Kicking of 2018: Reading & New Year's Revelations

Book 1 of 2018

Starting 2018, I am feeling renewed in a way that I haven't felt for  a new years in a long time. This sense of renewal is more about energy and reflective motivation than about positivity, but I am slowly instituting some changes in my 1) home-space, 2) eating habits, 3) and reading. I am tending toward the "slow and steady" wins the race mindset with all three, knowing that dramatic shifts in behavior don't stick for me; still, I also think some of the slowness is related to a reluctance to behave differently. So, that's a funky balance to take on, but I do feel like continuously improving my effectiveness will make a difference.

To that end, I have been choosing to read a little more often - not just at bedtime (my routine) but instead of watching something on Netflix/Hulu/HBO/Prime, and more deliberately when I have extra moments. I also felt like reflecting more often on my reading and since we know that this has been an inconsistent endeavor previously, so I'm not trying to go all-out. What would it be like to blog once monthly about the month's books and reading-related remarks? Let's see.

This month, I have so far read three books and am about halfway through my fourth book of 2018. This is not a faster pace than last year, but what's different is: last January, I read one solid novel, a short non-fiction essay book, and listened to 2 audio books. This year's books so far have all been novels and I think this represents more physical reading time (that's not to say last January wasn't legitimate; it just reflected different priorities). Also, the only books I've reached for this month are female authors (the fourth book is written a woman of color, too). I think it's my way of saying fuck the patriarchy in the era of Trump at it's most extreme, and also a grasp at something that feels familiar and affirming at it's least.

Book 2 of 2018

In my renewed reading drive, I am thinking about a few things:

1) What would it be like to read 3-4 books every month?
2) Reading communities are CLUTCH for both inspiration and joy.
3) I need another bookshelf.

1: Reading goals should be the floor, not the ceiling

I mentioned this in my end-of-year post in 2017 - I hit my 30 book goal and then couldn't invigorate myself to commit to a 31st+ book. To be clear, that was fine, but left me wondering about how I see my yearly goals. I have read between 30-34 books consistently for a few years now, and I wonder if setting that bar has left me more complacent than motivated?

So, as I've thought about chunking my goal to have pace setting at 3-4 books/month, I realized I could likely get in an additional 10-18 books. I also have noted to myself: doing this takes more physical reading time but it also should not be a stressor. A floor of 30 books is what I know is manageable - and this year, how much farther can I push my ceiling?

2: Other readers = great people.

I've always had people in my life that I can talk about books with, but this year I'm really thinking about how my circles both in real life and online can aid in my reading inspirations and joy. Having a couple of friends at work who love Goodreads and a couple of other friends who are doing Book of the Month has added to our conversations and opened new connections.

I also randomly joined Buzzfeed's Page Turners facebook group a couple of weeks ago. I didn't have expectations, but I have been far from disappointed. Each day, I find myself reading through the posts and finding interesting ponderings about books and also responding to posts without fear. It's probably the only social media community I'm a part of where I am mostly anonymous, but involved, and where I am not nervous about political arguments or creepers. Maybe naively, but I'm finding it to be a great corner of the internet.

Knowing what I already know about reading communities, what about really getting going on the "Brene and Beer" happy hour at work (aka a little book club and libations)? What about starting a book exchange among my work friends (or others?) to generate new reading ideas and community?

3: The intersection of my space & my reading life

I really want my home space to be functional, neat and cozy. I am mostly settled in to my new place, but still need to get some boxes unpacked / stored, and some systems in place for keeping things tidy. One of the 5 unpacked boxes is full of books. I have the space in my living room to add another bookshelf, and I actually think it will also add an efficiency and decor to the space.

I had gotten rid of a bookshelf in Tulsa and bought a different one for Denver but didn't have room for anything more in my last apartment - I used a built in shelf in my closet and one in my kitchen for books, but neither were fully adequate. In getting a bigger apartment, I did invest in an additional bookshelf in October, which is up and living its best life. BUT I still have this box of books to find a home for.

I found a great Ladder Bookshelf on Amazon and it's in my cart. Ordering it on payday.

