2012 Favorites

My goal for 2012 had been 175 books. Unfortunately, those months of feeling so shitty took their toll and I only hit 130. I have no idea what to expect when Camper (not her name, just her nickname til we decide on a name) comes so I think that if I set a goal for 2013, it will be low--maybe 75? That makes me a little sad, thinking about not having as much time to do something I enjoy so much, but I think I'm also judging that on my horrible Sept, Oct, and Nov when I didn't feel like I could do anything. Not having time or desire to read when Camper's here will be a different thing.

My 2012 favorites, in no particular order:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen  (classic)
I read an annotated version, which I loved. I think it gave me a much better understanding of the time period and therefore a greater appreciation of the book.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (young adult)

Maphead: The Wide, Weird World of Geogrpahy Wonks by Ken Jennings (non-fiction)

Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin (sociology, memoir)

Some of It Was Fun: Working with RFK and LBJ by Nicholas Katzenbach (history, memoir)
Katzenbach worked for the Justice Department in the 1960s and was on in the middle of the action on lots of different civil rights events.

Almost President: The Men Who Lost the Race but Changed the Nation by Scott Farris (history)
Farris profiled losers of presidential races. We've all probably heard of Henry Clay and William Jenning Bryan, but don't know much about them. I learned a lot of American history and really admired some of the losers.

The Bess Crawford series by Charles Todd (historical fiction, mystery)
This is a mystery series set in WWI England with Bess Crawford, a nurse, as the protagonist. 


While not a favorite, I'm still proud of myself for conquering the beast that is War and Peace.