The Year in Books, Part 1: An Overview

Given that next year is only a few hours away, I think it's safe to say that my book reading for this year is done. I read a lot (110 books), and enjoyed most of them. To answer the most frequently asked question: by reading all the time. I read on the bus, I read on breaks, I read in the evenings... I read wherever and whenever I can. There are advantages to living alone and taking public transportation!

I also often read just to read, not necessarily for huge insights. Some books stick better than others, and some I just read quickly to get the main ideas. When I really want to study a topic, I read more carefully and more slowly. I'm also not trying to memorize everything I read, but to know where to find more information on a topic when it comes up in conversation or reading. I have been told that "quality is better than quantity" to discourage me from reading so much instead of focusing on a few good books, but I think that varies between people. I read a lot of "good" books (read: deep, insightful, not just fluff), and given the speed at which I read, it's actually amazing how much information sticks in my head to pop up at the right moment.

I divided the books into 2 sets of categories:

Fiction: nonfiction = 36:74 (which is what I aim for: around 2 nonfiction for every fiction)
Adult: youth/child = 82:28 (which is not to say that none of them could appeal to the other category)

I did try the Challies 2017 reading challenge. I made it through the Light Reader (13 books), Avid Reader (13 more books), and Committed Reader (26 more books). I read enough books to include the Obsessed Reader (52 more books), but did not fulfill all the categories (I came up 3 categories short). I did much better than last year, where I missed around 16 categories; this year's was more flexible. I haven't decided if I'll try next year's challenge. I'm interested in brushing up on history next year, and reading various books that I have lying around the house waiting to be read.

Over the next couple days or so, I'll bring you my best in fiction and non-fiction. I haven't figured those out yet.