My technical issues from late summer have passed and the site is still up. My host and I had different opinions about the way something behind the scenes should work. I tried to do what they asked, it didn’t work, nothing bad happened and on we go.
My casual thought about completing 100 books in 2023 is looking more and more like reality. I’m working on 87, 88 and 89 now. 89, Think Like A Monk by Jay Shetty, will probably take me a few more weeks and will end up closer to 100 by the time it’s complete. I’ve read a stack of similar books and they are worth a slow go. If you want to think about how you think, and maybe think about not thinking this book is an ok start. My favorite on this topic is Dropping Ashes on the Buddha: The Teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn. My previous post mentions Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thích Nhất Hạnh. I cannot recommend that one enough. It is a great starting point, or ending point, if there even is a point.
Other years I tried to read a little more than the year before. 2023 got a numeric target because I read an Instagram from another reader around the end of last year that said she hit 85 book. And I did not. And I thought why not? I ‘read’ more audio books this year which enhanced the book count and also make walking a little more pleasant.
My ratings were up and down over the last few months - some great ones and some real stinkers. There were a few that surprised me but one thing I noticed is that there are some popular books that I just don’t like. I read Harlan Corben’s I Will Find You that was eh at best. Babel by R.R. Kuang (who has another current popular volume Yellowface) was a great idea for a store but a chore to get through.
Conversely there were some I came across that were great that I found by accident. These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant - great story, great characters, good end, solid 8 - never heard of her before. Replay by Ken Grimwood - the storyline on this book was an accelerating spiral - another solid 8.
I also finished The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt which I had been putting off. I don’t have any 10s so far this year, but this one was close. More about this in the year end wrap up.