This year I read 144 books as opposed to 153 the year before. Part of that maybe the length of some of the books I read, I'm reading a Brandon Sanderson series and whenever I get a new book in a series I always reread the previous book in the series, so before reading Words of Radiance (1088 pages) I reread The Way of Kings (1009 pages) and this was true for the Diana Galbaldon series, I reread An Echo in the Bone (850 pages) before I read Written in My Own Heart's Blood (842 pages). The break down of genres is:
127 fiction
17 science fiction/fantasy
18 mysteries
17 non-fiction
12 rereads
I was surprised by how few science fiction/fantasy books I'd read that's generally one of my favorite genres.
I thought I'd break my favorites down by genre this year.
Favorite fiction books:
1. Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn A short, very funny book about language.
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephan Chbosky A YA book that read so true, I was very impressed by it and have recommended it all over the place.
3. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie A semi-autobiographical (but still fiction) book about 2 young men exiled to the Chinese countryside during the Cultural Revolution.
4. House of Mirth by Edith Wharton Love her books and this one is particularly good
5. Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk Where does love end and obsession begin? Set in Istanbul, this story will haunt me for a long time.
6. Doc by Mary Doria Russell A fictionalized account of Doc Holliday's life.
7. Birds Without Wings by Louis de Berniers Another book set in Turkey, it takes place before the start of WWI and the aftermath. Wonderful book.
8. Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce Harold receives a card from a woman he worked with years ago who is no dying. He decides to leave home and walk to see her.
9. Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan Books, a puzzle and Google
Non-Fiction
1. A Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion The year after her husband died, it should have been depressing, but it wasn't.
2. Reading Lolita in Teheran by Azer Nafasi She was a professor in Teheran at the time of the revolution and it was grim.
3. The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman The first month of WWI
4. One Summer America 1927 by Bill Bryson Charles Lindberg, Babe Ruth, Calvin Coolidge, Jack Dempsey ----what a summer
Science Fiction/Fantasy
1. Blackout-All Clear by Connie Willis Two time travel books about researchers traveling back to England during the Second World War and getting stuck there, 2 really good books.
2. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson She keeps getting reborn until she gets it right. Have liked all of Ms Atkinson's books, but for me this was the best one yet.
If I had to name the best book I'd read all year I would say The Guns of August. I knew very little about WWI and the depth of research in this book blew me away. It should be required reading by anyone who thinks they know how to fight a war.
You are truly a reader with purpose. I love that you keep track..I wish I had started that years ago. Also that you have such variety in your reading. You are truly an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteO well done Janet. I can live without TV not though without a book, for there is something about the feel, the smell of a new book and the luxury of being able to sit and read in ones favourite chair.
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