One Hundred.<\/p>\n
The thought occurred to me that if I really pushed I could hit 100 books read for 2022. But so what if it\u2019s 94? Though 100, triple digits, is a milestone number, it\u2019s not a failure if you don\u2019t summit. I\u2019d be happy to climb 94% of Mount Everest (and come back alive and in good physical\/mental health). Having said that, I\u2019m going to attempt my book version of peak-bagging and set my sights on The One Hundred for 2023. <\/p>\n How? I think if I take the time between my cat waking me up in the morning and the time I feed him to read rather than Doomscrolling in the Dark (sung to the tune of The Boss<\/a>) I can add a half-dozen or so books. <\/p>\n BTW, I adopted a cat in February from Seattle Area Feline Rescue<\/a>. His name is Gucci. Though I also will refer to him as my little pumpkin loaf, cinnamon bun-bun, or any combination thereof: pumpkin bun\/cinnamon loaf. (Also like to give a shout-out to everyone at Madison Street Animal Hospital<\/a> for their great care and thoughtful answers to my extremely long, detailed-yet-rambling emails.)<\/p>\n I also need to sing the praise of audiobooks. I do a lot of walking and listening. Highly recommended and a great way to make your reading goals. BTW, please do not walk and read a hardcover book or paperback. And definitely not<\/em> a pop-up book. <\/p>\n So let\u2019s get to the books! Here are some of my highlights\/thoughts\/recommendations. Not a \u201cBest Of\u201d list just an experiential type of homespun, facile algorithm. Like to see the whole list? It\u2019s on Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n All book links are affiliate links to Bookshop.org. Support local, independent bookstores!<\/em><\/p>\n The Idiot<\/a><\/em> by Elif Batuman is one of my all-time favorite books. So I was really excited to read the sequel, Either\/Or<\/a><\/em>. I actually listened to the audiobook of The Idiot<\/em>, read by Batuman herself, this year. She is a great reader; I really enjoy how her phrasing, tone, and pauses enrich each character and the narrative. (Sidebar: Why don\u2019t more fiction writers read their audiobooks?)<\/p>\n So after devouring Either\/Or<\/em>, I listened to the audiobook and gained an even keener appreciation for the book. So my thought for you, dear reader, is to get a physical copy of The Idiot<\/em> and\/or Either\/Or<\/em>, then listen to the audiobook. What a fun exercise for a book nerd, no? (I also got a chance to see Batuman at Elliott Bay Book Company<\/a> and her talk and Q&A was very entertaining, candid, and thought-provoking.)<\/p>\n I loved Jenifer Lewis\u2019 memoir The Mother of Black Hollywood<\/a><\/em>. A tour de force performance, and how could you expect anything less from a Diva (yes, Capital D) like Lewis? Walking in My Joy: In These Streets<\/a> <\/em>delivers more of the same, highs and lows and everything in between, in her indomitable voice. Also: songs!<\/p>\n I read Geek Love<\/a><\/em> in 2017 and it affected me deeply. Actually, it was given to me. And that always adds a certain gravitas to a book, when someone you are dating wants you to read a book. This year I took a (remote) class via The Center For Fiction called \u201cBorn Freaks: A Katherine Dunn Reading Group<\/a>.\u201d Obv we read Geek Love<\/em> and I wondered how I would react to it in this more \u201cformal\u201d setting of a very informal Zoom discussion group. Anyway, I still really enjoyed it and I think it is the book reader\u2019s eternal struggle to devour new books or revisit favorites. I am of the mind to judiciously reread the books that resonate the most, at least a couple a year. Also, Dunn\u2019s new book that\u2019s not new, Toad<\/em><\/a>, is also excellent.<\/p>\n Short stories are underrated. I have a great appreciation for those who embrace the format. Here are two collections to check out:<\/p>\n Illustrated Black History: Honoring the Iconic and Unseen<\/a> <\/em>by George McCalman is, in both prose and pictures, a book that (in my case) serves as an introduction to many remarkable Black men and women who haven\u2019t received their due historical recognition. <\/em>And using his own life and experience as a lens, McCalman provides illuminating depth and complexity to Black icons who influenced and inspired him.<\/p>\n Two books for those interested in knowing more about the topic. The title of the first, A Cruel and Shocking Act: The Secret History of the Kennedy Assassination<\/em>, is a bit of a misnomer. It\u2019s actually focused on the Warren Commission, which was doomed\/handcuffed\/a fait accompli before it even started. The book doesn\u2019t judge, just lays out the fascinating\/maddening history of the Warren Commission, how it came to be, and those who served on it. <\/p>\n![\"Books](\"https:\/\/archive.jamesonfink.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/books-2022.jpg\")
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The Read the Book then Listen to the Audiobook Experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Unforgettable Audiobook Performance<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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The Reread of a Book You Haven\u2019t Read in Years<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What did I read in 2021? Find out about the 80 books here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Short Stories<\/strong><\/h2>\n
A Centuries-Spanning Review of Black Achievement<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Yes, I am Well-Versed in the JFK Assassination Controversy <\/strong><\/h2>\n