So, last year I made a concerted effort to read more…well I should first preface this post with a little background: I used to read lots when I was in middle and high school (about two books a week), but that waned when I got to college and dwindled to almost nothing after starting a career as a hotel manager, where the long days didn’t leave much free time for much of anything.
Ok, so as I was saying, last year I made it a point to be more of a reader again, and I finished the year having finished 36 books. This year, I vowed to read more and have completed 45 books and will most likely finish another two by the end of the year. Pretty good. One thing to note was that for my birthday, Kari got me a Kindle (which I lurve), and 17 of those 45 were ebooks.
I read a wide variety of subjects this year, which included: biography, fiction, spirituality, superhero, science fiction, chick-lit, young adult, martial arts, graphic novels, writing reference, literary criticism, travel, and a couple of plays.
Among these were some books that have been considered by many as “important,” and are ones I’ve been meaning to read for years. I finally got around to reading some of them and sadly, I was not impressed. I won’t get into, or list, the books I didn’t like, because, hey, who needs negativity?
Here are some of the books I most enjoyed reading in 2011 (not in any kind of order):
Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories About People Who Know How They Will Die – A brilliant concept and filled with so many funny, thought-provoking, and just plain good stories centered around the premise of a machine that tells you exactly how you will die.
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins – In late 2010 I got sucked into the Hunger Games trilogy and finished the books this year. I was a little hesitant to read them because I’m not crazy about dystopian books, but it’s nearly impossible not to get swept up by the story. This was my favorite of the trilogy.
World War Z by Max Brooks – This came out a few years ago, but I’ve heard so many good things about it, I thought I’d give it a try. I loved the presentation of the book and how the story was told through a series of interviews. Brilliant.
Mercury Falls by Robert Kroese – A very fun and funny story about an angel who is way more into playing ping-pong than doing his job to help bring about the Apocalypse. I think this was the second or third book I read on the Kindle.
Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks – Last year I (finally) finished the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. This year, I wanted to find a long, complex sci-fi series that had a whole bunch of books in it to keep me busy. After a bit of research, I settled on the Culture series by Iain Banks. This was a case where the frame (the setting of the book and the background of the Culture) was just as brilliant as the painting (story).
The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks – The second novel of the Culture series. It takes place 800 years after Consider Phlebas and has a fascinating story.
Wearing the Cape by Marion Harmon – Two years ago I read a great superhero book called, Soon I Will Be Invincible, and last year I read the amazing, Devil’s Cape, so I thought I should read more superhero books since I enjoyed those so much. Wearing the Cape was excellent. Superbly written, great characters, and a good story. One of the best books I read this year. Check it out (the ebook is only $2.99), as well as the serial novel follow-up, Villians, Inc.
Confessions of a D-List Supervillain by Jim Bernheimer – The single funniest and fun book I read this year. When reading a book with funny parts, I may smile or even giggle here or there, but this book had me laughing out loud constantly. It’s a super funny story about a crappy supervillain who inadvertently saves the world and then has to deal with the aftermath of being hailed as the savior of humanity.
I hope in 2012 I can find books that are as enjoyable as the ones I read this year. If so, I’ll be very happy.
What I’m listening to: The Awkward Stage – The Sun Goes Down On Girlsville
