The 2012 Reading Resolution
Okay, so it wasn't quite a resolution as such but last year I was determined to see how many books I could read in the year and ideally I was determined to make it to 100. In the first four months of the year this didn't seem like a challenge at all as I was flying through them. Then all sorts happened, like a new job with less reading time and working for Artree Music on the side doing filming and writing...My time has been sapped away from me gradually and my reading time steadily decreasing throughout the year. However, I still managed a fair few books so I thought I'd put them out here as my recommendations of what to read and what to avoid in 2012.
1. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
5/5 - One of the books to read before you die
2. Hokkaido Highway Blues by Will Ferguson
5/5 - Fantastic for anyone who's been to Japan or planning a trip there
3. Work! Consume! Die! by Frankie Boyle
4/5 - Don't read it if you already know you find him offensive
4. Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk
4/5 - Not his best book to date but still absolutely incredible
5. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
5/5 - A wonderful book that swept the world
6. The Woman who Walked into Doors by Roddy Doyle
4/5 - Poignant but a wonderful read
7. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
5/5 - One of the most touching and at times harrowing books I've ever read
8. Hotel Iris by Yoko Ogawa
3/5 - My expectations were too high upon reading this, it's very much a so-so book
9. Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami
5/5 - An incredible and mysterious tale, highly recommended but ensure you read the prequel first
10. After the Quake by Haruki Murakami
4/5 - A fantastic book but slightly too short for my taste.
11. South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami
4/5 - An intriguing look at missed opportunities and lost loves
12. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
4/5 - a book I can only define comfortably as 'interesting'. Short and sweet, it's a good addition to any book shelf.
13. Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw by Will Ferguson
4/5 - Not quite as good as Hokkaido Highway Blues as it gets a little too bogged down in facts and figures sometimes, but still a funny and informative book.
14. Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami
5/5 - One of the best books I've ever read, I would advise it to anyone
15. Inferno by Dante
4/5 - A brilliant and timeless story although without the modern-day English translations I'd have been lost by page three
16. After Dark by Haruki Murakami
5/5 - A fairly short and surreal look at the nightlife of Tokyo. Can be read anytime, anywhere and as frequently as desired as it never grows old
17. A Land of Two Halves by Joe Bennett
4/5 - Written with a great sense of humour but do not take as gospel if planning a trip to New Zealand as my opinions on certain locations differ from the authors
18. The Trial by Franz Kafka
5/5 - One of the strangest and most surreal tales I have ever read with a superb ending
19. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
3/5 - It's a teens book but it's mildly interesting (although the film was shit)
20. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3/5 - Cleverly written as I had to read it to confirm my own assumptions (predictably I was correct).
21. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
4/5 - This was the best of the three books although Peter still whines too much
22. The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
5/5 - A wonderful tome of a book, it's heavy and occasionally worthy of a grimace in places but utterly harrowing without ever really knowing why
23. Sputnick Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami
4/5 - Another Murakami masterpiece, it's a book that will keep you guessing long after the final page has turned
24. A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami
5/5 - I should have read this before I read Dance Dance Dance, it answered so many of my questions that should have never even been in my head.
25. Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk
5/5 - Possibly his best work although sharing a close place with Invisible Monsters, this book is superb on a level that I cannot verbalise
26. Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami
4/5 - A lovely collection of short stories that will entertain and move you
27. The Etymologicon by Mark Forsyth
5/5 - As someone addicted to the English language I found this book incredibly interesting and fantastically written as it makes the information so readily available and entertaining
28. Metamorphosis and Other Stories by Franz Kafka
5/5 - It's a long time since I last read this short story but the years apart helped me to understand more than I did when I read it as a child. Beautiful and distressing tale
29. The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger
4/5 - I finally got around to reading this classic and I'm still not entirely sure I got its purpose, but it's a beautifully crafted book worthy of your time
30. Charlotte Street by Danny Wallace
5/5 - I was so afraid that as his first piece of fiction this would be bad and I was pleased to make it one of my favourite books. Not to be missed
31. What Becomes of the Broken Hearted by Alan Duff
5/5 - This is a tough and gritty read, a heart-rending look at the bad side of life in New Zealand although should be read after it's prequel Once Were Warrirors
32. Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk
4/5 - Wry, witty and funny with his usual taste for the perverse and macabre, Snuff is a classic piece of Palahniuk fiction.
