Book Meme 2022
It was a good reading year overall, as I got to 60 again, even though more that ten were kid books and there were a bunch of shorter books too. But there were also a few longer books so it probably evens out. Most of the books were good, only a few were duds but overall it was a good reading year. My commute really helps with the reading.
Book List 2022:
Books I've Read (with date finished)
1. Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi, 142pp [translated from Arabic] (Jan 10).
2.What If: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe, 296pp (Jan 12).
3.Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski, 493pp [Witcher Book 2] [In Russian, translated from Polish] (Jan 21).
4.The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel, 233pp (Jan 21). [Graphic novel]
5.Dirty Daddy: the chronicles of a family man turned filthy comedian by Bob Saget, 330pp (Jan 23).
6.The Switch by Beth O'Leary, 328pp (Jan 26).
7.Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold, 328pp [Vorkosigan Saga] (Feb 6).
8.Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks, 320pp (Feb 11).
9.The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, 322pp (Feb 21).
10.The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester, 241pp (Feb 24) [Hugo book]
11.The Christmas Pig by J.K.Rowling, 271pp (Mar 5).[started in 2021]
12.Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon, 148pp (Mar 9).
13.Cloud Cockoo Land by Anthony Doerr, 622pp (Mar 11).
14.Archer's Goon by Diana Wynne Jones, 316pp (Mar 21).
15.Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold, 344pp [Vorkosigan Saga] (Mar 29).
16.The Flowers of Vashnoi by Lois McMaster Bujold, 74pp [Vorkosigan Saga] (Mar 31).
17.Дядя Ваня [Uncle Vanya] by Anton Chekhov, 61pp [in Russian] (Apr 4)
18.Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke, 206pp (Apr 12) [Hugo book]
19.Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs by Ursula Vernon, 206pp (Apr 13) [Dragonbreath 2].
20.The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, 159pp (Apr 27).[slightly abridged]
21.The Land Beyond the Sea by Sharon Kay Penman, 658pp [280 pages in 2021] (Apr 29).
22.Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, 667pp [in Russian] (May 18).
23.The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan, c. 657pp (May 19).
24.A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers, 127pp (May 25).
25.Dragonbreath: Curse of the Were-Wiener by Ursula Vernon, 204pp (May 27) [Dragonbreath 3].
26.Out of the Corner by Jennifer Grey, 331pp (May 28).
27.Index, A History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age by Dennis Duncan, 273pp (Jun 10).
28.Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster by Ursula Vernon,202pp (Jun 13) [Dragonbreath 4].
29.A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark, 390pp (Jun 23).
30.Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, 337pp (Jun 29) [reread].
31.Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch, 323pp [Rivers of London 5] (July 8).
32.Just Like You by Nick Hornby, 355pp (Jul 11).
33.Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, 132pp (Jul 14).
34.A Case of Conscience by James Blish, 191pp (Jul 20).[Hugo book]
35.Dragonbreath: No Such Things as Ghosts by Ursula Vernon, 201pp (Jul 27) [Dragonbreath 5].
36.On a Night Like This by Lindsey Kelk, 342pp (Jul 31).
37.East of Eden by John Steinbeck, 708pp (Aug 10).
38.Ten Steps to Nanette: a memoir situation by Hannah Gadsby, 379pp (Aug 19).
39. The Law by Jim Butcher, 99pp (Aug 22) [Dresden Files novella].
40.The Huntress by Kate Quinn, 531pp (Sept 2).
41.Dragonbreath: Revenge of the Horned Bunnies by Ursula Vernon, 195pp (Sept 7).[Dragonbreath 6]
42.Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein, 155pp (Sept 15). [Hugo book]
43.Yendi by Stephen Brust, 142pp (Sept 21).
44. War for the Oaks by Emma Bull, 319pp (Sept 29).
45.Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr, 202pp (Oct 5).
46.A Woman's Story by Annie Erneux, 96pp (Oct 10) [translated from French].
47.The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djeli Clark, 65pp (Oct 11).
48.The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith, 1452pp (Oct 25) [Strike 6]
49.Dragonbreath: When Fairies Go Bad by Ursula Vernon, 201pp (Oct 25) [Dragonbreath 7].
50.Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling, 272pp (Oct 29) [reread].
51.The Sandman: Act III by Neil Gaiman (Nov 2) [Audible audiobook, for Sandman books 6 to 8].
52.The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik, 407pp (Nov 5) [Scholomance 3].
53.Madly, Deeply: the diaries of Alan Rickman by Alan Rickman, edited by Alan Taylor, 455pp (Nov 15).
