I didn’t really have much in the way of reading plans for 2010 other than to read from the TBR Challenge pile and I managed to do okay with that. Between working full-time and going to library school I tend to leave things up in the air and read more by whim than anything. It both works and doesn’t as I like the flexibility but tend to also feel directionless. Still, it was a pretty decent year of reading even if the books I read tended to be rather short-ish sandwiched in between big fat books.
I am halfway through 2666 so that one will get pushed into 2011 and will show up on the list this time next year. I suppose I could rush through it to finish, but that’s no way to read a good book.
So, here’s how 2010 shakes out:
Books Completed: 56
Fiction: 29
Nonfiction: 19
Poetry: 4
Plays: 4
From the Above:
Graphic Novels: 2
Multimedia Novels: 2
Books of Short Stories: 2
Books of Essays: 3
Books in Translation: 10
Published BCE: 5
Before 1900: 9
1900 – 1999: 14
2000 and after: 28
Books by Women: 18
Books by Men: 37
Books By Multiple Authors: 1
From the Library: 23
ARCS: 8
Kindle: 4
Own: 21
Rereads: 3
Books begun but abandoned: 0
Five Books I liked Best (in no particular order):
- The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood. Have I ever mentioned that Atwood is one of my favorite authors?
- The Gates by John Connolly. This one makes top five because of its sheer quirky delightfulness and because it still makes me smile whenever I think about it.
- Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie. A wonderfully told tale about the wonders of telling tales.
- If Not, Winter by Saphho, translated by Anne Carson. Even in fragments Sappho’s poetry took my breath away and Carson’s translation is most excellent.
- A Scrap of Time by Ida Fink. These short stories are deeply sad but not depressing and oh so beautifully written.
Honorable Mentions:
- My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse. Any book that can make me laugh out loud on an airplane has got to be good.
- Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov. A fascinating look into a changing Russian society and a very enjoyable read even though I frequently wanted give Oblomov a kick in the pants to try and get him off the sofa.
- The Master by Colm Toibin. A beautifully written book that seemed to capture the essence of Henry James.
- Reader’s Block by David Markson. How a book made up of fragments that often aren’t even connected can possibly be enjoyable and make sense I have no idea. But it is and it does. So there you go.
- Edith Wharton by Hermione Lee. I nominate Hermione Lee as Goddess of Biography.
- The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. This has got to be one of the best ghost stories ever.
Weirdest Book I have ever Read: Sartor Resartus by Thomas Carlyle. And I’ve read some weird ones, but so far this one takes the cake.
I thought it pretty good that I didn’t have to abandon any books this year. The gender imbalance is bothersome. The fact that I only read 21 books that I already owned is also bothersome especially since I am certain I bought more than 20 books during the course of the year. There is always 2011 to do better in, right?
More on 2011 plans tomorrow.
I’m more than a little embarrassed that I’m yet to read the Atwood. I hereby declare 2011 my catch-up year!
And I somehow missed your review of the Connolly. I’ve now downloaded the first chapter to the kindle.
My stats and favorites will be up in a day or so. . .
“I nominate Hermione Lee as Goddess of Biography.”
Hear, hear! I second that motion enthusiastically.
So happy to see If Not, Winter on the list, as it’s one of my top books of all time. And your post on Oblomov, together with the pretty new edition, is sorely tempting me to pick that one up as well. Here’s to another reading year!
It sounds like a good year, even with all the busyness from work and school! Five books from BCE — that’s quite impressive, almost 10% of your entire year! And ten books in translation — also impressive.
I thought the same thing when I was figuring out how many books I borrowed, how many from my shelves and how many I bought. I don’t dare keep those sorts of statistics–I can only imagine how many books I bought this past year! Some things are best left unknown. I really want to read that Sappho book–I’m not much of a poetry reader but every time you wrote about the book I was tempted! And after tackling Anna K those Russian authors are sounding kind of appealing–I think I’ll have to check out Oblomov, too. It looks like you had a great reading year-and you even finished all the books you started!
