One of my goals for 2018 is to read more, lots more. For me, that means watch less television in the evenings. Should be an easy transition. A few years ago, I rarely watched TV because I always had my nose in a good book. Attacks of lethargy and stress and the lure of all things related to the presidential primaries and election cycle messed my schedule up for a while, but now I’m back into books.
Here are a few of the ones I enjoyed most in 2017:
Best non-fiction medical or self-help:
Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery by Cathryn Jakobson Ramin
Best non-fiction on writing:
Overwhelmed Writer Rescue: Boost Productivity, Improve Time Management, and Replenish the Creator Within by Colleen M. Story
Best Horror:
The Amazing Mr. Howard by Kenneth W. Harmon
Best Thriller:
Trafficked by Peg Brantley
Best Western:
A House of Men by Sumner Wilson (releases 12/20/17 — I read an advance review copy)
Best Mystery:
The Hunting Hour by Margaret Mizushima
Favorite book related to politics (but this one is much more than that — the focus is on cybersecurity related to the hacking of the DNC)
Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House by Donna Brazile
I hope you’ll check out some of these authors and their books. Now it’s your turn. Do you have any recommendations for my new year reading list?
I”ve got so many books on my TBR list – 2018 is looking good, reading-wise! Right now I’m really enjoying THE GHOST WRITER by Alessandra Torre and up next is the second in Rachel Caine’s Stillhouse Lake series, KILLMAN CREEK. Can’t wait!
Two new authors to me, Madeline. Thanks!
I’ll definitely get THE OVERWHELMED WRITER, and the Donna Brazile book looks interesting too. On my Christmas wish list: new biographies of Joni Mitchell and Jann Wenner. I’m a sucker for music biographies. Also personal self-help books, especially involving aging and creativity, since that’s what my current project is about.
Hi Julie — Have you read It’s Never to Late to Begin Again by Julia Cameron? Sounds like it might be a great resource for you.
I may have! I’ve read a lot by Julia Cameron and even given workshops about her approach to the creative process. Her books are floating around somewhere–she’s made herself into a minor industry. Once went to a weekend workshop by her at Omega Institute.
The Joni Mitchell biography is RECKLESS DAUGHTER by David Yaffe. He interviewed her at length, and there’s a lot about her creative process as well as her many illustrious lovers.
The Overwhelmed Writer is definitely on my reading list!
Hi Alex! I’m going to read that one again between Christmas and New Year’s. I’m hoping it will help me get the new year off to a great start.
You’ve got some strong-looking reads there, Pat. And I’m impressed with the breadth of your reading, too. I think it does a writer a lot of good to read not just a lot, but widely.
My tastes are all over the place, Margot. It would cost me a fortune to hang out in bookstores, so I spend some time each week at the library, just wandering around to see what grabs me. Next up on my list is Dust by Hugh Howey, book three in the Silo trilogy.