Peter W. Knox

33 books. 8,029 pages. 14 Fiction. 19 NonFiction.

16 Female Authors. 17 Male. 14 Print. 19 Digital.

18 Library Digital.

46 books/14,455 pages. 17 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

20 Female Authors. 26 Male. 22 Print. 24 Digital.

21 Library Digital.

52 books/12,504 pages. 20 Fiction. 32 NonFiction.

30 Print. 22 Digital. 21 Female Authors. 31 Male.

18 Library Digital.

47 books/15,472 pages. 18 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

19 Print. 28 Digital. 16 Female. 31 Male.

25 Library Digital.

50 books/18,944 pages. 22 Fiction/28 NonFiction.

18 Print/32 Digital. 15 Female/35 Male.

27 Library Digital.

44 books/14,765 pages. 25 Fiction/19 NonFiction.

30 Print/14 Digital. 10 Female/34 Male.

7 Library Digital.

39 books/14,316 pages. 18 Fiction/21 NonFiction.

20 Print/19 Digital. 14 Female/25 Male.

12 Library Digital.

-

This year I really rushed at the end to meet my goal of 40 books, 3 less than last year (and about 3,000 less pages too). To look at those trends, it felt like I went longer periods not getting through books this year. Next year I’ll slow down, try to bring it back to 36 or so - which is where I was comfortably earlier this month.

I got back to reading more books published before 2024, but still read 11 NEW frontlist books (and about 4 more that were published only a year ago). But since last year, it was almost HALF frontlist books, I wanted to track that number again this year.

This year I read more female authors (not AS many as men, but much closer in balance than last year) but just as much fiction as last year. And almost NONE (6 out of 40!) in print when last year I read twice as many print books. It’s just a lot of digital library books on my Kindle (the nice Voyage one, so worth it) and some more audiobooks to listen to on my walk to work.

As usual, despite loving nonfiction and reading more of that (especially male nonfiction writers) than fiction, my favorite top books were all female fiction.

Both The God of the Woods and The Secret History blew me away this year. They also feel like kindred spirits. I can’t say enough amazing things about TGOTW and talking about it nonstop has gotten 25+ people to tell me they’ve picked it up and also loved it.

If any book ever catches your interest, I hope you follow through in finding a way to acquire and read it - check out my reviews (I write a review for every book I read) and let me know what you’re reading these days.

So in 2025 I’m pledging to pick up more fiction (as always), more women authors (as always), and more print (now more than ever)… if just to reverse some continuing trends from the last three years. Thus, send me your recommendations. And without further ado, here are mine…

My top 3 reads from 2024:

Favorite Fiction:

The God of the Woods

The Secret History

Project Hail Mary

Favorite NonFiction:

The Art Thief

Ambition Monster

Means of Ascent [LBJ #2]

Honorable Mentions:

The Measure

Godwin

Health and Safety

My 2024 Books Read (for Pleasure!)

My 2023 Year in Reading at GoodReads

43 books. 13,757 pages.

17 Fiction. 26 NonFiction.

12 Female Authors. 31 Male.

13 Print. 30 Digital.

27 Library Digital. 11 Audiobooks.

*2022

48 books. 13,795 pages. 20 Fiction. 28 NonFiction.

13 Female Authors. 35 Male. 14 Print. 34 Digital.

27 Library Digital.

*2021

32 books. 8,582 pages. 16 Fiction. 16 NonFiction.

16 Female Authors. 16 Male. 7 Print. 25 Digital.

24 Library Digital.

33 books. 8,029 pages. 14 Fiction. 19 NonFiction.

16 Female Authors. 17 Male. 14 Print. 19 Digital.

18 Library Digital.

46 books/14,455 pages. 17 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

20 Female Authors. 26 Male. 22 Print. 24 Digital.

21 Library Digital.

52 books/12,504 pages. 20 Fiction. 32 NonFiction.

30 Print. 22 Digital. 21 Female Authors. 31 Male.

18 Library Digital.

47 books/15,472 pages. 18 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

19 Print. 28 Digital. 16 Female. 31 Male.

25 Library Digital.

50 books/18,944 pages. 22 Fiction/28 NonFiction.

18 Print/32 Digital. 15 Female/35 Male.

27 Library Digital.

44 books/14,765 pages. 25 Fiction/19 NonFiction.

30 Print/14 Digital. 10 Female/34 Male.

7 Library Digital.

39 books/14,316 pages. 18 Fiction/21 NonFiction.

