jfetting's 100 book challenge in 2022
Converses100 Books in 2022 Challenge!
Afegeix-te a LibraryThing per participar.
1jfetting
Hello everyone! Riding the high of actually reading 100 books in 2021, I am back for my 13th year of 100 book challenge group participation!
About me: I'm a 40-something named Jennifer (although you can call me Jen) who works in medical communications and lives in Chicago, IL, USA. I am a Cubs fan, a dog lover, and a bleeding-heart liberal. I recently signed up to run the Chicago marathon in 2022, something I have not done for 15 years, so please send good energy in the direction of my aging joints. My reading tastes are pretty wide-ranging, but I particularly enjoy literary fiction; mysteries; police procedurals starring sad Scandinavians; nonfiction books about history, politics, and science; and essays about food and travel.
I have a history of being overly ambitious in my reading goals, so I am keeping it relatively simple this year:
1) 100 books
2) 30 books that are currently on my shelf (116 labeled TBR as of 12/29/21)
3) 6 unread Shakespeare plays
4) 6 books of poetry
5) 12 rereads
6) 12 books from the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list
7) Stay up-to-date on reading other people's threads
Looking forward to the year!
About me: I'm a 40-something named Jennifer (although you can call me Jen) who works in medical communications and lives in Chicago, IL, USA. I am a Cubs fan, a dog lover, and a bleeding-heart liberal. I recently signed up to run the Chicago marathon in 2022, something I have not done for 15 years, so please send good energy in the direction of my aging joints. My reading tastes are pretty wide-ranging, but I particularly enjoy literary fiction; mysteries; police procedurals starring sad Scandinavians; nonfiction books about history, politics, and science; and essays about food and travel.
I have a history of being overly ambitious in my reading goals, so I am keeping it relatively simple this year:
1) 100 books
2) 30 books that are currently on my shelf (116 labeled TBR as of 12/29/21)
3) 6 unread Shakespeare plays
4) 6 books of poetry
5) 12 rereads
6) 12 books from the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list
7) Stay up-to-date on reading other people's threads
Looking forward to the year!
3hemlokgang
Welcome! I like your goals! In fact, I think they deserve a group of their own!
4jfetting
>3 hemlokgang: Thanks! Although my goal #7 would be even less attainable if I tried to follow along with more than 1 group
5john257hopper
Happy new year Jen, and here's to another year of great reading :)
9jfetting
#1 The Diversity of Life by E.O. Wilson ***** (book off my shelf #1)
Ok, so, off to a slow start, but it was a good one. The science and technology he presents are pretty dated (I think the book was initially published in 1990s and A LOT has changed since then), but the discussion of development and speciation and clades and things is pretty good, if basic, and beautifully written. The chapters on the start of the 6th great extinction (the one we are currently in, the one we are causing) are heartbreaking, and the need to maintain biodiversity to the best of our ability is increasingly relevant. I couldn't find any of his more controversial opinions in this book, but tbh I didn't really pick it apart.
My copy is the stunningly beautiful Folio Society version that was recently released. Lots of color plates of amazing photos of the wide and fascinating array of creatures with whom we share this planet. The cover is all beetles and butterflies and ants and moths, colorful and iridescent. A spectacular book that is worth every penny.
Ok, so, off to a slow start, but it was a good one. The science and technology he presents are pretty dated (I think the book was initially published in 1990s and A LOT has changed since then), but the discussion of development and speciation and clades and things is pretty good, if basic, and beautifully written. The chapters on the start of the 6th great extinction (the one we are currently in, the one we are causing) are heartbreaking, and the need to maintain biodiversity to the best of our ability is increasingly relevant. I couldn't find any of his more controversial opinions in this book, but tbh I didn't really pick it apart.
My copy is the stunningly beautiful Folio Society version that was recently released. Lots of color plates of amazing photos of the wide and fascinating array of creatures with whom we share this planet. The cover is all beetles and butterflies and ants and moths, colorful and iridescent. A spectacular book that is worth every penny.
10jfetting
#2 The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry **
This book was a downer! Sad teenagers and adults in a dying Texas oil town in the 1950s try to find some joy and meaning in life. Mostly through sex! Including with apoor, helpless, blind cow . That scene pretty much ruined the book for me, not gonna lie.
