52 Books a Year Challenge

OVERVIEW
The title pretty much says it all--your goal is to read a book a week, or 52 books in a year. This is something I've done the last few years myself.

WHAT TO DO
Finish 52 books this year. I found it easier to aim for four books per month than a book a week, and usually was reading two or three books at a time. You might want to alternate fiction and nonfiction, focus on a specific genre each month, or try to read four different types of books each month (for instance a mystery, a classic, a memoir, and a humor book). If there's a genre you've never read, ask a friend who loves that genre for recommendations (for instance, if you've never read science fiction/fantasy, ask a friend who loves those books which author they recommend). If you start a book and don't like it, put it aside and try something else. Don't force yourself to finish a book you don't enjoy.

Find a regular time to read that works for you. If you work, it may be during your lunch hour. If you commute, try audio books (they count). I have a colleague who picks a book he loves to read only while walking on the treadmill--it makes his workout fly by and motivates him to exercise. If you have kids, it may be a chapter during naptime, or before you go to sleep after the kids are in bed. You could choose an appropriate novel to read to your kids, a chapter each night. If your kids are older, you may even want to implement a family reading hour where each member of the family reads their own book.

Keep a notebook or a spreadsheet to track your progress listing the author, title, the date you finished, a brief note on what you thought, and your personal rating. You may also want to include copyright year, ISBN, and genre. You'll be surprised by how much you can read when you make a conscious effort, and you'll probably cut back on TV (especially when you find a book you can't put down).