I follow a number of Canadian writers on Twitter, and one of them is Amanda Reaume. She reads an astonishing number of books, and knows the Canadian Literary scene as well as anyone.  Way back in 2018, on December 29, she tweeted:

Are we talking resolutions already? I have New Year’s Resolutions! Only they’re not focused on ACHIEVEMENTS or SELF-IMPROVEMENT but on doing more things that bring me joy. Instead of making resolutions that make you feel bad about yourself, make some that will make you HAPPIER.

She then listed the things that will help to make her happy. That got me thinking about some of the things that will make me happy in 2019. So here is what I tweeted back as my resolutions (Trigger Warning!!! – it involves a lot of books):

Senate House, University of London, where I will likely defend the dissertation.

Once I have submitted my PhD dissertation . . .

1) I will write that pot-boiler novel that’s been rolling around in my head. It will be awful and unpublishable, but I’ll have fun and learn a lot.

2) I will read The Brothers Karamazov.

3) I will read books by Anne Michaels, Richard Wagamese, Esi Edugyan and other Canadians.

4) Now that I am in Greece, I will read a short book in modern Greek.

The beginning of an old Greek story, translated into modern English by Prof. Wilson

5) I will finish reading Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey, and then I’ll reread James Joyce’s Ulysses.

6) I will eat more Greek food (and keep losing weight).

7) I will swim in the Mediterranean Sea on a weekly basis.

8) I will make a host of new friends here in Greece , and we will go to tavernas and breaking bread together.

9) I will go for more walks and hikes with the love of my life.

Graffiti in Heraklion, Crete, Greece

10) I will work to empower those who are oppressed, whether with refugees, survivors of sexualized violence, or some other group.

11) Finally, I will read some CanLit authors recommended by @a_h_reaume in her tweets, because they are undoubtedly good!