A Resolution.

I have been thinking, these past few months, that I need to get back into reading. Not that I don't read. I read instructions, teachers' manuals, e-mails, and even some novels, if I've assigned them to Mary. But reading for my own fun or even edification has been rare for the past, um, five years or so. I've been trying to come up with a scheme, a plan, a project, to encourage me to read.

Well, someone came up with one for me. I found a blog at Medieval Bookworm which announced a Tournament of Reading for 2010. For those of you not inclined to follow links, she is challenging readers to read at least 3 medieval books; "medieval" meaning 500-1500, and literature from all over the world is included. Seems many people think the Middle Ages happened only in western Europe, while the rest of the world floated in suspended animation or something.

Now, I happen to find that time period the most fascinating of all. And I happen to like western Europe most of all. So I will shoot for reading six books this year. At least one will be a history, one a piece of medieval literature, and one a piece of historical fiction. That will put me at the level of Lord; 3 books of any kind makes one a Peasant, and nine books, at least two of each kind, a King. I may aspire to Kingship, but I'll be content with Lordship (Ladyship?)

Today I started reading a history, titled The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium: An Englishman's World. To be honest, I've read this before, but I remember very little of it. It was one of those times when I should have been reading a children's novel, and I read a history. I'll bet you've had those! So I'm hoping this will "count;" not that anyone, besides, maybe, you, will be checking up on me! I'll try, as the year goes on, to let you know how I'm doing and what I've been reading. Maybe you'll even be interested.

Oh, and if you're interested enough to do this yourself, she has posted a list of suggested titles for reading. Just go to the blog itself, not the post about the Tournament, and page down a few days. They're right there, on December 26!