On collecting and storing books like a fine wine.📚

My seasonal reading plan for 2024

Hello, friend.

I want to talk about books. I love books. I love reading. And I have a huge stack of “to-be-read” books beside my bed. For some reason, though, I don’t prioritize reading, so my TBR pile just gets larger - because, of course, I don’t stop buying books every now and then. Hehe.

In the beginning of the year, I see lots of people setting these crazy amazing huge reading goals. I have never ever set a reading goal for the year. It’s just way too much pressure for me. Even though I love to read, at best, I usually read, 3 maybe 4, books per year over the last I don’t know how many years.

In any case, setting a goal has felt completely unreasonable to me. I don’t want to feel like I’ve let myself down and I don’t want my reading list to just be another to do list. So, instead, I have just gone with my intuition. And read whenever the mood strikes me and feels right. And let my to-be-read stacks slowly grow as I slowly, slooooowly make my way through them.

And that has worked ok. Until now. Now, I find myself craving more reading, more books, more inspiration. I really want to prioritize reading and make time for it.

A few weeks ago, my partner ran across a random post on Instagram and shared it with me, and I cannot let go of an idea that was sparked by said Instagram post.

Basically, it was a photo of a magazine stand on the corner of a European city street filled with art, papers, and magazines. But it was the quote laid over the photo that got my attention:

"Think not of the books you've bought as a "to be read" pile. Instead, think of your bookcase as a wine cellar. You collect books to be read at the right time, the right place, and the right mood."

My immediate reaction was, “YES!” I felt like I had just stumbled upon the greatest book-focused life hack ever. It’s time to create a mindset that inspires me to collect and curate and save books like fine wines. Waiting and trusting that the right moment, the right evening, the right time to pull a book off of the shelf will come just when it is meant to come. It’s brilliant!

If you think about it, collecting books is like collecting fine wines. They are meant to sit and age. Their words only get better as the years pass. They are meant to adorn the shelves of my bookcase and the floor beside my bed, and the top of my nightstand, for they are unique and beautiful and elegant and meant to be savored at just the right time.

So,I no longer have a TBR (to-be-read) list. I have a book cellar. My bookcase is my book cellar.

Then, as the new year got underway, I picked up a book to begin reading during the dreamy, liminal days of early January(Wintering, by

Katherine May

). As I read, I remembered a Substack post I stumbled upon last year sometime about seasonal reading. Of course, sadly, I cannot remember who wrote it. But, I immediately knew that I wanted to make a plan for reading with the seasons this year.

So, I sat down and looked through my books. I gathered some newly bought/gifted to me books, looked through my book wish list, and pulled some books off the shelves that have been gathering dust and aging like old fine wines for some years.

Then, I made a chart in my Notes on my phone with the 8 seasonal festivals on the wheel of the year. The special days that mark a shift in the energy of nature. And, I thought, “I’m gonna read one book per season”. That is, I am going to read 8 books this year. And then I planned out and matched books with seasons.

I know that technically that means that I just set a goal for myself, but it doesn’t feel like that. It feels more like a way of living with the seasons. And, that, I know how to do.

So, these are the books that I have written down as possible reads in 2024. The ones with a “?” are ones that I do not own. So, I am not sure if I am going to buy them, find something else that I already have waiting in my book cellar, or stumble upon another book that might feel better at that specific time.

As for the books I already have on my bookcase and have planned to read this year, I am pretty certain about my February and March choices. After that, I don’t feel like anything is set in stone. My notes and book/season pairings are more ideas and feelings I have right now.

If you are a reader, my friend, and have a suggestion that might fit a specific season please, please, please leave a comment below and share your recommendation with me. I would love to hear if you have any ideas on books that you think would be the perfect seasonal read. Or, you can just share any ole recommendation you want - seasonal or not! I’ll gladly take any suggestions at all.

I cannot wait to read my way through this year. Amazingly, I have already finished my first book, Wintering. So, I’m moving on to another finely aged book that’s been on my bookcase for years. It’s not on my list above, so it’ll be an extra one. And I’m pretty sure I’ll get through it before it’s time for my February book. Who knows how many books I may read this year?!

Of course, it’s not about the number of books I read, but more about using my beloved bookcase (and bedside table) as a book cellar, choosing the perfect book to match each seasonal mood all year long.

And with that, I’ll close this Friday evening letter and wish you a lovely wintry weekend. I do believe that I will find myself curled up with a blanket, a book, and a glass of wine at some point before the weekend comes to a close.

Take good care, love. Until the full moon next week.

xoxo. liz.

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follow the seasons with the belovelive wheel of the year