2019 Rambling Roads Reading Adventure

Lady Enchanted by Josephine Wall

Happy New Year and welcome to another round of Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks. Our reading quest began ten years ago and during that period of time, our armchair travels have taken us all over the world and back again.  This year we are going to ramble and rove around the globe, follow multiple rabbit trails. Whether you are a fan of fiction or nonfiction, like to juggle multiple books at once, love to reread favorite authors over and over, explore different genres, new to you authors, or stick to the tried and true, this is the place for you.   

I know what you're thinking.  The goal is to read 52 books so you'll aim to read at least one book a week.  However, there are books that take longer than a week to read. And there are some books that can be read in two or three hours.   I don't want anyone to sacrifice quality for quantity by reading a short book just to make the goal for the week.  Read what you want, explore and dive into those longer books, engage your mind and soul and don't worry.  Do your best, challenge yourself and see what happens.   

To aid us in our reading adventures, we have several optional challenges to entice you.   Follow in the footsteps of  bookish detectives, sleuths, and private eyes with our spelling and reading challenge,  Whodunit Bookology.  Traverse different times, places, or spaces with another round of 52 Books Bingo.  Delve into the world of music and silence with The Sound of Silence.   

We have a few perpetual challenges including our Brit Trip Adventure along the Roman roads of England.  Snoop along with  Agatha Christie or dig into great books with Susan Wise Bauer's Well Educated Mind or the Nobel Prize Winners.   Explore the world of science fiction and fantasy with Mind Voyages or Feed Your Muse with poetry, essays and short stories. Read alphabetically with Alphabet Soup, or answer the call of those Dusty and Chunky books sitting on your shelves.  

Plus I'll introduce various mini challenges throughout the year to tickle your reading taste buds. As always, you may choose to travel along with me or follow your own path.  

Are you ready to go?  Grab your backpacks and a new pair of walking shoes, a map to all the bookstores and libraries around the world and get ready to ramble as we wander through the centuries and continents and across the seas and outer space.   

I'm headed to the other side of the world to the far eastern shores of the continent of Asia where traditionally we start out the year with Haruki Murakami, a fan favorite of many 52 Book a Week readers.  I have Kafka on the Shore and Killing Commendatore as well as a dusty and chunky book  - James Michener's The Source  -  which has been calling my name for quite a while.

“I still love books. Nothing a computer can do can compare to a book. You can't really put a book on the Internet. Three companies have offered to put books by me on the Net, and I said, 'If you can make something that has a nice jacket, nice paper with that nice smell, then we'll talk.' All the computer can give you is a manuscript. People don't want to read manuscripts. They want to read books. Books smell good. They look good. You can press it to your bosom. You can carry it in your pocket.”  ― Ray Bradbury

My shelves are overflowing with dusty books. They kept having babies, because I like to keep my books rather than use the library.   I amused myself last year reading way too many ebooks. So my plan this year is I can only read one ebook for every two physical books.  Plus I'm extending my book buying ban which includes those tantalizing freebie virtual books, through June. New releases from your 'I can't stand it, they published a new book in the series, what am I going to do, he or she is my favorite author' are certainly allowed. *grin*   Join me in clearing your tbr shelves and see how long you can go without buying a new book. 

  

~Cheers to a wonderful new reading year~ 

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For the first week, link to your I'm participating post, reading plans or to your most current review. Please link to your specific  post and not your general blog link. In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis. In the Your URL field leave a link to your specific post. If you don't have a blog, leave a comment telling us what you have been reading.   Every week I will put up  Mister Linky's Magical Widget for you to link to your reviews.   No matter what book you are reading or reviewing at the time, whether it be # 1 or # 5 or so on, add your link to the current week's post.   The linking widget will close at the end of each book week.