Welcome to the summary of my reading for 2019! For the past few years, I’ve been a keen participant of the Goodreads Reading Challenge. This year I surpassed my target of 62 books completing 66 in twelve months.
Below are images of all the books I read as well a list of them all. When there is a link, this is to my review of the particular book published earlier in the year on my blog.
Some books are in italics and these are ones I completed as part of the Reading Across Time (When Are You Reading?) Challenge in which I’ve also taken part and I almost completed all twelve, apart from 1300 – 1499! The specific eras are listed after each of the italicized books.
Both of the challenges ensured I read widely and outside my normal genre and it has been a hugely enriching and rewarding year of books … I look forward to new books galore in 2020!
SPRING
- ‘The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra’ by Vaseem Khan
- ‘A Velocity of Being’ edited by Maria Popova & Claudia Bedrick
- ‘A Journal of the Plague Year’ by Daniel Defoe (1500-1699)
- ‘I’m Fine and Neither Are You’ by Camille Pagan
- ‘The Devil Aspect’ by Craig Russell
- ‘The Man I Fell in Love with’ by Kate Field
- ‘The Bookseller of Kabul’ by Asne Seierstad
- ‘Jezebel’ by Irene Nemirovsky
- ‘The Betrayal’ by Kate Furnivall
- ‘A Spark of Light’ by Jodi Picoult
- ‘Uncommon Type’ by Tom Hanks
- ‘Elisabeth’s Lists’ by Lulah Ellender
- ‘Youngblood Hawke’ by Herman Wouk (1940-1959)
- ‘Epic Love Epiphany’ by Lynn L Swisher
- ‘The Little Book of Hygge’ by Meik Wiking
- ‘The Survivors’ by Kate Furnivall (1920-1939)
- ‘Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (1980-1999)
- ‘This is Going to Hurt’ by Adam Kay (2000-The Present)
SUMMER
- ‘I Remember’ by Joe Brainard
- ’59 Memory Lane’ by Ceila Anderson
- ‘Postcards from a Stranger’ by Imogen Clark
- ‘The Binding’ by Bridget Collins
- ‘The Romanov Sisters’ by Helen Rappaport (1900-1919)
- ‘The Silver Ladies of Penny Lane’ by Dee MacDonald
- ‘Valencia and Valentine’ by Siggy Krause
- ‘The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown’ by Vaseem Khan
- ‘When I’m Gone’ by Emily Bleeker
- ‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama
- ‘The Cactus’ by Sarah Haywood
- ‘Dry Hard’ by Nick Spalding
- ‘The Cut Out Girl’ by Bart van Es
- ‘You Then, Me Now’ by Nick Alexander
- ‘A Pinch of Magic’ by Michelle Harrison
- ‘The Kindness of Strangers’ edited by Fearghal O’Nuallain
AUTUMN
- ‘Simple’ by Anita Dawes
- ‘Dear Mrs Bird’ by A J Pearce
- ‘The Bottle of Tears’ by Nick Alexander
- ‘If I Die Before I Wake’ by Emily Koch
- ‘The Thing About Clare’ by Imogen Clark
- ‘About Grace’ by Anthony Doerr
- ‘Breakfast at The Hotel Deja Vu’ by Paul Today
- ‘The Date’ by Louise Jensen
- ‘The Day We Met’ by Roxie Cooper
- ‘Lab Girl’ by Hope Jahren
- ‘Blue Sky July’ by Nia Wyn
- ‘The Wall’ by Marlen Haushoffer (1960-1979)
- ‘The Wildflowers’ by Harriet Evans
- ‘My Heart is Boundless’ by Abigail May Alcott (1800-1899)
- ‘Moving’ by Jenny Eclair
- ‘A Contract of Honour’ by Roy McCarthy
WINTER
- ‘The Clan of the Cave Bear’ by Jean M. Auel (Pre-1300)
- ‘Oh Baubles’ by Harmony Kent
- ‘The Diary of a Bookseller’ by Shaun Bythell
- ‘All My Puny Sorrows’ by Miriam Toews
- ‘A Long Petal of the Sea’ by Isabel Allende
- ‘Landmarks’ by Robert Macfarlane
- ‘The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt’ by Andrea Bobotis
- ‘What’s in a Name’ by Sally Cronin
- ‘The Beekeeper of Aleppo’ by Christy Lefteri
- ‘The Sorrows of Young Werther’ by Johann Wolfgang Van Goethe (1700-1799)
- ‘The Last Letter of Istanbul’ by Lucy Foley
- ‘Sea Prayer’ by Khaled Hosseini
- ‘Testaments’ by Margaret Atwood (The Future)
- ‘The Secret Barrister’ by The Secret Barrister
- ‘The Seven Imperfect Rules of Elvira Carr’ by Frances Maynard
- ‘Half a World Away’ by Mike Gayle
