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Thursday, January 2, 2020

8 Years Old!

Babbling Books is eight years old today! The term often used for these milestones is blogiversary. Time seems like it is passing so quickly. It feels like it was just yesterday that I started the blog. 

Every year I thank the blogging community. I think that it is very important to do so. What makes my blog worthwhile is the people who read it and who comment here. I want to that everyone who spends time at my site. I especially want to thank the people who leave comments. My commenters are fantastic. So that you everybody who reads and comments here. 

It is also the New Year. In the past, I have never been one to make resolutions or change directions at this time of year. If I wanted to change something, I usually would do so whenever I thought to do it. However, this New Year has gotten me to thinking. Over the past year I have been reading more than a few books that focused on current social issues and the debates that surround them. While this has not been a bad direction to go in, and I feel that I gained knowledge and insight from these books, reading time is very precious.  Personally, I place greater value reading books that will be applicable ten years from now, or even one hundred years from now, over books whose ideas have a shorter shelf life. I cannot read everything that I want to so I have to pick and choose. Thus, I will likely read and post about less of these current – issue works and instead concentrate more on books that I deem to be more centered upon universal themes. That does not mean that I will completely refrain from reading books on current topics. In fact, there is one in particular, that will be published in the coming months, that I want to read and will likely want to post about. However, I will likely read less of them. 

In addition, I would like to read more books. However, I have a busy life and limited time will make this goal a little more difficult to attain. In past years I have also set out to read more and have done so. I managed to succeed in this by being more efficient with my time and devoting more time to reading. Because of these past efforts I have already plucked a lot of low hanging fruit in terms of wasted time.  Thus it will now be more difficult to increase my reading time. With that, I will try to read at least a little more in  2020. Those are my bookish thoughts and goals for the coming year. 

I hope that everyone has a fruitful and enjoyable reading year in 2020. I am looking forward to further reading adventures myself. Happy reading everyone!

70 comments:

CyberKitten said...

Happy Blogiversary Brian! I'm looking forward (as always) to see what you find and what you think about it - and the comments from others! I don't always comment myself but I do always read your posts. Here's to the NEXT 8 years!

Kathy's Corner said...

Hi Brian, Congratulations on your 8th year Blogiversary! You have a wonderful book blog and I am always eager to find out what you are reading next and what you have to say about the book. Your posts are so insightful and excellently written and they always make me think.

In 2020 I too want to read more than I have been and I get what you mean about wanting to read books that have stood the test of time. I'm thinking instead of current non fiction dealing with contemporary issues, classic nonfiction may be the way to go in 2020. Can for example Reflections on the Revolution in France teach us about today or Frederick Douglass' autobiography?

I hope you have plans to continue Babbling Books for another 8 years and beyond because I will certainly keep reading what you have to say.

*ೃ༄ Jillian said...

Congrats on eight years!

Sandi said...

Have a happy new year! I enjoy reading your blog.

Lory said...

Happy New Year Brian, and I look forward to more of your thoughts, whatever you choose to read.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Happy Blogoversary! I hope you keep reading and blogging for many, many more!

Dorothy Borders said...

Congratulations on the eighth anniversary of your blog. That is a formidable accomplishment. I hope 2020 brings you more thoughtful and pleasurable reading that fits the guidelines of your goals and I look forward to reading your excellent reviews of those books.

Scott W. said...

Happy 8th Blogiversary, Brian! The desire to read more and the challenge of limited time is, I think, universal among readers. I hope you succeed in your goals for this year!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks CyberKitten. I have some interesting books coming up!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks so much Kathy. I think that quality fiction, both classic and contemporary, as well as non - fiction, such as history and philosophy can tell us a lot about our current world.

I think that both The Frederick Douglass auto biography and Reflections on The Revolution in France can teach us a lot.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks so much Jillian!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks so much Sandi!

Brian Joseph said...

Happy New Year Lory and thank you.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Debra!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks so much Dorothy! Happy reading!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks so much Scott. We readers do talk a lot about finding more reading time.

mudpuddle said...

