Reading Roundup: 2013
(Previous years: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007)
I read 88 books in 2013. This is about 10 less than the previous two years, but still quite a lot of books. As has been the trend for a few years now, the number is padded by the amount of books I read for the Whitney Awards at the beginning of the year.
I only read 8 nonfiction books and 80 fiction books. Although my number of nonfiction books read has been dropping for years, I didn't realize the ratio had become so lopsided. I think there are a number of reasons for this. 23 of the books I read were Whitney Finalists, which are all going to be fiction. I also read more reviews of fiction books, and I often get ideas about what to read next from recommendations on sites like Amazon, so when I read fiction I get recommendations for other fiction. This year and last I have also gravitated toward easier, less literary books because I have used reading more for escape than I used to in the past. I have started a few nonfiction books without finishing them; despite the fact that the topics were really interesting, I just didn't have the time or energy to get through them. Now that I work full-time, and especially since I started graduate school, densely written, lengthy nonfiction just is not that as appealing as it used to be. I read 27 books by men and 61 books by women; this fits with the trend I've noticed in my reading over the years. I tend to read contemporary fiction, historical fiction, romance, and young adult books--all of which are often authored by women (and for some reason I gravitate toward female-authored books).
As usual, here are some of my favorite books (in no particular order):
Fiction:
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Steadman
Blame by Michelle Huneven
The Innocents by Francesca Segal
My Loving Vigil Keeping by Carla Kelly
Dancing on Broken Glass by Ka Hancock
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
World War Z by Max Brooks
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
The Reluctant Blogger by Ryan Rapier
All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry
Nonfiction:
Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo'
Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
I only watched 16 movies this year--it's my lowest total yet. I've just been busy and the kids go to bed at a later time than they used too. Maybe in a few years when I'm done with school I'll start watching movies again. My favorites from this year are:
Zero Dark Thirty
Silver Linings Playbook
Lars and the Real Girl
The Saratov Approach
I read 88 books in 2013. This is about 10 less than the previous two years, but still quite a lot of books. As has been the trend for a few years now, the number is padded by the amount of books I read for the Whitney Awards at the beginning of the year.
I only read 8 nonfiction books and 80 fiction books. Although my number of nonfiction books read has been dropping for years, I didn't realize the ratio had become so lopsided. I think there are a number of reasons for this. 23 of the books I read were Whitney Finalists, which are all going to be fiction. I also read more reviews of fiction books, and I often get ideas about what to read next from recommendations on sites like Amazon, so when I read fiction I get recommendations for other fiction. This year and last I have also gravitated toward easier, less literary books because I have used reading more for escape than I used to in the past. I have started a few nonfiction books without finishing them; despite the fact that the topics were really interesting, I just didn't have the time or energy to get through them. Now that I work full-time, and especially since I started graduate school, densely written, lengthy nonfiction just is not that as appealing as it used to be. I read 27 books by men and 61 books by women; this fits with the trend I've noticed in my reading over the years. I tend to read contemporary fiction, historical fiction, romance, and young adult books--all of which are often authored by women (and for some reason I gravitate toward female-authored books).
As usual, here are some of my favorite books (in no particular order):
Fiction:
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Steadman
Blame by Michelle Huneven
The Innocents by Francesca Segal
My Loving Vigil Keeping by Carla Kelly
Dancing on Broken Glass by Ka Hancock
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
World War Z by Max Brooks
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
The Reluctant Blogger by Ryan Rapier
All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry
Nonfiction:
Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo'
Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
I only watched 16 movies this year--it's my lowest total yet. I've just been busy and the kids go to bed at a later time than they used too. Maybe in a few years when I'm done with school I'll start watching movies again. My favorites from this year are:
Zero Dark Thirty
Silver Linings Playbook
Lars and the Real Girl
The Saratov Approach
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