2010: A Year in Reading
I read a book today! A whole book, from beginning to end. It was so luxurious, I can't tell you.
I also proofed more than 70 pages of my own book, bathed the baby, played a towering blocks game with Raeli, was fed delicious fishy things by my honey, wrote several blog entries, and decorated a pavlova.
If how you spend New Year's Day sets a pattern for the year ahead, I'm doing well!
(apart from the fact that both my girls are currently sobbing, one because she didn't want to go to bed and the other because of some elaborate Thing involving a Christmas decoration, pleasedon'task)
Never mind all that. BOOKS. I read 120 books in 2010 – and overall tackled much longer, harder and more challenging books than I have since… well, probably since before I was pregnant with Raeli. This is not to say I didn't also read my share of YA, graphic novels and children's books, cos I did, but I also read like a grown up. Hooray!
Here is my tiptop list of favourite books I read in 2010:
Non Fiction
Farah Mendlesohn (ed), On Joanna Russ one & two
Russell T Davies & Benjamin Cook, The Writer's Tale: the Final Chapter
Helen Merrick, The Secret Feminist Cabal
Lynne M Thomas & Tara O'Shea (eds), Chicks Dig Time Lords
Joanna Russ, How to Suppress Women's Writing
Sylvia Kelso (ed), The Wiscon Chronicles IV
Clayton Hickman (ed), The Brilliant Book of Doctor Who
(anyone noting the themes here of non fiction I like? It's all Doctor Who and feminism!)
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Connie Willis, Blackout & All Clear
Joanna Russ, The Adventures of Alyx one & two
Malinda Lo, Ash
Cherie Priest, Boneshaker
Jo Walton, Lifelode
Margaret Mahy, The Changeover
Karen Healey, Guardian of the Dead
Gail Carriger, Soulless
Holly Black, The White Cat
Ellen Kushner, The Privilege of the Sword
Sarah Rees Brennan, The Demon's Covenant
Alaya Johnson, Moonshine
Rowena Cory Daniells, The King's Bastard
Amelia Beamer, The Loving Dead
Catherynne M Valente, Palimpsest
Jonathan Strahan (ed), Godlike Machines
Mary Robinette Kowal, Shades of Milk and Honey
Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games & Catching Fire
Alisa Krasnostein (ed), Sprawl
Lois McMaster Bujold, Cryoburn
Nnedi Okorafor , Who Fears Death
Sandra McDonald, Diana Comet & Other Improbable Tales
Holly Black & Justine Larbalestier (eds), Zombies v. Unicorns
Trent Jamieson, Death Most Definite & Managing Death
N.K. Jemisin, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
Sheri S Tepper, Marianne, the Magus & the Manticore
Angela Slatter, Sourdough and other Stories
Stephanie Campisi/Ben Peek, Above/Below
Maureen McHugh, China Mountain Zhang
Nisi Shawl , Filter House
Mira Grant, Feed
Diana Peterfreund, Ascendant
General YA
Libba Bray, Going Bovine
Maureen Johnson, Scarlett Fever
Penni Russon & Kate Constable, Dear Swoosie
Sarah Dessen, Along for the Ride
Ally Carter, Heist Society
John Green & David Levithan, Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Ally Carter, Only The Good Spy Young
Nick Hornby, Slam
Graphic Novels
Shannon Hale & Nathan Hale, Rapunzel's Revenge
Jeph Jacques, Questionable Content Vol I
Lit Stuff & General Fiction
Karen Joy Fowler, The Case of the Imaginary Detective
Deborah Biancotti, A Book of Endings
Poppy Z Brite, The Value of X
Jennifer Chiaverini, The Aloha Quilt
Mostly the thing that leaps out at me is how well I've done at reviewing my favourite books of the year! I wrote plenty of reviews other than these of course, though the majority of reviews I write are of books I really, really enjoyed. I actually feel guilty about the few up there that I didn't review, or haven't yet. It feels… wrong, somehow. Might have to do some catch up posts.
My reading goals for next year are 1) to set about the reading-Agatha-Christie-in-alphabetical-order project and 2) to keep my brain off numbers as much as possible this year and focus on reading the books I really WANT to read, for whatever reason. Wish me luck!