Admire your longevity! hope to read your blog for another 8 yrs.... (if i'm still here, that is... haha)

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Muddpuddle. Hopefully I will also make some it myself!

kaggsysbookishramblings said...

Congratulations! That's some achievement! :D

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Kaggy!

Marian H said...

Congrats Brian!! I really enjoy the scope and nuance of your reviews, and am glad you plan to keep sharing your reading experiences with us. (Also, that cake looks amazing.)

thecuecard said...

Happy Blogiversary Brian. 8 years is a good chunk of time, well committed. I look forward to whatever you read & post about in 2020. It's nice discussing issues here. All the best in the year ahead.

Stephen said...

Congratulations on the anniversary, Brian! I look forward to your future reads and insights.

Judith said...

Brian, Wishing you congrats on your anniversary! May you have many unexpected, additional hours of reading in 2020! Well, you could get a bad cold, maybe?? Not wishing you illness, of course, just more reading hours.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Marian - The cake was baked by my wife for Christmas.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Sue - It is really neat that we can dig into issues, sometimes controversial ones here.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Stephen!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Judith. I actually injured my leg around New Years. I was stuck at home and I did enjoy it a bit.

Whispering Gums said...

Congratulations Brian, I really enjoy reading your blog, partly because you tend to read a little differently - I mean different things - from what many blogs I follow read - and partly of course for your interesting commentary on what you read.

I don't make any resolutions either, really, except a quiet wish to myself to read more. I failed spectacularly in 2019 - not quite sure why, but maybe more trips to Melbourne to visit our new-ish grandchild had something to do with it! Surely I will read more this year - I'd hate to slip back even more!!

I understand your comment too on your choice of reading - for bigger universal themes. I would say that's my preference too. Some current issues books can do both, but some feel very much of the time don't they.

Anyhow, congrats again on 8 years, a big thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog so regularly, and all the best for 2020.

JacquiWine said...

Congratulations on your blogging anniversary, Brian; eight years is quite an achievement! Wishing you all the best for 2020, especially with your reading goals and plans,
Best,
Jacqui

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks WG. Even this year my resolutions are now t about really difficult things that need to change.

A new grandchild is actually a good reason to read less!

Happy New Year!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Jacqui- All the best to you and yours!

James said...

Congratulations on your 8th blogging anniversary. I appreciate your engaging commentary on reading and certainly identify with your thoughts regarding making more time for reading. I'd love to tack on some more hours in each day, but the Earth keeps spinning away at the same rate so I guess I'll have to leave some books by the wayside.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks James. When I was much younger I thought that there was time to get to every book that I had the remotest interest in reading. Sadly it is no so.

HKatz said...

Happy New Year! And thanks for continuing to post to your wonderful blog. I find your reviews thoughtful, and I've gotten excellent recommendations from you.

I know what you mean about books regarding current social issues (even though some of them feel like they will still be relevant a decade or more from now). There are some that I think could be distilled into a well-written feature article in a magazine.

Stephen said...

Sympathies on the leg, Brian! My achilles tendon on my right foot was suddenly inflamed on Christmas Eve, and I'm still hobbling a bit. It's awful when you're used to being active!

Suko said...

Happy blogiversary, Brian Joseph! I enjoy reading your thoughtful posts, and hope you will blog about books for many more years.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Stephen - It is not a hundred percent but it is much better.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Suko! I hope to be around a bit longer.

baili said...

Happy birthday to your valuable blog dear Brain

i consider myself fortunate to find this blog as it fulfills my thirst for reading as i am away from proper reading since years and miss those times when i had book in my hands most of the time

i hope history will repeat itself when kids are on their own and household won't take much time

basically i am keen to know almost everything happening on this planet and in our lives ,i think i will enjoy your universal picks as much as i did about current issues
wishing you BEST OF LUCK FOR FUTURE READING ,hope you manage to reach your goals successfully !
may you have happy new year blessed with health ,peace and happiness,amen!

the bookworm said...