You did great given that a lot of your reading time was devoted to school work! I totally should have kept track of my did not finish books because I had a lot of those this year. Very weird.
Loved seeing The Gates on your list. Not sure if it’ll make it on mine but it may be a close call
I am surprised by how few (4) of the books you read (56) were on the Kindle. I imagined there were many more.
Sounds like a good reading year! I am trying to finish up Mansfield Park so I can say I finished all the challenges I started this year. Cross your fingers for me! I’m putting off my recap post until I can say I finished (or the year’s over—whichever comes first).
Love the end of the year roundups! I definitely need to read more Connolly. I love Atwood too but her dystopia can bring me down. Maybe I’m up for that this year. I had to abandon a few this year — that would be interesting to keep track of… hooray for another year of reading!!
I’m interested that you enjoyed ‘The Year of the Flood’. One of my reading groups read ‘Oryx and Crake’ this year and we were all rather disappointed in it so I didn’t bother picking ‘The Year of the Flood’ up. Perhaps I should rethink.
This looks like a fabulous year, and considering all that you do, 56 books is impressive. I really want to read The Master next year, and some Salman Rushdie, oh and also I think I’d like to try The Life of Pi, which I’m sure you recommended at some point. And I don’t think I’ll mention how many books I bought this year…. really, you have nothing to reproach yourself about!
Well done! You make me wonder what my stats would be, particularly pre- and post-baby. Also, have you read Claire Tomalin? Does she rival Hermione Lee at all in the biography goddess stakes?
Susan, but you read lots of other good books and isn’t nice to know you have an unread Atwood to look forward to? Looking forward to your year’s review!
Emily, I guess we will start referring to Hermione Lee as Goddess then! And thanks for turning me on to If Not, Winter. You’re the source of that one you know.
Dorothy, Greek plays helped with both the BCE and the in translation numbers. When I run out of Greek plays I’ll be in trouble
Danielle, I know, I don’t dare keep track of how many books I buy during the year either. In this case ignorance is best. Even not being a poetry reader I’m sure you would enjoy the Sappho.
Iliana, I was surprised that I hadn’t abandoned any books this year. There are usually a few. Got lucky! While The Gates wasn’t the highest rated book on my list I put it on as a favorite because it makes me smile every time I think about it, and I still think about it so that counts for something!
Richard, it is perhaps because I have to share the Kindle with husband that I haven’t read as many books on it.
Dana, good luck on finishing Mansfield Park by the end of the year!
Daphne, isn’t the end of the year fun? The Atwood isn’t depressing at all, not like Oryx and Crake was.
Annie, Year of the Flood was lots better than O&C. I was rather disappointed by O&C but found Flood to be quite good.
Litlove, I didn’t think anyone would scold me for buying more books than I read from my shelves in a year
Oh yes, Life of Pi. I hope you like it!
Maggie, I have not read Tomalin though I know she is well respected. I have her bio on Pepys and on Jane Austen but haven’t cracked either of them open yet. Perhaps in 2011.
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Weirdest Book I have ever Read
Really? Oustanding! I am thrilled to have been a part of that. I got more where that came from!
When you run out of Greek plays, by the way, you’ve still got Terence and Plautus. Goofy fun from 2000 years ago.
Amateur Reader, I thought you might be pleased with that
Terence and Plautus huh? I’ll add them to my list!
I’ve heard so much about If Not, Winter! I really much find a copy of it.
And I missed this post too. What was I thinking last week? Anyhow, great summation. I haven’t done the stats but I would have read around 50 books in the year, plus 15 or so stand alone short stories/essays. A pretty good roundup for me.
I only read a couple in translation this year, which horrified me. I have a love-hate relationship with translations but I feel I should read more just to keep my horizons expanded.
Nice to see Atwood, Rushdie and Toibin in your list of Tops and Near Tops!