aliki | Jan. 19th, 2015

~~December~~ January 19: What was the last book you read, for fun, not for work. (subienkow)

I'm actually quite the avid reader, when I have the time. My reading seems to have a periodicity to it, though. Because I'm a weirdo and collect data all the time, I actually have a record of every book I've read for fun since 2006. Is that weird?

I read 63 books in 2006. My favorite book this year is The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory and Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I was a newlywed with no kids, I had lots of time to sit and read.

I read 33 books in 2007. I remember most vividly We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. I also read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and want to rake my eyeballs out.

14 books in 2008. I find myself particularly occupied with getting pregnant. I think I didn't spend much time reading books, but rather being on message boards.

In 2009, 35 books. I loved Water for Elephant by Sarah Gruen, way before it became popular as a movie.

In 2010, 11 books only. I had my first child in April and was just a zombie for the rest of the year. I read a lot of books about baby names, breastfeeding, and raising a baby.

In 2011, 3 books. My baby turns into a toddler and wants to destroy anything I'm interested in. Brian gets me a Kindle for Christmas, and reading takes off again.

In 2012, 28 books! I fall in love with reading again on my Kindle. Somewhere in the summer, I realized they loan e-books via my library and I'm enarmored. I remember The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff and The Help by Kathryn Stockett (again, anonyingly before it became a movie...). I also check out Bossypants by Tina Fey and it's hilarious.

In 2013, I read 88 books, which yees, means I'm reading an average of 7 books a month. I note this down to remind myself that someday, that day shall come again when I have a 3-year old child and I will actually be able to read again. Oh, please, I can't wait for this day again.... I liked the non-fiction book The (Honest) Truth about Dishonesty by Dan Ariely. I also liked The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman, Horns by Joe Hill, The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells by Andrew Greer, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by jamie Ford, and Execution of Noa P. Singleton by Elizabeth Silver. Check them out, people.

In 2014, only 17 books. In fact, I read no books between March (Amelia's birth) and August. I liked An Abundance of Katherines by John Green.

No books yet in 2015.

NOW, to finally answer the question. What was the last book I read for fun?
It aws Boleyn Bride by Brandy Purdy. It was horrid. The writing was forced, the dialogue laughable, the characterization of Elizabeth just snotty and petty, and not at all intelligent or calculating. Her relationships with her peers and family are stifled and awkward, there is no depth or introspection on their personalities. I almost gave up after the first chapter, but I have this dogged determination to finish even bad books, just to make sure I don't judge a book before it starts to get good. It doesn't.

What will 2015 be like? Based on my experiences previously with a 1-year old toddler, it's not going to be good (3 books in 2011! Yikes!) but I hope that in time, my life won't be so preoccupied with wrangling the girls, and I will gradually get to have more time for myself again.