Happy blogiversary Brian and congratulations! I always enjoy your insightful and well written posts. I know, there is never enough time to read all the books we would like to and it can be hard to pick and choose which ones to read. Imagine adding up all the books we read in our lifetimes, it's fascinating to think about.
Happy reading and Happy New Year!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks so much for your kind words Baili. I also hope that you can get back to reading as you see changes in your life. Reading really is a way to know things and there is so much to know!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Naida. One can try to compile one’s lifetime reading on Goodreads. I am actually trying but it is hard to remember everything

Have a happy New Years!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Hila. Some books about current issues will have staying power, but some, even some good ones, may not have staying power. Sounds me are also very long winded.

Sharon Wilfong said...

Happy anniversary Brian! You have written one of my favorite blogs! I and look forward to the new direction you're taking. I'm sure I will benefit from reading your future posts.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks so much Sharon. Hopefully I did not give too much of a wrong impression. I will just be posting about less current event orientated books.

Susan Kane said...

Huzzah for your eight year bloganniversity! Your blogs and insights on your reading has been a cause of growing for me. The books chosen have made me pull some long buried connections from my brain.

Blogging was an impetus for me to write with a purpose. Writing has been part of my life since I was eight years old. Then I could send out my words to other writers.

What books are next?

Nine years! You can do it.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks so much Susan. As for what books are next, I am currently reading or writing about Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, George Eliot’s Adam Bede, Wilkie Collins&s Woman in White and Stephanie Jones-Rogers‘s They Were Her Property.

So many books, so little time said...

Happy blogaversary and happy new year Brian. You read a lot of books I have never heard of nor likely to have stumbled upon myself, I always enjoy coming and seeing your thoughts. Looking forward to seeing where your new choices take you and here is to many many more years of blogging and reading xxx

Lainy http://www.alwaysreading.net

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Lainy. I may hand given the wrong impression. My book choices will likely not be too different going forward.

RTD said...

Happy, happy birthday from an old but long absent visitor and fellow blogger ....
https://sherlockholmesonthegulfcoast.blogspot.com/
Tim Davis

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks RT. Good to see you active again!

Rachel said...

Good luck on your goals, Brian!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Rachel!

Stefanie said...

A belated happy 8 years! Well done! Good luck with your goals for the year. I am curious to see where they take you!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Stefanie.

The Liberty Belle said...

Happy Blogiversary! I enjoy my visits to your blog. Your insights and reviews speak to me and I look forward to the next 8 years to come!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks so much Belle!

Caroline said...

Happy Anniversary. I think I already said it in Twitter.
Eight years. Hard to believe. This years marks my tenth anniversary. Maybe I’ll celebrate.
All the best for the next years.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Caroline - Congratulations on ten years.


Happy reading!

Paula Vince said...

Happy blogiversary! Eight years sure can pass like a snap of the fingers, but what a lot of books you've read in that time. It does reach a point where we begin to realise we won't have enough years left to read all the books, which a blogiversary can't help highlighting :)

I look forward to more book sharing in 2020.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Paula. Indeed I will not even come close to reading all the books that I want to read.

bookertalk said...

Congratulations on your 8th birthday. It's quite an achievement when you think how much effort it requires to keep a blog active. I find it hard enough and I am no longer working so how full time employees, parents or carers manage it I just can't imagine.
I'd love to read more but I also know that would mean giving up lots of other activities like volunteering or the gym. Dilemma!!

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Karen. I have actually given up some activities like most television shows in order to read more. The main reason that I average about ten days between posts is busyness including work.

JaneGS said...

Happy anniversary - I've enjoyed reading your posts and riding along on your reading journey. I find book blogging to be rewarding and enriching in so many ways, not the least being being exposed to different points of views and perspectives.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Jane. Book blogging is the indeed an enriching experience.

Carol said...

Hi Brian, congratulations on your blogging anniversary! Look forward to reading more of your reviews in 2020. It's always a pleasure to read your blog.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks so much Carol.

Captivated Reader said...

Happy blogiversary!! Nice reading goals for 2020.

Brian Joseph said...

Thanks Captivated Reader.