20 Print/19 Digital. 14 Female/25 Male.

12 Library Digital.

-

This year I read 43 books, just five less than last year (when I read many more short books to more fully bounce back into numbers). But 43 is 10 more books than I was reading back in 21 and 20! And most crazy is just how many more NEW (aka Frontlist) books I read this year compared to most years.

I never kept track before, since it was never this blatently obvious, but when I was collecting my data I noticed this trend towards recently published / new books. 21 out of 43 (almost half) of the books I read in 2023 WERE RELEASED IN 2023. Add in the 8 I read that were published in 2022 and now 2/3rds of the books I read in 2023 were published in the last two years… wow.

Guess as I’ve gotten deeper and deeper into publishing news, marketing, social, and advertising… I’m more susceptible to jumping into newer books as they’re publishing - curious to see what the fuss is about… and it’s paying off. I loved so much of what I read this year.

Despite again almost reading 10 more NonFiction books than Fiction, it’s the Fiction I recall most fondly and have a harder time forgetting. While I certainly enjoying learning about Matthew Perry, behind the camera stories of Bourdain, east coast sharks trends, the recent history of the internet, fraternity-centered modern crime rings, the history and controversies of The Oscars, an oral history of emo, and what it’s like to go blind and be a doctor that’s dying, the best nonfiction was closer to therapy… Good Inside (the best parenting book I’ve read) and I Think You Should Talk to Someone (a therapy book wrapped in memoir).

Fiction (perhaps as it’s the most different from my day-job work) was the standout - as I loved most every novel I read in 2023. A reminder that I should pick it up more (especially in print - as I read the least EVER print fiction this year, just because I rely so much on the library and love my Kindle Oasis experience). I read one Kevin Wilson novel, then went and almost immediately read two more.

I listened to more audiobooks than ever (four more than last year) in lieu of podcasts on my walking commute or over long family drives in the front seat while everyone else slept… while switching back to the Kindle version in bed at night. I highly recommend this hybrid model! I credit it completely with getting me through the LBJ book and it was really fun to do with Tegan and Sara’s memoir (since they splice in old audio archives during their stories - so well done!).

Also again like last year, I read twice as many male writers as female writers - not intentionally! And it’s helpful to look back on this now, as I wasn’t always aware I was doing that, since my favorites from the year were more books by women writers - also again!

If any book ever catches your interest, I hope you follow through in finding a way to acquire and read it - check out my reviews (I write a review for every book I read) and let me know what you’re reading these days.

So in 2024 I’m pledging to pick up more fiction, more women authors, and more print (and maybe more older books?)… if just to reverse some continuing trends from the last two years. Thus, send me your recommendations. And without further ado, here are mine…

My top 3 reads from 2023:

Favorite Fiction:

Wellness

Yellowface

Now is Not the Time to Panic

Favorite NonFiction:

The Path to Power

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Good Inside

Honorable Mentions:

Vintage Contemporaries

The Midcoast

Birnam Wood

My 2022 Year in Reading at GoodReads

48 books. 13,795 pages.

20 Fiction. 28 NonFiction.

13 Female Authors. 35 Male.

14 Print. 34 Digital.

27 Library Digital.

*2021

32 books. 8,582 pages. 16 Fiction. 16 NonFiction.

16 Female Authors. 16 Male. 7 Print. 25 Digital.

24 Library Digital.

33 books. 8,029 pages. 14 Fiction. 19 NonFiction.

16 Female Authors. 17 Male. 14 Print. 19 Digital.

18 Library Digital.

46 books/14,455 pages. 17 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

20 Female Authors. 26 Male. 22 Print. 24 Digital.

21 Library Digital.

52 books/12,504 pages. 20 Fiction. 32 NonFiction.

30 Print. 22 Digital. 21 Female Authors. 31 Male.

18 Library Digital.

47 books/15,472 pages. 18 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

19 Print. 28 Digital. 16 Female. 31 Male.

25 Library Digital.

50 books/18,944 pages. 22 Fiction/28 NonFiction.

18 Print/32 Digital. 15 Female/35 Male.

27 Library Digital.

44 books/14,765 pages. 25 Fiction/19 NonFiction.

30 Print/14 Digital. 10 Female/34 Male.

7 Library Digital.

39 books/14,316 pages. 18 Fiction/21 NonFiction.

