Ever since I was a child, I have loved reading. I remember reading in the backseat of the car on many family road trips, straining my eyes as we drove into the evening hours. I remember participating and winning the “Olympic Novels” competition at my elementary school. We had 30 days to read as many novels as we could. To verify completion and comprehension of each novel, we had to pass a 20 question multiple-choice quiz with a score of 16/20 or greater. It gave me great satisfaction to see my row of gold stars up on our class chart in the library!
During my years of undergraduate (and especially graduate) study, my love of reading rapidly dwindled. Piled high with textbooks and academic journal articles, I was left with little time to read for pleasure. What little free time I did have, I wanted to spend as far from bookstores or libraries as possible!
Now that I have settled into a routine with my husband, full-time work, a very independent two year-old, and two dogs, my craving for books has returned. Free time is scarce, but I want to make reading a priority, for both knowledge and for pleasure. Last year, I set a fairly conservative goal for myself- to read one book a month in 2012. Anything extra was a bonus. Below is my reading list, with my top recommendation highlighted.
- Twenties Girl
- Gangs in Canada
- I Have Your Number
- Betrayal
- Room
- The Hunger Games
- 10 Basic Principles of Good Parenting
- Positive Parenting
- When in Rome
- Catching Fire
- Mockingjay
- The Hypnotist
- Shoe Addicts Anonymous
- Friday Night Knitting Club
My choices were a mix of “fluff” and substance, fun and facts. This year I’d like to reach a total of 20. Not as great of a feat as reading 30+ “Olympic Novels” in 30 days, but a good enough goal for me, given my multitude of other hobbies, projects, and commitments. So, here is my list in progress:
- Christmas Inn
- Bossy Pants
- Heaven is For Real
- Life After Life
- Life of Pi
- The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head: A Psychiatrist’s Stories of His Most Bizarre Cases
- Raising a Gifted Child: A Parenting Success Handbook (currently reading)
I would love your recommendations on what to read next!
Side note, I’m also working on completing Listology: My Life in Lists by Lisa Nola. I’d recommend this for anyone who would like to journal, but has problems sticking with it. It’s also great for all those obsessive list writers and record keepers, such as myself;)
So, what are you reading?
Unicorn Crossing 