Closing the Book on 52 Books
I saw a YouTube video not too long ago where a person talked about how they also read 52 books in one year and how it changed their life.
So, is my life changed?
No.
But I will say a weight has been lifted.
I initially started this challenge because I could not remember the last time I read a book (It had been at minimum 2 years since I read a book) and I wanted to fall in love with reading - I wanted to make it a lifelong habit.
Well - it certainly could have been my book choices but most of the time I felt like I was doing homework. I also thought by reading almost everyday that my reading speed and comprehension would increase - to be honest I never measured it AND don't know how to measure it, but I feel like I am about the same as I was.
What will happen after this?:
With my personality - I have recognized that I can drop things pretty easily without remorse. I could (and most likely) easily slide back into not reading books again.
A reverse addiction....
A Reverse Addiction is coy way of me saying that laziness is my real addiction.
Man-Oh-Man, I absolutely love doing nothing. I could do nothing for weeks if I could afford to or didn't have obligations (my internet persona is going from self appointed "Person Amongst Saints" (big JK right there) to a real Piece of Shit - no JKs there) AND I recognize that about myself.
And since laziness is an obvious realization for myself I started creating grand, yet arbitrary, goals for myself each year.
Back in college an acquaintance stated the "challenges" I set for myself were just punishements to keep me living in misery and I would have to disagree - yes - sometimes the goal I can set for myself can be tedious, exhausting, and eat away at my social engagements - but at the same time I like having something to look forward to - something to break me of my laziness - and it wouldn't be too far fetched to say that I don't at least least learn something new (either in knowledge or internalized retrospection).
Anywhosel, back to the books - Will I continue reading?
Well, I not going to worry about - I not going to set goals - so I do forsee I will probably not read much. In a perfect world What would be nice is if read about 1 to 1.5 books per month... 12-18 books per year... but no promises to myself.
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If I do seek out some books - Here are some author's on my "booklist":
V.E. Schwab: I love their writing style - read two books already by Schwab. I have a third book of theirs already collecting dust that I am somewhat excited to read.
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Taylor Jenkins Reid: Read two of her books - Thought they were good. Enjoyed a small discovery that her stories/characters live in the same universe - I wouldn't mind reading more of her stuff.
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Stephen King: Only read one of his books, but I was thoroughly impressed and of course he has a reputation to stand up too.
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Agatha Christie: I was a bit skeptical - but her mystery books are legit and I could use more mystery in my life.
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Lee Child: This one I think I was most shocked by - Killing Floor (first installment to the Jack Reacher series) was sooo good. I think I wouldn't mind following Ol' Jack Reacher around.
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Kurt Vonnegut: This dude has some effing style when it comes to his work - dark humor and a bit absurdist - kind of elevated punk.
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And Now - Here is the list of books from my self described Worst Reads to my Favorites:
The Love Hypothesis (Wasted Potential - BS premise)
Ready Player Two (An absolute fall from grace - Made me Hate fictional versions of John Hughes and Prince which in turn made me non-fictional despise the author)
The Hating Game (IMO - Hot Garbage)
Interview with a Vampire (Depressing)
American Psycho (No Charm - Boring)
One Hundred Years of Solitude (Artful, Poetic, Repetitive, Dull)
Midnight Sun (An unreadable cash grab)
Brave New World
Last of the Breed
The Fuck-Up
Eat, Pray, Love
All About Me
The Midnight Library
Tuesdays with Morrie
Feed
Murder at the Vicarage
The Paris Apartment
Snow Crash
Carry On
Cinder
Leviathan Wakes
Grey
Crushing It
The Unhoneymooners
No Memes of Escape
Where The Crawdads Sing
Silver Screen Fiend
Yearbook
Mexican Gothic
Survivor
Invisible Monsters
Malibu Rising
Vengeful
Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone
The Maidens
Breakfast of Champions
Coma
The Storyteller
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
Death on the Nile
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Verity
The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
Circe
Song of Achilles
Jurassic Park
Pulp
11/22/63
Killing Floor
The Confederacy of Dunces
Slaughterhouse-Five
Vicious (Read Vicious in late January and I still think about to this day -Could not put it down - Fun, Exciting, Dark, Read like a Movie)
RED = Cannot Stand / Unbearable
BLUE = Highly Recommend / Keepers / Will Re-Read
GREEN = A New Favorite - Top 5 for Life















