New year, new set of reading intentions!
Instead of using the word ‘goals’, I’ll use the word ‘intentions’. Goals are focused on a specific achievement, while intentions are lived on a daily basis – which is how I intend my reading experience to be this year. My 2017 reading intentions were tough to adhere to, so this year I hope to set some reasonable intentions. I discussed my struggles with my 2017 reading intentions in the 2017 RECAP post.
I’ll continue to read what my mood calls for. I don’t have a set number of African, Caribbean or African-American books to read nor do I have a specific number of books written by women or men I’d like to read either. I like to track books read each year via Goodreads, so entering the Goodreads Reading Challenge helps me do that. Every year I like to declare a goal of at least 18 books as a set point, just to help me gauge my reading experience for the year. I’ll probably read a fewer number of books this year as (dental) SCHOOL life is very real at the moment. I’ll just be going with the flow – no need to make reading stressful. Reading isn’t a race or competition – at least not for me.
Below are some intentions I’ll be considering during the year:
[Some of the books I enjoyed LAST YEAR (2017)]
- To READ FOR AT LEAST 40 MINUTES A DAY. Life is quite hectic at the moment. I’m a 4th year dental student and will be in 5th year soon (its a 6 year program) so my nose always has to be in a textbook, in group-study discussions or on the ward/in the clinic completing requirements and attending to patients. But if I’m able to dedicate 40 minutes a day to just reading leisurely, I think that would keep me sane.
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- To CATCH UP ON MY BOOK REVIEWS. I’ve incorporated interesting book chats and discussions onto this platform. I plan on continuing the book chats, but I must stay true to the essence of this book blog – which was initially (and still is) a book reviewing / book recommendations space. I have a growing backlog of book reviews from the previous years that I plan on posting throughout this year.
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- To READ MORE GHANAIAN LITERATURE. Last March, during Ghana’s 60th Independence Anniversary, I showcased 75 Ghanaian writers and their books. It was a daunting, yet fulfilling mini project that I’m very proud of! As I was researching the writers and books for the project, I realized I had read just a handful of the books highlighted. As a Ghanaian, its important for me to read and celebrate the works of writers from my homeland. I hope to read at least 5 books by Ghanaian writers this year. Please join me in this challenge, if you can! Ghanaian literature is so underrated.
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- To RE-READ BOOKS I LOVED IN THE PAST. Some readers don’t believe in re-reading books. We live in an age where the hype of new releases makes us forget the phenomenal books of earlier years. I personally don’t think books are meant to be read and forgotten. Books should be read, meditated on and read AGAIN whenever the need arises. So this year, I want to re-read at least 3 books I loved in the past (that haven’t been reviewed on this platform).
Here’s to a successful year of reading (with few reading slumps), for all of us!
African Book Addict! 
This post reminded me that I’d intended to queue up some of the books you recommended in that earlier post…but I’d forgotten to do it. So thanks! I’ve picked a few and I appreciate your recommendations.
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Yay! Thanks for stopping by! I really appreciate it 🙂
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Great resolutions. I hope you will succeed in reading 40 min a day. I hope to find more gems from Ghana from you this year.
Did you love all the books in the picture? I read Behold the Dreamers last year. It wasn’t a favourite but I certainly liked the read. I LOVED What it means when a man falls from the sky. After I finished the book I wanted to read it again. I remember you recommending Our sister Killjoy
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Thanks! Yes, pictured are some of the books I enjoyed last year. I had issues with Behold The Dreamers. My book review explains why here: https://africanbookaddict.com/2017/09/11/behold-the-dreamers-by-imbolo-mbue/. Arimah’s collection was amazing I agree! I ended up gifting it to some friends last christmas. I also reviewed it here https://africanbookaddict.com/2017/12/09/what-it-means-when-a-man-falls-from-the-sky-by-lesley-nneka-arimah/. Happy New year 🙂
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I have to check out your reviews. Will do over the weekend. Especially interested in Behold the Dreamers because I liked it but I also felt it was a bit overhyped.
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I am looking forward to you achieving what you hope for, because I am keen to extend the range of books I read from Africa, preferably by reading writers who actually live there (rather than emigrate and then write about it). I’ve read four from Ghana compared to eleven from Nigeria and twelve from SA, and only one each from a handful of the other countries in Africa so I’m looking forward to more recommendations.
PS Good luck with the studies!
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Hey Lisa. Thank you! I can’t promise I’ll be reading books by authors solely based on the continent of Africa, but I do want to broaden my scope when it comes to GH Lit. And of course I’ll also continue to read work by other Black writers (Caribbean/African-American/Black-Brit) since they have always brought me joy. We’ll see how the year goes! Thanks for passing by and have a great reading year ahead 🙂
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I hope you have a fantastic reading year. I’m looking forward to reading a lot of contemporary fiction by people of colour this year
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Thanks! I look forward to seeing which books by writers of color you’ll be reading. Will visit your blog and check out the latest posts too 🙂
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Great intentions. I really enjoyed Born on a Tuesday and I am currently reading Questions for Ada which is my first poetry collection. Behold the Dreamers is also on my reading list for this year. I hope that you will enjoy all these books. 40 minutes readings sounds good so I hope that you will get the time. All the best with school.
