It was about this time last year that I decided to do a simple little task over the course of 2014. That was, to keep a list of all the books I read during the year. This wasn't hard to do by any means, it just came down to remembering to jot the title and author down each time. And it really motivated me to not only read, but also to finish what I started.
I have a terrible habit of starting a book and not reading it through to the end. Mostly, I just lose interest and start another book instead. But I got tired of walking through bookstores and seeing books I only knew the beginnings of. If you have a similar problem I'd recommend listing the books you've read. For some reason this simple solution helped me complete more books that I think I would have otherwise.
Here are the books I read in 2014, in order.
The Kennedy Women
by Larence Leamer
Three Cups of Tea
by Greg Mortenstein
Peter Pan
by JM Berrie
The Fault in Our Stars
by John Greene
Mere Christianity
by CS Lewis
What I Did While You Where Breeding
by Kristin Newman
Forgotten God
by Francis Chan
The Hiding Place
by Corrie Ten Boom
Gone Girl
by Gillian Flynn
Its an Old Pennsylvania Custom
by Edwin Valentine Mitchell
Cards on the Table
by Agatha Christie
My Friend Leonard
by James Frey
The Lovely Bones
by Alice Sebold
Yes Please
by Amy Poehler
The Picture of Dorian Gray
by Oscar Wilde
Northanger Abbey
by Jane Austen
As you can see, it's a pretty broad range of topics and authors. I try to keep a good variety on my shelf, and never stick to one genre for too long. There's a lot of good books on that list, and I'd recommend most of them. Two of my favourites where The Hiding Place, which is the story of a Dutch family who hid Jews from the Nazis during WWII, and My Friend Leonard, about a friendship between two men which forms while they're in rehab.
I've already started my reading list for the New Year, and hope to read many more good books this year. If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know!
Labels: books, list, new year