I was already envisioning my space projects this weekend - organizing my closet, unpacking the 5 boxes and deciding what's next for the items (throw out, donate, find a space @ home), and getting my luggage out of my bedroom and into my closet. Easy. The bookshelf has thrown a spark into that fire and also given me a timeline. If I order the bookshelf on payday, it should arrive on the weekend to be built.

Seeing books in a bookstore or library relieves stress and brings me joy - so adding this extra shelf feels right.

Book 3 of 2018

So here's to some small-but-hopefully-mighty-changes to my reading life (and beyond) in 2018. There's a lot to shift in my behavior and life in the coming years, but I am taking it one step - one page - at a time.

Check out #mjreadingchallenge2018 on Insta for reflections/reviews on the books so far this year. I'm now off to a few more pages of reading, closet-reorganization, and food prep.

Wish me luck.

Yours in reading,
~MJ

A Year in Books

I completed the 30th book of the year in early December, a month ahead of schedule. I have since experienced the worst book hangover I've ever had and haven't been able to commit to one read. Not that that 30th read was all that amazing; I think it was my book brain relieved to have met the goal, and being pickier about my next read. Maybe.

This was a great year of reading. It was a good mix of authors, topics, BOTM picks, library books, and (limited, yet,) inspired purchases. I did not include every book on #mjreadingchallenge2017, but ensured that the ones I definitely recommend are in circulation there (and at least one I don't). The exception was "The Ministry of Utmost Happiness," by Arundhati Roy. I made a valiant effort toward finishing that book and thought that Instagram would help. It didn't and well, I am still only about halfway through (maybe I'm meant to complete it in 2018?). But 2/3 of my completed books did make it to Insta and all are reflected on Goodreads. 

I learned this year that I really like contemporary literature and find the most escape in murder mysteries (Tana French and Robert Galbraith!). I love to learn while I read or relate it to the world around me, even when it's depressing (Margaret Atwood and Yaa Gyasi). My love of Sherman Alexie is true as ever, and when Nina George's next book comes out in paperback, I'll likely read it right away. I also learned that hardcovers aren't so bad to read, but likely still will not travel very far with me. I still read every night in bed but also found pleasure reading every where else - on planes, ships, in parks, on walking trails, in waiting rooms. I was caught once-too-often without a book and it was a reminder that I should just have a car book, as well. 

I loved living in a neighborhood that was walkable to a library again. I miss it in my new place and need to get back into a library routine because it really is fulfilling.

Continuing the format of last year's summation, I want to highlight the following opinions:

