2012 In Review: Books!

I somehow managed to read 74 books (my goal for the year was 65). This is probably the only goal (of the ones I wrote down, I mean) that I actually achieved this year, so yay to me. Since I “read” audio books, it’s actually easier for me to keep on track when I’m super busy like I was this year since I “read” while I’m working.

Stats (cuz I nerdily LOVE stats):

• 24/75 were non-fiction, 5 were fiction – I am pleased with this as I have been trying to read more non fiction
• Sarah Dessen and Nora Roberts were tied for authors I read the most (6 books each) followed by Joshilyn Jackson’s at 4
• I read THREE books about presidential assassinations: one on Garfield, one on Lincoln and one on Kennedy and I actually have another one on Kennedy waiting in the wings (it’s like 20+ discs and seems a bit daunting)
• Other than novels, the type of book I read the most of was memoir. My favorites were Mindy Kahling’s sublime Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and the yummy Stuffed: A Restaurant Family.
• I also read a lot of dystopian novels (all YA if memory serves). The only one that I really enjoyed was Thumped (the sequel to Bumped). I think I’ll avoid that genre for a while, at least until publishers stop publishing ANYTHING in a rush to be the next Hunger Games.
• My favorite NF book for the year is a tie between Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me which are about as different as you can get. I loved Killing Kennedy because it’s probably the best history lesson on that period I’ve ever had and it was imminently readable. Mindy’s book though was pure comic genius. Like I said, toss up.
• My favorite fiction book of the year was Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ The Great Escape. She writes such fun, fluffy, lovable, SMART chick lit and she’s one of my favorite authors.

I am really pleased with my year in reading. I feel amazed every year at the breadth of GREAT options available for consumption and I feel like I get really good knowledge and insight from these smart writing folk. I consider it to be as important as exercise. The other cool thing in reading this year was the fun I’ve had watching Tabby learn to read. I hope that both of my kids will one day love to read as much as I do.