Monday, January 18, 2010

The Reading Report


Last September, I set out to read ten books before the end of the year. I didn't manage to complete the task, but I did pretty well. The original list:
  1. Richard Russo, That Old Cape Magic
  2. Richard Russo, Empire Falls
  3. Lorrie Moore, A Gate at the Stairs
  4. Marilynne Robinson, Gilead
  5. Jhumpa Lahiri, Interpreter of Maladies
  6. Janet Evanovich, Finger Lickin' Fifteen
  7. Shaffer and Barrows, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
  8. Reginald Hill, Death's Jest Book
  9. Reginald Hill, Good Morning, Midnight
  10. Reginald Hill, Death Comes for the Fat Man
In addition to reading the bolded items, I also read Evanovich's Fearless Fourteen and Hill's The Price of Butcher's Meat. (It turns out that I already read Death's Jest Book and Good Morning, Midnight.) The final tally was seven; I'm not willing to beat myself up over that.

Getting a Kindle for Christmas really helped. I was able to bring four books (Guernsey, the two Hills, and Inside of a Dog of which I have read 20%) with me to England and carry them in my purse! So far, there is nothing I don't love about this device. I have a feeling I'll be reading more in 2010!

10 comments:

Melissa said...

Yes it must be the Christmas thing causing more buzz and raves about the Kindle. I'm weakening! But first, someone will have to buy it for me so I'd better start dropping big hints!

Glad you like it!

Casa Pearl said...

Glad you are enjoying your Kindle - I am seeing them everywhere these days. Happy reading and stitching!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri ~ Boog) said...

Everyone I know that has a Kindle, loves it. Our library now offers Kindle check outs - you get to download it for 3 weeks, I think. How cool is that?

Annemarie said...

Well, I think you did really well with your book challenge. Good thing I didn't join...

And wow! You really like your Kindle? I was wondering what other people -- other people who are not Oprah -- thought about the device. I'm very reluctant to read anything that's not printed on paper (and, just for the record, I think listening ain't reading), but this might be something!

Megan said...

My brother loves his Kindle, which was so surprising to me - he's a bookseller! Rare and antique books! I thought he would hate the very idea, but he's obsessed with it.

Siobhán said...

I've thought about getting the Kindle for my book loving daughter--maybe for her birthday. What did you think of the books that you read? I loved Guernsey, much more so than I'd expected.

Kelly said...

I am a Kindle lover also!! I usally take 7 books when I go on my beach vacations. Now I will just have to load my Kindle. The only draw back besides not being able to share books is having to turn it off on takeoff and landing times on the plane. Keep us posted on what you are reading. Have you had the Kindle read to you while you are stitching? I have not done that yet because I am too attached to my DVR.

Michelle said...

Oooh, I want one. I want one!! Excellent turn out on your list too!

Coral said...

I *need* a Kindle, I go through ten books a month if allowed. (Financial restraints, I re-read my old books a lot)

I love that your WIPs were only added to once! Clever you!

See, now I can get in - I have no idea what was wrong!

Miriam said...

I'm fond of Dalziel, I see Hill there on your list. I read Lahiri's The Namesake and thought I was going to shoot myself, definitely not my type of thing. I was trying to expand my book horizons.

I'm divided about the Kindle. I love the physical object of a book so much that I don't think I could really be happy with an electronic equivalent. Maybe it's because I worked with manuscripts? My husband and I have been arguing the book vs. tablet question every couple of weeks.