Goal Accomplished

I think I have not yet blogged this week because I have been waiting in great anticipation of reaching my year-long goal. And, today, I have done it!!!!

If you recall, I posted on January 12 my reading goal for the year. Quite simply to read Shelby Foote’s The Civil War, Volume 2. Most of you might not think that’s a huge deal, but it is 966 pages that covers about two years of the war from Fredericksburg in 1862 into the spring of 1864. All in all, a lot of ground to cover.

I also had a late start in getting on with my goal. In anticipation of our move, I had been packing things we didn’t need to get to as early as the first week of January and that included quite a few of my books. Including this one. But I figured I had plenty of time, so when I unpacked it in March I got started. It is 9 very long chapters (over 100 pages each) but that’s only one a month at an average of 3½ pages a day. Easy peasy. Except I have a terrible habit of going to the library…and signing up to read books to blog about…and generally finding other things to read. But July, I confess I was a little bit behind.

So, once I had finished the most recent pile from the library in August (and when I say pile, I mean like six books at a time to be read in three weeks unless I can renew it), I promised not to check out anymore books until I was caught up. However, that was not a promise I completely kept as I put things on hold that are not yet out and forget about them until I get a text that it’s been published, the library has processed it and it’s waiting for me. Then I have to get it and read it in three weeks (usually less) because there’s a line of people waiting for it after me and I won’t be able to renew it. Still, by the end of September I was not only caught up but ahead…and two months later I’m done!

In truth, these volumes are not difficult to read. He writes in narrative and while some of the facts can be a bit dry, most of the time it is extremely easy to follow and sparks an interest to read further on this battle or that. He stays away from politics except as it forwards the war itself, which is nice (because Abraham Lincoln is a man I want to have about as much to do with as Barack Obama). Once I picked it up, I had trouble putting it down. In fact, I’m about ready to pick up volume 3 and finish the whole narrative…

…except for that stack of books I have waiting at the library!