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Hey Diana! Thanks! The books pictured are just a snippet of the books I enjoyed in 2017, not a 2018 TBR. Reviews for Questions for Ada (which was the BEST books I read in 2017. I discuss this in my 2017 recap post!), Behold The Dreamers etc were all posted last year. I hope you enjoy Questions for Ada, BTD and Born on a Tuesday (I loooved it to the point where I can’t even review it) this year. Happy reading and thanks for stopping by!
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Exactly! reading should not be stressful for the reader or done under duress. I hesitate to join any reading challenge you know. I want the choice to read what I want, of any genre. This year, too, I am working hard on my second poetry publication so I may not have time to be part of more than one challenge. But then sometimes it is exciting when you join a challenge. Kinna has just posted 2108 African Reading Challenge on her blog. https://kinnareads.com/2018/01/25/2018-africa-reading-challenge/ I may join and try to read some of the African books I have on my TBR, which are quite a lot.
Good luck with your reading dear. 🙂
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Happy New Year, Celestine! Ohhh, I look forward to your 2nd collection and I hope to read your 1st collection this year!! And maybe even practice some Afriku on my own, just for fun 🙂
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That would be lovely. 🙂
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Happy New Year Darkowaa!
I’ve generally decided to read more than I did last year honestly. That’s my major goal
First off, Ghana literature really is underrated. Last year I purchased books from Awere Damoah and Kofi Akpabli as well as Ruby Goka. Oh and the Logoligi logarithms.! I couldn’t finish each one so I’m trying to do more this year(with school it’s so tough tbh).
Also, I decided to read more self help/inspirational books this year around.
So far so good and I hope I’m able to keep it up.
Thanks for letting us know about your goals for the year!💫
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Hey Tsetsewaa! Happy New year! What year are you in in Tech? I feel you chale, its hard to stay on track with reading in the thick of the school year. So I like to commit to smaller books when I’m in school or short story collections, so I can read a story a day. Yeah, GH lit is underrated and I think we Ghanaians need to patronize more of our peoples’ work – the ones that are available here at least! I like your intention of reading more inspirational books, it would surely help to keep you grounded! Good luck with it all, its doable 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
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I’m in my fifth year; studying architecture😊
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Wow! That’s amazing, because I hear the Tech architecture program is challenging paa. More grace! You got this.
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Challenging! That’s a nice way of putting it lol.
Thank you sweetness!
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I love your title of “reading intentions”. I suppose the nearest thing I have to that is to try and make a dent on my ToBeRead shelves/bookcase. I am not sure how successful I will be though.
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Good luck with getting through the TBR, Nina! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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That’s a nice stack there. I’d love to read Behold the Dreamers this year too since my plan is to read my own books.
I wish you all the best on your reading intentions for the year.
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Behold the Dreamers wasn’t a book I particularly enjoyed last year…. I explain in my review: https://africanbookaddict.com/2017/09/11/behold-the-dreamers-by-imbolo-mbue/. But I’d love to know your thoughts once you’re done! Will look out for your review of it. Thanks! Happy reading to ya, Anais!
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Oh yea, I forgot you’d already reviewed it, but now I remember because your review made me a bit more curious about it.
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Intentions rather than goals – I like your thinking! My main intention for 2018 is to read books I already own and save some money by not buying any. I don’t think I’ll manage it 😀
Wishing you many happy reading hours in 2018!
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Hey! You can put a timeline on the book-buying ban. Maybe avoid buying books for the first 6 months of the year? Its so hard! I tried that last year and failed miserably! But these are good ‘problems’ to have hahaa. Happy reading to you as well, in 2018! 🙂
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Somehow I feel very selfish with regard to not wanting your dental schooling to interfere with your blogging!😂 Is that funny, or what? Seriously, though….Congratulations on being in your 5th year of your 6-year dental program – onward and upward!
You know….I’ve made so many new friends online because of reading…I now have to make an effort to think about what my personal reading intentions are beyond maintaining these connections! Who knew?!
One of my reading intentions for 2018 is re-reading some books. I’m at a point in my life where I read more carefully, and I also have a personal historical perspective that I didn’t have, before. I’m glad you’ve asked these questions, Darkowaa; I’m going to think about it some more….
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Thanks, Leslie! I can’t wait to be done so I can be free to indulge in whatever I want ugh. Isn’t it awesome how many bookish friends we can make online? And it’s too cool how we influence each other’s reading – I love it!! I like that you want to re-read some books in 2018 as well, especially since we interpret text differently after some years. I look forward to your thoughtful posts on some of these re-reads! xx
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