So I was on sabbatical early this year, and you might think that this would result in me reading a lot of books. I thought this might result in me reading a lot of books! This was not true. Mostly I read journal articles and reviewed books that I had read years before as I began work on a book that sums up the last 12 years of my thinking. So it wasn’t a big year for nonfiction reading.
Instead, I read a lot of fiction with no real theme. I devoured the 12 books of the Cradle series. (If you haven’t read the magical martial arts series, you should. It’s great.) I read 12 different books with people, and many books on recommendation from people. (Thank you to everyone who read with me and recommended books to me!)
Below is a list of most of what I read this year. I will summarize my emotional response to each with a word. I probably read more than this, but I also kept bad records this year. What a wild year it was.
Sci-fi
- Way Station by Clifford D. Simak. Moving.
- Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis. Engaging.
- Arcturus Landing by Gordon R. Dickson. Rollicking.
- Deadly Litter by James White. Charming.
- Perelandra by C.S. Lewis. Bizarre.
- Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. Frustrating?
- Chindi by Jack McDevitt. Maddening.
Fantasy
- Cradle, books 1-12 by Will Wight. Delightful.
- The Sorceress and the Cygnet by Patricia McKillip. Mysterious.
- Redwall by Brian Jacques. Rousing.
- Alphabet of Thorn by Patricia McKillip. Compelling.
Young Adult
- The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers. Rewarding.
- The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Nostalgic.
- The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown. Fitting.
- Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia Mclachlan. Comforting.
- The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown. Solid.
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. Sad.
- The Last Cuentista by Donna Barbara Higuera. Stressful.
- A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck. Quirky.
- James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. Concerning.
Non-Fiction
- Scribes and Scripture: The Amazing Story of How We Got the Bible by John D. Meade and Peter J. Gurry. Thought-provoking.
- There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib. Intense.
- You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World by Alan Noble. Humbling.
- Letters to a Young Calvinist: An Invitation to the Reformed Tradition by James K.A. Smith. Reflective.