A look back at 2008

I think it's beneficial to look back every now and then, and the new year is a great time to reflect on the accomplishments of the last twelve months. I'd like to get down some reflections on the books I've read in the last year.

I read 45 books last year, from The Gripping Hand to The Traveler. A few books I was less than impressed with, like A Prophecy Forgotten and The Traveler. Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town; Feed and The Truelove were good books that still didn't quite match their potential.

When I think of the most memorable books that I've read this year, at the top of the list are Catch-22, The Mind's I, Thirteen Moons, Cowl, Le Ton Beau De Marot, God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, and Fire Logic and Earth Logic. I also enjoyed The Last of the Mohicans, one of the few classics I read. These are the books I'm most glad to have read.

I also listened to several good lectures courses, some podcasts, and some Spanish lessons. I think I read a good variety of books, including more nonfiction than I had realized. I didn't read that much science fiction, and I usually consider myself a science fiction fan. Hopefully in the next year I find some more good science fiction to read.

I enjoyed reading Christopher Hitchens for the first time, and J. R. R. Tolkien's latest published work. I finally read Charles Frazier, and enjoyed more Gene Wolfe. I was impressed by Cooper and underwhelmed by Gibson. I learned more from Hofstadter and discovered Laurie J. Marks. It was a good year.

My goal for next year is to read even more (50 books?), including more science fiction and a few more classics.