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I read 43 books in 2021, a number I’m proud of. Reading 43 books a year means I read a book every 8.5 days or so. This is interesting because I feel like it takes me much longer to finish books. It’s possible that it actually takes me longer, but I usually read more than one book at a time (usually about three simultaneously). Twenty of the books I read (47%) were non-fiction, of which only one (5% of the nonfiction books) was about writing, but another four (20% of nonfiction books) were about creativity and art, so that’s something. Eleven (25%) of the books were books I read directly for my WIP, plus another two I had been wanting to read for a while and my WIP was an excuse to get them. Fifteen of the books (35%) were in Hebrew, which is probably why I didn’t read more books as I read much faster in Hebrew.
I reread one book (I forgot I had read it already, which, to be honest, happens to me quite a lot). I gave up on one book before finishing: Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. I thought of not shaming her, but she’s doing fine without me as an avid fan. It just wasn’t for me, I guess. The book that was the toughest to read was by far Ulysses by James Joyce. It took me the best part of six months and a dedicated reading group led by the incomparable Toby. The easiest to read was Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman - it’s my comfort zone (easy language, lots of action, a fantasy world). The one I enjoyed most was Snowflake by Louise Nealon, although White Teeth by Zadie Smith was a close second, and that one is definitely more “timeless”. The book I recommend to everyone I know: 21 Thoughts for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari (there’s an English version, don’t worry). It really is a must.
This year, that is, in 2022, I’d like to read even more. My challenge is 50 books (a book every week or so). I’ll aim for more Hebrew books, and I’m on the lookout for short and sweet, but rest assured, I will read some classics. If you have any books you’d like to recommend, feel free to put them in the comments, and I’ll add them to my list!
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Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan.