50 Books in 2022!

[Adventine]

Starting this annual thread has become something of a holiday tradition for me. Get your reading lists ready for the new year!

[Zikoris]

I'll be here with my piles!

[sui generis]

Wouldn't miss it!  I get lots of ideas to explore from these threads!

[SquashingDebt]

Looking forward to it!  My goal for 2022 is to spend less time tracking my reading and planning which books to read (which to be fair, I do enjoy a lot) and more time actually reading.  With a focus on reading books I already own.

[grantmeaname]

I love this thread! Even if I don't come remotely close to Zikoris's gaudy total, it's my main source of book recommendations every year.

Not sure I will get to 50 in 2022, but it's not really a contest and whatever I read I'll be happy with. I've been trying not to make myself read vs other leisure if I'm not feeling it, so I just cleared the bar at 56 in 2021.

Previous years: 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021

[cerat0n1a]

I fell off the wagon for recording my 2021 reading, but will try to do better! Lots of good ideas for future reading from seeing other people's lists, as ever.

[dblaace]

Ready for a new year of reading.

“Its the not the Destination, It's the journey.”

[Virtus3]

I won't hit 50 but I'll join as one of my goals for 2022 is to read more consistently.

[Splashncash]

Wait a minute - I'm not done with 2021 yet! 

I'll be starting 2022 with Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr for book club.  That should set me up for a lower January book count.

[Erma]

I am going to try this. I have lots of unread books and just got a stack of books from the library.

[Log]

I was just short of 50 last year and my number has been going up each year lately, so I think I'll hit 50 next year. Especially considering I'm planning to cut back on Podcasts and Youtube to make room for some audiobook listening.

[Fresh Bread]

I'm in, I got an e-reader for Xmas and last year I got reading glasses. I'd like to read more fiction.

I also have a pile of non-fiction books I need to decide if I'm actually going to read or if I'm ready to give them away. Plan is devote an hour to each and if it's not grabbing me, it's ok to stop!

Currently reading The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club by Faith Hogan
Plus Eat That Frog
And on audio for the car, Girl In Between.

[SailingOnASmallSailboat]

I'm in! Just joined a second library with a larger selection of e-books. I love these threads with all the ideas in them.

Currently reading Your Money or Your Life and Dragon's Kin (the first Pern novel written by Todd McCaffrey.)

[Dr Kidstache]

I'm in! I've never counted how many books I've read in a year. I listen to quite a few books on Scribd as well as the ones I read so it'll be fun to track.

[StarBright]

In! I got great recs from the 2021 thread.

[Raenia]

In!  Hoping to pass 120, 10 books a month seems to be about my regular pace.

[Fresh Bread]

Here we go ...

1) The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club by Faith Hogan - cosy novel set on the west coast of Ireland 4/5
2) Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy - how to crack though your to-do list and be incredibly valuable at work. I did get a couple of useful points to think about, but it's one of those books that could have been conveyed in a one page article. 2.5/5

[Southern Stache]

I'm in! I usually average about 20 books a year, so this will be a stretch for me but I will make an attempt! : )

1. Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin by Jill Lepore (bio re: Ben Franklin's sister, Jane)

[Southern Stache]

2. At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop

[Watchmaker]

The Lying Life of Adults, Elena Ferrante

[Frankies Girl]

I'm in. I'm usually a speed reader that hit a book a day if I was in the right mood. Depression/shitty life circumstances hit me hard for the last few years, but I've recovered and recently gotten back into my love of reading, and even joined a book club so I get books I normally wouldn't choose on my own and also get to discuss them with other readers.


1. Astrophysics For People In A Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
2. Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

[Fresh Bread]

1. Astrophysics For People In A Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Do you recommend this one @Frankies Girl ?

[Frugal Lizard]

I am in for 22 books in '22.  I am hoping to do more difficult reading to learn stuff I want / should know about.  Reading about Canadian indigenous issues or philosophy or science is slower reading for me.  I will also keep reading for pleasure as rewards for getting through something good for me.

[markbike528CBX]

1. Astrophysics For People In A Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Do you recommend this one @Frankies Girl ?

Not Frankies Girl, but I did think it was successful for the target audience.

And I already finished a book.

1 Tramp Royale Robert A Heinlein.   Non-fiction travelogue.

[Frankies Girl]

1. Astrophysics For People In A Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Do you recommend this one @Frankies Girl ?

