January was a surprising reading month for me. I didn't expect to get much reading done, because I knew I would be busy at my day job. In addition I am teaching a class at the local university, and that course started on the second week of January. Between course prep, business at work, evenings spent teaching, and general life events, I didn't think I'd read more than a handful of books this month.
It turns out that I was very, very wrong! In fact, I read 15 books this month, in a variety of formats. I've continued with my #WinterOfWomen17 project, and all of these books (except one) are written by women. One event that helped my reading total reach such heights was my participation in the 24in48 Readathon. I finished 4 books and read through 75% of a fifth one in the 24 hour challenge. Another important component was audiobooks. I can read/listen to them as I'm working my day job, so I get through a few extra books that I might otherwise not.
I can only hope that my February will be equally prolific, but with teaching another university course that month, I don't expect it to be so. Here are the books I read in January, in order of their completion (blog reviews are linked):
- A London Child of the 1870s by Molly Hughes (paper book)
- Unmentionable by Therese O'Neill (ebook) - Nonfiction about what day-to-day life was like for women in the Victorian period...hygiene, clothing, relationships, civil rights, housekeeping, and more. A real eye-opener that makes you appreciate modern life!
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (paper book) - The classic of social comedy, romance, misunderstandings, and class in Regency era England.
- Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham (audiobook) - Graham's memoir of growing up and her experiences in theater, TV, and movie roles. Her role in the original and reboot of Gilmore Girls is the focus of the book. Graham narrates the book, and is hilarious and poignant.
- M Train by Patti Smith (paper book)
- Difficult Women by Roxane Gay (paper book)
- The Grownup by Gillian Flynn (paper book)
- The Summer Without Men by Siri Hustvedt (paper book)
- Other Stories and Other Stories by Ali Smith (paper book)
- The Closed Door and Other Stories by Dorothy Whipple (paper book)
- Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh (paper book)
- The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking (paper book) - Hygge is a Danish term for the feeling of safety, cosiness, contentment, and warmth. This little book, written by the CEO of the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, explores hygge in all its applications, without focusing on retail pursuits.
- Sad Animal Facts by Brooke Barker (paper book) - A sweet book of interesting facts on 152 animals, paired with cartoonish drawings and funny comments.
- The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher (audiobook) - Fisher narrates this memoir of her early acting experiences, but focuses on the romantic relationship she had with Harrison Ford during their time together filming the Star Wars movies. At time it feels a bit voyeuristic, but overall a fascinating read.
- Ms. Marvel Volume 1 by G. Willow Wilson (graphic novel) - A 16 year old Muslim girl from Jersey City, NJ becomes the recipient of superpowers and fights evildoers in her community. She also has to navigate life as a modern, American teenager with her parents, who are traditionalists.
As for February, I have a sneaking suspicion that I won't be reading nearly as many books as I did this month. Differences in work schedules and other commitments that take place during February will probably impact the quantity of books I can read. But I won't let quantity affect quality! I'll be honoring both Black History Month and my #WinterOfWomen17 project in my reading choices next month. I will be reading only books authored by Black women during the month of February. I'm not designating a particular TBR, but instead focusing on certain authors: Toni Morrison, Zadie Smith, Zora Neale Hurston, among many others. I look forward to sharing my reading with you in the coming month!
Librorum annis