Annika Perry 
Pingback: Youngblood Hawke by Herman Wouk – still my favorite! | Book Club Mom
Wow! Awesome, Annika! My reading speed has dropped to abysmal levels since I started focusing on this whole writing gig. I think I manage maybe a book a month. Maybe. Thank goodness for audiobooks! 😀
Thank you so much, Julie! 😀 It’s been a brilliant year for books but still difficult to balance with writing, reviewing, blogging … and oh yes, life in general! I think books keep me sane, grounded and spiritually happy!😀
I love Irene Nemirovsky, her books are brilliant, it’s good to see people reading her works, I wish she was more recognised.
Ste G, I haven’t corn across anyone else familiar with her books, so lovely to meet a fellow fan of her work! She writes exquisitely with such compelling stories and the characters immediately become part of my world. Yes, not sure how she will become more recognised.
I still haven’t read Suite Francaise, or The Misunderstanding, although I have two copies of the former, one in each hemisphere. I am looking forward to reading them and blogging about them too. Sharing is the best way to get the literature love shared and we are in the best place to do so.
That is one impressive list. I am unfortunately a very slow reader which is why I’ve availed myself of audible now that it’s more available. I’ve read some of these and am adding a few more to my lists. I wish I could read every book but alas, there is still too much other to be done yet. Sigh. 🙂
Marlene, how wonderful that you are enjoying audiobooks and as you say there are a lot more these days and widely accessible. I have even had a couple of request for an audiobook of my “The Storyteller Speaks” and I’m looking into this! It is a great way to enjoy books whilst still being on the go … my nephew, not much of a reader as young, now listens to endless books whilst travelling for work. Oh, how true there are just so many great books out there and never enough time! big big sigh. xx
This sentence speaks to me as well. ” Oh, how true there are just so many great books out there and never enough time! big big sigh.” I have books on kindle so I can make the print bigger and give my hard copies to others to read. Technology has some great benefits. My son also listens to hundreds of books while he works or commutes. I often listen to books off his list. 😉 My children are both voracious readers and have always been. I read to them as children so their libraries are as extensive as mine. I have “The Storyteller Speaks” on kindle now. I’ll get there soon.
😀 Marlena, I had not idea you’d got The Storyteller Speaks on your kindle! That’s wonderful! Enjoy when you have a chance to read it!
Wow! I love how your children love books and that you can share these! Happy Reading! 😀📖
Wow, Annika! Well done! I got to 44 books and I’m really pleased with that total. I don’t get as much time for reading as I would like and I’ve had to cut back on blogging to be able to read more. I enjoyed looking through all your titles (love the cover collages!) and found four books I have also read and one that is on my TBR heap.
I hope you are on the mend and feeling a little better xx
Clare, I’m so glad you found a few more books to add to your TBR heap and wonder which ones you’ve added? I’m glad you liked the collage of covers. They were rather time-consuming to create but I’m pleased with the final effect and it was fun to revisit some of the books again quickly. 44 books is still a lot and I only read so much as I have the chance when away in Sweden and no distraction of internet, TV, social media! Heavenly weeks of family, friends, and books galore! Happy Reading, my friend! 😀 ps. Thank you, this week I finally feel much better and fully recovered – feels amazing to be back to normal!