• Best Use of Imagination: "Perfect Little World" by Kevin Wilson
• Why: I really liked following the thought experiment presented in the book - what would it be like for a child to be raised by a village? I thought the book used this plot to examine given and chosen families really well. While I would have loved to see the story go deeper, I appreciated it for what it was, and thought it used an imaginary world to the readers' benefit.
• Book I'd Read Again Right Now: "All the Ugly and Wonderful Things" by Bryn Greenwood
• Why: This book had me turning page after page to see what happened next. Through the process, it raised complicated feelings. I would read it again for the poetic writing, but mostly to re-examine my thoughts on the main characters and their dilemma.
• Book That Will Stay With Me for Years: "Homegoing" by Yaa Giasi and "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me"by Sherman Alexie
• Why: "Homegoing" was such an incredible read. It covered generations of one family, first during the Atlantic Slave Trade and through to today. It was a powerful exploration of colonialism and its impacts through the perspectives of different family members - first, one who is traded as a slave and brought to the US, and the other who remains in Africa but part of a fractured society, and then through the perspectives o f their descendants. 
• "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" is Sherman Alexie at his best. I listened to the memoir via audiobook and also via the hardcover. Alexie's reading is powerful. This story had elements I have found in other of Alexie's literature, which made how he writes and incorporates himself into his work even more profound. There were also things that were clearly revealed in writing for the first time through this book, and you could feel the catharsis throughout. There were moments so emotional that in his reading, you could hear the author come to tears. The audio experience was unlike any I've had before, and the book itself is so relatable, touching, and one that I will revisit over and over again.
• Best Book With a Weak Ending: "Fierce Kingdom" by Gin Phillips
• Why: The book's premise is very truly something I think about frequently in this day and age - an active shooter in a public place. For that reason, I kept reading the book and asking myself as a I went - what would I be doing in this situation? Needless to say, that book is not one to provide answers. And maybe that's the point. It's billed as a "what would a mother do for her son" kind of story, but really that does not come across as strongly as the shooting itself. The ending felt abrupt and unclear - I feel like I spent a lot of time following the characters but didn't get much resolution.
• Book I am So Glad I Read Because of Current Events: "They Can't Kill Us All" by Wesley Lowery 
• Why: By proportion, more black men are killed by police than any other demographic. This book is one journalist's experience covering several events around the country and the activism demanding justice. The author is also a black man so it was interesting to read how he covers something that he even says, at different stages of the book, hits close to home. The book was also a good recap of events that had been lost in the shuffle of the 24 hour news cycle, and also raised data, questions and challenges related to how we ensure that people (and especially black men) are not needlessly losing their lives to police brutality.
• Book That Opened My Eyes the Most: "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
• Why: I lived in Oklahoma for seven years and in that time, learned so much more about indigenous cultures and the history of U.S. colonialism. Still, I had not heard of the Osage Killings, which happened not very far from Tulsa! This book is a stunning accounting of a huge conspiracy to kill Osage people for headrights. It focuses on a handful of cases investigated by the early FBI, but acknowledges that likely hundreds of Osage were murdered without any investigation. It is a story that needs to be told more often and louder.
• When People Ask me to Recommend from my 2017 List: "Beartown" by Fredrik Backman and "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
• Why: "Beartown" surprised me. I knew it was a book about a hockey town, and that something bad happened. What I didn't know is that I would be reading something so profound about rape culture and the intersections of family, sports, and misogyny. None of it was a surprise in the sense that - right, our society - but I didn't expect it from the book. I'll recommend it with the caveat that, particularly for women, it can be triggering. 
• "Little Fires Everywhere" is another Celeste Ng book worth reading. I loved "Everything You Never Told Me" and will recommend them together. I think what I like about Ng . that is reflected so clearly in Little Fires is her writing style - every word is carefully chosen and woven into may layers of plot. While complex, the plots are not overbearing, just enticing, and I'm always left wanting to read more.
• Book I Wouldn't Recommend to Anyone: "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah
• Why: UGH. Everyone told me this book was SO AMAZING. In my opinion, it is not amazing AT ALL. The story was interesting in some ways (I liked the idea of following a female resister) but OMG there were so many plot holes. The writing was sub-par and the love story, rather than being a selling point, was kind of an insulting tangent. I think there are better books to be read that take place in WWII France.

The 2017 Book Statistics:

• 63% were written by women
• 33% were written by people of color 
• I read more books by women of color (6) than men of color (4).
• 17 hardcovers
• 6 paperbacks
• 4 E-Books
• 3 Audiobooks
• 11 were from Book of the Month
• 9 represented experiences or worldviews different than my own
• 9 actively covered an aspect of non-dominant culture or a minoritized community
• 24 were fiction; 6 were non-fiction
• 2 were young adult
• 6 are now on my "Everyone Must Read" Goodreads Shelf
• 10,695 pages
• 20 completed books were posted to instagram (#mjreadingchallenge2017)

The Overall Book List

1. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (January)
2. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche (January)
3. Truevine by Beth Macy (January)
4. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance (January)
5. Homegoing by Yaa Giasi (February)
6. They Can't Kill Us All by Wesley Lowery (February)
7. Lilian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney (February)
8. Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon (February)
9. The Nightengale by Kristin Hannah (March)
10. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George (March)
11. The Light of Paris by Eleanor Brown (March)
12. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (April)
13. The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vasquez (April)
14. Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith (May)
15. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (May)
16. Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson (May)
17. The Nix by Nathan Hill (June)
18. A Million Junes by Emily Henry (June)
19. The Toughest Indian in the World by Sherman Alexie (July)
20. You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie (August)
21. In the Woods by Tana French (August)
22. Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips (August)
23. Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff (October)
24. The Blinds by Adam Sternbergh (October)
25. Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang
26. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (November)
27. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (November)
28. All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood (November)
29. Beartown by Fredrik Backman (November)
30. Origin by Dan Brown (December)

2018 Intentions: Windows and Mirrors

The good news is, I'm not getting worse at book diversity, but I could get better. I am going to push myself even more in 2018 to read books by more people of color, and particularly women of color. In 2017, I tried to read something associated with each of my travels (particularly Paris and Colombia) and I want to continue that in 2018; however, I also want to challenge myself to read authors from other countries, particularly from those I don't identify with. I will acknowledge, though, that it's ok for me to have books on my list that do line up with my identity (white, American woman of western European descent) because everyone needs mirrors. We also just need some windows. 

