A Year of Books

Happy New Year's! What a busy and rewarding week of celebrations and family memories I have had. I am bummed that the holiday season is now officially over, but it was even better than I had hoped. And now I am ready to move forward with a brand new 2012.

I anticipate the celebration of New Year's because it provides me with the perfect opportunity to reflect on the year past: the goals I accomplished, the experiences I lived through, the lessons I learned, and the memories I have. It allows me to look back on who I have become and the person I want to be.

It also gives me the chance to look back on the books I explored throughout the year- the ones I fell in love with, those I reread with eagerness, or the ones that disappointed me. Many of the "book blogs" I read analyze their past book lists by quantity, gender of author, genre, page numbers, and diversity. None of this is important to me, for I don't read to prove a point or receive pats on the back. I read purely for enjoyment and knowledge. Looking back on my book year gives me a feeling of accomplishment, but more importantly, it reminds me of the many places I traveled and the various perspectives, lessons, and challenges each book presented. So without further ado, here's my reading list of 2011. They are listed in order and my favorites are posted in bold.

Wolfskin ~Juliet Marillier
Complete Sherlock Homes, Vol. II ~Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Juliet~Anne Fortier
Wildwood Dancing~Juliet Marillier
Tilli's Story ~Tilli Schulze and Lorna Collier
The Tale of Despereaux ~Kate DiCamillo
The Sleuth Book for Genealogists ~Emily Anne Croom
A Discovery of Witches ~Deborah Harkness
Cybele's Secret ~Juliet Marillier
The King's Speech ~Mark Logue
The Rule of Four ~Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomas
The Weird Sisters ~Eleanor Brown
Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show ~Frank Delaney
The Red Garden ~Alice Hoffman
Blackbird House ~Alice Hoffman
On the Banks of Plum Creek ~Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Cades Cove Story ~A. Randolph Shields
Foxmask ~Juliet Marillier
The Peach Keeper ~Sarah Addison Allen
The Story of My Boyhood and Youth ~John Muir
Sense and Sensibility ~Jane Austen
Caleb's Crossing ~Geraldine Brooks
The Matchmaker of Kenmare ~Frank Delaney
Sisterhood Everlasting ~Ann Brashares
The Secret of Lost Things ~Sheridan Hay
The Devil in the White City ~Erik Larsen
Shakespeare: The World As Stage ~Bill Bryson
Family ~Ian Frazier
The Shakespeare Wars: Clashing Scholars, Public Fiascos, Palace Coups ~Ron Rosenbaum
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ~J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~J.K. Rowling
Cleopatra ~Stacy Schiff
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ~J.K. Rowling
The Burning of Bridget Cleary ~Angela Bourke
Daughters of the Witching Hill ~Mary Sharratt
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane ~Katherine Howe
The Memory Keeper's Daughter ~Kim Edwards
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ~J.K. Rowling
The Witch's Daughter ~Paula Brackston
The Dovekeepers ~Alice Hoffman
The Orphan Sister ~Gwendolen Gross
The Reader ~Bernhard Schlink
Boone County Then & Now
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ~J.K. Rowling
Sarah's Key ~Tatiana de Rosnay
Still Reading:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ~J.K. Rowling
David Copperfield ~Charles Dickens

A good reading year, I think. My reading resolution for 2012 is to reread some old favorites (this year, I tended to read books I had never previously read) and delve into more non-fiction. I look forward to reading some more classics, indulging in some more books on Ireland (especially before the big trip), and finding more books by some of my favorite authors.

The dawn of a new year is the epitome of my favorite word: potential. A whole year lies before me, fraught with potential personal discoveries, special moments, new books, hearty laughs, delicious cups of tea, unanticipated experiences, satisfying work, problems to bear, and new reading experiences. I look forward to it all. Happy 2012!