This book was a downer! Sad teenagers and adults in a dying Texas oil town in the 1950s try to find some joy and meaning in life. Mostly through sex! Including with a
11jfetting
#3 The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker ***
I read this sequel to The Golem and the Jinni about 8 years, maybe, after I read the first book, so I had forgotten A LOT that the sequel assumed I would now. It also took a very long time to get going, and the couple hundred pages of the Golem and the Jinni wandering around early 20th century New York City and bickering could have been edited more harshly. Still, it was pretty entertaining and it kind of leaves me wanting it to be a trilogy (i suspect it will be).
I read this sequel to The Golem and the Jinni about 8 years, maybe, after I read the first book, so I had forgotten A LOT that the sequel assumed I would now. It also took a very long time to get going, and the couple hundred pages of the Golem and the Jinni wandering around early 20th century New York City and bickering could have been edited more harshly. Still, it was pretty entertaining and it kind of leaves me wanting it to be a trilogy (i suspect it will be).
12jfetting
#4 The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green ****
A collection of essays about whatever John Green wanted to write about (sunsets, Canada geese, the plague, climate change, COVID, etc); then he give the subject of the essay a 1-5 star review (similar to what I have just done with his book). Sunsets get 5 stars (oh sorry spoiler alert but honesty, who wouldn't give sunsets 5 stars?) and Canada geese get 2 (I would give them zero stars, my dog Laika would give them ALL the stars, every single one). Overall, I enjoyed it.
A collection of essays about whatever John Green wanted to write about (sunsets, Canada geese, the plague, climate change, COVID, etc); then he give the subject of the essay a 1-5 star review (similar to what I have just done with his book). Sunsets get 5 stars (oh sorry spoiler alert but honesty, who wouldn't give sunsets 5 stars?) and Canada geese get 2 (I would give them zero stars, my dog Laika would give them ALL the stars, every single one). Overall, I enjoyed it.
13jfetting
#5 Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman **** (book off my shelf #2)
A collection of poems by the US Youth Poet Laureate from last year; the collection includes her wonderful poem that she recited at Biden's inauguration. The whole collection is very good and very of the times - COVID, the social justice protest movements, the inaugural poem. I'm not used to reading poetry collections with this sort of immediacy to them. Quite worth reading.
A collection of poems by the US Youth Poet Laureate from last year; the collection includes her wonderful poem that she recited at Biden's inauguration. The whole collection is very good and very of the times - COVID, the social justice protest movements, the inaugural poem. I'm not used to reading poetry collections with this sort of immediacy to them. Quite worth reading.
14jfetting
#6 Diet For A Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe ****
This is the 50th anniversary edition, so it has some updates but not everything is updated. The recipes look good, and certainly no matter what you prefer in terms of health and nutrition (and environmental) advice, "eat more plants" is always a good idea.
This is the 50th anniversary edition, so it has some updates but not everything is updated. The recipes look good, and certainly no matter what you prefer in terms of health and nutrition (and environmental) advice, "eat more plants" is always a good idea.
15jfetting
#7 State of Terror by Louise Penny and Hillary Rodham Clinton ****
Super entertaining political thriller in which a female US Secretary of State desperately tries to thwart a terror attack. Not Great Literature by any means, but surprisingly readable and quite a lot of fun. There is even a quick visit to Three Pines.
Would not recommend to supporters of #45, but then it is unlikely they would pick up a book written by HRC in the first place.
Super entertaining political thriller in which a female US Secretary of State desperately tries to thwart a terror attack. Not Great Literature by any means, but surprisingly readable and quite a lot of fun. There is even a quick visit to Three Pines.
Would not recommend to supporters of #45, but then it is unlikely they would pick up a book written by HRC in the first place.
16jfetting
#8 The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo **** (book off my shelf #3)
I have learned that I am reading the Harry Hole books out of order (I also learned that "Hole" is pronounced like "Hula"), and I"m going to need to fix that. This was great - depressed Scandinavian police officer, bizarre Scandinavian murder, plot twist after plot twist, and I did not guess whodunnit.
I have learned that I am reading the Harry Hole books out of order (I also learned that "Hole" is pronounced like "Hula"), and I"m going to need to fix that. This was great - depressed Scandinavian police officer, bizarre Scandinavian murder, plot twist after plot twist, and I did not guess whodunnit.