20 Print/19 Digital. 14 Female/25 Male.

12 Library Digital.

-

This year I read 48 books, which was the most I’ve read since 2018 and the second most I’ve read since I started tracking in 2010! However, I have to be honest that the title count feels somewhat inflated due to short books (Bennett + Sivers) and coffee table books (Pen & Ink + LCD). But a book is a book is a book, even if it has pictures! And reading more books was my 2022 focus, to get beyond the low thirties counts my reading years have been post-Covid.

Some of these briefer books will be the ones I remember, such as The Parade and The Uncommon Reader. There were also more collections than usual years (Attenberg, Fitzgerald, String Theory, Sidecountry, Sedaris, Gessen, Bissell, Men Without Women, Bliss Montage) and oral histories (Bourdain, Mad Max, Tinder Box) while still leaving room for some big new fiction (Tomorrow, Crossroads, Sea of Tranquility, Beautiful World) and my usual favorites–the creative nonfiction memoir (Dirtbag, Land of Men, Somebody’s Daughter, Crying in H Mart, Raising Raffi).

I listened to more audiobooks than ever (Trevor Noah, Bourdain, DFW, Iger, Gottlieb) in lieu of podcasts on my walking commute and I splurged for the nice fancy Kindle Oasis (saving $$ on Prime Day!), which spurred me on to read more and more (especially with its Dark Mode, easy on the eyes at bedtime) through my 27 library rentals (but unlike last year - when I wanted an ebook, I’d buy it, at least 7 times).

Also unlike last year (when I was equally balanced between male/female writers and non/fiction books) I skewed so heavily male/nonfiction in 2022, somehow reading slightly less female authors yet more than double the amount of male authors. That’s something I’ll look to balance out better this year, as I’m already on my first book and it’s what I typically love the most: female authored fiction.

Continuing my recent trends, I again read mostly new (frontlist) books this year - published over the last few years, except for a handful. There’s so many amazing new books that I’m just trying to keep up with, and never feeling like I’m succeeding.

One of the last books I read in 2022 was also my favorite: Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. I haven’t felt this jazzed about a book for awhile and have not held back in telling others about it with wonderful results:

If any book ever catches your interest, I hope you follow through in finding a way to acquire and read it - check out my reviews (I write a review for every book I read) and let me know what you’re reading these days. Read on!

My top 3 reads from 2022:

Favorite Fiction:

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Sea of Tranquility

The Parade

Favorite NonFiction:

Crying in H Mart

In the Land of Men

Dirtbag, Massachusetts

Honorable Mentions:

Bliss Montage

Blood, Sweat, & Chrome

Crossroads

5 notes

My 2021 Year in Reading at GoodReads

32 books. 8,582 pages.

16 Fiction. 16 NonFiction.

16 Female Authors. 16 Male.

7 Print. 25 Digital.

24 Library Digital.

33 books. 8,029 pages. 14 Fiction. 19 NonFiction.

16 Female Authors. 17 Male. 14 Print. 19 Digital.

18 Library Digital.

46 books/14,455 pages. 17 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

20 Female Authors. 26 Male. 22 Print. 24 Digital.

21 Library Digital.

52 books/12,504 pages. 20 Fiction. 32 NonFiction.

30 Print. 22 Digital. 21 Female Authors. 31 Male.

18 Library Digital.

47 books/15,472 pages. 18 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

19 Print. 28 Digital. 16 Female. 31 Male.

25 Library Digital.

50 books/18,944 pages. 22 Fiction/28 NonFiction.

18 Print/32 Digital. 15 Female/35 Male.

27 Library Digital.

44 books/14,765 pages. 25 Fiction/19 NonFiction.

30 Print/14 Digital. 10 Female/34 Male.

7 Library Digital.

39 books/14,316 pages. 18 Fiction/21 NonFiction.

20 Print/19 Digital. 14 Female/25 Male.

12 Library Digital.

-

This year I read 32 books, which was below my yearly average and my set goal for the year in reading challenge. But considering my new life (post 2hr commute and with 2 children and much more reading for work), above 30 books is going to be my new PAR, like getting more than 100 in bowling. I’m happy with it.

I read one less book (thanks Ulysses) but more pages (thanks Ulysses) than 2020.

This is the first year that I actually reached a balance, reading exactly the same number of female and male authors. And exactly as many fiction as nonfiction!

Turns out I didn’t pay for a single digital (ebook) read all year actually… they all came from the Library, NetGalley, or Prime. That’s been a goal for awhile now as well… if I want a book I’m buying it in print (to own it) or I’ll wait for the library hold.

