Actually, I have a batch of resolutions for the new year, but I’m going to mention only the one I might have a chance of achieving:

Reading one book per week in 2011. Fifty-two books by the end of the year.

Already have one down, and I’m only three days into the year.

Now, granted, the book I finished isn’t what you might think of as literature — “Bad Luck and Trouble,” No. 11 in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child.

I have been racing through the Reacher series, which probably hasn’t broadened my horizons. The former Army MP “walks the Earth” killing bad guys. I think the series is 15 books long, and I’ve read 1-11 and 14, so the end is near.

I would prefer to read something with a reputation. Such as “Lord of the Flies,” which I got through a few weeks ago and was underwhelmed by.  Perhaps the concept of British boys reverting to savagery in a matter of weeks was sensational in the 1950s, but a big “no kidding” in the 21st century.

I did this one-a-week thing once before … in 2005, I’m going to say. One book per week. I kept a list. I wonder where it went. Probably in storage. I believe I made it — 52 books in 52 weeks. Those books were a little more upmarket. I recall at least two by Gunter Grass, and some Hemingway …

Might be a bigger test to be as ambitious this time, limited as I am to Kindle books. (Don’t want to collect books in Abu Dhabi because it’s impossible to take a library “home” with you, assuming I go back to California some day. And English-language books here are expensive.)

I have both “Lord Jim” and “Moby Dick” in the Kindle … and I’ve never gotten more than a few pages into either. And i could try to finish “Dune” for about the 12th time. Conked out about halfway through, again, in 2010. I’dhave better luck finishing “Catch 22,” probably.

So,  anyway, my attempt at self-improvement this year. A book a week. I’ll let you know how it turns out.