17jfetting
I have fallen behind with my reviews...
#9 The Art of Rest by Claudia Hammond **** (book off my shelf #4)
THIS is the book I thought I was going to read when I read all those books last year that sounded like they were about resting but were really about capitalism. Resting is good, rest in the ways that are restful to you, often this involves reading books.
#10 The 1619 Project edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones ***** (book off my shelf #5)
Honestly, I do not see what all the controversy is about. This is an excellent collection of essays that looks at US history from a different point of view than it is usually taught to US students. It is eye opening (one particularly striking item, for me, was the description of plantations as "forced labor camps" which... is exactly what they were) and complicated and difficult to read in parts. I would consider it required reading for my fellow Americans, tbh.
#11 Into the Water by Paula Hawkins ***
Easy read about a couple of murders. It was ok.
#12 The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin *****
Extraordinary collection of essays.
#13 The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis by Lydia Davis *
I didn't finish, but the struggle was so difficult that I'm counting this as "read". These stories, if you can call them that, are not up my alley and I did not like them at all.
#14 Nobody Knows My Name by James Baldwin ****
Another extraordinary collection of essays.
#15 No Name in the Streets by James Baldwin *****
He knew EVERYBODY.
#16 The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin ****
Baldwin reviews movies, has opinions, can be very funny.
#17 House of Spies by Daniel Silva ***** (reread #1)
Tried to find something to read on my kindle on my work trip to Rome this past week and landed on this Gabriel Allon novel. What better for a trip to Europe?
#18 Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin *****
These are all collected in one anthology, that is why I have been on a Baldwin binge.
#19 Other Essays from Collected Essays: Notes of a Native Son / Nobody Knows My Name / The Fire Next Time / No Name in the Street / The Devil Finds Work / Other Essays by James Baldwin ***** (book off my shelf #6)
The 5 stars is for the anthology as a whole, these last few essays were not my favorites. Highly recommend reading Baldwin if you want to see how very little things have changes in the past 50 years.
#9 The Art of Rest by Claudia Hammond **** (book off my shelf #4)
THIS is the book I thought I was going to read when I read all those books last year that sounded like they were about resting but were really about capitalism. Resting is good, rest in the ways that are restful to you, often this involves reading books.
#10 The 1619 Project edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones ***** (book off my shelf #5)
Honestly, I do not see what all the controversy is about. This is an excellent collection of essays that looks at US history from a different point of view than it is usually taught to US students. It is eye opening (one particularly striking item, for me, was the description of plantations as "forced labor camps" which... is exactly what they were) and complicated and difficult to read in parts. I would consider it required reading for my fellow Americans, tbh.
#11 Into the Water by Paula Hawkins ***
Easy read about a couple of murders. It was ok.
#12 The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin *****
Extraordinary collection of essays.
#13 The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis by Lydia Davis *
I didn't finish, but the struggle was so difficult that I'm counting this as "read". These stories, if you can call them that, are not up my alley and I did not like them at all.
#14 Nobody Knows My Name by James Baldwin ****
Another extraordinary collection of essays.
#15 No Name in the Streets by James Baldwin *****
He knew EVERYBODY.
#16 The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin ****
Baldwin reviews movies, has opinions, can be very funny.
#17 House of Spies by Daniel Silva ***** (reread #1)
Tried to find something to read on my kindle on my work trip to Rome this past week and landed on this Gabriel Allon novel. What better for a trip to Europe?
#18 Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin *****
These are all collected in one anthology, that is why I have been on a Baldwin binge.
#19 Other Essays from Collected Essays: Notes of a Native Son / Nobody Knows My Name / The Fire Next Time / No Name in the Street / The Devil Finds Work / Other Essays by James Baldwin ***** (book off my shelf #6)
The 5 stars is for the anthology as a whole, these last few essays were not my favorites. Highly recommend reading Baldwin if you want to see how very little things have changes in the past 50 years.
18jfetting
Slow reading this year but lots of good ones lately...
#20 Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly *****
I loved the movie and also really enjoyed the book. Women who are good at math and science are my jam.
