2006 in Reading

[desayunoencama]

I read 125 books in 2006. This is down from 189 books read last year and is moreover the least amount of books I've read in any year this decade (the high being 214 in 2000 and the penultimate low being 143 in 2002).

The most-read author for 2006 was Lindsey Davis, since I discovered her Marcus Didius Falco series at the very end of 2005 and have now caught up to everything but SATURNALIA, forthcoming in a few months.

Next are Patricia Cornwell (who I've since given up on) and Nancy Pickard (who I'll still rad as I find her Jenny Pickard books; I did also buy but have not yet read a few titles in another series) with eight books read by each.

Then Peter Barnard with 5 books by him read in 2006 (although none of them were among his best, I'm afraid, so I'm pretty much giving up on him; I have two or three more that I may get to when I'm low on other things to read but...)

4 Donna Leons, and I'm still missing a few of her more-recent titles, so some good books to look forward to finding and devouring in 2007.

I seem to have done less series reading this year, compared to last year, when there were 10 authors by whom I read 4 or more titles (12 Charlotte MacLeod, 11 Dorothy Gilman, 8 Donald Westlake, 7 Donna Leon, 7 Octavia Butler, 7 Holly Black, 5 Henning Mankell, 5 Sharon Shinn, 4 Sara Paretsky, 4 Elizabeth A. Lynn).

Maybe I'm just all caught up in the series I'm following and haven't discovered as many "new" (to me) authors who I'm liking. I had hopes for Lauren Hendersen, who oursin introduced me to (Thanks again!); reminds of Sparkle Hayter in many ways. THE STRAWBERRY TATTOO was lots of fun but I bogged down with the next, CHAINED! Although I may go back and try some of the earlier entries in the series. If anyone wants to recommend mystery (or other) series you think I might like, I'm open to suggestions.

I'd also love to find a fun space opera author I like (along the lines of Lois McMaster Bujold, Doris Egan's IVORY trilogy or her sadly never-finished Jane Emerson CITY OF DIAMOND, or Elizabeth Moon or Janet Kagan's HELLSPARK or MIRABILE or...???).

Comments

[n8an.livejournal.com]

The year before I met mrpolyonymous, I read two books every three days - my best - at 223 for that year. After I met him, it dipped down into the low 80s. It was rather a good trade-off, I must say, but I'm intensely jealous of how much you managed to sate your inner bibliovore this year.

I'm not sure if you'd call it 'Space Opera,' but Richard Morgan has a good trilogy of hard SF that begins with 'Altered Carbon.'

[desayunoencama.livejournal.com]

My feeling has always been thatt he Richard Morgan is darker than I'm going to like.

My reading took a noticable dip last year when I first started dating Ismael.

But since he's also a reader, it's gone back up again. :-)

[n8an.livejournal.com]

Definitely dark. So, yeah, never mind, strike that suggestion. I'll ask the Mistress of Recommendation (my assistant manager) when I get my voice back.

[jlundberg.livejournal.com]

I also read 125 books in 2006 (http://jlundberg.livejournal.com/426973.html), but it was the highest number books I think I've ever read in a year, compared to your lowest number.

the high being 214 in 2000

I bow in your general direction, sir. Damn.

[bibliofile.livejournal.com]

Lauren Henderson's mysteries aren't bad. My two favorites were TST and Black rubber dress. I think. She's also written some chick lit, but it's not nearly as smart as the Sam Jones books.

BUGGER ME!

[terrabyte.livejournal.com]

Okay, firstly, YOU READ A LOT! That's amazing :o) I'm envious!!!

Secondly, a question: Do you speed read? Just curious :o)

Re: BUGGER ME!

[desayunoencama.livejournal.com]

I don't speed read, but I have dedication and can read for a few hours on end.

I tend to binge: reading a lot all at once and then days of no reading.

Having other things I need to get to is another way I get a lot of reading done: procrastination!
:-)