August 25, 2015

Where I've Been Reading: A Mapping Update


I've fallen woefully behind on my project to map the locations of all the books I'm reading this year. As you can see, I've read 98 books this year, but I've only mapped 29 of them. Granted some nonfiction titles without specific locations are hard to map... but I'm still about 50 books behind. And, I haven't even started my usual annual book stats spreadsheet!

So I'm not sure if it's all worth the effort. I do love the book stats posts I do at the end of the year (pie charts are the best!), so part of me wants to hurry up and make a spreadsheet. But the other part of me just thinks that it isn't worth it. It would take several hours to catch up at this point - and maybe I should spend those hours reading different books instead!

What I will say about the mapping challenge is that it's made me quite conscious of the setting of the books I'm reading. And, whenever possible, I'm selecting the more unusual locale. For example: in this month's batch of books for Shelf Awareness, there were mysteries set in London, Philadelphia, Greece, and South Africa. I chose to read the Greek and South African ones - and they were both great. (Icarus by Deon Meyer and Devil of Delphi by Jeffrey Siger, for the curious among you.)

So I'm glad that I set the mapping goal, even if I don't keep up with it fully, since it's making me more aware of what I'm reading. But, the checklist loving part of me is still kind of sad about not making all my graphs and charts this year! Maybe I'll get a babysitter some afternoon soon, and spent a couple hours doing bookish data entry...


Are YOU keeping book stats?
Do YOU have trouble quitting goals?