I am so pleased you are feeling better!
There were so many books in your list that I hadn’t seen before (I don’t read as much new/modern fiction as perhaps I should) but I was drawn to Vaseem Khan and Kate Furnivall and a couple of others I can’t remember at the moment. I enjoyed Jenny Eclair’s ‘Life, Death and Vanilla Slices’ so I’m going to look out for her book ‘Moving’. I have Lab Girl on my heap already and will read it when its turn comes along. The ones I have already read are Defoe’s ‘Journal of the Plague Year’, Bythell’s ‘Dairy of a Bookseller’, MacFarlane’s ‘Landmarks’ and Goethe’s ‘The Sorrows of Young Werther’. I do so wish I had more time for reading!
Wow! You read all the ‘heavy’ ones …I felt quite traumatised after Defoe’s book but so glad I read it. Jenny Eclair writes with a light deft touch about the most serious of topics and to me ‘Moving’ was a gem. It was great to meet Vaseem Khan in person earlier this year – a lovely guy and one of the most fascinating book talks I’ve attended. Happy Reading … winter evenings is a great time to catch up on books! 😀
🙂
My 2 favourite things here are the bookish insights and how organised this post is. Absolutely loved it. Going to check in some of the books you mentioned. Thanks alot, Annika. Have a great and bookish 2020!
Thank you so much, Anwesha!😀 I had a brilliant time compiling the list and reminding myself about some of the books. I’m so glad you if you find a couple or so new books for 2020! Happy Reading … there is always time for a book! 😀
Wow… Well done, Annika! 🙂
Thank you so much, Kevin! 😀 I can’t seem to stop reading!
60+ books? Annika, I’m gobsmacked. I’ve never been a quick reader. That’s awesome. Kudos on such a wonderfully varied reading list too. Happy New Year.
Thank you, Teagan and a very Happy New Year to you too! 😀 Yep, I do love my books and I’ve actually slowed down a tiny bit – I used to race through books and I’m sure missed some along the way – now I’m enjoying savouring the read! I’m looking forward to seeing what 2020 has to offer bookwise!
Well done!
Thank you, Mark! 😀 It was a lot of fun compiling this post of books!
Bravo on so many books! This book nerd loves that:). I recently finished “Becoming” and really liked it. Inspiration in times when we need it . . .
Thank you so much, Kristine and a delight to meet a fellow book nerd! 😀 Oh, ‘Becoming’ was wonderful and how true, we need its inspiring and positive energy more than ever! Happy Reading for 2020! 📖
Aahawsome! Well done, Annika. You are a dedicated reader, congratulations on surpassing your goal! This retrospect of 2019 is beautifully presented, a true delight to browse and get inspiration for further reads. Happy reading and all the best for 2020 from the Fab Four in Cley. x
Ahhh …. it’s been a delight to share here and I’m glad you enjoyed ‘browsing’ through the books I’ve read and be inspired! GR challenge is fun but mostly a perfect way for me to keep on record what I’ve read. Happy Reading to you all in Cley and wishing you a fabulous 2020 filled with love, light and laughter! xx ps. Dina, warmest thanks for your visit to so many of my posts today … it’s lovely to ‘chat’ away through comments here!😀❤️
I am impressed, Annika. Congratulations on surpassing your goal! Way to go! ❤
Carol, thank you so much – it’s been a wonderful year of books, so varied in genres, lengths and styles! Happy Reading to you … and lovely to see your latest book receiving well-deserved fabulous reviews and appearances! 😀
Impressive and I thought I devoured books. Just got your latest too: Oskar’s Quest. Delightful. Happy 2020.
Yeah! So happy you have Oskar’s Quest and enjoy, my friend! 😀 Reading is my joy and I always have books on the go, and find many opportunities to sit and relax with a book!
Wishing you a very Happy New Year! xx
May 2020 be a happy one for you filled with many books. I have a feeling it will!