Continuing my trends, I read mostly new (frontlist) books this year - published over the last two years, except for a handful. There’s so many amazing new books that I’m just trying to keep up. And as usual, all my favorite fiction is from female writers.

If any book ever catches your interest, I hope you follow through in finding a way to acquire and read it - check out my reviews (I write a review for every book I read) and let me know what you’re reading these days. Read on!

My top 3 reads from 2021:

Favorite Fiction:

Such A Fun Age

Laserwriter II

No One Is Talking About This

Favorite NonFiction:

Gone to the Woods

Why Fish Don’t Exist

Fulfillment

Honorable Mentions:

How Lucky

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

The Smash-Up

11 notes

My 2020 Year in Reading at GoodReads

33 books. 8,029 pages.

14 Fiction. 19 NonFiction.

16 Female Authors. 17 Male.

14 Print. 19 Digital.

18 Library Digital.

-

46 books/14,455 pages. 17 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

20 Female Authors. 26 Male. 22 Print. 24 Digital.

21 Library Digital.

52 books/12,504 pages. 20 Fiction. 32 NonFiction.

30 Print. 22 Digital. 21 Female Authors. 31 Male.

18 Library Digital.

47 books/15,472 pages. 18 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

19 Print. 28 Digital. 16 Female. 31 Male.

25 Library Digital.

50 books/18,944 pages. 22 Fiction/28 NonFiction.

18 Print/32 Digital. 15 Female/35 Male.

27 Library Digital.

44 books/14,765 pages. 25 Fiction/19 NonFiction.

30 Print/14 Digital. 10 Female/34 Male.

7 Library Digital.

39 books/14,316 pages. 18 Fiction/21 NonFiction.

20 Print/19 Digital. 14 Female/25 Male.

12 Library Digital.

-

This year I read 33 books, which was 13 books below my yearly average and my set goal for the year in reading challenge. Not only that, but I read more shorter books, about half of my average number of pages read over a year, as I selfishly attempted to get my numbers up and meet my goal (yet still failing). However, I stand proud by this 33 number - having persevered through many changes to remain a reader.

2020 was the first full year that I was a father of two children under the age of 4. That alone accounts for so much, that looking back I should’ve adjusted my goal leaving the hospital in 2019 with our bundle of joy. I also changed jobs in March, abandoning my daily 2-hr commute on trains where I have done the majority of my reading over the last 14 years. This new job is a lot more responsibility and work (and reading!).

Of course, no one had a commute once the pandemic hit. And to have finished any books in the year we just had, with an election on top of a pandemic and ongoing protesting, we should all be patting ourselves on the back.

Some of my trends make sense… I read more library ebooks and more ebooks in general (as a total percentage) than previous years. Being on the move for five unexpected months with a family, I didn’t bring as many print books along. Some of the trends I’ve been intentionally working towards… I finally (almost) reached exactly a 50/50 split between female and male writers.

In general, I’m glad to have been able to read many new books published in 2020 (12) and 2019 (5). 2020 was a great year for publishing and I hope that those books are still discovered and read and remembered as good new things about this year.

If any book ever catches your interest, I hope you follow through in finding a way to acquire and read it - check out my reviews (I write a review for every book I read) and let me know what you’re reading these days. Read on!

My top 3 reads from 2020:

Favorite Fiction:

The Glass Hotel

Luster

All Adults Here

Favorite NonFiction:

Eat a Peach

Ask For More

Uncanny Valley

Honorable Mentions:

Leave The World Behind

Run Studio Run

Writers & Lovers

12 notes

My 2019 Year in Reading at GoodReads

46 books. 14,455 pages.

17 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

20 Female Authors. 26 Male.

22 Print. 24 Digital.

21 Library Digital.

-

52 books. 12,504 pages.

20 Fiction. 32 NonFiction.

30 Print. 22 Digital.

21 Female Authors. 31 Male.

18 Library Digital.

47 books/15,472 pages. 18 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

19 Print. 28 Digital. 16 Female. 31 Male.

25 Library Digital.

50 books/18,944 pages. 22 Fiction/28 NonFiction.

18 Print/32 Digital. 15 Female/35 Male.

27 Library Digital.

44 books/14,765 pages. 25 Fiction/19 NonFiction.

30 Print/14 Digital. 10 Female/34 Male.

7 Library Digital.

39 books/14,316 pages. 18 Fiction/21 NonFiction.

