by Audra B.
This year, I have set out to read more books and watch less TV. As a kid, I was an avid reader, and somewhere between fifth grade and getting a full-time job I simply lost the desire to make time for my precious books.
Now that I’m out of school, I find I have A LOT of books that I was supposed to read back-in-the-day that I barely cracked open.
In an effort to make my way through the literal mountain of literature that I have amassed, I am aiming to read at least two books every month this year. So far, three months into this little experiment, I have completed a whopping ONE book. (Hold the applause, please.)
Some might claim that I have bitten off more than I can chew, however, I falsely believe in myself and am thus continuing to hold myself to the impossible standard of reading every last book on this ridiculously intense list 🙃
A few of these are books that I have fully read before (many years ago), others I started and never finished (seems to be a recurring theme), and the rest I have looked at and thought, “Ah, I’ll read that one day when I’m bored and not sleep deprived.” (PS: Still waiting for that day to come.)
There are a variety of genres listed here as well. Most of the nonfiction works are studies of the English language because that’s how truly boring I am. Also, I figure if I paid for the degrees, I might as well read the books, right? Anywho…have at it:
JANUARY
Crank by Ellen Hopkins (aka The one book I’ve made it through thus far)
This was an awesome book, 10/10, would highly recommend. I haven’t come across many books that I have a hard time putting down, but this was one of those. Ellen Hopkins is a genius. The way that she tells a story and creates a visual through her writing is unlike anything I’ve seen before and it made the story so much more real. I felt very involved with the characters and felt all the emotions. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series at some point as well.
FEBRUARY
The Uglies by Scott Westerfield
I read this book in junior high when it first came out. It’s a story that always stuck with me as I grew older and started to see how societal ideals were affecting how people view themselves. I feel like this story is very relatable and draws an interesting parallel to today’s world. (Gah, I sound like such an English major there 😂)
Fact and Artifact: Writing Nonfiction by Lynn Z. Bloom
MARCH
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
APRIL
The Collected Stories of William Faulkner by William Faulkner (*gasp* I never would have guessed that)
A History of the English-Speaking Peoples by Winston Churchill
MAY
Dancing with Jesus by Linda Fitzpatrick
Working with Words by Brian S. Brooks, James L. Pinson, and Jean Gaddy Wilson
JUNE
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
The Marketplace of Attention by James G. Webster
JULY
American Indian Myths and Legends edited by Richard Erdoes and Alphonso Ortiz
Public Relations Writing: The Essentials of Style and Format by Thomas H. Bivins
AUGUST
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli
Writing Creative Nonfiction by Philip Gerard
SEPTEMBER
The Jewel in the Crown by Paul Scott
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
*A very interesting read if you work in social media or politics.
OCTOBER
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
*Phenomenal story told via a graphic novel.
The Basics of American Government by Carl Cavalli
NOVEMBER
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
Audience Evolution by Philip M. Napoli
DECEMBER
A Bridge Too Far by Cornelius Ryan
Documents in World History (Volume 1) by Peter N. Stearns, Stephen S. Gosch, and Erwin P. Grieshaber
Let me know in the comments what books you’re reading this year and if you have read any of the ones I’ve listed before.
Are we making bets on how many I’ll actually make it through before 2022?