I love how you explore different eras and genres, Annika. It’s like a browse through the bookstore reading this post. I wish you another year of fabulous books, as well as fun, friendships, and love. Happy New Year!
Diana, that’s the biggesgt compliment … that my reading selection is like browsing a bookshop! 😀 Owing to the challenges, my reading choices have been more eclectic, and also rewarding, than usual.
Wishing you too a brilliant year of books (and I’m smiling how you smashed through your target of 30 to a 100!) May 2020 be another creative year for you with lots of relaxing time with family and friends!😀❤️
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Wow! Amazing reads Annika. Wishing you a very happy new year. May it bring along lots of happiness, health and success ✨
Radhika, thank you so much and wishing you a magical year filled with creativity, love and laughter! 😀
What a list! So fun to see the covers (thank you!) and your links too. So…. what was your favorite book of 2019?? I’m posting my 2019 list on Friday. I hope no one will ask me that question, because it’s difficult to chose just one ‘favorite’ out of so many excellent books of fiction. I’m so glad you encouraged me to read Youngblood Hawke – I still remember vividly reading it in February.
Pam, I was just hoping no one would ask me to pick a favourite!! 😃 I did make a list of the top ten but it is impossible to choose one! Now, I look forward to seeing your 2019 read books and oh, I’m definitely going to see if you can pick a top favourite! 😃😃
I’m glad you liked the covers; time-consuming but fun to create the collages … book covers are so beautiful and striking! Yeah, Youngblood Hawke came strongly recommended by Book Club Mom Barbara – and only too happy to pass it on! Unforgettable!
Happy New Year and Happy Reading in 2020! 😃
Oh My Annika, your list is so very impressive, I think I read about four all year.. 🙂 but then my knitting needles have had sparks this year LOL.. 🙂 Well done you..
Wishing you and your lovely family a wonderful and happy healthy 2020 my friend.. May your own books fly off the shelves and your Son’s music continue to expand his horizons..
Love and Joy to you.. and always wishing you Peace and Happiness.. ❤
Much love Sue ❤
Sue, thank you so much. Reading is a huge part of my life! It’s been an fascinating year of books with a wonderfully varied selection. haha … I love how your knitting needles are nearly on fire with creativity – I am in awe of anyone who has mastered this most impossible of needlework! 😃
Thank you so much for your lovely wishes … my son is practicing new piano covers as I’m writing (a treat to have him home for the long holidays!) and hopefully my books sales will go well. Promotion is the hardest aspect of writing/publishing by a long way!
Sue, wishing you a New Year, a New Decade filled with joy, laughter and love … may tranqulity and peace settle upon us, letting our intuitive self reign strong!
Hugs & love
Annika 😀❤️
Wonderful to have your Son for the long holiday over Christmas Annika.. And this book being your second, I am sure you will soon master the hang of your promotions, given your versatility Annika..
Have a wonderful 2020… and look forward to more chats this year.. ❤
Wow, that’s great. I don’t think I’ve ever managed 66 in one year, but this year I surpassed my 50 book goal and and read 53. A book a week seems to work for me.
Debra, that’s a lot of books … isn’t it a gift to oneself to read, give time to a story, feel in become part of ourselves! I’m lucky to be able to read a lot when away in Sweden, often managing fifteen to twenty books in a few weeks! Hope you have had a lovely start to 2020! 😀🦋
And to you as well, Annika!
congrats on passing your goal – and getting that children’s book published
– I am going to check it out next year sometime – and if I like it I will send it to my step-daughter for the granddaughter (keep you posted – wink)
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anyhow, the 66 books each look interesting and congrats again – whew – that is a prolific year
Thank you so much for checking out Oskar’s Quest … I really hope you and the little one like it! Oh, it’s been a terrific year for books and it brings it home to write a list like this!
Wishing you a fabulous New Year! Hugs xx
I love how you made a collage with the book covers – it made it easy to skim and provided richness…
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Wow! I’ve got some catching up to do… Happy reading, writing & Happy New Year too, dear Annika! ❤
Bette, it’s been a wonderful year of books and I’ve enjoyed the variety of them all! I’m finishing the old year and starting the new one with your poetry book – a beautiful treat, a gem and I’m loving it!