I enjoyed it. It's a book club book and not one I'd normally choose for myself but I found myself reading passages out to the spouse about "the same scientist that discovered Uranus also discovered 'invisible' light? He's the one that figured out there was infrared light by literally laying thermometers into a spectrum and had an extra one that was supposed to be the control and figured it would measure room temperature, but it was hotter than the visible red it was near... that's so cool!" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Herschel

And then there's the fact that Einstein was such an amazing genius that shortly after he came up with the General Relativity theory, he added a cosmological constant theory (represented by a Lambda), but then discovered that this didn't quite fit into the equations of the universe as they knew at the time, and called Lambda his biggest failure. But get this... he actually WAS right because data discovered in 1998 (!) showed the universe is expanding at an accelerated rate and Einstein's Lambda was added back (and the scientists that discovered this earned a Nobel Prize). EINSTEIN WAS RIGHT HE JUST COULDN'T PROVE IT IN HIS LIFETIME. WOW. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmological_constant

So yeah, I recommend it. I may not be able to parse all of the science behind being an astrophysicist, but it's pretty fascinating if you're the least bit geeky and enjoy learning things. :D

[Dr Kidstache]

2. At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop

I'm adding this to my reading list

[Fresh Bread]

Thanks @Frankies Girl and @markbike528CBX . The audiobook is in my library so it's on my wishlist. Unfortunately it will probably go too fast for me to understand when I'm driving and they don't have the ebook. I had to give up trying to listen to Stephen Hawking's books when driving. But the library also has the one for young people in both audiobook and ebook format so I can always try that!

[Southern Stache]

3. Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown

@Dr Kidstache I didn't love At Night All Blood is Black as much as I hoped I would. I'll be interested to hear what you think of it!

[Splashncash]

Thanks for starting the new thread, @Adventine! 

Despite thinking I would start 2022 with Cloud Cuckoo Land, I went lighter to begin the new year.

1. Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
2. A Nantucket Christmas by Nancy Thayer
3. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

[Frankies Girl]

3. The Lacquer Screen: a Chinese detective story by Robert Hans van Gulik

Have been watching the super fun Detective Dee movies, and remembered this author's book series based (loosely but not as supernaturally powered as the movies) on the same historical personage. They're still fun and quite interesting as historical mystery fiction.

[redhead84]

In again for 2022. After tapering significantly at the end of 2021, I've already finished 3 books in 2022. I guess that's what happens when I have a few days off of work with no other plans.

1. Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman
2. The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
3. The Guncle by Steven Rowley

[mountainmama]

My goal is always 25 books a year and won't lie to myself that I can do more. I usually try to read 1 fiction for every nonfiction. However, this past year was a doozie for me and I found myself rereading previously enjoyed books and loving it. (All of Harry Potter and the Wool trilogy.) So, for the new year, I'm switching up my system. 1 fiction, 1 nonfiction, 1 book I've already read.

[LonerMatt]

Used to do this on another forum that's fallen by the way-side, let's try this here.

1. Feral - George Monbiot.

If you like nature, at all, this is a great read. Unconditionally recommended to anyone who is interested in allowing non-human life a place in the world!

[Serendip]

@LonerMatt —I read that one a few years back, it was great.

1) The Shepherd’s Life: Modern Dispatches from an Ancient Landscape, James Rebanks   

—never have I read so much about sheep, farming life and the community around it. Although Heida (a book by the Icelandic shepherdess that I read last year comes close). Quite enjoyable view into a world quite far from my own.

[cerat0n1a]

1) The Shepherd’s Life: Modern Dispatches from an Ancient Landscape, James Rebanks   

—never have I read so much about sheep, farming life and the community around it. Although Heida (a book by the Icelandic shepherdess that I read last year comes close). Quite enjoyable view into a world quite far from my own.

His most recent book, English Pastoral, won quite a few prizes here.

[sui generis]

1.  Little Bee, by Chris Cleave (Jan 4).  Sad to say I really disliked my first book of the year.  I can see why people liked it superficially (who hates a story about a refugee with a bittersweet ending?), but I thought it was very poorly done and could practically feel the expectaton that that superficiality would cover up its many sins.

