Sometime around August of this year, I decided that I wanted to make an effort to read more often. My leisure time these days consists of the hour (maybe two, if I’m lucky) between Caleb’s bedtime and my own. I’m just not that into TV anymore (although I enjoy an occasional Netflix binge just as much as anyone), so I started using that slice of “me time” to read.
Personally, I think the hardest part about getting back into reading is not finding time to do it, but finding books that I’ll enjoy. There are just so many titles…how do I choose?! My strategy is multi-faceted: I read book reviews from bloggers I like (Anne in Residence always has good ones!), I listen to interviews on NPR with authors of new releases, and I rely on good old-fashioned word of mouth. I keep an Amazon “wish list” with all these books on it, although I really don’t have any intention of buying them; the list serves as a reminder of books to look for the next time I’m at the library.
So, here’s what I’ve read over the past 4 months:
Coop: a Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting
Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?
Little Soldiers: an American Boy, a Chinese School, and the Global Race to Achieve
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
I tend to gravitate toward non-fiction books, because, well, those are easier to judge by the cover. The Obesity Code and The Case Against Sugar are closely related to my research interests, so it was no surprise that I “devoured” those in a matter of days. Both are well-researched books related to health and nutrition, if you’re interested.
That being said, I did find some novels that I really enjoyed, particularly Beartown and Eleanor Oliphant Ss Completely Fine. The former is about a town obsessed with hockey that becomes scandalized by a rape case, and the latter is the story of a young woman (exactly my age, as it turns out) who experienced great trauma earlier in life and is just now beginning the emotional healing process.
I’m hoping to continue the trend in 2018 and read a few books per month. In the spirit of the upcoming new year, I just checked out two books related to common resolutions: Year of No Clutter and The Curated Closet. Anyone who knows me knows that I loathe clutter of any sort, so I’ll be interested to read that memoir. The other is a book I saw a few fashion bloggers mention last year, and it just now arrived at my local library.
What books did you read in 2017?
Broccoli Hut 