The end of the first half of 2008 is upon us. As some of you know I like to read and think that I do it more than the average person. I enjoy it as a means of relaxation and to gain knowledge and to keep the old imagination in tip-top condition. Last year I managed to read a lot more books than I could ever remember cruising through in the past. According to my handy dandy list, I read 25 books in 2007. My goal for 2008 was not an actual number but just to try to surpass the previous year. At the half way mark of this year I have stumbled my way through completing 18 books and I am currently reading two others.
The list is currently over to the right —> but I will list them here for the two or three of you that scan my site through a feed reader:
A Long Way Down – Nick Hornby
All Souls: A Family Story From Southie – Michael Patrick MacDonald
The Amber Room – Steve Berry
Big Trouble – Dave Barry
The Black Dahlia – James Ellroy
Blaze – Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
Charleston – John Jakes
Dave Barry’s History Of The Millenium (So Far) – Dave Barry
Images Of The Beatles – Tim Hill
The Last Templar – Raymond Khoury
Let Me Tell You A Story – Red Auerbach & John Feinstein
Letters From Nuremberg – Senator Christopher J. Dodd with Larry Bloom
The Life And Times Of The Thunderbolt Kid – Bill Bryson
Night – Elie Wiesel
Paul Revere’s Ride – David Hackett Fischer
The Power And The Glory – Graham Greene
The Romanov Prophecy – Steve Berry
Why So Many Gods? – Tim Baker
Okay so that was my list of books that I managed to finish in the last six months. The list contains fiction and non-fiction, history and biography, and even a book mainly of photographs. No, that isn’t really cheating if there are paragraphs of actual words in there and as long as I don’t do it regularly it is okay and hey, it’s The Beatles for crying out loud.
I am also currently reading two other books. The first is what I call my regular reading book and the other is my…umm…bathroom book.
The Story Of The Confederacy – Robert Selph Henry
The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia Of Rock & Roll, 3rd Edition – Holly George-Warren & Patricia Romanowski
Not too shabby a list I think. I should try to throw in a few classic this year and I am sure that I will buy and borrow several more. I know the next eight books I am going to read and I’m pretty hyped to get to them. Now, simmple math with tell you that I will exploed pass last year’s record output but history tells me that I will slow down. Something always get me tripped up. I believe that I am already to that point since my current book has taken me well over two weeks to get only half way through. Maybe it’s because I know how it ends…THE SOUTH LOSES! There I spoiled it for you all.
Anyway, of those of you who read my drivel and feel the need to comment (more comments and commenters would be nice…I’m just saying) do you read a lot? What prompts you to read and what kind of stuff do you usually gravitate towards? Just curious.
Good choices.
Yes, I read, but lately I haven’t read often enough. I used to read more, but now I tend to come up with excuses not to and I get started with books and somehow fail to finish them. Not everytime, but a lot lately.
But your post has motivated me to get back onto the right page so to speak.:)
Do books on tape count? I like to download books to my mp3 player and listen to them at work.
Scout – I am glad I can help to bring another person back to the written word.
Mo – Audio books absolutely count. I read/listened to two last year. I enjoyed them fully but due to my long commute I found that it made me sleepy faster and I don’t like wrecking…
If you like Hornby’s stuff, you may want to try a book I just listened to the audio version of–How to talk to a Widower. Reminds me a lot of Hornby.