Friday, February 7, 2020

Pursuing a Lifelong Passion ~ My List of Books Read 2019


Reading is one of the greatest pleasures in my life,
and in 2019 I read thirty-five books, one more than last year.

I read a total of 11,495 pages.
Actually I read more than that, because some books 
~ like The Mueller Report and Baudolino ~
were challenging, and I read parts of them over and over
until I understood all the content.
Thank goodness for Google!

So my goal for 2020 is to beat my record for 2019
by reading at least thirty-six books and 12,000 pages.

Eight of the books were by authors who belong to
the Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG);
so, of course, I'm going for nine in 2020.

I will be forever grateful to my parents for encouraging me to read.
I literally can't remember a time I couldn't read, and that is because of them.




My Parents Reading
Sara MacDonald and Don MacBeath (with pipe)
Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
Circa 1947
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved



Here's my list of books read in 2019: 

  1.  New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson  
       619 pages  Speculative fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy Fiction

  2.  Fear:  Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward  
       362 pages  Biography

  3.  Abaddon's Gate by James S. A. Corey  
       546 pages  Science Fiction

  4.  The Muralist by B. A. Shapiro  
       337 pages  Historical Fiction

  5.  Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari  
       638 pages  Non-Fiction:  History, Human Evolution

  6.  Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier  
       405 pages  Gothic fiction, Mystery, Romance novel, Crime Fiction, Romantic Suspense

  7.  Descent by Tim Johnson  
       375 pages  Mystery, Thriller, Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction

  8.  The Origin of Tolkien's Middle Earth for Dummies  by Greg Harvey
       346 pages  Nonfiction:  Literary Criticism

  9.  Oil and Marble:  A Novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo by Stephanie Storey  
       360 pages  Thriller, Historical Fiction, Biographical Fiction

10.  Music Boxes by Tonja Drecker  
       155 pages  Middle Grade Fiction:  Fantasy

11.  Masquerade:  Oddly Suited by L.G. Keltner et al.  
       196 pages  Young Adult Fiction: Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary

12.  The Mueller Report by the Justice Department  
       387 pages  Nonfiction:  Government Report

13.  Big Red by Damien Larken  
       299 pages  Science Fiction, Alternate history, Military Science Fiction

14.  A Higher Loyalty by James Comey  
       304 pages  Biography, Autobiography  

15.  Brighton Rock by Graham Greene  
       269 pages  Suspense, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction  

16.  House of Trump, House of Putin:  The Untold Story
       of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia by Craig Unger  
       277 pages  Nonfiction:  Biography, True Crime

17.  Overcoming Obstacles with Spunk by L. Diane Wolfe  
       167 pages  Nonfiction:  Self Help, Goal Setting, Leadership

18.  Married to a Bedouin by Marguerite van Geldermalsen  
       292 pages  Nonfiction:  Biography, Autobiography  

19.  Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny  
       518 pages  Mystery, Thriller

20.  Some Very Messy Medieval Magic by C. Lee McKenzie  
       174 pages  Middle Grade Fiction:  Fantasy

21.  Port-Royal Habitation:  The Story of the French and Mi'kmaq
       at Port-Royal 1604-1613 by W. P. Kerr  
       106 pages  Nonfiction:  History 

22.  A Not So New World by Pat Hatt  
       317 pages  Science Fiction

23.  Delivered by Pat Hatt  
       332 pages  Mystery, Contemporary  

24.  Hippie by Paulo Coelho  
       279 pages  Autobiographical novel, Biographical Fiction

25.  The Complete Win at Spades by Joseph D. Andrews  
       174 pages  Nonfiction:  Game Strategy

26.  Survival of the Fittest by Jacqui Murray  
       308 pages  Historical Fiction

27.  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer  
       288 pages  Historical Fiction

28.  The Ends of the World: Supervolcanoes, Lethal Oceans,
       and the Search for Past Apocalypses by Peter Brannen  
       256 pages  Nonfiction:  Science (Geology, Earth History, Environmental)

29.  Give Me the World by Leila Hadley 
       454 pages  Travel Literature

30.  Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks  
        392 pages  Biography, Autobiography, Memoir

31.  In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri  
       196 pages  Biography, Autobiography, Travel

32.  TheSilent Patient by Alex Michaelides 
       313 pages  Thriller, Mystery, Psychological Fiction, Suspense, Psychological Thriller

33.  The Forgotten Room by Lincoln Child
       290 pages  Science Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Historical Fantasy

34.  Baudolino by Umberto Eco
       521 pages  Speculative fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy Fiction

35.  Introduction to Geology:  Physical and Historical 
       by William Lee Stokes and Sheldon Judson  
       243/530 pages (physical section)  Nonfiction:  Science (Geology)


Note:  IWSG Authors are highlighted in yellow.


Enjoying a Favorite Pastime
Aurora, Colorado, USA
January 9, 2019
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved






Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

Donnie and I
On the Margaret's Justice Ferry
Between Westport and Freeport
Grand Passage, Bay of Fundy
Nova Scotia, Canada
July 31, 2018

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved







A Personal Note:

If things go according to plans, I won't be publishing a post next Friday.
I'll be in the middle of buying a new computer and getting it set up.
Wish me luck!!!