I didn't mind BOTM this year primarily for purchases, and will continue to question buying other books. I need to get back into a library routine and figure out what that looks like when I don't have one in my neighborhood directly, but I do want more library books!

What a year of reading, once again. 30 Books never disappoints - so here's to another 30 in 2018!

~MJ

33 Books Challenge - Check!

I've successfully read 33 books this year. Well, 40 if you count my listening to the Harry Potter series. And 41 if you count my listening to "The Book Thief," but I don't like to count books in a challenge I've read before this year.

It came down to the last minute in some ways - the final book was completed at about 5:30pm on December 31, 2016. I also realized that I haven't published anything on this blog since 2015. Both of these notes are evidence that 2016 was a busy year. Thankfully, it was still full of great books.

I saw this on a Facebook post and I'm stealing it:

• Best Use of Imagination: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
• Why: Quantum physics, string theory and the multiverse - it was like a great book about time travel & its implications without actually traveling time. It also kept me on my toes; I had a hard time actually predicting what was coming, which kept me reading.
• Book I'd Read Again Right Now: The Mothers by Brit Bennett
• Why: I listened to the audiobook and it was incredible. I want to read the book - to hold it in my hands - because I want to really savor it. 
• Book That Will Stay With Me for Years: The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez
• Why: It was the right story at the right time. Immigration is such an issue currently, and this book did a beautiful job of putting stories about immigration into a broader narrative about family, love and the sacrifices people make in the hopes of attaining something greater for themselves and their loved ones. It also was a far-from-happy-ending kind of story, which always stands out to me.  
• Best Book With a Weak Ending: The Comet Seekers by Helen Sedgewick
• Why: This book was generally really interesting and imaginative. I like storylines that toggle between time and perspectives, which this does well. I didn't like one of the romance stories in the book as a matter of personal preference, but also it felt purposeless in the broader narrative. This likely also made the ending seem resolution-less and less sticky. I can't actually remember the ending fully, and I only read it a few weeks ago.
• Book I am So Glad I Read Because of Current Events: Tie -  Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson and Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
• Why: Just Mercy hits on all of the issues of systemic racism present in our justice system. It is a powerful read that illuminates, for me, why #BlackLivesMatter, or rather, why Black Lives haven't mattered, and what that means not only for the justice system, but our broader society. Stevenson is also actively combating this tide and his story is inspiring. Born a Crime is similar in its insightfulness and importance as it comes to race relations. In the least, Noah's memoir illuminates that everyone has a unique story, background, and set of circumstances that shape who they are; at most, Noah illuminates the many lines of difference present in everyone's story - with insightful commentary on race, culture, religion, skin-color, language, and nationality.
• Book That Opened My Eyes the Most: The Spy by Paulo Coelho
• Why: I had no idea who Mata Hari was before reading this book. Although Coelho imagines some of the events in the book, the premise of the story, and much of the context is right out of history books (that I was clearly never given). It's debatable whether Hari was a criminal, but it is not debatable that her course of events very much had to do with her being a woman in a society dominated by men. I also think that it was this aspect of her identity that most clearly set her up to be positioned as a criminal - which makes her conviction and execution questionable in many ways. Don't worry, I didn't spoil anything.
• When People Ask Me What to Recommend from my 2016 list: The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez & Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Some others might be recommended based on the person and their interests.
• See above!
• Book I Wouldn't Recommend to Anyone: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
• Why: It wasn't a bad book by any means. I also wasn't moved by it. The "Girl" books seem to be overwrought in some ways, and maybe this book's only fault is that I read "Gone Girl" first and this feels like a thriller in the same vein. I won't tell anyone not to read it (probably) but I also wouldn't say to anyone that it is a must-read. I also have nearly zero interest in the movie even after reading the book. The "nearly" is only because I wouldn't mind a little more time with Justin Therioux.

