Book Meme 2021
Jan. 7th, 2022 03:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bearshorty2021 was a good year for books for me. I read 60 books, well 10 of them were children's books, and a few very short ones but I also had several very long one including one of 1000 pages. I also read more than usual modern books that were not sci-fi and fantasy so that was a bit unusual. In fact, my top two were contemporary books. And I enjoyed most of the books I read this year. Reading is my main way to relax, so hopefully I will get to read good books this year.
Here is my 2021 Book list:
Books I've Read (with date finished)
1.Winterfair Gifts by Lois McMaster Bujold [Vorkosigan Saga], 71pp (Jan 2).
2.The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, 213pp (Jan 8).
3.My Russian Grandmother and her American Vacuum Cleaner: a family memoir by Meir Shalev [translated from Hebrew], 212pp (Jan 17).
4.Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski [translated from Polish, in Russian], [Witcher Book 1] 459pp (Jan 20).
5.Mythos by Stephen Fry, 383pp (Jan 30).
6. The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli[translated from Italian], 213pp (Jan 31).
7.The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary, 326pp (Feb 4).
8.Love, Kurt: The Vonnegut Love Letters, 1941-1945 by Kurt Vonnegut, ed. by Edith Vonnegut, 215pp (Feb 5)
9.Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, 184pp (Feb 12).
10.Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell, 428pp (Feb 15).
11.Text by Dmitry Glukhovsky [in Russian], 460pp (Feb 24).
12.Awakenings by Oliver Sacks, 470pp (Feb 27).
13.Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold [Vorkosigan Saga], 258pp (Mar 6).
14.Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall, 426pp (Mar 15).
15.The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu [translated from Chinese], 373pp (Mar 23) [Hugo Book]
16.Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, 243pp (Mar 25).
17.Hamster Princess: Ratpunzel by Ursula Vernon [Book 3], 229pp (Mar 30).
18.Anxious People by Fredrik Bachman [translated from Swedish], 310pp (Apr 3).
19.A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine [Teixcalaan 2], 480pp (Apr 16).
20.Blackout by Connie Willis, 617pp (Apr 18) [Hugo Book]
21.Just As I Am: a memoir by Cicely Tyson with Michelle Burford, 399pp (Apr 28).
22.Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells [Murderbot], 117pp (May 2).
23.Hamster Princess: Giant Trouble by Ursula Vernon [Book 4], 213pp (May 5).
24. All Clear by Connnie Willis, 642pp (May 13) [Hugo Book]
25.Девочка, с которой ничего не случится by Kir Bulychev, 46pp (May 14) [in Russian].[reread]
26.Midnight Library by Matt Haig, 288pp (May 16).
27.The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie, 409pp (May 30).
28.Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold [Vorkosigan Saga], 316pp (Jun 9).
29.The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eva Eger, 272pp (Jun 16).
30.Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch [Rivers of London 4], 293pp (Jun 26).
31.Coraline by Neil Gaiman, 194pp (Jun 27) [reread]
32.Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli, 387pp (Jun 29).
33.Hildegard of Bingen: The Woman of her Age by Fiona Maddocks, 344pp (Jul 7).
34.The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, 235pp (Jul 12) [reread].
35.Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge, 415pp (Jul 20) [Hugo book].
36.Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A.Milne, 160pp (Jul 28) [reread].
37.The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson, 323pp (Jul 30).
38.Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) [Cormoran Strike 5], 1000pp (Aug 12).
39.Jhereg by Stephen Brust, 172pp (Aug 22).
40.Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary, 183pp (Aug 26).
41.The Sandman Act I by Neil Gaiman [Audible audiobook, for Sandman books 1 to 3] (Aug 30).
42.Crosstalk by Connie Willis, 499pp (Aug 31).
43.Shirley Jackson: A rather haunted life by Ruth Franklin, 499pp (Sept 5).
44.Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold [Vorkosigan Saga], 487pp (Sept 12).
45.The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi, 370pp (Sept 25) [Hugo book]
46.Заповедник Сказок [Fairy Tales Sanctuary] by Kyr Bulychev, 156pp (Sept 26) [in Russian].[reread]
47.The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik, 388pp (Oct 11) [Scholomance 2].
48.Денискины рассказы и о том как всё было на самом деле [Denis' Tales and about how it all really was] by Victor and Denis Dragunskiy, (Oct 12).[in Russian] [partial reread]
49.Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman, 120pp (Oct 25).
