2022 Reading Challenge

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies…The man who never reads lives only one.

                        -George R.R. Martin            

I thoroughly enjoyed the 2021 challenge of reading a book for every letter of the alphabet. (Results and recommendations below.) Surprisingly, J and K turned out to be the most challenging letters/books for me to find. This year, I plan to read 26 books again, but will change it up by filling in the letters of alphabet using the author’s name. I hope you’ll join me.

Here’s how it works:

·       Commit to reading twenty-six books.  

·       Fill in each letter of the alphabet with the title of a book that begins with that letter.

·       Alternatively, fill in each letter of the alphabet using the author’s name.

·       Or, mix and match, using both book titles and author’s names.

·       Articles—a, an, the—don’t count.

·       Lesser used letters like Q, X, and Z can be anywhere within the title or author’s name.

·       Books can be read in any order, can be any genre, and in any format, including audio.

·       Share your recommendations.

My 2021 Reading List

A.  American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (Most relevant to current events)

     Arcadia by Lauren Groff (A book I’d read again for the beautiful language)

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

B. The Barrytown Trilogy by Roddy Doyle (Most humorous)

C. The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett

     Called to Question by Joan Chittister (Favorite memoir)

D. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Best throwback)

E.  Euphoria by Lily King (Favorite author discovered this year)

F.  The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay

     Falling Upward by Richard Rohr

G. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

H. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell (Favorite historical fiction this year)

     The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea (Favorite opening line)

I.  In the Woods by Tana French

    In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (Favorite classic of the year)

J.  Just My Luck by Adele Parks

K. The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson

L.  Lila by Marilynne Robinson

     The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (Favorite page-turner)

M. The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

N. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (Most eye-opening)

     Normal People by Sally Rooney

O. The Outside Boy by Jeanine Cummins (Favorite book of the year)

     Oh, William! by Elizabeth Strout (Favorite author)

P.  The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

     Post Traumatic Church Syndrome by Reba Riley

     Philomena by Martin Sixsmith

Q. The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin

R. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald (Favorite opening paragraph)

S. The Secret History by Donna Tartt

T. The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

     Together by Judy Goldman

U. Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

     The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

V.  The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

W. Where the Past Begins by Amy Tan

X.  X by Sue Grafton

Y.  Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

Z.  Z A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler

I’d love to hear from you—how did the challenge go for you? What were your favorite books of 2021?