#21 Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead ***** (book off my shelf #7)
I love how Whitehead experiments with genres. This was a fun crime novel with a not-terribly-reliable narrator.
#22 Recursion by Blake Crouch *****
Ooooohhhh this was a good book. Couldn't put it down. Someone invents a memory machine that lets people change their pasts. Obviously this gets out of hand.
#23 Back to the Well by Frances Taylor Gench *****
This year's Lenten reading, about 6 women from key stories in the Gospels. Lots of biblical scholarship, context, etc. Some uncomfortable reading but fascinating and made me look at these well known stories in a brand new way.
#24 A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende ****
She writes the same story over and over and over, really, and I enjoy it every time. To be fair, if MY godfather had been the first Socialist president of my country, and if I had had to flee my country because of a dictator like Pinochet, then I, too, would write that story over and over and over. This is another sweeping epic of life in Chile before, during, and after the coup, although it starts in Franco-era Spain.
#25 The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides **.5
This was a miss. What kind of institution hires a clearly terrible and unethical psychotherapist like this narrator? He shows up and is immediately like "all i want to do is work with this one super hot murderer patient" and no one seems to think this is weird?
#20 Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly *****
I loved the movie and also really enjoyed the book. Women who are good at math and science are my jam.
#21 Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead ***** (book off my shelf #7)
I love how Whitehead experiments with genres. This was a fun crime novel with a not-terribly-reliable narrator.
#22 Recursion by Blake Crouch *****
Ooooohhhh this was a good book. Couldn't put it down. Someone invents a memory machine that lets people change their pasts. Obviously this gets out of hand.
#23 Back to the Well by Frances Taylor Gench *****
This year's Lenten reading, about 6 women from key stories in the Gospels. Lots of biblical scholarship, context, etc. Some uncomfortable reading but fascinating and made me look at these well known stories in a brand new way.
#24 A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende ****
She writes the same story over and over and over, really, and I enjoy it every time. To be fair, if MY godfather had been the first Socialist president of my country, and if I had had to flee my country because of a dictator like Pinochet, then I, too, would write that story over and over and over. This is another sweeping epic of life in Chile before, during, and after the coup, although it starts in Franco-era Spain.
#25 The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides **.5
This was a miss. What kind of institution hires a clearly terrible and unethical psychotherapist like this narrator? He shows up and is immediately like "all i want to do is work with this one super hot murderer patient" and no one seems to think this is weird?
19jfetting
Almost 6 months since I last updated; shortly after the previous message my father passed away unexpectedly and all of a sudden things like reading and reviewing and tracking and making lists became difficult if not impossible.
#26 American Royals by Katharine McGee **
This is the book I read the week Dad was in the hospital. I have zero memory of it.
#27 The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (1001 book #1) ***
5 stars for the importance of this book in history, 1 star for content, avg to 3. NOT the book to have read at the time I read it.
#28 Lost and Wanted by Nell Freudenberger **
No memory whatsoever of this one either
#29 Artemis by Andy Weir *****
Quite liked this, actually.
#30 I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez ****
Another one I quite liked, set in Chicago.
#31 Columbine by Dave Cullen *****
So interesting, how many of the ideas I had about Columbine were very very wrong.
#32 These Precious Days by Ann Patchett *****
Excellent collection of essays. These precious days indeed.
#26 American Royals by Katharine McGee **
This is the book I read the week Dad was in the hospital. I have zero memory of it.
#27 The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (1001 book #1) ***
5 stars for the importance of this book in history, 1 star for content, avg to 3. NOT the book to have read at the time I read it.
#28 Lost and Wanted by Nell Freudenberger **
No memory whatsoever of this one either
#29 Artemis by Andy Weir *****
Quite liked this, actually.
#30 I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez ****
Another one I quite liked, set in Chicago.
#31 Columbine by Dave Cullen *****
So interesting, how many of the ideas I had about Columbine were very very wrong.
#32 These Precious Days by Ann Patchett *****
Excellent collection of essays. These precious days indeed.
20jfetting
#33 Eating for a Living: Notes From a Professional Diner by Cynthia Wine *****
Another excellent collection of essays, rather dated now but still fun. She has an excellent name for a food writer.
#34 The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe by Matthew Gabriele **
The low rating is entirely on me, I struggled with nonfiction that isnt in short essay form.
