To Read or Not To Read - Decision

A few days ago I posted about if audio books count towards my goal of reading 30 books this year. Thanks to Everyone who offered their opinions on the issue. I have come to a decision. Audio books will count towards the goal of 30 books BUT certain criteria has to be met.

1. The audio books have to be the unabridged versions.

2. When listening to the books I can't be engaged in any tasks that require my undivided attention. So I can wash dishes, sort laundry, fold towels, make my bed, drive/ride in my car, etc. I can't sort through papers, pay bills, check email, procrastinate on Facebook.

The thinking behind my decision was that if the audio book is the unabridged version it would have taken me about the same amount of time to read the book as it will take listening to the book. There is nothing wrong with a little multitasking while listening to the audio books. Just like I listen to music while cleaning I can listen to an audio book.

I started my first one this weekend. I'm "reading" RED AND ME: My Coach, My Lifelong Friend By Bill Russell with Alan Steinberg. I listened to 2 of the 4 CDS so I'm about half way through the 187 page book.

To Read or Not To Read

This year I have a personal goal of reading 30 books. It's mid-October and I have read 25 books so I am very happy that I am close to my goal.

Once a year, People magazine has a book sale for Time Inc employees. They sell the books they get to review and give the money to charity. So I picked up a few more books and audiobooks. But if I listen to a book rather than read a book, am I cheating on my goal?

It would still be time spent listening to the book versus reading it. The benefit of listening to the books versus reading them is that I can also do something else at the same time like fold laundry, sort through papers, wash dishes, clean my apartment, whatever.

For my last 5 books should I read actual books or throw a couple of the audiobooks I picked up today in to the mix?

The Joy of Reading

I think the thing I love most about New York City is that so many people read. Get on any subway or bus line during rush hour and you'll see people reading books, magazines, newspapers, textbooks, etc. The New York Times recently ran a story about the joys of subway reading. I do the majority of my reading on the subway. And there have been a few times that I have missed my stop because I lost track of where I was because I was so in to what I was reading. Despite the fact that there are all these people around me I am in my own zone.

One of my personal goals this year is to read 30 books. It hasn't been easy balancing magazine, newspaper and book reading when the majority of my reading is done on the subway. With my commute that's only 45-60 minutes a day of reading/commuting time. But I have read 20 books...10 more to go.

At The End of the Reading Rainbow

Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high
Take a look, it's in a book - Reading Rainbow.

I can go anywhere!
Friends to know and ways to grow - Reading Rainbow.

I can be anything!
Take a look, it's in a book - Reading Rainbow.

Reading Rainbow, Reading Rainbow, Reading Rainbow, Reading Rainbow!

I know a few of y'all were singing the theme song to Reading Rainbow with me. As they say, all good things must come to an end. And thus the 26 year run of the show has come to an end. I don't have any kids but I just can't imagine that when I do they won't be able to watch Reading Rainbow as I did as a child.

I remember keeping a notebook with the names of all the books that were featured on the show. That list was my reading list and anytime I went to the library I was in search of those specific books. Reading Rainbow gave me literary direction.

Luckily there is YouTube (which hopefully that will still exist when I have kids) so I can search the archives and find a few shows for them to enjoy. But for now, join me on a trip down Memory Lane and sing along with the show's theme song.

A New Moon For Wuthering Heights

I just finished reading "New Moon," book three in the Twilight Saga. The book makes several references to Wuthering Heights. I honestly don't remember reading Wuthering Heights in high school or any other time.

So as a regular user of Paperbackswap.com I searched to see if the book was available. Not only are there several copies of the books available but the Cliffs Notes are also available. And for a moment I had a flashback to high school. I don't know how many times I used Cliffs Notes to help supplement the books I was reading because I didn't fully understand what I was reading and my teachers weren't doing a good job of explaining it. Classroom discussions based on the readings for some books got so off base that the discussion was sparked by the book but not about helping to understand the book.

I'm older now and it's not like reading Wuthering Heights is a requirement I have to meet...so should I order the book, should I order the Cliffs Notes, should I order both? I could read the book but not understand what I'm reading. I could read the Cliffs Notes but as people always like to say miss out on the literary experience. I could order both and use the Cliffs Notes as a supplement, only reading the Cliffs Notes after finishing a chapter I have read in the book.

What do you think?