If you would indulge me -- My 2012 Reading List...

2012 Reading List

Let me begin by saying that I was very disappointed with myself in the amount of reading I accomplished…WAY short of my goal for the year. I take this to mean that I watch WAY too much TV…And well, there is that little problem I have with involuntary napping – but that falls more in the category of an excuse.

My goal was to read 2 books per month, and even though I counted Atlas Shrugged as 3 books, because it has 3 parts and its LOOOOONNNGGG, I still fell far short of my goal.

Pathetic.

I’m going to do much better this year. Shorter books will be my main strategy…I kid! My main strategy is to read instead of surfing the TV for something to watch…and since I have seen most of the NCIS episodes ever created (thank you for the re-runs USA Network) I’ll have less motivation to even turn the TV on!

Anyway, here is my list for 2012…

1.   Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Free-Thinking Dog by Ted Kerasote

Great story of a man and his dog with a lot of information about how dogs think.

2.    Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy  

Love Maeve Binchy! Another lovely story about a village helping a single dad mind Frankie.

3.    Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard

Non-fiction that reads like a story. Much background info on Booth’s plans and ideology. I was not aware of the simultaneous attack on Seward at his home. Interesting questions about Stanton’s knowledge or participation in the plot.

4.    Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job & Dream Job by Jon Acuff

Bought this for my kids to read as they negotiate a career path in a down economy, but ended up reading and enjoying all it has to say about pursuing your dreams. Valuable to me too!

5.    The Fourth Corner: Highlights from the Early Northwest by Lelah Jackson Edson

My mom rescued this book from the free pile of her church library. In it, I found history about the county I had not read before, especially regarding the earliest settling of Bellingham, and the Indian tribes.

6.    Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in America by Bill Bryson

Love Bryson’s writing which starts with one topic and freely rabbit trails to many related and intriguing asides. This book tells the origins of many North American English words, and their changes over the years.

7,8,9. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

I believe I’ve said more than enough about this one already!

10.  Tehran Initiative by Joel Rosenberg

Dramatic action…always enjoy Rosenberg’s novels, but have to admit that their proximity to reality can be scary!

11.  The Lone Jack by Michael Impero

More local history…Incredible efforts were made to create a profitable gold mine out of the Lone Jack, but it was mostly for naught. The commitment to such an arduous project was astounding to me. This mine is of interest to me because Randy’s great, great-grandfather was one of the original owners.

12. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

I enjoy Ms. Rubin’s blog, and also the book. For someone who is accustomed to reading self-improvement books from a Christian perspective, it was enlightening to read one that wasn’t. Many good and thought –provoking ideas and evaluations. Ms. Rubin is SO different than I, but her type A pursuit of making life happier was a good study for my haphazard style.

13. Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World by Michael Lewis

Interesting accounts of international aspects of the current financial crises. Mostly, it comes down to this: people are greedy. I did learn more than that…For instance, part of Greece’s problems are a result of long-standing tradition that citizens will not pay their taxes…No receipts are given, no sales can be proved. It’s almost the national sport, finding new ways to avoid paying taxes.

14. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann

Very interesting! Archaeological research that shows the Americas were inhabited by very complex cultures long before Columbus arrived. There is evidence of civilizations that were contemporary of what we consider the beginnings of civilization in the Middle East. I’m not one for taking archaeological findings too seriously, ever since I read an excerpt of Motel of the Mysteries by David McAuley, a spoof of archaeologists interpretations of a dig that finds a 50’s motel buried under their city. But I have to admit, that what I read in 1491 is very compelling. Most interesting, the Indian as the “noble savage” is a myth.

15. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Won’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Excellent book for understanding the introverts in your life. I will re-read this one.

 

So that’s the list. Thanks for indulging me in my review. It’s probably kind of boring, but maybe, just maybe, you’ll see something you might want to read. I recommend them all!