2023 Reading Wrap Up

THE LIST OF ALL 2023 BOOKS 

I have participated in reading 52 Books in 52 Weeks again. Here are answers to the Wrap Up questions:

How was your reading year? 

Great, I read a lot more than I thought I would. How did that happen?

Did you follow a plan or go with the flow?

I am continuing to work through the 1000 Books to Read Before You Die List (read 54), but I took a break for a while. I also had Renovare Book Club Books (4) and many spiritual direction books that I am rereading to decide if I would include them in the curriculum I am writing for the training I am starting in the fall of 2024.

I also read some fun memoirs/autobiographies that I heard out and about. I liked all of them (Spare, Counting the Cost, But First God, All My Notted Up Life, Radical Love).

Did you stick to tried and true authors or genres or explore outside your comfort zone?

Many books on the 1000 Book to Read List are outside of my comfort zone. So, I tend to read new authors all the time! I read a lot of Science Fiction which is not my favorite, but I stretched myself!

Where did your adventure take you? Outside of time and into space? 

Yes, as mentioned above, I read Science Fiction: The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Ringworld, NOVA, The Day of the Triffids, Ender's Game, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep - Blade Runner, and Dune. Oh, my, I DID read a lot of Science Fiction!

I went to England (Tom Jones, Brief Lives, Diary of a Provincial Lady, A Bullet in the Ballet),  India (The God of Small Things), Montana (The House of Sky), the Eastern Seaboard (The Outermost House), New York (Bonfire of the Vanities), Australia (Narrow Road to the Deep North),  France (Adventures Along the Wine Route, Lost Illusions, A Year in Provence), Texas-Mexico border (Lonesome Dove), Mt. Everest (Ascent of Rum Doodle), Dublin (Ulysses) 

There are more places, but that is enough.

Which stories made your heart sing or cry or laugh or fly. Do you want to hug the author or country or city or state?

I really loved Cold Comfort Farm (funny and engaging with a good ending), The Age of Innocence (Edith Wharton is a favorite author), Tom Jones, Tender is the Night. 

Surprisingly, I loved Lonesome Dove! I would not pick Western as my genre, but the writing was excellent, and I even watched the mini-series as a result.

I loved Balzac's Lost Illusions too. 

I am proud that I was able to finish Ulysses after several false starts! I want to go back to Dublin and follow his route. 

As mentioned above, I liked every single memoir/autobiography I read. I think that is one of my favorite genres (because I am a people person and love to see what makes people tick). 

I also really loved the books I read on "neurotheology" the influence of brain science on spirituality. I have really benefitted from learning this from The Joyful Journey, The Joy Switch, The Other Half of Church, and The Pandora Problem. Also, I enjoyed the reread of Anatomy of the Soul about the same subject.

Which stories made you want to throw it across the room in disgust?

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic - a graphic novel with pictures of sex. Ewww. Why does Mustich have this book on his list? There should have been a warning. Not to mention that her dad was a pedophile, and she glosses over it!

Which authors did you add to your "I want to read more or again pile"?

I don't think there is any I plan on rereading. I always want to read more Henri Nouwen though! 

Share quotes, covers, stats, and ideas for next year such as new or different authors or genres to explore.

This was my favorite cover. I just love the colors and style:

Next year, I plan to read the rest of the Renovare Book Club Books (The Great Divorce, Faith Like a Child, The Eternal Promise) and continue on my journey with the1000 Books to Read Before You Die List (I 38 books away from being 3rd on the list). 

I will probably not be reading any more Science Fiction for a while since I read so much last year, and I think I read all of the ones on the list!