of life’s great pleasures. There’s nothing like staying under the covers on a grey, rainy day, tucked into an intriguing story between a book’s covers.

In 2007, I resolved to read a book a week. I was wasting too much time playing computer games so I decided to substitute them with reading more books. After all, I often grieved that I didn’t have enough time to read.

I had a fabulous adventure talking to fellow readers. They gave me their top picks and I searched them out and consumed them. Sometimes I agreed with them, sometimes not.

I wisely started this adventure by creating a spreadsheet to keep track of the books I read. I record the title, author, number of pages, who recommended it, and my comments. This database has saved me from forgetting. There’s nothing worse than discovering that the one book I have with me is one I’ve read, unless it’s one of my favourites.

My “To Read” list continued to grow. I couldn’t imagine stopping without reading those so I continued in 2008 and 2009. Part way through 2010, I realized I was organically reading more than one book each week, so I bumped my goal to two books per week.

It seems ambitious but the truth is the more I read the faster I become. I often read a novel on a Sunday afternoon. It’s fun to do it in one sitting; it changes the experience.

I’ve read 1100 books in the past 11 years. I have lots on my plate but I wince when a well-meaning person suggests I would have more time if I read fewer books.

I feel like they’ve said I can’t eat anymore.

Reading feeds my mind and often, my soul.

I can’t give up that.

I won’t.

Let’s start a conversation about reading.

Here are the lists of books, I’ve read:

2013 pdf

2012 pdf

2011 pdf

2010 pdf

2009 pdf

2008 pdf

2007 pdf