50.Metamorphoses by Ovid, [translated from Latin by Rolfe Humphries], 392pp (Oct 26).
51. Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 84pp (Oct 27).
52.Hyperion by Dan Simmons, 552pp (Nov 4)[Hugo book].
53.Космоолухи: Рядом Том 1 [Kosmoolukhi Nearby Volume 1] by Olga Gromyko, 455pp (Nov 19). [In Russian]
54.Космоолухи: Рядом Том 2 [Kosmoolukhi Nearby Volume 2] by Olga Gromyko, 461pp (Dec 2). [In Russian]
55. From Memory to Written Record: England 1066-1307 by M.T. Clanchy, 334pp (Dec 10).
56.Will by Will Smith with Mark Manson, 412pp (Dec 14)
57.The Promise by Damon Galgut, 239pp (Dec 19).[Booker]
58.The Sandman Act II by Neil Gaiman [Audible audiobook, for Sandman books 4 to 6] (Dec 21).
59.Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, 291pp (Dec 29) [reread].
60. Beowulf translated by Maria Dahvana Headley, 136pp (Dec 31). [translated from Old English]
Book Meme 2021:
The first book you read in 2021:
Winterfair Gifts by Lois McMaster Bujold - a short novella in the Vorkosigan Saga and a delightful way to start a year.
The last book you finished in 2021:
Beowulf translated by MAria Dahvana Headley.
The first book you will finish (or did finish!) in 2022:
I'm reading three books right now: "Woman at Point Zero", "What If: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions" and "Time of Contempt" [2nd Witcher novel]. I will probably finish Woman at Point Zero first since it is a pretty short book. I'm having a lot of fun with "What If" book though so I might just read it more.
How many books read in 2021?
60
Fiction/Non-Fiction ratio?
49.5 Fiction/10.5 non-fiction (One book combines fiction stories and the author's son describing his life on which some of the stories were based)
Male/Female authors?
27 male authors/22 female authors
Most books read by one author this year?
I ended up with four books by Neil Gaiman since I reread Coraline, read Odd and the Frost Giants and listen to two Sandman Audiobooks.
Favorite books read?
"Anxious People" by Fredrik Bachman
"The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
And Hamster Princess: Ratpunzel by Ursula Vernon was a lot of fun and is my favorite of Hamster books.
Best books you read in 2021?
Remains of the Day was so well written - everything under the surface and so subtle.
"The Choice: Embrace the Possible" by Edith Eva Eger was a very effective non-fiction and autobiogrphy.
Least favorite?
"Love, Kurt: The Vonnegut Love Letters, 1941-1945" - I was slogging through these letters. There was nothing particularly striking or interesting in them.
Most disappointing book/Book you wished you loved more than you did?
Crosstalk by Connie Willis - I love Willis and I thought this would be great but it was meh for me. It just didn't really work for me.
Best series you discovered in 2021?
Let's see, I read the first book of "Three Body Problem" (don't want to read more although this book was fine), I read "Jhereg" by Stephen Burst (enjoyed it and will read more), "Hyperion" by Dan Simmons (one part of it I really liked and I didn't care for the rest so I won't ready anymore), "Winter's Orbit" (liked it and will read more when it comes out) and that's it. The rest that were part of the series where series I was already reading like Vorkogisan, Rivers of London, Sandman, The Witcher, Hamster Princess, Teixcalaan, Oxford Time Travel, Alisa books, Cormoran Strike books, Scholomance, Murderbot and Kosmoolukhi.
So looking at this Burst's book was my favorite new series because I want to read the next one this year.
Other new series for me this year
As I listed above: Three-Body Problem, hyperion books, and Winter's Orbit potential series.
Favorite new author you discovered this year?
Fredrik Bachman - definitely want to read more of him. I like my books with humor but also with surprises and all the characters in "Anxious People" surprised me.
Other new authors
Meir Shalev, Carlo Rovelli, Beth O'Leary, E.B. White, Everina Maxwell, Dmitry Glukhovsky, Alexis Hall, Cixin Liu, Cicely Tyson, Matt Haig, Edith Eva Eger, Fiona Maddocks, Vernor Vinge, Micaiah Johnson, Stephen Brust, Beverly Clearly, Ruth Franklin, Paolo Bacigalupi, Denis Dragunskiy, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Dan Simmons, Will Smith, Damon Galgut, and Maria Dahvana Headley.