I set out to read books by more women and more people of color than I did last year - generally to diversify my reading list. Here's how the stats shook out:

• 60% of the books were written by women
• 33% were written by people of color (this is same proportion from last year)
• I read more books by men of color (6) than women of color (5). 
• 8 hardcovers
• 2 e-books
• 7 audiobooks
• 16 paperbacks
• 10 reflected stories of cultures and people very different from mine
• 2 actively promoted narratives that deviate from dominant culture
• 9 were non-fiction; 1 was a narrative based on true events
• 4 young adult/children's
• 10,406 pages read
• 27 were posted to Instagram in 2016 (#mjreadingchallenge2016).

Overall, it was a good year for reading. It was unclear whether I'd reach the goal so I'm glad I did. The majority of the books were tackled in the fall and winter, as my spring and summer were slow reading times between work and transitioning from Oklahoma to Colorado. I still read every day, but the slower times were just that - I was distracted and needed to re-read, or too tired to read many pages.

My rule that audiobooks are allowed made a difference. Admittedly, when I hit book #26,  I did think - well, technically I've read 33 with Harry Potter! But I wouldn't let myself bend that rule. For that, I am grateful.

I also made more friends who are avid readers and between old and new ones, have had great discussions about books and traded recommendations. Even though I didn't get around to posting every book on Instagram (at least in 2016), I did get affirmation from many of  my friends about the postings themselves. I want to continue that in 2017 to, in the very least, celebrate the books I read, but also to spread the love of reading.

I also learned a couple of lessons:

• First, diversifying my reading list is an intentional act that I must continue in 2017.
• Second, 33 books, while a nice ring, was a little much (if I want to enjoy the lovely re-reads of great books like Harry Potter and The Book Thief). Therefore, I will likely keep 2017's goal at 30 books - and hey, I'm turning 30 so that works.
• Third, and finally, I still spend way too much money on books. I have books at my house I haven't read. I have a library card. Therefore, I want to only spend Book of the Month money this year, and if I buy any others, I must use gift cards or get sizable discounts. Otherwise, I have plenty to work through at my house and at the library.  I also already locked my Audible Membership and pre-loaded 7 audiobooks for next year, so no need to purchase more. I did this in 2014 and it curbed my spending demonstrably (or at least, it felt that way), so I don't see the harm in doing this again.

Briefly, I thought that I should also challenge myself to read more nonfiction. My habit with nonfiction is to read some, skim some, and ultimately enjoy looking at the books on my shelf. The exceptions are usually narrative nonfiction (like A Voyage Long and Strange this year), select audiobook memoirs, or highly readable, relevant work (like Hamilton: a Revolution). Ultimately, I have decided not to push myself here for a couple of reasons. First, my reading challenges are supposed to be pleasurable and to stoke my passions for reading. The least pleasurable thing to do, and the thing that would quell my passions, is to force myself to read more of the things I don't like reading. Second, I read a lot of "non-fiction" at work. I also do a lot of skimming, reviewing passages, etc. for fun - but I won't count any of that as completing a book. I just know it happens and it works for me. So there.

Cheers to a great year of reading, and another year to come!

~MJ

The complete list:

1. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
2. A Map of Everything by Elizabeth Early
3. The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson
4. Americanah by Chimanda Ngozi Adiche
5. Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo
6. H is For Hawk by Helen MacDonald
7. The Julian Chapter by R.J. Palacio
8. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
9. For One More Day by Mitch Albom
10. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
11. Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
12. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
13. Sudden Death by Alvaro Enrique
14. Racial Equality in America by John Hope Franklin
15. The BFG by Roald Dahl
16. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
17. After You by Jojo Moyes 
18. Harry Potter & the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 by John Tiffany
19. Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda
20. A Voyage Long and Strange: On the Trail of Vikings, Conquistadors, Lost Colonists, and Other Adventures in Early America by Tony Horowitz
21. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
22. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez
23. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
24. The Mothers by Brit Bennett
25. The Comet Seekers by Helen Sedgewick
26. Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple
27. The Trespasser by Tana French
28. The Spy by Paulo Coelho
29. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
30. Talking As Fast As I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls and Everything in Between by Lauren Graham
31. Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie
32. The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
33. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch