What I read in 2018

Before I get started, let me explain. I didn’t make it. I lost my way. I failed. At the outset of 2018, my goal was to read 24 books this year (two for every month), but I didn’t achieve it. Despite always having a book or two weighing down my purse (pages getting dog-eared, crumbs between the pages), and often purchasing new books that caught my eye every time I went to Target (“If I buy it, then I know I’ll read it”), it didn’t happen.

My grand total for 2018 is 16 books and a handful of crossword puzzles (they have to count for something).

1. The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis

Highly recommend. This is a witty satire about temptation written by one of my favorite authors. For even more fun, check out the audiobook narrated by John Cleese.

2. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

This was a re-read with one of my students. I’ve read this book a few times, and there’s always something more to discover each time through.

3. Haroun and the Sea of Stories, Salman Rushdie

I’m going to be honest, I was not a fan. While the themes of the book resonated with me (free speech and the importance of storytelling and creativity), the actual story was hard to wade through and enjoy. Think Alice in Wonderland in India.

4. When the Emperor Was Divine, Julia Ostuka

This historical fiction novel follows a family through their experience in an American Japanese internment camp during WWII. Ostuka’s stark yet detailed writing style fits the solemn theme of the book perfectly.

5. Keith the Cat with the Magic Hat, Sue Hendra

This children’s book is something I read as an inside joke with a coworker earlier in the year, but I had to mention it anyway. If you like cats, magic, and picture books, this is the story for you.

6. Our Father: Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer, Pope Francis

A discussion and historical analysis of the “Our Father Prayer.” I read this miniature book during Easter last year, and I will fully admit I picked it up because of the book jacket design (who can resist gold foil on eggshell blue?).

7-16. POETRY

Ten of the 16 books I read in the past year were poetry compilations. I will list them below. Poetry compilations have been trending hard lately, and they are very appealing on the shelves: small, paperback, graphically attractive. However, the insides feature mostly the same type of poems, formed by splitting one sentence into several paragraph breaks in order to create a dramatic mood. Here are the titles I experienced this year:

Inchor (Aladea)

3Fish (Jhene Aiko Efuru Chilombo)

Love Her Wild (Atticus)

a beautiful composition of broken (r.h. Sin)

Sea of Strangers (Lang Leav)

I love my love (Reyna Biddy)

I was the moon (Noor Unnahar)

her favorite color was yellow (Edgar Holmes)

she felt like nothing (r.h. Sin)

The Dark Between Stars (Atticus)

17. It would be remiss not to mention one of my favorite literary (re)discoveries of the year: crossword puzzles. I can’t suggest enough the New York Times Daily Mini Crossword Puzzle. It’s free and online: www.nytimes.com/crosswords/game/mini

Highly recommend! It even time how long it takes you to complete the puzzle, so you can try to beat your personal score.

I am boldly marching forward with my new goal of reading 24 books for 2019. Recommendations?

*Of course, after writing this, I read another book right before January 1. It’s called “Gmorning, Gnight: Little Pep Talks for Me and You” by Lin Manuel Miranda. Miranda is the composer of Hamilton: the Musical, and the book is a compilation of his daily Twitter tweets. Each two-page spread has an encouraging morning note and a relaxing nighttime sentiment. Even if you aren’t a Hamilton fan (yet), this book is still a winner.

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