What I've Learned From Doing the PopSugar Reading Challenge
Reading is supposed to bring something out of you. It's supposed to teach you, enhance you, and inspire you.
So, when I committed myself to doing the PopSugar Reading Challenge last January, I knew it would be tough, but I would gain something from it at the end.
I decided to recap what I read and what I learned as concisely as possible.
Book #1: A book written by a comedian
Paddle Your Own Canoe, by Nick Offerman
Lesson learned: The old-fashioned ways are still good and should not be forgotten.
Book #2: A New York Times Bestseller
Why Not Me?, by Mindy Kaling
Lesson learned: Those scary thoughts just before you go to sleep can happen to even the best and brightest.
Book #3: A self-improvement book
That Sugar Book, by Damon Ganneau
Lesson learned: Don't eat sugar.
Book #4: A book from the library
Pawnee, by Leslie Knope
Lesson learned: Small-town life is far more fascinating than big-city life.
Book #5: A book about an unfamiliar culture
Yes, My Accent Is Real, by Kunal Nayyar
Lesson learned: No matter how brave you are, no matter how old you are, you will always miss your mommy and daddy.
Book #6: A book that's under 150 pages
The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Lesson learned: Don't lose your child-like exuberance for the world.
Book #7: An autobiography
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost), by Felicia Day
Lesson learned: Be you, one-hundred percent.
Book #8: A book you can finish in a day
Ten Things I'd Wish I'd Known Before I Went Out into the Real World, by Maria Shriver
Lesson learned: You can have it all -- just not at the same time.
Book #9: The first book you see in a bookstore
Modern Romance, by Aziz Ansari
Lessons learned: Love was easier in the fifties because you weren't given so much choice, but you were also so limited geographically that you might not find your soul mate. So I'm very lucky to have found mine. And also, Japanese people aren't having much sex.
Book #10: A book of poetry
Pop Sonnets: Shakespearean Spins on Your Favourite Songs, by Erik Didreksen
Lesson learned: You can class up even the dirtiest words.
Book #11: A book recommended by a family member
The DUFF, by Kody Keplinger
Lesson learned: My sister knows me better than I thought.
Book #12: A murder mystery
Sharp Objects, by Gillian Flynn
Lesson learned: Trust your instinct. If someone seems shady, they probably are.
Book #13: A YA Bestseller
The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green
Lesson learned: Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.
Book #14: A book written by a celebrity
So THAT Happened, by Jon Cryer
Lesson learned: Flamboyancy does not always equal homosexuality. And never have sex after surgery.
Book #15: A book that's set on an island
The Old Man and The Sea, by Ernest Hemingway
Lesson learned: You're never too old.
Book #16: A book that's becoming a movie this year
The Taliban Shuffle, by Kim Barker
Lesson learned: If you don't have to be in a wartorn country, don't be in one.
Book #17: A satirical book
Animal Farm, by George Orwell
Lesson learned: Don't be a pig. Treat everyone with equal amounts of respect and kindness.
Book #18: A graphic novel
The Umbrella Academy, by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba
Lesson learned: Being a superhero is not all it's cracked up to be.
Book #19: A classic from the twentieth century
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
Lesson learned: Sometimes the ones you love hold you back from seeing your full potential. Sometimes that makes you do crazy things.
Book #20: A book based on a fairy tale
Leaping Beauty, by Gregory Maguire
Lesson learned: Animals are delightful.
Book #21: A book that's guaranteed to bring you joy
How To Be An Explorer of the World: Portable Museum, by Keri Smith
Lesson learned: Take a little time to get to know you.
Book #22: A book set in your hometown
Skim, by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki
Lesson learned: Distance yourself from those who make you feel bad about yourself. They are not worth your time or energy.
Book #23: A book about a road trip
Paper Towns, by John Green
Lesson learned: You can never really know a person. There's too much going on behind their eyes.
Book #24: A dystopian novel
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
Lesson learned: For Pete's sake, don't burn books or art because you personally don't like it. Censorship is stupid.
Book #25: A book that's set in summertime
A Midsummer Night's Dream, by William Shakespeare
Lesson learned: Love who you love, not who your parents tell you to love.
Book #26: A book from Oprah's Book Club
What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day, by Pearl Cleage
Lesson learned: Sleep when you're dead. Don't shrivel and wither before you expire. Live now. Live a full life with love, laughter, and dancing up until that moment.