54.Husband Material by Alexis Hall, 416pp (Nov 24).
55.Dragonbreath: Nightmare of the Iguana by Ursula Vernon, 203pp (Nov 27) [Dragonbreath 8].
56.Dragonbreath: The Case of the Toxic Mutants by Ursula Vernon, 201pp (Dec 5) [Dragonbreath 9].
57.In Love: a memoir of love and loss by Amy Bloom, 222pp (Dec 7).
58.The City and the city by China Mieville, 316pp (Dec 9).[Hugo book]
59. Dragonbreath: Knight-Napped! by Ursula Vernon, 203pp (Dec 19) [Dragonbreath 10].
60. Consider the Fork: A History of how we Cook and Eat by Bee Wilson, 280pp (Dec 22).
Book Meme 2022:
The first book you read in 2022:
Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi
The last book you finished in 2022:
Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat by Bee Wilson
The first book you will finish (or did finish!) in 2023:
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - I finished it on January 2nd after starting it on Christmas Day.
How many books read in 2022?
60
Fiction/Non-Fiction ratio?
45 fiction/13 non-fiction
Male/Female authors?
25 male authors/21 female authors
Most books read by one author this year?
I read 10 books by Ursula Vernon - all Dragonbreath series.
I also read 3 by Lois McMaster Bujold, 3 by J.K. Rowling, 2 by Anthony Doerr and 2 by P, Djeli Clark
Favorite books read?
What If: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe
Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks
Cloud Cockoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Ten Steps to Nanette: a memoir situation by Hannah Gadsby
Best books you read in 2022?
Both Cloud Cockoo Land by Anthony Doerr and Ten Steps to Nanette: a memoir situation by Hannah Gadsby - who are best for fiction and non-fiction category for me. Just well written. Doerr is great at weaving a plotline together and painting vivid pictures and Ten Steps to Nanette just felt so honest and a fascinating look at Gadsby's life.
Least favorite?
A Case of Conscience by James Blish - the second part especially. The first part had so much promise but the second part went off the rails for me.
Most disappointing book/Book you wished you loved more than you did?
Husband Material by Alexis Hall - I had high expectation after liking the first book but this one just felt like the conflicts were there for the sake of conflict and the end didn't make sense and it all felt like a farce.
Best series you discovered in 2022?
Dragonbreath with Dead Djinn universe close second.
Other new series for me this year
What If books, Monk and Robot series by Chambers. There weren't too many new series. I did finish a couple of other series through.
Not new: Witcher, Vorkosigan Saga, Oz, Ancillary Justice, Rivers of London, Dresden Files, Dragaera, Cormoran Strike books, Harry Potter, Sandman, Scholomance, Boyfriend/Husband Material,
Favorite new author you discovered this year?
P. Djeli Clark. Technically I read a short story by him before but never a longer work and he does better at the longer work. I loved his worldbuilding.
Other new authors
Randall Munroe, Nawal El Saadawi, Bob Saget, Khaled Hosseini, Alfred Bester, Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, Peter Frankopan, Becky Chambers, Jennifer Grey, Dennis Duncan, James Blish, Lindsey Kelk, Hannah Gadsby, Kate Quinn, Emma Bull, Annie Erneux, Alan Rickman, Amy Bloom, China Mieville ad Bee Wilson.
Oldest book read?
"Uncle Vanya" by Anton Chekhov which was published in 1898. Close second is "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" published in 1900. I just realized that I didn't read any classics that were older this year, which is a bit unusual for me.
Newest?
Madly, Deeply: the diaries of Alan Rickman by Alan Rickman, edited by Alan Taylor, published on October 18, 2022.
Longest book title?
Index, A History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age
Shortest title?
Yendi
How many re-reads?
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
Ancillary Justice by Anne Leckie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Sandman audiobook (containing almost 3 Sandman graphic novels) by Neil Gaiman
Any in translation?
Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi translated from Arabic to English
Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski, 493pp [Witcher Book 2] - translated from Polish to Russian
A Woman's Story by Annie Erneux, - translated from French to English.
I also read books in Russian this year:
Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski
Дядя Ваня [Uncle Vanya] by Anton Chekhov
Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko
How many of this year's books were from the library?
8 physical library books (4 Dragonbreath series for Tanya and me, and 4 for me) and 20 ebooks. So 28 total. This is the most physical books in a while. I really upped my library use this year since I go all the time to get kid books for Olivia to practice her reading.