  

32 comments:

  1. That's quite the selection of books. Nine from IWSG members this year? You'll have a lot to choose from.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Alex! I'm having a lot of fun reading books by IWSG members, and there are so many I want to read!!! Starting with the anthology with MY story! I'm still giddy! And you know I'll read more of Pat's. And the moment your book is announced, I'll be preordering it. Have a great weekend, my friend!

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  2. An impressive list, Louise! You put me to shame! The one about Leonardo and Michelangelo sounds intriguing to me, because I enjoy the works of both artists. Did it bring back memories of Florence and Italy?

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Debra! I've had way too many late nights reading into the wee hours. I feel like I'm running out of time, and there are so many books I want to read! "Oil and Marble" was awesome, and it definitely brought back memories of Florence and Italy. A friend gave it to me for my birthday, because she knows how much I love Florence. Definitely worth reading! Have a great weekend, my friend!

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  3. I really enjoyed The Silent Patient. I have the same reading goal as the last few years, but I usually end up reading more. Love that wiggle room! :)

    Good luck with the new computer!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Madeline! My poor computer is limping along, and I'm afraid that it will go belly up at any time. "The Silent patient" was great fun. I love a good psychological thriller! Wiggle room is good, but I am burning to read, now that I've completed my cataract and laser surgeries and have an awesome pair of prescription glasses. Happy reading to you!

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  4. I had a goal too of 1 book per week, but didn't quite hit it. Life was messy and complicated last year, so I didn't have the luxury of reading as often as I would have liked. I'll have to check out some of the books on your list. Have a great weekend, Louise!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Theresa! You did have a difficult year! I hope that things go much easier for you in 2020, and I hope that you have time to indulge in reading. Have a great weekend, my friend!

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  5. Five of those are DLP books, including one of mine - thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I definitely plan to read more DLP books, Diane! Santa was supposed to order me several for Christmas, but Santa procrastinated and ran out of time. He was forgiven though, because I can order them myself, and because he introduced me to the Jack Reacher novels (I think he confused Lee Child with Lincoln Child) with a gift of "Killing Floor" and also Margaret Atwood's "The Testaments." I actually read yours twice during the year, because it is inspiring and helpful. Wishing you and DPL lots of success in 2020! Have a great weekend!

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  6. Replies
    1. Hi, Adam! I was pleased with what I read last year. I hope all is well with you!

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  7. Louise, I love that photo of your dad reading with his pipe! I got Alex a pipe a few years back and another one for his birthday this year. He loves to smoke and read, very neat! Good luck on your reading goals! I wish I had the focus to read a book...it doesn't happen very often, but I'm more of a reader during the summer when I can lounge on the porch swing! I saw a movie called "Body at Brighton Rock"...but I don't think it's the same story. I looked it up and if I can't read the book, I may actually look for that 1947 movie adaptation of the book, Richard Attenborough stars in it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Rain! I love that photos of Dad too. He smoked his pipe throughout his life. I have to read every day. I can't remember the last time I went without reading. Richard Attenborough is a great actor. I'll have to look for that movie too. Have a great week!

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  8. wow! that’s a lot of books—loved seeing writer friends in your mix, music boxes was fabulous!
    and great pics =)

    congrats again on the anthology—you’re doing a great job with the blog!

    Tara Tyler Talks

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Tara! I loved "Music Boxes, Too." I'm having lots of fun reading the books of fellow IWSG members. All the best to you this week!

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  9. You sure read quite the range indeed. But that I knew. Hey, I could have you hit your goal with all the ones I still have left you never read lol Great to read indeed. I never had as many as you, thanks to the 9-5, but a far amount.

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    Replies
    1. Haha! I plan to read more of your books this year, for sure, Pat. And my great niece Ella is just about old enough for some of your Cassie books! Come to think of it, she must be close in age to your twin poop machines. Have a great week!

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  10. My you do alot of reading Louise, hope you are well, missed being on line.
    My son-in-law is showing me the ropes with windows 10.
    Yvonne.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Yvonne! I hope all is going well with your Windows 10 work. All the best to you!

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  11. Very impressive, Louise! That's quite a list. I'm hitting about 20 books a year now. I used to go through more but I've slowed down. Maybe it'll pick up again at some point. With the way I love reading, that's possible!

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    Replies
    1. Twenty is good, Martha! I had slowed down, especially during my working years, but now I'm ramping up. Wishing you and George a great week!

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  12. I love Rebecca. That's the only one of your books that I've read. I don't do well with keeping track of what I read because I read so many books at the same time.

    Love,
    Janie

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    Replies
    1. Rebecca was so good, Janie. I read it the first time when I was about twelve. It's fun to go back and reread books I've enjoyed in the past. I hope all is well with you!

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  13. Replies
    1. Thanks, R! I was proud of myself, and I had a whole lot of fun! All the best to you!

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  14. I love your list, Louise. There are many on there that I have on my list. Including Diane's. Ah, but I don't see War and Peace. So, you've read it already? It's one of my top 5.

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    1. Thanks, Joylene! I read "War and Peace" about 50 years ago. I need to read it again. Have a good one, my friend!

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  15. A great collection of books from a variety of genre!

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  16. Great list. I have read some of them and say, "yes, you can do this!"

    Anna from elements of emaginette

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  17. I shared your Jan 3, 2015 post on my FB page. Check out the comments!
    Winks!

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Thank you for your comments! I appreciate them very much.