Saturday, January 11, 2020

BOOKS READ IN DECEMBER




Happy New Year! My holiday break went a bit longer than planned. I spent the last week in December reading enough books to make my yearly goal of 156 books. It was glorious reading that many books in one year but keeping up with the reviews of them became more time consuming than I had predicted and writing on my own book went completely dead by about May.

So I spent the first week of the New Year figuring out what changes I needed to make. I decided that my own writing must take priority and my reading should be focused on the lists of My Big Fat Reading Project because that is the main research for my book. I considered giving up entirely on the blog but I treasure the relationships I have made through it. So for now, here is the plan: Read primarily from My Big Fat Reading Project and for my reading groups. Write reviews for my own edification as relates to my writing. Post here about once a week, mostly lists such as the books I read each month, the Reading Group Update and possibly the occasional review of books that I especially love.

One day a week I will visit the bloggers I follow and leave comments when I truly have something to say. (I hope this is enough to keep in touch.) Write at least five days a week (that also includes research and revision as I go.)  If you want to see what I am currently reading you can follow me on Goodreads or Twitter. Thank you in advance for understanding.

Stats for December: 13 books read. 11 fiction. 8 by women. 3 from My Big Fat Reading Project.
2 historical. 4 thrillers. 1 mystery. 1 memoir. 1 biography. 1 picture book.

Countries I visited: Brazil, Great Britain, Greece, France, Poland, USA.

Authors new to me: Kate Braverman, Ani DiFranco, Lili Anolik, Caitlin Horrocks, Julie Otsuka, Simms Tabak

Favorites: Palm Latitudes, No Walls and the Recurring Dream, The Vexations

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

How did your reading go in December? Have you read any of these? 


26 comments:

  1. Glad to see you are back. Looks like you read a lot of great books in December.

    Funny you should mention that you had considered giving up on your blog as I too had thought about quitting my blog at the end of December 2019 as I'm still having a flare up with my CRPS and find posting to my blog very difficult at times despite it being a creative outlet for me. I've been finding it too difficult keeping up with my blog in terms of frequency and quality of posts. Plus have not been responding to blog comments or commenting on other people's posts as frequently as I would like. I didn't even write book reviews for every book I read last year, which I think was a 1st for me since I began blogging in 2012.

    I will definitely be blogging less frequently this year and see if that helps out. If it doesn't then I may need to stop blogging altogether. I'll see how things play out.

    Wishing you the best. Happy new year!

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    1. Thank you Lisa and Happy New Year to you! As you can imagine, I completely understand. I hope this new year brings you improved health and that you can at least keep reading. It is truly a trick to balance quantity and quality while dealing with whatever life brings.

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  2. i understand: it's sometimes a pain to write a blog, and it can develop into a serious life block... like Clint Eastwood said: " a person has to know their limits" (or some such). vacations seem to be imperative occasionally to fill the communication and writing tank... i read all the James Bond books when i was a callow youth; the others i haven't heard of...

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    1. That is indeed the way of it. I try to put myself into the mind of a callow youth when I read Ian Fleming.

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  3. I'm glad you're not going to stop blogging entirely, but I understand why you need to take a step back. I haven't read any of your December reads, but I do have a copy of The Dutch House to read soon.

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    1. Thank you Helen. I enjoyed The Dutch House though it was not among my favorite novels by Ann Patchett.

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  4. Welcome back!

    156 books is impressive.

    Boggling can be time consuming and it is difficult to fit in one’s life. It is always a challenge to keep at it.

    Happy reading in 2019!

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    1. Thanks, Brian. It was my second to highest ever and it was a challenge.

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  5. It's nice to have you back, even if in a more limited role than before. You would be missed if you gave up your blog. As always, I stand in awe of the number of books that you manage to read. Even if I did nothing but read I don't think I could manage 156 in a year!

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    1. Thank you Dorothy. Much of the year it did feel like I did nothing but read!

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  6. I am so glad you are not going to stop entirely, I have missed you! I am glad you are putting your priority on your own writing, and am excited to see what you are working on. Welcome back!

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  7. Good luck with your new plan! It's important to prioritize your own writing. I am trying to do the same.

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    1. Thanks and I wish you well with yours!

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  8. As a newer follower, I'm glad you're going to keep blogging. Congratulations on reaching your reading goal, too. I googled your Big Fat Reading Project and am in awe... such a fabulous idea, but a HUGE undertaking! I've read two of your December books. Absolutely loved The Dutch House, but The Buddha in the Attic was just okay for me.

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    1. Thanks, JoAnn. Yes, I enjoy huge undertakings though this one turned out to be even more huge than I predicted-:)

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  9. I'm glad you're back even if it's blogging less, writing more. That's understandable. I read 56 of your 156 ha! So we had part of the same number. The Dutch House was only so-so for me ... liked parts of it more than others. best wishes in 2020!

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    1. Thanks for understanding. I agree on The Dutch House. Yes, let's both have a great 2020!

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  10. Your reading ROCKED in 2019! Congrats on such an impressive year - OH, how I loved The Dutch House.

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    1. Thanks Diane! I loved much about The Dutch House but had mixed feelings about the ending.

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  11. Glad you met your goal! Also welcome back!!

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  12. Good luck for your My Big Fat Reading Project! Would you have a link where you talk more about it please?
    I'm glad you will still be posting here from time to time.
    Glad to see you liked The Vexations, I started it, but had to stop because some more urgent books came my way. I plan to restart it in March or April

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    1. Thanks, Emma! The Vexations is quite wonderful. Here is the link you requested: https://keepthewisdom.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-big-fat-reading-project-again.html

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  13. Wow, you had a busy reading month. Not like me. But I hope to pick up my reading soon again. "The Dutch House" sounds interesting.

    Glad to see you back here again. Happy New Year.

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    1. Happy New Year to you Marianne. Good luck with your reading.

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