A new year is once again upon us, and it is time to start the second decade with the goal to read an average of a book a week for the entire year, totaling 52 books in 52 weeks.

In year one, I only managed to finish 8 books.  Year two doubled that total.  Year three used a few graphic novels to improve once again, finishing with 24.  Year four was the first where I dropped from the year before, only finishing 18 books, which was well short of the ultimate goal.  Year five, I bounced back to finish with 23 books.  Year six, I had my best year since starting this challenge, not to mention my best reading year ever, finishing with 31 books.  In year seven, I matched that high point in total books, though far surpassing it in total pages read thanks to reading the entire Harry Potter series.  Three years ago, I dropped back down to 28.  Two years ago, I finished with my lowest total since 2014, finishing with only 22 books. Last year, I managed to up my total back to 28.

I’m going to give it another go this year.  I’ve got plenty of new books stocked up in the Kindle app on my iPad, not to mention one or two birthday and Christmas presents, so I’ve got a good pile to start with.  As a reminder, the rules I am using are:

• You can count a book as read as long as you have completed the book in 2020 and at least 50% of that reading takes place in 2020
• Any book counts as long as you’re not embarrassed to count it.
• Poetry collections do indeed count.
• Re-reading a book is okay as long as it isn’t done this year. (Reading Twilight twice in 2010 only counts as 1 read)
• Audiobooks also count.

My first book of the year looks like it will be an autobiography of 2020 Ford C. Frick Award winner Ken Harrelson.  All told, 2020 should be another good year.