2012 Reading List

I'm not at all sure why, but back in 1990 I started keeping a year by year list of what I'd read. Maybe it's because there are so many books and so little time? When Les Miserables came out at the theater I thought, "I should read that first", then I checked my list and found out I DID! Good to know! My oldest daughter, Sarah has kept one for years also, and we have fun comparing and recommending to each other.

2012 is done and packed away, and with it my reading list. Here's what I made it through last year (minus author names for the most part - sorry):

#1  the Bible (pretty much) I switched to a chronological version at our pastor's recommendation and really enjoyed it. Yesterday I finished Revelation (yeah, Jesus and God win!), and today I'm back in Genesis. If you've never done this, I highly recommend it and you're only one day behind. I think this is my 7th time to make it through - it's fresh to me every single time I do so.

#2  A Gathering of Days. NBAW

#3 Sarah's Key (loved it!)

#4 Tara Road (need to read some Binchey now and then)

#5 Kisses From Katie, Katie Davis. Amazing, amazing young woman!

#6 Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning - loved it.

#7 Saving CeeCee - delightful

#8 Do You Know Who I Am? Great for women, no matter the age.

#9 Going Gray (as in hair!) Kreamer (love mine BTW, never going back)

#10 Blessings, Anna Quindlan - good read

#11 Rise and Shine, Quindlan - didn't love this one

#12 What Every Church Member Should Know About Poverty - eye opening

#13 Cry the Beloved Country, Paton - sad but wonderful

#14 Season's of a Mother's Heart, Sally Clarkson - devoured this book, loved this book! BTW, she has a new one out next week, 'Desperate'.

#15 Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, Quindlan - interesting read. Sad she ultimately renounced her faith completely. Disappointed me to read that.

#16 Sarah Plain & Tall NBAW - super sweet

#17 Door in the Wall, NBAW - wonderful read

#18 The Giver, Lowry - NBAW - riveting! Seriously!

#19 Tuck Everlasting NBAW - precious

#20 Midwife's Apprentice NBAW - good read, but not for very young

#21 Higher Power of Lucky NBAW - same as above

#22 The Book Thief, loved, loved this book

#23 Number the Stars, NBAW - wonderful

#24 My Antonia, Willa Cather - dark but wonderful

#25 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil*

#26 Invisible Man

#27 Anna Karenina, Tolstoy (still planning to see movie)

#28 Wrinkle in Time, Engle NBAW

#29 A Christmas Carol, Dickens - better than any version of the movie

#30 Bridge to Terabitha, NBAW - loved, loved this book.


So I made it through THIRTY BOOKS! That's the most in one year in a long time, and reading on my Kindle has made it easier to get access to books I might not be able to otherwise. Part of the reason is that Newberry Award books are written for jr.  high age and generally not terribly long. They're also readily available at almost any library, another plus.

My very least favorite book of the year was *Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It was dark and grimy and depressing to read, and I was glad we'd already visited Savannah before I started it. I know most readers of popular fiction like it, but just my take on it - I really, really disliked it.

Invisble Man is also touted to be the best book of the 21st century or something like that and I disliked it too. Interestingly, I really got into Anna Karenina but found Tolstoy a bit wordy and found myself skimming at times. Can't say what my favorite read of 2012 was.

I've got 25 on my list for 2013, starting with a recommendation by my daughter, Sarah - The Forgotten Garden (forget the author). She's new to me and has written several others - I'm always tickled to find a new author.

Somebody said - can't remember who - 'the difference between who we are now and who we are a year, five years, ten years from now is determined by who we spend time with and the books we read." I don't want to end 2013 the same person I started it. I'll post in a few days my 2013 list, in case anyone is looking for a good read.

NOTE re NBAW:  I decided this year of setting a goal to read every single Newberry Award winner. They started giving the award in 1922 so I'm trying to read at least 10 a year to catch up. I think I read nine NBAW this year, and already had a handful under my belt, so I'm on my way.