I've had a reading goal for several years now and I think I've only ever reached it once? I've come close but have fallen short more often than succeeding. I have discovered that having a prescribed list of books to read for the year doesn't really work for me. Sometimes you're not in the mood to read anything you picked out in January, no matter how well intentioned your choices were. Sometimes you need to follow a heavy book up with some excellent YA fiction or a hilarious comedy (Thanks Jim Gaffigan). Sometimes you find an authour and want to read everything they've written. Sometimes an audiobook performer leads you to other works they've performed you've never even heard of.
Anyway, this year my goal was 24 books and I nailed it! As of today, I've read/listened (science says listening counts!) to 33 books. Even without the YA fiction, which Adam maintains shouldn't count, I made it.
They are as follows, in no particular order, with my unsolicited thoughts:
(bold items were audiobooks)
Non Fiction:
1.The Examined Life - I listened to this and thought it was great but it might have been better to read so I could apply the lessons better. It's the same thing I think about Brene Brown books - they need a slow thorough reading in order to absorb properly
2.Why Not Me - I already loved Mindy, this just confirmed my enjoyment of her.
3.Yes Please - I love Amy too. I'm a big fan of comedians who read their own stuff.
4. As You Wish - Delightful. At some point I'd like to read 'Princess Bride' watch the movie and then listen to this again.
5. Upstairs at the White House - enjoyable to the max, so much so that I recommended it to my bestie and my Mother in Law.
6. I am Malala - a Christmas gift from Adam last year. This took me a long time to read because I owned it so it kept getting pushed to the back of the line in favour of books with deadlines.
7. The Big Short - this was shocking, disturbing and disheartening. Everyone should read it.
8. Not my Father’s Son - powerful memoir by Alan Cumming. I thought he did a fantastic job.
9. Dad is Fat - I needed something light and enjoyable after reading about the OJ trial and this was great. Plus, I keep thinking about some of the things he said, both hilarious and meaningful. Well done Jim.
10. The Run of His Life: The People vs O.J Simpson - I watched the mini-series of this earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed the chance to get more into the actual facts. Disheartening when you get down to brass tacks though and the fact that he literally got away with murder. Very accessible.
11. Dead Wake: the Last Crossing of the Lusitania - I've read both 'Devil in the White City' and 'In the Garden of Beasts' by this authour and this was more of the same - his skill at making history come to life is enviable.
Fiction:
12. The Luckiest Girl Alive - this was a hard one but one day I might want to read this with my girls, as a conversation starter.
13. East of Eden - get out! Why have I never read this before? Loved it.
14. The Lake House - Morton delivers enjoyable storylines, even if I HATE jumping between narrators/time periods device.
15. The Girl On The Train - gah! Full of frustrating and unpleasant characters but I could not put it down. Gripping stuff. Reminded me of 'Gone Girl'
16. The Martian - I still haven't watched the movie but now I totally would because the book was enjoyable and funny
17. Redeployment - this book of short stories from a writer who served in Iraq was HARD to read. Very upsetting I kept going though because I felt like I owed it to the people who have real stories like this. I left with my belief reconfirmed: we ask too much of these people. We ask too much of their families.
18. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot - I thought I was getting the book the Tina Fey movie of the same name was based on. Nope. This was science fiction/conspiracy theory and I kept waiting for it to be funny/enlightening. Interesting but I probably wouldn't have picked it up otherwise.
19. Their eyes were watching God - book club delivers again. Loved this.
20. Sunset Song - every time I read this I love it and the place I grew up even more.
21. Laddie - I think this is sort of like the American, Norman Rockwell version of 'Sunset Song'
22. Still Alice - powerful and haunting
23. The French Lieutenant’s Woman - I want to read this again, I didn't care for the audiobook and I wonder if the main character would seem less obnoxious on the page
24. The Client - my first ever Grisham; not as gripping as I had hoped to be honest. Enjoyable, but maybe I've seen too many Grisham movies which might play to all the books strengths making the books seem lackluster by comparison
25. Big Little Lies - Moriarty does enjoyable twists and I loved the accents in this audiobook
YA Fiction
26. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before - fairly enjoyable YA, fast read
27. P.S. I still love you - ditto
28. Wildwood Dancing - a retelling of a fairytale, not my favourite YA of the year, but clean and enjoyable
29. We were Liars - a last minute twist that made me want to re-read the WHOLE book. Those are the best kind
30. Finnick of the Rock - enjoyable fantasy, not enjoyable enough to get me to read others in the series though
31. The truth about forever - meh
32. Eleanor and Park - dark and sad but good.
33. Liesel and Po - this was a Jim Dale audiobook (he read the Harry Potter series)
34. Girl In The Blue Coat - loved this. WWII Amsterdam - tense and twisty and thought provoking.
Wow, that got a lot longer than I intended it to be.
And now, for next year. The goal for 2017 is one book and one book only.
TEAM OF RIVALS
I'm coming for you Kearns Goodwin.
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