Happy Reading and a very Happy New Year filled with love, light and laughter! ❤️
Blessings and love across the miles… ❤ xo
I obviously spend too much time around the blogs (or out walking 🙂 ) because I cannot keep pace with this speed of reading, Annika, but there are many here that I’d like to read. Wishing you a delightful 2020, with lots of reading time.
Jo, with such wonderful nature on my doorstep as you have with lovely weather, I’d be out for long walks all the time! 😀 I love reading and always have at least a couple on the go! I am looking forward to seeing what books the New Year will bring. Wishing you a fabulous evening of celebration tonight and a wonderful 2020 filled with love, light and laughter! ❤️
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Congratulations on surpassing your Goodreads challenge! I love undertaking the challenge each year and I especially love the summary at the end. Wonderful post, Annika, and a great selection of books. Happy New Year!
Mae, would you believe, I only discovered the summary part as I was writing this post!😀 It is a lot of fun to take part and great way to keep in order all the books read! It’s been a joy to share my books of 2019 here and I look forward to a new stash of books for 2020! Wishing you a fabulous New Year, Mae filled with happiness and creativity! hugs xx
Beautiful post, Annika. The layout is artistic with the mix of book cover creating
pictures filled with life.
You are a great reader both in numbers and in quality. Your list covers quite a range of
topics and eras. To my delight I found many of my own read books this year on your list,
It delighted me, I am in god company.
I read every day and feel something would be missing out of my day without a book on the go.
Not only do you read a lot but your reviews are a delight and a good guide.
Miriam
Miriam, thank you so much for your kind comment and I love how you have also read some of these books! Kindred spirits, indeed! 😃❤️
I wanted to make the post visually appealing and we can’t help but be drawn to covers and they are quickly recognisable … hence the collage of them all! Yes, it is impossible to imagine a day without a book in one’s hand – there must be a dire state of affairs for that to happen! I’m so glad you enjoy my reviews … this year I will try to write even more and have one coming out soon on a poetry book!
Happy New Year, my friend and Happy Reading … may it be a wonderful year of enriching and exciting books for us all! xx
Wonderful list of top literary fiction, bios, and more. I see a few I’ve read, notably, Clan of the Cave Bear. That’s at the very top of my all-time favorites.
Congrats on hitting your number, Annika!
Jacqui, I have never read any books set in the era of Clan of the Cave Bear and wasn’t quite sure what I’d make of it! So many, included you, recommended it highly and wow! It was astonishing and I’m so glad I’ve read the book. Is the rest of the series equally powerful?
Thank you, I’m glad to have completed the challenge; nothing compared to your phenomenal amount of reading! How do you do it?!
Happy Reading and a very Happy New Year to you, Jacqui!
Great job Annika, congratulations and wishing you a Happy New Year!!!🎇🎇🎇🥂
Thank you very much, Paulo – it’s been fun to compile this post. Happy New Year to you too!
What a reading feat Annika 🙂 I find myself wondering how you manage to find the time … I’m not asking you to answer necessarily…we all make choices. I squeeze in most of my fiction (and some non-fiction) reading with audiobooks.
Thank you, Janice! A read feriously when away in Sweden and in a few weeks devour about 20 books (the magic of time-away from all screens!) At home I read every night for nearly an hour without fail … even if I’m coming in late after a party at two am! I just need that down time! There still isn’t enough time in the day though to do all the writing though! 😀
I like the sound of that…a reading retreat on your holidays!
I cannot imagine how you read so much and also find the time to write as well. An amazing achievement.
Rod, I wish there was more time for writing! 😀 The reading is a lot at nighttime when I wouldn’t write anyway, life in general happens! It’s been a terrific year for books and I feel very lucky … and I’m already looking for to next year’s haul!😀 Happy New Year to you and hope all is well with you!