33. The Gum Thief by Douglas Coupland
5/5 - I can never tire of Coupland's work and I re-read this as I got a signed edition which has a pride of place on my shelf.
34. Glove Pond by Roger Thorpe
4/5 - As some may know this isn't actually a real book, it's the book written by fictional character Roger Thorpe in The Gum Thief and provided in the special signed editions box as an extra
35. The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami
4/5 - Another collection of short, fascinating and moving tales from the wonderful mind of Haruki Murakami
36. Microserfs by Douglas Coupland
5/5 - A re-read again as after reading The Gum Thief I was reminded of my favourite Coupland stories and I simply had to re-read this. I'd recommend this book to anyone at all without hesitation
37. Girlfriend in a Coma by Douglas Coupland
5/5 - Yet again, one of the best books I have ever read. Nothing can rival this book in my eyes and it still moved me as much the fifth time I read it as it did the first
38. Non-Fiction by Chuck Palahniuk
4/5 - For anyone interested in the life and articles of Palaniuk this is invaluable and fascinating
39. Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attach and the Japanese Psyche by Haruki Murakami
5/5 - This collection of interviews is completely heart-breaking, terrifying and inspiring as it examines the effects the Tokyo gas attacks had on those involved
40. Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
4/5 - I always considered Pratchett's work to be light reading and I used to enjoy reading it between my heavier books but this year I became slightly more aware of my love of his work. Excellent book
41. Sourcery by Terry Pratchett
5/5 - The tales of Rincewind and the luggage seem to be my favourite stories in the Discworld, this one the best I've read to date
42. Dave Gorman vs. the World by Dave Gorman
4/5 - Funny, witty and made me realise I'm not quite as odd in my addiction to games as I thought. Also allows you the discovery of many new games
43. The Little Book of the Icelanders by Alda Sigmundsdóttir
5/5 - Okay so this is only a short book but it was hugely entertaining and incisive as I had just returned from a trip to Iceland and I wanted to know more about the people and culture
44. The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
4/5 - The tales of Rincewind never fail to entertain me although I wish I had read them in order
45. Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett
5/5 - A wonderful tale of chivalry and war that was hugely entertaining and when read between the lines contains so much wry commentary on our society. Definitely worthy of a read
46. Firmin by Sam Savage
4/5 - A poignant tale of a self-aware rats life as it wishes to become human. A strange book I wouldn't have known of were it not for small book stands and I enjoyed it immensely
47. Too Far by Rich Shapero
2/5 - Please don't ever read this. The only reason I say 2/5 is because the writing itself is beautiful but the story itself is beyond disturbing. It's an uncomfortable tale of two young children who think and behave far beyond their ages and it's not a pleasant story. I finished it because the descriptions are stunning, but the book is not advised
48. Equal Rights by Terry Pratchett
4/5 - I'm starting to read them in a semblance of an order now and this early story is hugely entertaining and an obvious must for any Pratchett fan
49. Texts from Dog by October Jones
5/5 - Okay, I freely admit that there's not exactly a large amount of prose in this book but it amused me endlessly and I got it for Christmas so I enjoyed it. Don't judge me, It's funny
50. The Horrorlogicon by Mark Forsyth
5/5 - An incredible follow-up to The Etymologicon, this time examining words that have been lost from the English language and where they came from originally. For anyone passionate about language the book's a must
I intend to try and top this list in 2013 and I have well over 50 books on my to-read pile already anyway so I can't imagine I'll need to buy too many. Lets see what we can do this year.
Anyone who has read this by the way, please feel free to send me your recommendations of good books to read - I almost always take them, even if it takes me months to get around to actually reading them.