Reading Through Two Centuries

Since the whole husband's job/probably moving thing has things in limbo, and because I didn't get the job I thought I was going to have this fall, and because I'm feeling sort of 'on hold'- I am really excited about the project that I came up with for myself yesterday.

To read a book written in every decade since 1800. (I might go earlier than that, but I haven't decided yet).

This really isn't too much of a stretch for me. I have a degree in history, and I love to read. I'm kind of surprised I didn't think of it before. It was sort of by accident that I came up with it at all (and I realize that this isn't really a new or original idea by any stretch- but its new to me) :).

We have tons of books in the house, but most are still packed in boxes in the basement. When we moved the last time, I realized that we would probably be moving again in a year or two, and books are time consuming to pack and unpack. So we unpacked a box or two of books that we hadn't read and our favorites, put those on the shelves, and left the rest in the basement waiting for when we end up somewhere more permanent.

This has been fine for the most part because I haven't needed any of them. UNTIL we got Jane Eyre on NetFlix and I became obsessed with it. I knew the story line, but had never read/seen it. LOVED IT. Wanted to read it. Knew I had a copy in the basement boxes. Went downstairs to find it.

Couldn't find it.

At least in the few boxes that were accessible without moving a bunch of heavy crap. However, I DID find the Scarlet Letter, Black Beauty, and some Jane Austens. All of which I've read, but not for awhile. Then, because I'm a nerd, I was looking up when those books were written- and that's when I said to myself: 'Self, you should read a book for every decade. That would be fun.' :)

I will probably try to read books I haven't read before for the most part, but I don't mind rereading things I don't feel that I truly appreciated the first time. Like the Scarlet Letter. I read that in high school. I will probably try that one again.

The opening book will be Black Beauty. I read it a million years ago and would like to read it again, and most importantly...I already have it and it doesn't require buying or borrowing or getting in the car.

So, Black Beauty it will be. I'm on page 27.