Oldest book read?
Metamorphoses by Ovid for 8 AD.
Newest?
"Will" by Will Smith with Mark Manson published on November 9, 2021
Longest book title?
My Russian Grandmother and her American Vacuum Cleaner: a family memoir
Shortest title?
"Text" and "Will" are both 4 letters in English. However, "Text" in Russian is 5 letters and it was a Russian book so "Will" wins this category.
How many re-reads?
"Girl to whom nothing happens" and "Fairy Tales Sanctuary" by Kir Bulychev, "Coraline" and two Sandman audiobooks (containing almost 6 Sandman graphic novels) by Neil Gaiman, "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. "Winnie-the-Pooh" by A.A. Milne. And reread of Dennis stories, which was part of a larger book. And sort of reread of Beowulf since I think I read some before but in different translation.
,b>Any in translation?
"My Russian Grandmother and her American vaccum cleaner" by Meir Shalev - from Hebrew to English
"Blood of Elves" by Sapkowski - from Polish to Russian
"The Order of Time" by Carlo Rovelli - from Italian to English
"The Three-Body Problem" by Cixin Liu - from Chinese to English
"Anxious People" by Bachman - from Swedish to English
"Metamorphoses" by Ovid - from Latin to English
"Beowulf" - from Old English to English
I also read books in Russian this year:
"Blood of Elves" by Sapkowski
"Text" by Dmitri Glukhovsky
"Girl to whom Nothing Happens" and "Fairy Tales Sanctuary" by Kir Bulychev
"Denis' Tales and how it really way" by Victor and Denis Dragunskiy
"Kosmoolukhi: Near" by Olga Gromyko, 2 volumes
How many of this year's books were from the library?
26 books - 25 ebooks and 1 actual physical book (Odd and the Frost Giant)
Book that most changed my perspective:
"Order of Time" was all mind mending physics and how time is not linear and is not what we think it is.
Favorite character:
Ivan Vorkosigan shined in "Captain Vorpatril alliance". I continued to like El from "The Last Graduate". I also really liked Ratpunzel from the Hamster Princess books. And liked Eileen from the Blackout/All Clear books. Denis from Denis' Tales is a favorite from childhood.
Most memorable character:
El from the Last Graduate.
Favorite scene:
When Darcy first proposes to Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice and gets rejected. I adore that scene in the book and in the TV shows/movies - there is just so much going on. And of course the one in "Girl to whom nothing happens" by Kir Bulychev where the Martians call back because their research into Baba Yaga is not going well - when I'm sick I always wanted my Dad to read that short story to me because it never fails to be funny. And also the chaotic wedding scene from "Captain Vorpatril Alliance".
Favorite quote:
I never remember specific quotes
Most inspirational in terms of own writing?
I actually wrote a story while reading Ovid so "Metamorphoses".
How many you'd actually read again?A book that you never want to read again:
"Love, Kurt" and "Hyperion" come to mind. And Shirley Jackson biography - once was enough.
Book you recommended most to others in 2021?
Hamster Princess books to various of Tanya's friends. Also "Anxious People".
The book series you read the most volumes of in 2021:
Vorkosigan Saga with 3.
The genre you read the most in 2021:
Sci-fi: 19
children books: 10
Fantasy: 7
contemporary: 6
Non-fiction memoir/biography: 6
Classic: 4
general non-fiction: 4
romance: 2
YA: 1
mystery: 1
A lot more children's book this year, since I read more of what Tanya is reading now and do generally nostalgic rereadings. And a lot more contemporary novels without fantasy/sci-fi elements, which is certainly unusual for me.
Your favorite "classic" you read in 2021:
My classics were "Scarlet Letter" "Pride and Prejudice" "Ovid" and "Beowulf" - and "Pride and Prejudice" was my favorite of them also I liked them all.
Most surprising (in a good way) book of the year?
"Text" by Dmitri Glukhovskiy - I was expecting sci-fi based on his other books but this wasn't and it took me a while to realize that - so that was surprising. It is a really interesting book too.
The hardest book you read in 2021 (topic or writing style):
"Love, Kurt" was a slog to get through. "From Memory to Written Record" was very good but it was hard to read a lot of it at once, so I limited myself to about 10 pages per commute to work.
