Max's 40 book challenge

[Max]

Can I start off with a confession? I'm nearly 30 years old and up to about 8 months ago, I used to read up to 2 books a year throughout my 20's. Something changed at some point recently and I've been devouring books. I go to the library every 3 weeks and I typically take out 2 books, and often times I'll be listening to an audio book as well on my commute to work. I don't know what changed, or why I ignored books for so long, but in 2016 I will read more books than I have in my entire life. So I'm here to track my journey.

I'm off to a good start. So far I have read:
(My goodreads rating is shown for each book)

1.Quantum: Einstein, Bohr, and the Great Debate about the nature of reality by Manji Kumar - 3/5
2.The Light Between Oceans by Stedman - 4/5
3.Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives In North Korea by Demick - 5/5
4.The Divide: American Injustice in the Age of the Wealth Gap by Taibbi - 5/5
5. All The Light We Cannot See by Doerr - 2/5
6. Just Mercy by Stevenson - 5/5
7. A Fighting Chance by Elizabeth Warren 4/5

Looking forward to many more!

[Alicia]

Congrats on finding the joys of reading Max, and it doesn't matter when you start your journey, some never do, I started mine in earnest at about 10 and I'm now 25. so Happy Reading my friend.

[Max]

Thanks Alicia! I'm debating between Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Goodwin or Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by McPherson for my next book. Both are quite large and rich in content and well reviewed. I'd like to learn about the Civil War and Lincoln. Hopefully I'll read both this year, but I can't decide which should come first.

[Alicia]

I can't help you with that, I'm more of a Romance sci-fi fantasy kind of girl so I wouldn't know much about those 2 books, good luck deciding though.

[Bella]

Max, can you recall a specific book from 8 months ago that made you start reading again? In any case, glad you found your way back to reading and hope you find many wonderful books this year.

I read a lot of non-fiction, but I haven't about the Civil War. I do know that Shelby Foote's three book Civil War series is supposed to be one of the definitive works about that time period. And Lincoln by David Herbert Donald is the biography of Lincoln I have sitting on my TBR shelves.

[Max]

When I read A Thousand Splendid Suns I then really started being consistent with going to the library every 2-3 weeks. Fiction isn't my favorite genre, but historical fiction, especially one as incredible as "suns" can be interesting to me. I guess that book got me going.

Also I used to read exclusively on my kindle, and I would often give up on books. I think seeing the physical progress as I move my bookmark closer to the end gets me motivated. A digital percentage doesn't quite do it for me. Also the physical book is sitting there, staring at me... unlike a kindle book.

[Bella]

I'm the opposite in that I prefer ebooks- odd that the kindle doesn't display pages. The Nook does. It's great that it got you reading again.

If you liked "Suns", have you read A Fort of Nine Towers: An Afghan Family Story by Qais Akbar Omar? I thought it was wonderful, but sad. (But also hopeful and beautiful.)

[Alicia]

I love my kindle, I enjoy the fact that I can carry hundreds of books with me everywhere I do and read whatever I want to.