My Year in Books

At this time of year, I’m completing the list of books I read during the year and reminiscing. Did I spend my time wisely? Wait. That’s the wrong question, because all my time spent reading is worthwhile. Before I reveal my favorite book of the year, allow me to digress.

I read 40 books in 2015. I find that I like series because, if I like the writing and characters, the books are a reliable go-to when I’m looking for something to read. I read four books from the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Two books were from series I continue to read by authors Sue Grafton (alphabet mysteries), and Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum), two were the last of a series by Zoe Ferrarris (Saudi Arabia), and one from a series I am considering by author Ann Cleeves (Shetland Island mysteries).

Four books had titles that referred to the marriage relationship:  The Husband’s Secret, The Wives of Los Alamos, The Wife: A Novel, The Upstairs Wife.

As much as I enjoyed the novels that I read and for as much as they did (or did not) entertain me, I can't count as of them as my favorites for this year.

I read six non-fiction books, and all of my favorites came from this category. Two of the books I have already written about here:  The Feminine Mystique and Missoula: Rape and the justice System in a College Town. My favorite of 2015, however, was Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande.

What was YOUR favorite book of 2015?

December Coffee & Book Swap

Ahhhh . . . to take a few moments for coffee and friends in the middle of the busy holiday activities of December.  Books wrapped in all manner of paper, a variety of genres– the book swap. I didn’t participate this year, but the titles (e.g., Crow Lake, Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons) and authors (e.g., Faye Kellerman, Anita Shreve) made me wish that I had.