In grade two we had a reading challenge. The challenge was simple: read a book, fill out a slip with the title, author and your parents signature (verifying you had in fact read it) and receive a sticker. The stickers filled a caterpillar. When your caterpillar had 100 stickers you got a free taco lunch.
I'm hazy on the specifics but I think I earned a few taco lunches that year. Eight years old and slightly shy, a little nerdy, I adored the world at my fingertips in books. I have vacillated in my reading over the years, becoming more dedicated to the act of reading in the last few. I'm learning - as with most important things - I simply need to prioritize my time in order to allow for reading in places I normally wouldn't. Mid- year I instituted x3 / weekly "Happy Hour" where I carved out 45-60 minutes to read at the end of my work day before dinner/ night training/ adult chores. Sometimes I would have a beer or a glass of wine with said Happy Hour. Sometimes the happiness would just be in having the time to read. As a result, I was able to double my six month reading tally (the front half of the year I read around 15 books, I slammed almost 38 into the back half). I'm still working off of the lists of some of my most respected reading friends; Crystal, Katie, Cait and Rhi. These women and a few others provided me with huge literary works to cross off my list. I am working them slowly, but mindfully picking what I'd like to read.
Nerdy as it sounds, I focused my efforts on efficiency (this included mastering the City of Calgary Public Library online reservation system. It's fantastic) and priority. I know not every year in my life I will be able to read the way I can now, but I feel a hightened sense of awareness of the fragility of life after the past 365 days. If not now, when? If I want to read 100 books one year, why not 2016 instead of the year I retire? better yet, why not both years? Post on goals for the new year is forthcoming, but for now here is the full list of what I read in 2015. Note: *bc indicates book club and ** indicates my favourite reads.
Goldfinch DONNA TARTT
Orange is the New Black PEPER KERMAN
Crazy Rich Asians KEVIN KWAN
Z: Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald THERESE FOWLER
Pro Cycling on $10 a Day PHIL GAIMON
The Nasty Bits ANTHONY BOURDAIN
The Cuckoo's Calling ROBERT GALBRAITH
Not that Kind of Girl LENA DURHAM
Shadow of Night DEBORAH HARKNESS
Ascent of Women SALLY ARMSTRONG *bc
Uganda Be Kidding Me CHELSEA HANDLER
Heat BILL BULFORD
Pigeon English STEPHEN KELMAN * bc
Silkworm ROBERT GALBRAITH
There is Cake in My Future KIM GRUENENFELDER
10% Happier DAN HARRIS
All the Light We Cannot See ANTHONY DOEER
Night Circus ERIN MORGENSTERN **
Travels with Epicurus DANIEL KLEIN
Flight Behaviour BARBARA KINGSOLVER *bc
I Take You ELIZA KENNEDY
The Next Best Thing JENNIFER WEINER
The Valley of Amazement AMY TAN
An Unquiet Mind KAY REDFIELD JAMISON *bc
Spinster KATE BOLICK
#GirlBoss SOPHIA AMORUSO **
Seabiscuit LAURA HILLENBRAND *bc
Eileen OTTESSA MOSHFEGH
When God Was a Rabbit SARAH WINMAN
Girls in White Dresses JENNIFER CLOSE
Worst. Person. Ever. DOUGLAS COUPLAND
The Girl on the Train PAULA HAWKINS **
Everybody Rise STEPHANIE CLIFFORD
They Left Us Everything PLUM JOHNSON *bc
The Summer of Good Intentions WENDY FRANCIS
The Heiresses SARA SHEPARD
Adultery PAULO COELHO
Where All The Light Tends to Go DAVID JOY **
The Interestings MEG WOLITZER
Devil in the White City ERIK LARSON *bc
The Boston Girl ANITA DIAMANT **
Baby Proof EMILY GIFFIN
Reckless CHRISSIE HYNDE
The Mountain Story LORI LANSENS
Lake House KATE MORTON **
Hausfrau JILL ALEXANDER ESSBAUM
Welcome to Night Vale JOSEPH FINK, JEFFREY CRANOR *bc **
Yes Please AMY POEHLER
The Paying Guests SARAH WATERS
Landing Gear KATE PULLINGER
Year of Marvellous Ways SARAH WINMAN
how timely is this? I just posted asking for more book suggestions- will read your faves. I managed 18 books (plus one more but I finished it Jan 1 so counting it for 2016).
My fave reads this year:
The Boys in the Boat (Daniel James Brown)- a bit too descriptive in a few spots but super motivating
The Terrible and wonderful reasons I run long distances (The Oatmeal)- graphic novel
Chris Guillebeau- The Art of Non-Conformity
Bill Bryson- A walk in the woods (read this then lets do a 3 month hiking trip together ok??)
Graeme Simsion- THe Rosie Project
Tina Fey- Bossypants
Ransom Riggs- Library of Souls (3rd in a series of 3 books)
Happy Reading.
Ps 51 books- you inspire me! This year was a record of 18 😉