Book #27: A book set in Europe
Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes
Lesson learned: Let every person have their dignity.
Book #28: A book translated to English
Spark Joy, by Marie Kondo and translated by Cathy Hirano
Lesson learned: Keep the things you like. Toss the things you don't. Now find a place for everything that works for you and keep it there.
Book #29: A National Book Award winner
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Lesson learned: Don't give up and resign yourself to a miserable existence. Strive. Find a way, and while doing so, remember to appreciate the little things along the way.
Book #30: A book that's published in 2016
The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, by Amy Schumer
Lesson learned: Don't vote for people who take money from the gun lobby.
Book #31: A book with a blue cover
The Happiness Equation, by Neil Pasricha
Lesson learned: Do it for your own self-fulfillment and don't ever listen to other people's advice.
Book #32:
The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare
Lesson learned: If you can help it, try not to marry a misogynist who thinks he can "tame" you by starving you into being his obedient slave.
Book #33: A science fiction novel
Mermaids in Paradise, by Lydia Millet
Lesson learned: The earth is precious. Let's try to stop screwing it up.
Book #34:A book with a protagonist who has your occupation
The Body, by Stephen King
Lesson learned: All life has value. Don't give up on it.
Book #35:
A Call to Action, by Jimmy Carter
Lesson learned: We've got a long way to go, girlfriend.
Book #36: A book (but not so much its prequel)
Prince Caspian, by C.S. Lewis
Lesson learned: Don't trust your uncle if he took your dad's throne. While you're at it, don't trust anyone who has to steal things rather than earn them.
Book #37: A book recommended by someone you just met
The Girl On The Train, by Paula Hawkins
Lesson learned: If you wake up with a massive wound on the back of your head, investigate. Also, corkscrews and alcoholics mix surprisingly well.
Book #38: A book you haven't read since high school
Ghost World, by Daniel Clowes
Lesson learned: Never let your inner child die completely, but don't let feeling small determine who you will become.
Book #39: A romance set in the future
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline
Lesson learned: To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with. (To be fair, Mark Twain said this first in Following the Equator, but the lesson holds true.)
Not bad for a year.
So, when I committed myself to doing the PopSugar Reading Challenge last January, I knew it would be tough, but I would gain something from it at the end.
I decided to recap what I read and what I learned as concisely as possible.
Book #1: A book written by a comedian
Paddle Your Own Canoe, by Nick Offerman
Lesson learned: The old-fashioned ways are still good and should not be forgotten.
Book #2: A New York Times Bestseller
Why Not Me?, by Mindy Kaling
Lesson learned: Those scary thoughts just before you go to sleep can happen to even the best and brightest.
Book #3: A self-improvement book
That Sugar Book, by Damon Ganneau
Lesson learned: Don't eat sugar.
Book #4: A book from the library
Pawnee, by Leslie Knope
Lesson learned: Small-town life is far more fascinating than big-city life.
Book #5: A book about an unfamiliar culture
Yes, My Accent Is Real, by Kunal Nayyar
Lesson learned: No matter how brave you are, no matter how old you are, you will always miss your mommy and daddy.
Book #6: A book that's under 150 pages
The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Lesson learned: Don't lose your child-like exuberance for the world.
Book #7: An autobiography
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost), by Felicia Day
Lesson learned: Be you, one-hundred percent.
Book #8: A book you can finish in a day
Ten Things I'd Wish I'd Known Before I Went Out into the Real World, by Maria Shriver
Lesson learned: You can have it all -- just not at the same time.
Book #9: The first book you see in a bookstore
Modern Romance, by Aziz Ansari
Lessons learned: Love was easier in the fifties because you weren't given so much choice, but you were also so limited geographically that you might not find your soul mate. So I'm very lucky to have found mine. And also, Japanese people aren't having much sex.
Book #10: A book of poetry
Pop Sonnets: Shakespearean Spins on Your Favourite Songs, by Erik Didreksen
Lesson learned: You can class up even the dirtiest words.
Book #11: A book recommended by a family member
The DUFF, by Kody Keplinger
Lesson learned: My sister knows me better than I thought.
Book #12: A murder mystery
Sharp Objects, by Gillian Flynn
Lesson learned: Trust your instinct. If someone seems shady, they probably are.
