Keep a Reading List! (WTRW)

Welcome to my weird post for What to Read Wednesday, where I don’t just recommend a reading topic; I recommend tracking what you read. (This week’s topic for the round-up is Scarecrows and there are some really fun posts going on— keep reading to the bottom to find the links!) You probably think you don’t get to read much (and maybe you don’t), but if you actually write down what you were reading, it might surprise you! You know how we’ve heard that writing down everything you eat will shock you at the end of the day (usually in a bad way – amiright?). There’s a good shock to be had with a similar list of books.

I have done this throughout my life in different forms. As a teenager, I even kept a spiral notebook of what I read, and included a detailed review of the books (Yeah, I was that kid. Remember: I was a homeschooler before it was cool.) I also kept basic lists in journals and notebooks, and have even done some picture journaling (but since I’m a terrible artist, I gave that up quickly).

I finally came up with the 21st century way to keep track of my reading list: Pinterest!

Here’s why I like it:

1. It’s right there on Pinterest, duh. I’m on there fairly often, if you know what I mean.
2. I have a board for each year, and the books are pinned in the order I read them.
3. I can link to the book on a website, so both my followers and I can click and read about it, order, etc.
4. If something ever happens to me, it’s public. My friends and family can look back and say, “Aw, look what she read last year.” Or something sentimental like that.
5. A Pinterest board won’t get misplaced or have something spilled on it. It’s just there in cyberspace. Hopefully that means it’s forever. (Fingers crossed. I’m not even sure about the internet being forever, which is actually the subject of next week’s post.)

You can see my 2015 Book List and my 2016 Book List.

By keeping lists like this, instead of lamenting that I didn’t have time to read much, I realized I was actually reading a lot! And seeing that list there encourages me to make it longer. So I read some more.

A reading list is something I’ve encouraged my children to do, as well. As we read through history/science, we’re keeping a list of the books they read (or that I read to them). It’s amazing even for them to look back at how many there are!

Did you know that many famous names (and quite possibly some not-so-famous names) kept lists of what they read? Here are just a few:

• Read Theodore Rooservelt’s reading list at The Art of Manliness, as well as the reading list of Thomas Jefferson.
• See what Jane Austen read at BBC.
• See a gallery of current leaders in industry and their bookshelves.
• Read what George Washington had in his library

But what if you (or your children) don’t like to read? It’s hard to amass a list of great books, right? By all means, NO! If you’re new here, then you’ve never heard me talk about Audible. It’s like being read to all the time. It’s perfect for kids who can’t read well or don’t like to read, and for adults who don’t like to read or don’t have a lot of free time to lounge on the couch. I am convinced that non-readers can still be “readers” by listening to audiobooks.

Here’s what I’ve been listening to this month:

 

I’ve also written a post (with a tutorial) on 5 Ways to Use Audible in Your Homeschool! If you haven’t tried Audible yet, click here (affiliate link) to sign up and get TWO free books to start!

 

The usual freebie is only one book. And if you see something in my list you’d like to listen to, I can send it to you for FREE! That’s a total of three free books right away.

So, do you keep a book list? Do you use a method I haven’t mentioned? What’s on it? Share with us in the comments!

Now, for the rest of What to Read Wednesday!

The most popular post from last week was:

Geography Reading Books from HighHill Education

And now for the link up!

Our hosts will still share a themed selection of our favorite books each week.

If you’d like to join us as a co-host for What to Read Wednesday, please contact Anne.

This list has our book themes, but you don’t have to stick to that to link up–any family-friendly posts are welcome. So, come on! Join in the fun!

If you’d like to link back to What to Read Wednesday, here is a pretty button for you!

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Welcome to my blog! I live in Texas with my husband and five children, and a wild assortment of dog, cats, chickens, and ducks. I’m a second-generation homeschooler, a book lover, and history enthusiast. I gush about all of these things on this blog, and I hope to share the love with you! Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Join my subscriber list for access to my FREE Download Library:

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