#35 The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way by Bill Bryson ***** (book off my shelf #8)
Basically essays, and I enjoy language.
#36 In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honore ***
I mean, sure. Slow is good.
#37 Strip Jack by Ian Rankin ****
Inspector Rebus is highly entertaining.
#38 A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn ***** (book off my shelf #9)
I've always been pretty lefty but dang, this hit hard.
#39 Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva *****
This year's installment in the Gabriel Allon series. I'm a superfan.
#40 The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker **** (book off my shelf #10)
This sounds fun. I will never take any of this advice, but I can see how it would work.
Another excellent collection of essays, rather dated now but still fun. She has an excellent name for a food writer.
#34 The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe by Matthew Gabriele **
The low rating is entirely on me, I struggled with nonfiction that isnt in short essay form.
#35 The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way by Bill Bryson ***** (book off my shelf #8)
Basically essays, and I enjoy language.
#36 In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honore ***
I mean, sure. Slow is good.
#37 Strip Jack by Ian Rankin ****
Inspector Rebus is highly entertaining.
#38 A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn ***** (book off my shelf #9)
I've always been pretty lefty but dang, this hit hard.
#39 Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva *****
This year's installment in the Gabriel Allon series. I'm a superfan.
#40 The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker **** (book off my shelf #10)
This sounds fun. I will never take any of this advice, but I can see how it would work.
21jfetting
#41 The Irony of American History by Reinhold Niebuhr ****
Oh, the United States. Why.
#42 What to Eat by Marion Nestle ***** (reread #2)
I love this book and really wish she would update it. Good common sense nutritional advice, polite slamming of Big Agriculture.
#43 The Paris Hours by Alex George ***
Meh.
#44 The Ink-Black Heart by Robert Galbraith ***** (book off my shelf #11)
I am a Cormoran Strike superfan.
#45 Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor ** (1001 book #2)
This was described by the author as humorous. I did not get it. Disliked it.
#46 The Black Book by Ian Rankin ****
I am also an Inspector Rebus superfan.
#47 The Translator by Leila Aboulela ****
It is nice to read a book about Muslim people that is not also about terrorism or war. This is a love story.
Oh, the United States. Why.
#42 What to Eat by Marion Nestle ***** (reread #2)
I love this book and really wish she would update it. Good common sense nutritional advice, polite slamming of Big Agriculture.
#43 The Paris Hours by Alex George ***
Meh.
#44 The Ink-Black Heart by Robert Galbraith ***** (book off my shelf #11)
I am a Cormoran Strike superfan.
#45 Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor ** (1001 book #2)
This was described by the author as humorous. I did not get it. Disliked it.
#46 The Black Book by Ian Rankin ****
I am also an Inspector Rebus superfan.
#47 The Translator by Leila Aboulela ****
It is nice to read a book about Muslim people that is not also about terrorism or war. This is a love story.
22japaul22
>19 jfetting: I didn't know about your dad. I'm so sorry to hear that.
Glad to see you posting again.
Glad to see you posting again.
23john257hopper
I'm so sorry for your loss Jenn
25fuzzi
>19 jfetting: I'm sorry. I lost my dad in September, but we knew it was coming. It still hurts. I want to hear his voice again.
26LibraryLover23
>19 jfetting: I'm so sorry for your loss, and I hope you find some respite in books.
>25 fuzzi: I'm sorry for your loss as well.
>25 fuzzi: I'm sorry for your loss as well.
27jfetting
>25 fuzzi: I'm so sorry for your loss. I know exactly what you mean about wanting to hear his voice again.
28jfetting
Thanks everyone. It's been rough - all the firsts without him. I am not looking forward to the holidays.
On to books...
#48 Undoing Border Imperialism by Harsha Walia **** (book off my shelf #12)
The author is based in Canada, so it was a lot more about the No One Is Illegal movement there as opposed to the US. It was really interesting, especially how to reconcile wanting to aid migrants with the knowledge that the migrants are now, too, participating in settler colonialism. Another interesting point was the need for allies to let the people most affected by a problem lead the resistance to it.
#49 Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon **** (reread #3)
Claire was more annoying this reread, and so was Jamie, so it lost a star.
On to books...