What a fantastic reading list Annika! I’m going to try and find your review of Atwood’s latest! I’d also like to figure out how to get my reading challenge books on my blog, lol. Happy New Year too you and happy reading! 🙂 xx
Thank you, Debby! 😀 It’s been a great year for books. I haven’t reviewed The Testament rather this was in italic as part of my reading across time challenge. I really liked the book although very different from the first and took a little to get into … then I was hooked.
Happy Reading and a very Happy New Year to you too, Debby! Xx
Thanks Annika. ❤
You are amazing!!! Well done!
Ahh ..thank you so much, Rebecca! 😀 I do love reading! Hope you’re having a great start to 2020!❤️
On to the reading challenge of 2020! Many adventures held safe in the pages of books.
Wow! So amazing. Way to go!
Thank you … it’s been a wonderful year of books and I feel so lucky!😀
What fun.
All the pretty covers! I see a few that caught my interest. Great list, Annika!
Jacquie, I’m so glad you enjoyed the collages of book covers … although they say not to judge a book by its cover, we all can’t help but be attracted to particular ones! Hope you find a book or two to tempt you from the list! Happy New Year, Jacquie! 😀
WTG surpassing your reading goal for this year. At the end of the year, I’m always shocked at how many books I’ve read. This year absolutely blew my mind. Here’s to another great reading year for us both!
Mackey, first thank you for introducing me to a new shortening! I had to check up on WTG … and can see me using this lots in 2020!
It’s been fun to keep note of the books I’ve read on Goodreads and to share them here. Do you make a list of the ones you’ve read? I’m now intrigued how many this could be!
Happy Reading and a very Happy New Year to you, Mackey! 😀
Well done, Annika, on achieving your Goodreads goals.
Thank you, Robbie … I’ve found Goodreads perfect for noting down the books I read and the challenge is a fun aside! 😀
Wow! You have such a great list here, Annika. Congratulations! I’ve read about 50 and I don’t do challenges because I feel too pressured to keep to them. But seeing your list has given me some ideas of books I want to read in 2020. I wish I didn’t have so many other things going on, so that I could just work my way through everything I want to read. Oh well, there will be a time for that! Happy reading, Annika. Hope you read another 60+ great books in 2020!
Barbara, I must admit I don’t stress about the Goodreads challenge and just enjoy noting down the books I read and keeping them in order! Reading across the eras was more tricky as I started a few books and just could not get into them! Your fifty books or so is a lot and you write so many excellent, informative and engaging reviews as well – I berate myself for not writing more! Also, I’m lucky to have a few weeks in Sweden with no TV or wifi distraction where I read like a person possessed! Haha … yes, I’ve just been considering what number to put on the challenge for 2020 … I have a feeling other matters will keep me busy so may be a bit more conservative with approx. 50.
I used to read book to book, without pausing to write reviews (pre-blogging days). Now I always take notes, so that slows me down. I’m reading a book right now, though, and I’m not going to take notes – I’m just going to enjoy it! Thanks for the comments 🙂
That’s a lot of reading, Annika!! What a diverse selection of books. Happy New Year!
Jan, I hadn’t quite realised how diverse until I started to type up all the books!😀 Wishing you a very Happy New Year too! ❤️
Congrats on surpassing your goal, Annika. Impressive!
Thank you, Phillip! 😃 When I’m away in Sweden for weeks at time during summer and Easter I read loads – the positive result of no TV, internet etc!
An impressive amount of books. I found that in 2019 I read more essays and blog posts but not as many books. Thanks for posting, sharing, and inspiring. Hears to perfect vision in 2020.
I love the variety of reading formats available these days and blogs posts and essays are better and more accessible than ever! It’s been a fun to compile the list … and already planning my reading for next year! Wishing you a super New Year! 😃
Such a fantastic looking selection of treasures Annika. Fills me a little with despair as there are more than a few on here that I’d like to read but my TBR pile is already close to tipping over 😔
Amelia, please don’t despair! 😃 My tbr is also close to tipping over, but metaphorically as most is hidden away on my kindle so I don’t see it! At least you know there are always good books to hand when you have time … it’s been a joy to share these here. Maybe you have room to add one or two more to your list of books to read?! 😃
Thank you Annika, and it is really good to know I’ll always have a selection of books to read when I have the time – the hidden advantage of having a teetering TBR I guess! I’ve thrown caution to the wind and added a few from your lovely list to my TBR ☺️
😀😃
Good job! Book choice looks great as well!!