The funniest book you read in 2021:
"Anxious People" was really funny to me. And I continued to enjoy the humor in "Kosmoolukhi" series. "Denis' Tales" are still very funny to read too. And "Captain Vorpatril Alliance" had great humor.
The saddest book you read in 2021:
"The Choice" by Eger - it is a hopeful book too but also there is a large section at Auschwitz. And "Notes on Grief" which deals with a loss of a father and is all about being sad.
The shortest book you read in 2021:
"The Girl to whom nothing will happen" by Kir Bulychev with 46 pages.
The longest book that you read in 2021
"Troubled Blood" by Robert Galbraith was 1000pp.
But also "Blackout" was 617pp and "All Clear" was 642pp, and while technically two books, it is one story.
Best book that was outside your comfort zone/a new genre for you?
No new genre. Nothing really outside my comfort zone. I guess Audiobooks can count since I can't focus usually on them but I did listen to audiobooks before occasionally so it is not really new.
Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2021?
I really wanted to keep reading "Troubled Blood" to see what will happen. I also read "Flatshare" quickly and "Anxious People". I also just wanted to keep reading "The Last Graduate".
Most beautifully written book in 2021?
Remains of the Day by Ishiguro - the prose is so well done on top of an interesting and emotional story.
Book you most anticipated in 2021?
The Last Graduate - I liked it better than the first book
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2021?
I don't really look at covers much since I mostly read Kindle books.
Book that had the greatest impact on you this year?
All books have an impact. I can't pick just one.
Book you can't believe you waited till 2021 to finally read?
Ovid's Metamorphoses. I brought a copy of it at the end of high school and it took me over twenty years to finally read it. I did enjoy it a lot.
Book that had a scene that left you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it?
I guess I would have liked to talk to someone about "The Last Graduate" more.
Looking Ahead:
One book you didn't read this year that will be your #1 priority in 2021?New book you are most anticipating for 2021?
I do want to finish Penman's last novel, although part of me wants to leave it unread so I would still have something left. I read 280 pages out of 600 something.
I have a list of books I want to get to - new to me. They are below in Book List 2022.
I am anticipating the next Novik book. And I want to finish the Vorkosigan Saga!
Here is my list of books I want to try to read this year in addition to whatever books will come up or are gifted to me or whatever I read to the girls that qualifies as a full book. I want to continue to read 5 books that won a Hugo as one of my goals. I also want to continue to read 3 history books.
Anyway, here it is: Book List 2022
Here is my 2021 Book list:
Books I've Read (with date finished)
1.Winterfair Gifts by Lois McMaster Bujold [Vorkosigan Saga], 71pp (Jan 2).
2.The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, 213pp (Jan 8).
3.My Russian Grandmother and her American Vacuum Cleaner: a family memoir by Meir Shalev [translated from Hebrew], 212pp (Jan 17).
4.Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski [translated from Polish, in Russian], [Witcher Book 1] 459pp (Jan 20).
5.Mythos by Stephen Fry, 383pp (Jan 30).
6. The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli[translated from Italian], 213pp (Jan 31).
7.The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary, 326pp (Feb 4).
8.Love, Kurt: The Vonnegut Love Letters, 1941-1945 by Kurt Vonnegut, ed. by Edith Vonnegut, 215pp (Feb 5)
9.Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, 184pp (Feb 12).
10.Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell, 428pp (Feb 15).
11.Text by Dmitry Glukhovsky [in Russian], 460pp (Feb 24).
12.Awakenings by Oliver Sacks, 470pp (Feb 27).
13.Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold [Vorkosigan Saga], 258pp (Mar 6).
14.Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall, 426pp (Mar 15).
15.The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu [translated from Chinese], 373pp (Mar 23) [Hugo Book]
16.Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, 243pp (Mar 25).
17.Hamster Princess: Ratpunzel by Ursula Vernon [Book 3], 229pp (Mar 30).
18.Anxious People by Fredrik Bachman [translated from Swedish], 310pp (Apr 3).
19.A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine [Teixcalaan 2], 480pp (Apr 16).
20.Blackout by Connie Willis, 617pp (Apr 18) [Hugo Book]
21.Just As I Am: a memoir by Cicely Tyson with Michelle Burford, 399pp (Apr 28).
22.Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells [Murderbot], 117pp (May 2).
23.Hamster Princess: Giant Trouble by Ursula Vernon [Book 4], 213pp (May 5).