20 Print/19 Digital. 14 Female/25 Male.

12 Library Digital.

-

This year I read 46 books, which was my set goal because I’ve read on average 46 books each of the last 6 years I’ve been tracking my reading goals. But then I tackled the behemoth 3.7 pound The Power Broker at the end of summer which took me 3 months (with no regrets!) and I had to add in some shorter books and books I read through work to make my number. Fair. I ended up reading more pages overall despite reading fewer books than last year.

My goal last year was to read more female authors and female fiction. While I read six fewer titles than I did last year, I did read a higher percentage of female writers. While I did read less female fiction, I did read more female nonfiction (which was some of the most enjoyable reading of my year).

I read more library ebooks this year than last year (and have gotten my wife into the same habit), more than paying for me to get a new Kindle device for us to share. Overall I’m reading just slightly more ebooks than print (24 v 22). Next year in 2020 I’m going to keep the same goal of more female fiction, because it’s working to push me to find new favorites. Almost all of my favorite fiction this year (like last year) was from female authors.

If any book ever catches your interest, I hope you follow through in finding a way to acquire and read it - check out my reviews (I write a review for every book I read) and let me know what you’re reading these days. Read on!

My top 3 reads from 2019:

Favorite Fiction:

Homegoing

Little Fires Everywhere

Trust Exercise

Favorite NonFiction:

The Power Broker

Trick Mirror

Educated

Honorable Mentions:

The Fifth Estate

Normal People

Fleishman Is In Trouble

2 notes

My 2018 Year in Reading at GoodReads

52 books. 12,504 pages.

20 Fiction. 32 NonFiction.

30 Print. 22 Digital.

21 Female Authors. 31 Male.

18 Library Digital.

-

47 books/15,472 pages. 18 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

19 Print. 28 Digital. 16 Female. 31 Male.

25 Library Digital.

50 books/18,944 pages. 22 Fiction/28 NonFiction.

18 Print/32 Digital. 15 Female/35 Male.

27 Library Digital.

44 books/14,765 pages. 25 Fiction/19 NonFiction.

30 Print/14 Digital. 10 Female/34 Male.

7 Library Digital.

39 books/14,316 pages. 18 Fiction/21 NonFiction.

20 Print/19 Digital. 14 Female/25 Male.

12 Library Digital.

-

This year I read 52 books, one for every week of the year (although of course some books took longer and I caught up on other weeks with a few short books). That’s the most books I’ve tracked since I started keeping track five years ago, but less pages than I’ve ever recorded - a necessary trade off to reach a higher quantity of titles thus relying on shorter books. Last year my goal was to read more female fiction authors, which I did (three more novels than I read in 2017). It’s funny but I read exactly as many novels by both genders (10) in 2018.

Overall, I read exactly as many books by male writers as I did last year but added in more women to reach a higher total. I reversed my two year trend of reading more digital books than print books, especially since I read so many thinner ones (and two graphic novels) so carrying them around wasn’t an issue. I’d like to continue to focus on reading more female writers and fiction (same goal as last year - because it’s working!).

My top 3 reads from 2018:

Favorite Fiction:
Severance
Conversations with Friends
Less

Favorite NonFiction:
Bad Blood
Small Animals
I Am, I Am, I Am

Honorable Mentions:
New York Mumbai Scranton
Like Brothers
When Breath Becomes Air

6 notes

My 2017 Year in Reading at GoodReads

47 books. 15,472 pages.

18 Fiction. 29 NonFiction.

19 Print. 28 Digital.

16 Female authors. 31 Male.

25 Library Digital.

-

50 books/18,944 pages. 22 Fiction/28 NonFiction.

18 Print/32 Digital. 15 Female/35 Male.

27 Library Digital.

44 books/14,765 pages. 25 Fiction/19 NonFiction.

30 Print/14 Digital. 10 Female/34 Male.

7 Library Digital.

39 books/14,316 pages. 18 Fiction/21 NonFiction.

20 Print/19 Digital. 14 Female/25 Male.

12 Library Digital.

-

This is the first year I read slightly fewer books in four years of tracking. My list skewed heavily non-fiction, male, digital, and from the library. My 2017 goal (from last year) was to read more print (which I did, just barely), more fiction (which I didn’t), and more female non-fiction (which I almost doubled from last year). So, two out of three - success! But I’m still reading more than double the number of male authors over female authors and not enough fiction. Of my top nine books this year, six are by female writers - and all three top nonfiction books are intensely intimate personal histories from women. My 2018 reading goal is to read more female fiction writers and keep getting my ebooks from the library (25 out of 28 this year!).