Book #13: A YA Bestseller
The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green
Lesson learned: Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.
Book #14: A book written by a celebrity
So THAT Happened, by Jon Cryer
Lesson learned: Flamboyancy does not always equal homosexuality. And never have sex after surgery.
Book #15: A book that's set on an island
The Old Man and The Sea, by Ernest Hemingway
Lesson learned: You're never too old.
Book #16: A book that's becoming a movie this year
The Taliban Shuffle, by Kim Barker
Lesson learned: If you don't have to be in a wartorn country, don't be in one.
Book #17: A satirical book
Animal Farm, by George Orwell
Lesson learned: Don't be a pig. Treat everyone with equal amounts of respect and kindness.
Book #18: A graphic novel
The Umbrella Academy, by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba
Lesson learned: Being a superhero is not all it's cracked up to be.
Book #19: A classic from the twentieth century
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
Lesson learned: Sometimes the ones you love hold you back from seeing your full potential. Sometimes that makes you do crazy things.
Book #20: A book based on a fairy tale
Leaping Beauty, by Gregory Maguire
Lesson learned: Animals are delightful.
Book #21: A book that's guaranteed to bring you joy
How To Be An Explorer of the World: Portable Museum, by Keri Smith
Lesson learned: Take a little time to get to know you.
Book #22: A book set in your hometown
Skim, by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki
Lesson learned: Distance yourself from those who make you feel bad about yourself. They are not worth your time or energy.
Book #23: A book about a road trip
Paper Towns, by John Green
Lesson learned: You can never really know a person. There's too much going on behind their eyes.
Book #24: A dystopian novel
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
Lesson learned: For Pete's sake, don't burn books or art because you personally don't like it. Censorship is stupid.
Book #25: A book that's set in summertime
A Midsummer Night's Dream, by William Shakespeare
Lesson learned: Love who you love, not who your parents tell you to love.
Book #26: A book from Oprah's Book Club
What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day, by Pearl Cleage
Lesson learned: Sleep when you're dead. Don't shrivel and wither before you expire. Live now. Live a full life with love, laughter, and dancing up until that moment.
Book #27: A book set in Europe
Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes
Lesson learned: Let every person have their dignity.
Book #28: A book translated to English
Spark Joy, by Marie Kondo and translated by Cathy Hirano
Lesson learned: Keep the things you like. Toss the things you don't. Now find a place for everything that works for you and keep it there.
Book #29: A National Book Award winner
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Lesson learned: Don't give up and resign yourself to a miserable existence. Strive. Find a way, and while doing so, remember to appreciate the little things along the way.
Book #30: A book that's published in 2016
The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, by Amy Schumer
Lesson learned: Don't vote for people who take money from the gun lobby.
Book #31: A book with a blue cover
The Happiness Equation, by Neil Pasricha
Lesson learned: Do it for your own self-fulfillment and don't ever listen to other people's advice.
Book #32:
The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare
Lesson learned: If you can help it, try not to marry a misogynist who thinks he can "tame" you by starving you into being his obedient slave.
Book #33: A science fiction novel
Mermaids in Paradise, by Lydia Millet
Lesson learned: The earth is precious. Let's try to stop screwing it up.
Book #34:A book with a protagonist who has your occupation
The Body, by Stephen King
Lesson learned: All life has value. Don't give up on it.
Book #35:
A Call to Action, by Jimmy Carter
Lesson learned: We've got a long way to go, girlfriend.
Book #36: A book (but not so much its prequel)
Prince Caspian, by C.S. Lewis
Lesson learned: Don't trust your uncle if he took your dad's throne. While you're at it, don't trust anyone who has to steal things rather than earn them.
Book #37: A book recommended by someone you just met
The Girl On The Train, by Paula Hawkins
Lesson learned: If you wake up with a massive wound on the back of your head, investigate. Also, corkscrews and alcoholics mix surprisingly well.
Book #38: A book you haven't read since high school
Ghost World, by Daniel Clowes
Lesson learned: Never let your inner child die completely, but don't let feeling small determine who you will become.
Book #39: A romance set in the future
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline
Lesson learned: To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with. (To be fair, Mark Twain said this first in Following the Equator, but the lesson holds true.)
Not bad for a year.
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