Resolution Time

In the fine tradition of making New Year's resolutions knowing full well that they will be broken or forgotten before January is over, here is my attempt at some bookish discipline:

Buy fewer books. Who am I kidding on this one? I'm going to Hay in April!

Shrink the TBR shelf. The shelf has overflowed and is beginning to take over another shelf. If I buy fewer books I might be able to get the TBR shelf under control. This resolution is evidence that I am delusional.

Read a book that makes me tremble in despair like anything by James Joyce. I am currently reading a book on quantum physics yet I am terrified of Joyce. The terror stems from being forced to read Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in high school. Perhaps I will tackle that one, confront your fears and all that gibberish.

Read The Iliad and if I survive that, read The Odyssey. I have only ever read severe abridgments which basically amount to excerpts of both. Time to read some ur-texts.

Read Madame Bovary. I have not read it and I found out not long ago she is frequently referred to as "The Female Don Quixote." Since I read the adventures of the great knight in 2005, it seems only right that I investigate.

That's enough to keep me busy for a couple of years. So I suppose I should add one more resolution: read more. Happy New Year everybody. May 2006 be filled with plenty of good books and lots of time in which to read them!