24. All Clear by Connnie Willis, 642pp (May 13) [Hugo Book]
25.Девочка, с которой ничего не случится by Kir Bulychev, 46pp (May 14) [in Russian].[reread]
26.Midnight Library by Matt Haig, 288pp (May 16).
27.The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie, 409pp (May 30).
28.Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold [Vorkosigan Saga], 316pp (Jun 9).
29.The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eva Eger, 272pp (Jun 16).
30.Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch [Rivers of London 4], 293pp (Jun 26).
31.Coraline by Neil Gaiman, 194pp (Jun 27) [reread]
32.Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli, 387pp (Jun 29).
33.Hildegard of Bingen: The Woman of her Age by Fiona Maddocks, 344pp (Jul 7).
34.The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, 235pp (Jul 12) [reread].
35.Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge, 415pp (Jul 20) [Hugo book].
36.Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A.Milne, 160pp (Jul 28) [reread].
37.The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson, 323pp (Jul 30).
38.Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) [Cormoran Strike 5], 1000pp (Aug 12).
39.Jhereg by Stephen Brust, 172pp (Aug 22).
40.Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary, 183pp (Aug 26).
41.The Sandman Act I by Neil Gaiman [Audible audiobook, for Sandman books 1 to 3] (Aug 30).
42.Crosstalk by Connie Willis, 499pp (Aug 31).
43.Shirley Jackson: A rather haunted life by Ruth Franklin, 499pp (Sept 5).
44.Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold [Vorkosigan Saga], 487pp (Sept 12).
45.The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi, 370pp (Sept 25) [Hugo book]
46.Заповедник Сказок [Fairy Tales Sanctuary] by Kyr Bulychev, 156pp (Sept 26) [in Russian].[reread]
47.The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik, 388pp (Oct 11) [Scholomance 2].
48.Денискины рассказы и о том как всё было на самом деле [Denis' Tales and about how it all really was] by Victor and Denis Dragunskiy, (Oct 12).[in Russian] [partial reread]
49.Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman, 120pp (Oct 25).
50.Metamorphoses by Ovid, [translated from Latin by Rolfe Humphries], 392pp (Oct 26).
51. Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 84pp (Oct 27).
52.Hyperion by Dan Simmons, 552pp (Nov 4)[Hugo book].
53.Космоолухи: Рядом Том 1 [Kosmoolukhi Nearby Volume 1] by Olga Gromyko, 455pp (Nov 19). [In Russian]
54.Космоолухи: Рядом Том 2 [Kosmoolukhi Nearby Volume 2] by Olga Gromyko, 461pp (Dec 2). [In Russian]
55. From Memory to Written Record: England 1066-1307 by M.T. Clanchy, 334pp (Dec 10).
56.Will by Will Smith with Mark Manson, 412pp (Dec 14)
57.The Promise by Damon Galgut, 239pp (Dec 19).[Booker]
58.The Sandman Act II by Neil Gaiman [Audible audiobook, for Sandman books 4 to 6] (Dec 21).
59.Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, 291pp (Dec 29) [reread].
60. Beowulf translated by Maria Dahvana Headley, 136pp (Dec 31). [translated from Old English]
Book Meme 2021:
The first book you read in 2021:
Winterfair Gifts by Lois McMaster Bujold - a short novella in the Vorkosigan Saga and a delightful way to start a year.
The last book you finished in 2021:
Beowulf translated by MAria Dahvana Headley.
The first book you will finish (or did finish!) in 2022:
I'm reading three books right now: "Woman at Point Zero", "What If: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions" and "Time of Contempt" [2nd Witcher novel]. I will probably finish Woman at Point Zero first since it is a pretty short book. I'm having a lot of fun with "What If" book though so I might just read it more.
How many books read in 2021?
60
Fiction/Non-Fiction ratio?
49.5 Fiction/10.5 non-fiction (One book combines fiction stories and the author's son describing his life on which some of the stories were based)
Male/Female authors?
27 male authors/22 female authors
Most books read by one author this year?
I ended up with four books by Neil Gaiman since I reread Coraline, read Odd and the Frost Giants and listen to two Sandman Audiobooks.
Favorite books read?
"Anxious People" by Fredrik Bachman
"The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
And Hamster Princess: Ratpunzel by Ursula Vernon was a lot of fun and is my favorite of Hamster books.
Best books you read in 2021?
Remains of the Day was so well written - everything under the surface and so subtle.
