A new decade, a new year, and new goals to go along with both. Although I’ve continued to read over the years, the genre has morphed as I have entered different stages in my life. From trilogies to entrepreneur books, I now find myself mixing in a little bit of both.
My goal is to read a book a month. And this year, I asked my significant other to pick me out three, from his large collection, to get me started. He could probably get through a book a day, so he has a plethora of genres to choose from.
Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen
The author is a Floridian and having just moved here in 2019, I suspect I will be reading all of his novels. Although the story jumps around to different scenes, it’s not hard to follow. His characters are intriguing and always have you asking “what are they going to do next?”, providing some entertaining lines, like the quotes below:
“As for Dr. Remond Courtney, his golf swing was so unusual that from a distance he appeared to be beating a snake to death. It was a very violent golf swing for a psychiatrist. He managed an eight on the first hole and still won it by two strokes.”
“Mr. Cabal’s lawyer didn’t appreciate your description of his client as ‘yellow-bellied vermin culled from the stinkpot of Castro’s jails for discharge at Mariel’s harbor of shame.”
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
The cover didn’t initially intrigue me in the slightest, but after staring at it long enough, I think I may have read this in high school. The author uses his characters to create scenes that don’t necessarily need words from them to feel all of the emotions that they go through. It’s a very powerful story, providing the reader with a necessary awareness into their own culture and proverbs to take away.
“The world has no end, and what is good among one people is an abomination with others.”
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
As I was finishing up the last book at the airport, I knew with a long flight home, I wanted another good read. This was recommended in a book review I had read the previous week and was on the top 20 list in February. Since middle school, when we had a survivor come speak at our school, I’ve always felt not a connection, but a sadness and an urge to learn more about that time in history. This book provides, I’m sure just a crumble, of what a few of the prisoners had to endure in and after the camps.
“How can a race that is spread out across multiple countries be considered a threat?”
“Politics will help you understand the world until you don’t understand it anymore, and then it will get you thrown into a prison camp. Politics and religion both.”
“you will honor them by staying alive, surviving this place and telling the world what happened here.”
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
Outliers describes the success of individuals and how they came about. It really opens your mind and transforms the way you think about success. I’ve read many entrepreneur books, and no matter how some may work towards a goal, for some, it really is being in the right place at the right time.
“Success is not a random act. It arises out of a predictable and powerful set of circumstances and opportunities.”
“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.”
Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen
I started 2020 with this author and what I love about his books, is that you don’t necessarily need to read them in order. However, there are characters that pop in-and-out down his list of books. I also like how each story is different, so I can read books by different authors and pick back up on his at any time. An easy read and very entertaining.
“Deep in every angler’s soul is a secret confidence in his own special prowess that impels him to keep fishing in the face of common sense, basic science, financial ruin, and even natural disasters.”
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
I hopped on the popular book train (rather Reese’s Book Club) with this one. Everyone was talking about how good it was… and it seriously was, although I wouldn’t categorize it for men. There’s talk of this one becoming a movie, and this would be one I would watch… but I’m betting the book will still be better.
“I wasn’t aware that words could hold so much. I didn’t know a sentence could be so full.”
“lot of times love doesn’t work out. Yet even when it fails, it connects you to others and, in the end, that is all you have, the connections.”
“There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.”
Skin Tight by Carl Hiaasen
I’m sure I’ve given you enough insight on the author… but you get the picture… I’ll be reading his books for years to come.
“Though Madeleine’s face reminded Dr. Graveline in many ways of a camel, he was fond of her. She was the kind of steady patient that offshore trust funds are made of.”
“Coroners made Al Garcia jumpy; they always got so cheery when somebody came up with a fresh way to die.”
Native Tongue by Carl Hiaasen
But have you ever heard of a blue-tongued mango vole? Me either…
“Lower your sights, boy,’ he said to Joe Winder. ‘I agree, justice is probably out of the question. But we can damn sure ruin their day.”
“Instantly it had become a sensation among tourists at the park, a fact that edified Kingsbury’s belief that the illusion of quality is more valuable than quality itself.”
The Steep Approach to Garbadale by Iain Banks
This book was a recommendation, which started out fine but then turned a little weird. Family secrets, world travels, and a finale that is worth the read.
“What do I really want? he thinks. This is, of course, an extremely good question. It was just such a pity that, life being as it tended to be, it so rarely came as part of a matched pair, with an extremely good answer.”
The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
Highly recommended from friends and influencers, I was really wanting a good mystery novel and this was it! I would definitely recommend!
“Alcohol is the anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life.”
“My dear girl, you cannot keep bumping your head against reality and saying it is not there.”
So, I unfortunately didn’t hit my goal of reading a book a month. TBH I was relying on two big trips this last year to get a couple books read on each, however with the pandemic, that didn’t happen. I thankfully didn’t have any time off work, and I paced the books I was reading.
Same goal set for 2021 & as always, would love to hear your feedback on recommendations!
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