Book that most changed my perspective:
Consider the Fork - it really shone a spotlight at everyday cooking things we take for granted like forks, stove, fridge, knives. Made me look at my kitchen in a whole new way.
Favorite character:
Eileen from Beth O'Leary's "The Switch", Wendell from Dragonbreath series, many from Harry Potter series, Jole from Bujold book
Most memorable character:
El from the Last Graduate, Hannah Gadsby from her autobiography
Favorite scene:
Not favorite, per se, but the scene where Miles and Mark receive news about their father's death was a punch in the gut with just one line addressing Miles as the Count. Also various silliness of Archer's goon -funny scenes in that. The Mirror of Erised scene in Harry Potter which affected me more as I was reading it to Tanya.
Favorite quote:
I never remember specific quotes, although I appreciated "Have fun storming the castle" princess bride callback in Dragonbreath.
Most inspirational in terms of own writing?
Nothing really stands out.
How many you'd actually read again? A book that you never want to read again:
I never want to read the Case of Conscience or the Husband Material ever again. Nor The Silk Roads. I'm sure I will reread Harry Potter and Sandman some more and maybe Cloud Cockoo Land.
Book you recommended most to others in 2022?
I recommended the Dragonbreath series to a few of Tanya's friends - i.e. gave to them as presents. And I got A Master of Djinn to my Dad for his birthday. Not many people in my life are readers so I haven't been recommending much.
The book series you read the most volumes of in 2022:
Dragonbreath with 10 out of 11.
The genre you read the most in 2022:
children books: 13
Fantasy 11
Sci-fi: 10
contemporary: 5
Non-fiction memoir/biography: 5
general non-fiction: 5
romance: 4
classics 2
historical fiction 2
YA: 1
mystery: 1
children's book moved to 1st place as I'm reading a bunch along with Tanya or to her. More fantasy this year than sci-fi - I think more series continuations are fantasy lately for me. More romance too as I felt my brain needed a break occasionally although I didn't love them much.
Your favorite "classic" you read in 2022:
I only read a few, and I would go with Wizard of Oz.
Most surprising (in a good way) book of the year?
Nothing really too surprising but I didn't expect to like "Consider the Fork" so much and enjoy all the little information of the development of kitchen tools.
The hardest book you read in 2022 (topic or writing style):
"A Woman's Story" and "In Love: memoir of Love and Loss" both dealt with death due to losing the mind, and that is depressing and hard to read about, even though they were very good books. I don't think I read anything with hard writing style.
The funniest book you read in 2022:
Dragonbreath series and Archer's Goon are pretty funny.
The saddest book you read in 2022:
"In Love: memoir of love and loss" - a sad topic.
The shortest book you read in 2022:
"Uncle Vanya" with 61 pages.
The longest book that you read in 2022
"Ink Black Heart" by Robert Galbraith was 1452 in the Kindle version and just over 1000 pages in print.
Best book that was outside your comfort zone/a new genre for you?
I don't think much was outside my comfort zone but I guess I can put "The Secret of Superhuman Strength" by Bechdel since it is a graphic novel and I don't often read those.
Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2022?
I read "THe Switch" fast, and "Cloud Cockoo Land" just wanted to be read, And "Number the Stars" by Lois Lowry went quickly, But I will go for "The Ink Black Heart" since I just wanted to keep reading and even over 1,000 pages didn't seem enough.
Most beautifully written book in 2022?
"The Kite Runner" was well crafted. "East of Eden" has some lovely Stenbeck imagery.
Book you most anticipated in 2022?
Golden Enclaves
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2022?
I don't really look at covers much since I mostly read Kindle books.
Book that had the greatest impact on you this year?
All books have an impact. I can't pick just one.
Book you can't believe you waited till 2022 to finally read?
"The Kite Runner" - it has been on my to read list for a long time and I finally read it and enjoyed it. It is a very good book.
Book that had a scene that left you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it?
Cryoburn with the ending scene.
Looking Ahead:
One book you didn't read this year that will be your #1 priority in 2022? New book you are most anticipating for 2023?
Silent Spring - it was one of the last ones on the list for last year that I didn't cross off, so I'm reading it now.
I am anticipating the next Murderbot book - it is coming out next September!
Usually, I made a list of books I aim to read next year along with my 5 Hugo books challenge I do every year. I want to do Bujold fantasy series, for example, some more Rivers of London and a few books I've been writing in my list on my phone notepad. But this year I won't type them up, since last year this felt slightly restrictive, like I had to cross them out. So I will just keep those on my phone as a much looser reference. I do want to keep up the monthly small book reviews/thoughts though as I go along.