"The Choice: Embrace the Possible" by Edith Eva Eger was a very effective non-fiction and autobiogrphy.
Least favorite?
"Love, Kurt: The Vonnegut Love Letters, 1941-1945" - I was slogging through these letters. There was nothing particularly striking or interesting in them.
Most disappointing book/Book you wished you loved more than you did?
Crosstalk by Connie Willis - I love Willis and I thought this would be great but it was meh for me. It just didn't really work for me.
Best series you discovered in 2021?
Let's see, I read the first book of "Three Body Problem" (don't want to read more although this book was fine), I read "Jhereg" by Stephen Burst (enjoyed it and will read more), "Hyperion" by Dan Simmons (one part of it I really liked and I didn't care for the rest so I won't ready anymore), "Winter's Orbit" (liked it and will read more when it comes out) and that's it. The rest that were part of the series where series I was already reading like Vorkogisan, Rivers of London, Sandman, The Witcher, Hamster Princess, Teixcalaan, Oxford Time Travel, Alisa books, Cormoran Strike books, Scholomance, Murderbot and Kosmoolukhi.
So looking at this Burst's book was my favorite new series because I want to read the next one this year.
Other new series for me this year
As I listed above: Three-Body Problem, hyperion books, and Winter's Orbit potential series.
Favorite new author you discovered this year?
Fredrik Bachman - definitely want to read more of him. I like my books with humor but also with surprises and all the characters in "Anxious People" surprised me.
Other new authors
Meir Shalev, Carlo Rovelli, Beth O'Leary, E.B. White, Everina Maxwell, Dmitry Glukhovsky, Alexis Hall, Cixin Liu, Cicely Tyson, Matt Haig, Edith Eva Eger, Fiona Maddocks, Vernor Vinge, Micaiah Johnson, Stephen Brust, Beverly Clearly, Ruth Franklin, Paolo Bacigalupi, Denis Dragunskiy, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Dan Simmons, Will Smith, Damon Galgut, and Maria Dahvana Headley.
Oldest book read?
Metamorphoses by Ovid for 8 AD.
Newest?
"Will" by Will Smith with Mark Manson published on November 9, 2021
Longest book title?
My Russian Grandmother and her American Vacuum Cleaner: a family memoir
Shortest title?
"Text" and "Will" are both 4 letters in English. However, "Text" in Russian is 5 letters and it was a Russian book so "Will" wins this category.
How many re-reads?
"Girl to whom nothing happens" and "Fairy Tales Sanctuary" by Kir Bulychev, "Coraline" and two Sandman audiobooks (containing almost 6 Sandman graphic novels) by Neil Gaiman, "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. "Winnie-the-Pooh" by A.A. Milne. And reread of Dennis stories, which was part of a larger book. And sort of reread of Beowulf since I think I read some before but in different translation.
,b>Any in translation?
"My Russian Grandmother and her American vaccum cleaner" by Meir Shalev - from Hebrew to English
"Blood of Elves" by Sapkowski - from Polish to Russian
"The Order of Time" by Carlo Rovelli - from Italian to English
"The Three-Body Problem" by Cixin Liu - from Chinese to English
"Anxious People" by Bachman - from Swedish to English
"Metamorphoses" by Ovid - from Latin to English
"Beowulf" - from Old English to English
I also read books in Russian this year:
"Blood of Elves" by Sapkowski
"Text" by Dmitri Glukhovsky
"Girl to whom Nothing Happens" and "Fairy Tales Sanctuary" by Kir Bulychev
"Denis' Tales and how it really way" by Victor and Denis Dragunskiy
"Kosmoolukhi: Near" by Olga Gromyko, 2 volumes
How many of this year's books were from the library?
26 books - 25 ebooks and 1 actual physical book (Odd and the Frost Giant)
Book that most changed my perspective:
"Order of Time" was all mind mending physics and how time is not linear and is not what we think it is.
Favorite character:
Ivan Vorkosigan shined in "Captain Vorpatril alliance". I continued to like El from "The Last Graduate". I also really liked Ratpunzel from the Hamster Princess books. And liked Eileen from the Blackout/All Clear books. Denis from Denis' Tales is a favorite from childhood.
Most memorable character:
El from the Last Graduate.