-

My top 3 reads from 2017:

Favorite Fiction:
Manhattan Beach
Americanah
Here I Am

Favorite NonFiction:
Hunger
Arbitrary Stupid Goal
The Rules Do Not Apply

Honorable Mentions:
Goodbye Vitamin
Barbarian Days
The Disaster Artist

My 2016 Year in Reading at GoodReads

50 books. 18,944 pages.

22 Fiction. 28 NonFiction.

18 Print. 32 Digital.

15 Female authors. 35 Male.

27 Library Digital.

-

44 books/14,765 pages. 25 Fiction/19 NonFiction.

30 Print/14 Digital. 10 Female/34 Male.

7 Library Digital.

39 books/14,316 pages. 18 Fiction/21 NonFiction.

20 Print/19 Digital. 14 Female/25 Male.

12 Library Digital.

-

So this year I read more books, more pages, more nonfiction, more male authors, more digital, and more from the library. My 2016 goals were more and female non fiction - which I accomplished. Even better, I read 6 more books overall, but 20 more books were from the library than last year.

My 2017 goal will be more fiction in general, back to reading more print, and more female nonfiction (again, my shortest list this year).

-

My top 3 reads from 2016:

Favorite Fiction:
Lonesome Dove
A Little Life
Before the Fall

Favorite NonFiction:
Shoe Dog
Boys in the Boat
Lust & Wonder

Honorable Mentions:
Just Mercy
Home Game
Sweetbitter

2 notes

My 2015 in Reading at GoodReads

44 books. 14,765 pages.

25 Fiction. 19 NonFiction.

30 Print. 14 Digital.

10 Female authors. 34 Male.

7 Library Digital.

-

*Last year’s post, 2014 in Reading:

39 books/14,316 pages. 18 Fiction/21 NonFiction.

20 Print/19 Digital. 14 Female/25 Male.

12 Library Digital.

-

So this year I read more books, more pages, more fiction, more male authors, more print, and less from the library. 2016 goals: more female non fiction.

-

My top 3 reads from 2015:

Favorite Fiction:
Fates and Furies
Station Eleven
Middlesex

Favorite NonFiction:
Missolua
Console Wars
My Salinger Year

Honorable Mentions:
The Martian
Room
Purity

10 notes

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

What I Read in 2014…

I read* 39 books start to finish last year, down from 46(!) in 2013.

But that’s because I read more pages this year- 14,294 pages in 2014 compared to 13,885 in 2013. Shantaram, Red or Dead, Wind-Up Bird were all massive books (and oddly enough I read each in PRINT).

I read 18 fiction and 21 nonfiction books.

20 books in print and 19 in ebook.

12 fiction/print, 6 fiction/ebook, 8 nonfiction/print, 13 nonfiction/ebook.

Of the 19 ebooks I read, 11 were borrowed from the library.

5 books were collections/essays.

I rarely rate books with 5 stars and would still recommend books that got 3 stars from me, but here’s what I’d pass along from my list:

Fiction:

California

10:04

An Untamed State

Shantaram

(favorite novel I read all year)

The Circle

Friendship

Non-Fiction:

The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry

The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon

Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief

The New Kings of Nonfiction

The Empathy Exams: Essays

The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

Bad Feminist: Essays

I enjoyed ALL of those and suspect you might as well. Full reviews are over at my

GoodReads page.

(*How? I commute 2 hours a day on subways, take time to read each day at lunch, and usually end my nights in bed with a book - or backlit ereader. I always have books ready to go on my phone and never waste my time in a line not reading.)

(None of these were work related or published by Wiley).

18 notes

Originally Posted By coverspy

coverspy:

Going Clear, Lawrence Wright (M, 20s, athletic shorts, work boots, thick glasses, M train)

Just read this (free library ebook!) and it lived up to all of the deserved hype: the perfect deep dive nonfiction profile investigation that is as well written and true as it is entertaining and educational. Nothing, not even Under the Banner of Heaven, comes as close to a complete and comprehensive read on the topic of a religion as complex as Scientology.

If interested, read this compelling excerpt on The New Yorker (their most widely read piece of the year):
http://m.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/02/14/110214fa_fact_wright?currentPage=all

15 notes