#48 Undoing Border Imperialism by Harsha Walia **** (book off my shelf #12)
The author is based in Canada, so it was a lot more about the No One Is Illegal movement there as opposed to the US. It was really interesting, especially how to reconcile wanting to aid migrants with the knowledge that the migrants are now, too, participating in settler colonialism. Another interesting point was the need for allies to let the people most affected by a problem lead the resistance to it.
#49 Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon **** (reread #3)
Claire was more annoying this reread, and so was Jamie, so it lost a star.
29fuzzi
>28 jfetting: hang in there.
I lost my mother in 1994, and it took years for the sadness to not pop up during the holidays. It does get better.
I lost my mother in 1994, and it took years for the sadness to not pop up during the holidays. It does get better.
30torontoc
I am sorry to hear about your loss- I agree -holidays are the worst but they do get better.
31jfetting
#50 Eating to Extinction by Dan Saladino *****
This was GREAT, about a bunch of endangered foods and the people trying to save them, along with some warnings about what happens to populations when they depend on a very few food items. Such a shame, all of the things we have lost.
#51 Natural History by Andrea Barrett ****
I love her short stories, these are excellent.
#52 The Years by Annie Ernaux *****
Read because she won this year's Nobel and I had never heard of her. I really enjoyed this book which was kind of a series of snapshots of what life was like for a woman of her generation growing up in France. I will be reading more of hers.
#53 Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey ****
I like naps and fighting for social justice.
This was GREAT, about a bunch of endangered foods and the people trying to save them, along with some warnings about what happens to populations when they depend on a very few food items. Such a shame, all of the things we have lost.
#51 Natural History by Andrea Barrett ****
I love her short stories, these are excellent.
#52 The Years by Annie Ernaux *****
Read because she won this year's Nobel and I had never heard of her. I really enjoyed this book which was kind of a series of snapshots of what life was like for a woman of her generation growing up in France. I will be reading more of hers.
#53 Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey ****
I like naps and fighting for social justice.
32jfetting
#54 The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias ***
Dark, dark, dark book about a guy who loses his child to leukemia and then takes up assassination along the US-Mexico border as a hobby.
#55 The Gentrification of the Mind by Sarah Schulman **** (book off my shelf #13)
Hard to describe. Partly a memoir of the AIDS crisis from the POV of a lesbian artist who was living i NYC at the time, partly a rant against gentrification, and the linking of gentrification to the loss of all the gay artists during the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. Very interesting.
#56 Between the Acts by Virginia Woolf (1001 book #3) **
I didn't like this at all, to be honest.
#57 Welcome to Wine by Madelyne Meyer ***** (book off my shelf #14)
This is a very simple intro to wine and types of wine and terroir and how to pair wines and how to describe wines and wine-growing regions. It has illustrations. Very useful.
And now the Christmas/Advent reading
#58 Destination Bethlehem by J. Barrie Shepherd (reread #4) *****
A yearly Advent spiritual exercise.
#59 A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (reread #5) *****
I mean, what is left to say? It is great, the Alistair Sim movie is the best of them.
And the last book of the year was
#60 Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari ***
UGH dating sucks, it really does.
Dark, dark, dark book about a guy who loses his child to leukemia and then takes up assassination along the US-Mexico border as a hobby.
#55 The Gentrification of the Mind by Sarah Schulman **** (book off my shelf #13)
Hard to describe. Partly a memoir of the AIDS crisis from the POV of a lesbian artist who was living i NYC at the time, partly a rant against gentrification, and the linking of gentrification to the loss of all the gay artists during the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. Very interesting.
#56 Between the Acts by Virginia Woolf (1001 book #3) **
I didn't like this at all, to be honest.
#57 Welcome to Wine by Madelyne Meyer ***** (book off my shelf #14)
This is a very simple intro to wine and types of wine and terroir and how to pair wines and how to describe wines and wine-growing regions. It has illustrations. Very useful.
And now the Christmas/Advent reading
#58 Destination Bethlehem by J. Barrie Shepherd (reread #4) *****
A yearly Advent spiritual exercise.
#59 A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (reread #5) *****
I mean, what is left to say? It is great, the Alistair Sim movie is the best of them.
And the last book of the year was
#60 Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari ***
UGH dating sucks, it really does.