[Dr Kidstache]

1. Vanishing Falls by Poppy Gee.  Australian crime fiction

[Splashncash]

1.  Little Bee, by Chris Cleave (Jan 4).  Sad to say I really disliked my first book of the year.  I can see why people liked it superficially (who hates a story about a refugee with a bittersweet ending?), but I thought it was very poorly done and could practically feel the expectaton that that superficiality would cover up its many sins.

Interesting.  I read his Everyone Brave is Forgiven last year and thought that was poorly done as well.  Thanks for the tip.

[Serendip]

1) The Shepherd’s Life: Modern Dispatches from an Ancient Landscape, James Rebanks   

—never have I read so much about sheep, farming life and the community around it. Although Heida (a book by the Icelandic shepherdess that I read last year comes close). Quite enjoyable view into a world quite far from my own.

His most recent book, English Pastoral, won quite a few prizes here.

Indeed—I think I read a review of his latest which prompted me to find this one at my local library :)

[Virtus3]

Off to a good start:

1. Think Again - The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant
2. Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy by Cathy O'Neil
3. The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins

[PlanetDee]

I hardly ever breach 40 a year, but I will join up! Love looking to see what everyone else is reading too.

1. This Book is Full of Spiders by Jason Pargin

[Dr Kidstache]

2. The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu.  Science fiction

[trc4897]

I'd be happy to break 20 this year, but I'll still join! First book is Man's Search for Meaning. Really liking it so far! Although I heard the second half of the book is a bit more dry.

[Wolfpack Mustachian]

Glad this was started up! My total will most likely be lower this year,  but I really appreciate the book recommendations.

[LonerMatt]

Off to a good start:

1. Think Again - The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant
2. Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy by Cathy O'Neil
3. The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins

This one sounds good - quick review @Virtus3 ?

[Virtus3]

Off to a good start:

1. Think Again - The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant
2. Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy by Cathy O'Neil
3. The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins

This one sounds good - quick review @Virtus3 ?

I really enjoyed it. It's about how algorithms the Big Data corporations use to govern decisions are unregulated and while they seem to be fair as they're being made by "machines" and not biased humans they are in many cases reinforcing discrimination and in most cases can't be contested. Most of the examples show how the lower class is being punished (for profit universities, predatory loans, policing/justice system, insurance) but there are some examples that affect upper and middle classes (US News college rankings).

From an informational standpoint it's very good but she doesn't really offer any solutions other than the algorithms and tech companies need to be more regulated and more data privacy laws are needed. I don't disagree with either but if you're already familiar with problems in big data it probably won't offer anything new.

[InterfaceLeader]

New to thread, I'm in for trying to hit 50 books this year though :)

• 1. To Say Nothing of the Dog Connie Willis
• 2. Shards of Honour Lois Bujold - currently reading

[Dr Kidstache]

3. Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward.  Literary fiction

Confession - I started reading this probably last summer but could only read small bits of it at a time. I don't know of anyone who writes as lyrically and brutally as Jesmyn Ward and I think 2 National Book Awards are just the beginning for her career laurels. But, woof, this was tough to read. I can't think of another book that generated such intense physical sensations from me - there were scenes in which I was nauseated, tearing up, pushing against the couch with my feet trying to get away from what I was reading. It's brutal and gorgeous.

[nessness]

3. Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward.  Literary fiction

Confession - I started reading this probably last summer but could only read small bits of it at a time. I don't know of anyone who writes as lyrically and brutally as Jesmyn Ward and I think 2 National Book Awards are just the beginning for her career laurels. But, woof, this was tough to read. I can't think of another book that generated such intense physical sensations from me - there were scenes in which I was nauseated, tearing up, pushing against the couch with my feet trying to get away from what I was reading. It's brutal and gorgeous.

That's one of my favorite books. I read Sing, Unburied, Sing a few years ago and then quickly had to read everything else Jesmyn Ward has written. I didn't love Where the Line Bleeds, but Salvage the Bones and Men We Reaped are both fantastic (though Men We Reaped is an especially difficult read for being a true story).

[Virtus3]

4. Playing with FIRE by Scott Rieckens
5. How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price
6. Be a Work in Progress by John Cena

I probably shouldn't even count the last one; it was only about a 30 minute read and not at all what I was expecting when I picked it up.