I think I’m sort of addicted to writing lists and book ones are especially fun to do! 😃 It was an eye-opener for me!
I’m totally addicted to lists and year end compilations! I did goodreads and Spotify!
Wow, that’s a lot of reading! I’m impressed!
As you can tell l LOVE reading … but it looks more impressive when written as a list! Some I know read more than 200 books a year – that is phenomenal!
Speed readers 😮
Fantastic! You are a true reader.
I read eleven books in 2019. I’m currently reading Bluebeard, by Kurt Vonnegut. Won’t finish it till January.
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Neil
‘True reader’, eh! Thank you, Neil … that’s a lovely comment. 😀 I’ve never read any Kurt Vonnegut although I’ve heard a lot about his books. What is Bluebeard like? Would you recommend it?
Wishing you and your family a fabulous New Year! 😀
Hi. I’ve only read 15 pages, so I can’t say for sure. So far it seems good. He had a very distinct and offbeat slant on things in many of his books, such as The Sirens Of Titan, and Cat’s Cradle.
This is fantastic! Well done you! Hope you had a magical Christmas xx
Thank you so much … I love books and it’s been fun to compile this list. Now looking for books for next year and see you recommended one today. An excellent review / essay. I enjoyed Adam Kay’s first book last winter … and will look out for this latest soon.
Wishing you a fabulous New Year, Charley and hope you’re having a wonderful and relaxing break! 😀
What an amazing range of books, Annika. I started the Reading Through Time challenge but I did not complete it – well, I may have nearly got there but I forgot about it. I must try to make a note of the books I read as I find I tend to forget titles and authors’ names these days. So there’s one New Year’s resolution!
Mary, going through the older posts I saw that it was through you that I started Reading Through Time. It’s definitely been a challenge with a few false starts on some books but I love having read books out of my usual comfort zone. I made some unexpected discoveries of new (to me) authors and subject matter. The only way I keep order of books read is through goodreads … otherwise I would have no idea!
Happy Reading and a very Happy New Year to you … here’s to those resolutions and keeping them! 😃😀
Congratulations on meeting your goal! This post is put together beautifully.
Thank you so much, Anne! It was fun to write the list but time-consuming to make the images from all the covers – but an excellent distraction whilst waiting for customer services at call centres to answer! Longest wait was over 40 minutes!😃
You made really good use of lost time! I’ll declare you a winner.
Could never follow this sumptuous achievement. I read ever so slowly, and this last year many more essays than novels. I also often re-read classics and ignore book lists, though one title might lead to another. I was cheered to see Marlen Haushofer among the writers you read.
I’ll look out for Isabel Allende’s new book, and ‘The Velocity of Being’ by Maria Popova, who is, like you, a phenomenal reader.
Are you familiar with Kent Haruf’s books. He sadly died five years ago. All his books left a deep impression. I wrote about one. Should maybe do more reviews. https://courseofmirrors.com/2018/12/02/our-souls-at-night-kent-haruf-talking-in-the-dark/
Ashen, it’s been a precious delight to read the books this year and I enjoy keeping a record of them all! I am intrigued by the essays you mention. What are these about? Are they online? I am impressed that you reread classics – something I often mean to do but then veer away from these. I happened upon Haushofer’s The Wall by pure chance and I’m so happy I did – I was hooked from the very start and it’s as if I’ve seen a film of it instead of reading it, written with such clarity and direct emotion. I was gutted towards the end as she lost so much of the very little left to her, all alone in the world.
I’ve been following Maria Popova and her Brainpickings for many years and her work is incredible and her writings knowledgeable, engaging and touching. The book she helped create is a work of art and one that will stand the test of time … I often pause to read a letter or two.
