2024 Reading Goals

For the last few years, I have set a reading goal of how many books I want to read. The last couple of years I just set the total count goal on Good Reads to the next round hundred value. Last year I set more specific goals like reading more books by women. Of the 9 other goals that I set last year, I only accomplished 3 of them. This year I’m only going to set 4 ancillary goals for reading this year so I can hopefully do one better than last year, and be more realistic.

Reread 5 Books

In 2024, I want to reread at least 5 books. I don’t often reread books, and I feel like that’s leading to a shallower understanding. I want to pick at least 5 books that I would like to revisit to see if I get more from a second read through.

On deck for this challenge is the Phoenix Project, a novel that explores a fictional case study for DevOps best practices. I remember the first time I read it it really changed my perspective on the flow of work, and how I work with others.

I would also like to revisit In Case of Emergency Break Glass. This book on the philosophy of Fredrick Nietzsche, has a section on building a personal canon by rereading books. That notion has been kicking around my brain for a while, so I’d like to reread some books to see if I would canonize them.

Read 5 Books that were given to me

One of the most popular things to buy me for Christmas and my birthday are books. I have quite the back log of books people have given me that I have not even cracked open. I would like to take the time to get some of them read this year.

I already have finished one book for this goal: If Chins Could Kill a memoir by B-movie actor Bruce Campbell. On deck for this goal is Does Santa Exist? an exploration of epistemology using everyone’s favorite man in red.

Read a book related to each country I plan to visit this year

My wife and I are going to Ireland, Scotland, and France this year. We have the trip mostly booked and planned out already. With that in mind, I’d like to read a bit more about the countries we’re going to before we get there.

On deck I have at least some books already on my shelf that would qualify. I have a book of poems by Robert Burns, a book of Scottish tales, and Ulysses. The later most I’ve had a hard time getting more than a couple chapters into, so I’ll probably have to find something else for Ireland.

Start an Index Card Catalog

I saw a video on this last year. The idea is after reading a book (especially a book that you’ve highlighted or annotated) wait a few weeks, and then write down your highlights/notes onto index cards. I’m thinking about trying something similar but have each note in my Obsidian Vault.

On deck for this would be the Phoenix Project, so I can record a lot of the useful passages that I find on my second read through. I also want to maybe use this as a chance to record a lot of the books that I have substantial Kindle notes for like Slaughterhouse V and Contact.

Final Thoughts

For my 2024 reading goals, I’m also going to try and use this as content for my now page. I’ve been neglecting that page, and if I can’t keep up with it, then maybe it should go away.

Also unlike last year, I’m going to allow books to qualify for multiple goals. That way I hope to get some synergy from rereading books and creating an index card catalog.