A Year of Reading in Review
In order to better keep track of my own reading habits, and promote books/authors that have influenced me, I am going to begin doing annual book reviews. Out of all of the books read, I will pick my favorite three and briefly explain how they have impacted me. Since the subjects usually vary wildly, the 'top' three list will be in no particular order. Finally, I will end on what my reading goals are for the upcoming year and what subjects I would like to explore.
This year I read a total of 15 books! While I've partially read or skimmed many more than that, for these annual reviews I will only be counting books read cover to cover within the target year.
With that out of the way, on to the books!
1. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
While I normally read non-fiction, I've slowly been exploring fiction and literature. Murakami's stories have an incredible mix of depth and excitement. What I enjoyed most about this novel was the character development. Throughout reading, I frequently found myself making personal connections and stopping to think about the perspectives brought forth by the protagonist's journey.
Only after reading, did I realize the plot's connections to the myth of Oedipus. I plan to reread this book now that I am cognizant of that, in order to find any hidden beauty I may have missed on my first run through.
Overall, a compelling journey crafted by an endlessly readable author!
2. The History of Philosophy by A.C. Grayling
This book is quite long, but Grayling does a superb job keeping the readers interest while connecting all the sections together so as to highlight the development of philosophical thought throughout history. The cadence of the sections felt natural and each thinker or movement was expanded on in enough detail to provide a great overview to the various sub-fields of philosophy.
I initially picked this book up once I started getting into philosophy due to not having the background needed to fully digest the contemporary writings I am interested in. I especially enjoyed the various tidbits about odd or unique habits certain philosophers had.
A fantastic introduction in order to figure out what to explore next with philosophy!
3. Anarchy-In a Manner of Speaking by David Graeber
The late David Graeber has been one of my favorite authors for some time now. His writing blends novel analysis with a down to earth and empathetic writing style. Not to mention incredible historical facts and accounts.
My favorite thing about this book is the format. The presentation takes the form of a dialog between Graeber and a few others. The topics covered are wide ranging, yet congeal into an very well compiled and thought provoking work.
Wonderful exploration of potential futures!
The Coming Year
In 2023 I hope to top last years count for books read. I put a premium on comprehension and prefer quality over quantity, but a count closer to 20 books should be in the cards. As this is the first review of (hopefully) many, the format may change or shift depending on the books read in the year or what exactly I want to share out of this. Regardless, hope this has been of some use and have a great 2023!