Reading Roundup: 2015
(Previous years: 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007)
I read at total of 84 books this year; this is ten more than last year, but right around my average for the last few years. I didn't read Whitney finalists this year for a number of reasons, but I'm considering it this year. I also set a small goal to read more older, 'classic' books, so I consciously chose about one a month to read or re-read. I think I will do that again this coming year. I tend to gravitate toward fluffier books lately, and while they are fun, I really do enjoy better-written stuff and need to remind myself of this fact when I'm tempted to escape with something mediocre.
I read 67 fiction books and 17 nonfiction books, which seems to be about average for most years for me. I like nonfiction, and think that next year I will try to read even more. I also think I might spend the next few months focusing on nonfiction about the history of England to prepare for my upcoming trip to London. 60 of the books I read were written by women and 24 were written by men; this ratio has gone up and down for me over the years, but generally has been dominated by women. I also noticed this year I had several authors that I read multiple times throughout the year--including one of my new favorites, Brandon Sanderson. I'm just going to say that I loved all his books I read this year (The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, Warbreaker, and Elantris) instead of putting any on the following list.
As usual, here are some of my favorite books of the year (in no particular order):
Fiction
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
The Thieves of Summer by Linda Silletoe
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
The Children Act by Ian McEwan
Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher
Nonfiction
Blood Will Out by Walter Kirn
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
The Faraway Nearby by Rebecca Solnit
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
The Book on the Bookshelf by Henry Petroski
Do No Harm by Henry Marsh
Women at Church by Neylan McBaine
The Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison
Once again this has not been my year for watching movies; I always have too much homework and the kids go to bed later than they used to. I saw a few movies in the theater and watched a few at home, mostly with the kids. As far as TV shows go, I've kept up on Call the Midwife and watched the first season of Poldark as well. My favorite movies this year were ones I've watched with the kids: Song of the Sea, Cinderella, Inside Out, and Once I Was a Beehive.
I read at total of 84 books this year; this is ten more than last year, but right around my average for the last few years. I didn't read Whitney finalists this year for a number of reasons, but I'm considering it this year. I also set a small goal to read more older, 'classic' books, so I consciously chose about one a month to read or re-read. I think I will do that again this coming year. I tend to gravitate toward fluffier books lately, and while they are fun, I really do enjoy better-written stuff and need to remind myself of this fact when I'm tempted to escape with something mediocre.
I read 67 fiction books and 17 nonfiction books, which seems to be about average for most years for me. I like nonfiction, and think that next year I will try to read even more. I also think I might spend the next few months focusing on nonfiction about the history of England to prepare for my upcoming trip to London. 60 of the books I read were written by women and 24 were written by men; this ratio has gone up and down for me over the years, but generally has been dominated by women. I also noticed this year I had several authors that I read multiple times throughout the year--including one of my new favorites, Brandon Sanderson. I'm just going to say that I loved all his books I read this year (The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, Warbreaker, and Elantris) instead of putting any on the following list.
As usual, here are some of my favorite books of the year (in no particular order):
Fiction
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
The Thieves of Summer by Linda Silletoe
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
The Children Act by Ian McEwan
Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher
Nonfiction
Blood Will Out by Walter Kirn
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
The Faraway Nearby by Rebecca Solnit
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
The Book on the Bookshelf by Henry Petroski
Do No Harm by Henry Marsh
Women at Church by Neylan McBaine
The Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison
Once again this has not been my year for watching movies; I always have too much homework and the kids go to bed later than they used to. I saw a few movies in the theater and watched a few at home, mostly with the kids. As far as TV shows go, I've kept up on Call the Midwife and watched the first season of Poldark as well. My favorite movies this year were ones I've watched with the kids: Song of the Sea, Cinderella, Inside Out, and Once I Was a Beehive.
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