Thanks to the GoodReads stats, I am happy to report the following:
23,346 pages read = 67 books (so far--I have a couple more in the works--my goal was 65).
The shortest was The Shortest Day (31 pages) by Colm Tóibín, and the longest was Herman Wouk's The Winds of War (1047 pages. Average length was 347 pages.
My average rating was 4.2. I think most books were 4, with quite a few 5s and a couple of 3s. I didn't hate anything--if I was not enjoying a book, I simply stopped reading it! I usually reserve 1s and 2s for books I think are truly problematic and are promoting hate, etc.
Braiding Sweetgrass was the highest rated book on GoodReads that I read, and it was a 5-star book for me.
I read a lot of mysteries this year, trying to get caught up with Martin Walker's Bruno series (I still have a few books left to get caught up), discovering how much I like Ann Cleeves, and staying current with Armand Gamache in Louise Penny's wonderful series. I also listened to a fair amount of Michael Connelly on road trips. I also added some Christmas mysteries to the mix, which was fun.
I reread a couple of classics: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and Moby Dick by Herman Melville, and I finally finished the W. Somerset Maugham short story collection that I started two years ago.
Here are this year's 5-star books, in no particular order:
- White Teeth, by Zadie Smith
- Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett
- Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr
- The Whalebone Theatre, by Joanna Quinn
- The Marriage Portrait, by Maggie O'Farrell
- Around the World in 80 Plants, by Jonathan Drori
- A World of Curiosities, by Louise Penny
- True Grit, by Charles Portis
- Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens
- The Last Runaway, by Tracy Chevalier
- The Last Chairlift, by John Irving
- The Best Short Stories of William Somerset Maugham
- Homo Sapiens Rediscovered, by Paul Pettit
- Now is Not the Time to Panic, by Kevin Wilson
- A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles
Hi JaneGS, great list of books you have there and Sam has Tom Lake and A World of Curiosities on his top ten list for 2023 as well. Reading Louise Penny in order so I will get around to A World of Curiosities but I must get to Tom Lake early in the New Year.
ReplyDeleteHope you and your family have a Happy Holiday and a great new year with alot of good books!
Happy Holidays and Happy Reading in the New Year. Thanks for stopping by. Louise Penny is a treasure--love this series so much.
DeleteYay for surpassing your Goodreads' goal this year. And so many 5-star reads! That's awesome. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. :D
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and Happy New Year of Reading Great Books to you as well!
DeleteYou had a great reading year! My goal was also 65 .... but I managed 60 instead this year. I think the move & new place took a lot of my energies but it's been worth it. You had quite a few 5 star reads! Wishing you more great reads in the new year.
ReplyDeleteI cannot even imagine moving--so disruptive, but worth it in the long run. Happy reading in 2024.
DeleteI think three of those are on my Best of list (not that I've finished it) but I haven't read the newest Penny yet. I was planning to do that on Christmas but then got distracted by the Celtics-Lakers. Happy 2024! I am glad you have retired but disappointed we never rendezvoused in Boston.
ReplyDeleteNever say never--I love New England, still haven't visited Amherst and Emily Dickinson's house/museum or the Isabella Stewart Gardiner museum, and dream of returning to Concord. So there's a good chance I'll be in your region again and I'll be in touch.
DeleteHappy New Year! The only one I've read on your list is The Marriage Portrait, and it's on my best of 23 list as well! I really want to read Braiding Sweetgrass, I've heard such good things about it.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lovely variety of books. I loved A Gentleman in Moscow and Great Expectations. Around the World in 80 Plants sounds like fascinating non-fiction.
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