So I did some statistic checking since
my last Reading Time post. I had mentioned that I was bummed about 'failing' my 2017 goal of reading 40 books and 'only' read 25 books. Jana commented that 25 is still 2 books a month and that's more than what a lot of people read.
According to
this post on Iris, the average person reads about 4 books a year. A. Single. Year! I can't comprehend. But click through for more details - it's pretty interesting.
- In 2015, 72% of Americans read a book. (A single book. One.) This includes only reading a book 'in part' so they might not have even finished that book. (That one single book. One.)
- Educated women tend to read the most (side note: I occasionally go back and read books I should have finished in high school or college. Do you know anyone who reads Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis' or 'The Trial' for fun?)
- Americans don't read as much as most other countries. (We're lazy.)
And according to
this Bookbub post, I have about 2000 books to go before I die. That's a sobering thought and might be why I'm no longer hesitant to DNF a book if it doesn't cut it for me in the first 3 chapters. Every book now is going to be judged on if it's worthy or not to be included in my 2000 books. This kind of reminds me of Lost and when Desmond was carrying around Our Mutual Friend by Dickens to be the last book he ever read. When my aunt passed away 15 years ago, I found out she died while reading a book written by Dickens - her favorite author. The morbid romantic in me did ask if it was Our Mutual Friend (she would have appreciated Desmond's choice and reason) ... but it wasn't and I can't remember which one now.
So anyway ... on to the books:
A is for Alibi - As mentioned last month, I had thought about reading this series before but it wasn't until we were chilling around the house and the news came that local author/celebrity Sue Grafton had passed away that I did some quick searching and downloaded the book. Technology is useful. Very '80s, but good. Not sure I want to put a priority on reading the other 25 ... (ebook from local library)
Then ...
Promise Me, Dad - Also very good. I teared up in parts of it. Put politics aside, this is a good book about a father and the loss of a son. I was also very interested in reading some of the bits about what was going on behind the scenes during some of the political manuevering. I recommend it. ('real' book borrowed from local library)
Then ...
Sisters First - This must be the month for memoirs. Again, put yo' politics aside. I love presidential history and the families are included in that, (#45 excluded). This was a good book with anecdotes from both Jenna and Barbara and how their lives were before, during, and after their dad was president. ('real' book borrowed from local library)
And this one:
The Book of Giant Stories - One of the check-ins for the 24in48 reading challenge was to find the oldest children's book you have or the one you've held onto since childhood ... and it's this one. I remember crawling up into my dad's lap for him to read this to me over and over. He worked long days and when he'd fall asleep reading to me, I'd continue reading the stories aloud to him - maybe that was his plan. The illustrations are the best - Weekly Reader Books for the win. (book in personal collection and going nowhere - though I need to fix the spine)
Then:
Everything I Never Told You - After reading Little Fires Everywhere, I put this one in my queue at the library. I think I liked this one better than LFE, but both were hard to put down. 'Familial Dysfunction' is the name of the game with this author. ('real' book borrowed from the library ... and also the ebook borrowed from the library for when I was waiting at an appointment and had forgotten my book. I do feel bad for double dipping when someone else was likely waiting for either copy ... really, I do. Both were returned promptly after finishing.)
Then:
They Both Die at the End - Pretty good story. What would you do if you got the call that you'd be dead within 24 hours? (another e-book from local library)
And then:
The Hazel Wood - I was mainly drawn to this because it's the name of my kids' school. But the plot was interesting too. YA fairy tale - so there's teen angst involved -- and guess what .... another e-book from local library.
Currently reading:
Sing, Unburied, Sing
So much for my goal of reading through the stacks of my own books ... most of what has been read so far in 2018 has been from the library (real and e-books).
Be sure to check out
Jana and
Steph's link-up and see what other books everyone's discussing. You can pretty much guarantee that I'll be on Goodreads throughout the next couple days adding still more books that I want to read but may never get to.
Thoughts on the stats or have you read any of the books listed? What are you reading?