Favorite scene:
When Darcy first proposes to Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice and gets rejected. I adore that scene in the book and in the TV shows/movies - there is just so much going on. And of course the one in "Girl to whom nothing happens" by Kir Bulychev where the Martians call back because their research into Baba Yaga is not going well - when I'm sick I always wanted my Dad to read that short story to me because it never fails to be funny. And also the chaotic wedding scene from "Captain Vorpatril Alliance".
Favorite quote:
I never remember specific quotes
Most inspirational in terms of own writing?
I actually wrote a story while reading Ovid so "Metamorphoses".
How many you'd actually read again?A book that you never want to read again:
"Love, Kurt" and "Hyperion" come to mind. And Shirley Jackson biography - once was enough.
Book you recommended most to others in 2021?
Hamster Princess books to various of Tanya's friends. Also "Anxious People".
The book series you read the most volumes of in 2021:
Vorkosigan Saga with 3.
The genre you read the most in 2021:
Sci-fi: 19
children books: 10
Fantasy: 7
contemporary: 6
Non-fiction memoir/biography: 6
Classic: 4
general non-fiction: 4
romance: 2
YA: 1
mystery: 1
A lot more children's book this year, since I read more of what Tanya is reading now and do generally nostalgic rereadings. And a lot more contemporary novels without fantasy/sci-fi elements, which is certainly unusual for me.
Your favorite "classic" you read in 2021:
My classics were "Scarlet Letter" "Pride and Prejudice" "Ovid" and "Beowulf" - and "Pride and Prejudice" was my favorite of them also I liked them all.
Most surprising (in a good way) book of the year?
"Text" by Dmitri Glukhovskiy - I was expecting sci-fi based on his other books but this wasn't and it took me a while to realize that - so that was surprising. It is a really interesting book too.
The hardest book you read in 2021 (topic or writing style):
"Love, Kurt" was a slog to get through. "From Memory to Written Record" was very good but it was hard to read a lot of it at once, so I limited myself to about 10 pages per commute to work.
The funniest book you read in 2021:
"Anxious People" was really funny to me. And I continued to enjoy the humor in "Kosmoolukhi" series. "Denis' Tales" are still very funny to read too. And "Captain Vorpatril Alliance" had great humor.
The saddest book you read in 2021:
"The Choice" by Eger - it is a hopeful book too but also there is a large section at Auschwitz. And "Notes on Grief" which deals with a loss of a father and is all about being sad.
The shortest book you read in 2021:
"The Girl to whom nothing will happen" by Kir Bulychev with 46 pages.
The longest book that you read in 2021
"Troubled Blood" by Robert Galbraith was 1000pp.
But also "Blackout" was 617pp and "All Clear" was 642pp, and while technically two books, it is one story.
Best book that was outside your comfort zone/a new genre for you?
No new genre. Nothing really outside my comfort zone. I guess Audiobooks can count since I can't focus usually on them but I did listen to audiobooks before occasionally so it is not really new.
Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2021?
I really wanted to keep reading "Troubled Blood" to see what will happen. I also read "Flatshare" quickly and "Anxious People". I also just wanted to keep reading "The Last Graduate".
Most beautifully written book in 2021?
Remains of the Day by Ishiguro - the prose is so well done on top of an interesting and emotional story.
Book you most anticipated in 2021?
The Last Graduate - I liked it better than the first book
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2021?
I don't really look at covers much since I mostly read Kindle books.
Book that had the greatest impact on you this year?
All books have an impact. I can't pick just one.
Book you can't believe you waited till 2021 to finally read?
Ovid's Metamorphoses. I brought a copy of it at the end of high school and it took me over twenty years to finally read it. I did enjoy it a lot.
Book that had a scene that left you reeling and dying to talk to someone about it?
I guess I would have liked to talk to someone about "The Last Graduate" more.
Looking Ahead:
One book you didn't read this year that will be your #1 priority in 2021?New book you are most anticipating for 2021?
I do want to finish Penman's last novel, although part of me wants to leave it unread so I would still have something left. I read 280 pages out of 600 something.
I have a list of books I want to get to - new to me. They are below in Book List 2022.
I am anticipating the next Novik book. And I want to finish the Vorkosigan Saga!
Here is my list of books I want to try to read this year in addition to whatever books will come up or are gifted to me or whatever I read to the girls that qualifies as a full book. I want to continue to read 5 books that won a Hugo as one of my goals. I also want to continue to read 3 history books.
Anyway, here it is: Book List 2022