I remember reading your post about Kent Haruf’s books last year and I’ve just reread it again. Thank you so much for posting it here. Wow! Your review of this book and his work overall is superlative and I’ve already ordered a copy of this book … I look forward to reading this early next year. Your passion and deep understanding of his books shine out and yes, please write more reviews of his work!
Here’s to the gift of reading … may 2020 be one filled with enriching and rewarding books/essays!
Thank you, Annnika. I follow and admire Maria Popova’s posts.
Some of the essays I read are a little obscure, like those of Giacomo Leopardi, yet in a way enlightening. Then there’s Paul Virilio’s ‘Open Sky, and my favourites, Borges and Italo Calvino, insightful, as ever. And recently Jeanette Winterson’s ‘Art Objects,’ a gift from a fiend. Winterson has a passionate voice on art.
Wishing all of us readers an inspiring year ahead. ☼
So many books Annika! And our lists for the year actually don’t cross over very much, I think I’ve only read a couple off your list, so it just shows how much variety there is out there! Well done for smashing your challenge 🙂
Andrea, I know how much I enjoy reading about others read books of the year and like you, comparing to what I’ve read, finding new books of interest – hence the reason for my post here. I’m most intrigued about your read books this year and have enjoyed reading the reviews you’ve shared on your blog. Here’s to 2020 being a rewarding and enriching year of books! 😀
Well done for completing your challenge, Annika. I’ve never taken on anything like this, as I fear it would create a pressure for me that would interfere with my reading, which is somewhat sporadic! Most of my reading in the past year has been mysteries and thrillers, with Agatha Christie, Harlan Coben and Andrea Camilleri featuring strongly. But I did read one of the books on your list: the shortest, which was kindly given to me by Lynn as a prize on her blog site!
Thank you, Clive! 😀 It’s fun to take part in the challenge and I use it very much to keep a record of the books I read – for once my notebooks fail me! There are so many fantastic mystery and thrillers. As young I read most of Agatha Christie’s books and recently I reread them again – they are superb! I must check out the other authors you mention. My copy of Lynn’s book is very precious to me and also a prize from her. Happy Reading, Clive!😀
I’ve never kept a record, I just dip into my Kindle library or pull a real book off the shelf when the mood takes me! Camilleri is the author of the Montalbano novels which are adapted for the tv series. I love the tv version but reading the books is more satisfying. I’m pleased you were another of Lynn’s prize winners – we’re in a select club 😉
Nicely done, Annika. Although I didn’t participate in the Goodreads challenge, over the years I’ve kept a journal of the books I read each year. For 2019, I’m at 61, but I should finish the current book, so it looks like 62 will be my total. Each year I have a goal of hitting 100, but life seems to get in the way. Have a Happy New Year. ❤
Jill, how wonderful to have journals of your read books – precious account of your literary journey! Every year I started with just such a record and by February always found I’d forgotten one or two and gave up! Good for you for keeping this up and 62 is a lot of books! Goodreads became the perfect way for me to note down my reading and not lose it/forget it … and the challenge was a welcome addition! Wishing you peace and joy in 2020 with creativity and love at its core! hugs xx❤️
Wow, indeed! That’s an impressive number of reads and different genres. Congrats on surpassing your target. Here’s to hoping for a New Year rich with stories and reading. ❤
Khaya, it has been an incredible year for books and the challenges ensured I read outside my usual genres – enjoying them all hugely! As you know, I am lucky to enjoy the peace of the Swedish landscape during the Spring and Summer – and the weeks without digital distraction are so rewarding and are partly responsible for finding the time to read so many books!
Wishing you likewise a New Year filled with the magic of books and poetry … their stories becoming ours! hugs xx❤️
Wow!! You did so well. Such a vast selection of books. Well done.
Thank you, Darlene! 😀 It’s surprising how quickly the books added up and I loved the range of genre this year! Happy Reading and Happy New Year! 😀❤️