2023: My reading year
In 2023, my total number of books came to 45 this year, a few more than the previous one. (And I may have missed a title or two in my count.)
Of these, 11 were non fiction titles, meaning I exceeded my #ReadNonFicChal goal of 6 books, which I am pleased about. Five of these were history (of course!); three biographies (though to be fair, they were all biographies of historical figures, so could count in both categories); two memoirs and one on a medical/health topic.
Standout non fiction reads? David Marr’s Killing for Country for its truth-telling, and Grantlee Kieza’s The Remarkable Mrs Reiby for its story of a truly remarkable woman who quite possibly rubbed shoulders with an ancestress of mine in early colonial Sydney.
My historical fiction reads this year numbered 18: no surprise there as it is a favourite genre of mine. My goal for the #histficreadingchallenge for 2023 was 15, so I easily met that one.
And a personal challenge of mine is to read books by First Nations authors. I have read 4 this year: The Visitors by Jane Harrison, Reaching Through Time by Sheila Bostock, We Come With This Place by Debra Dank, and Mullumbimby by Melissa Lucashenko. All great reads in different ways; I highly recommend them. It’s wonderful that there is now so much First Nations writing being published; it is hard to choose just one to recommend as my annual ‘pick’ for the book group I am part of.
I plan to participate in reading challenges both online and of my own making again in 2024. It’s a fun way to be a little more conscious of my reading choices and to incorporate some new authors or topics in my reading diet.
I wish you all a happy reading year ahead, good health and a happy 2024.
11 Comments
Marg
Thanks for your participation in the challenge this year. I read The Visitors after seeing it on your blog!
Denise Newton
It’s a fun challenge. I’m glad you enjoyed The Visitors; it’s my pick for my book group in 2024.
Will Rae
Well done Denise!
That is amazing. I guess I will never even get close to a reading challenge. I hardly read anything. I am in awe.
I hope you continue, and enjoy your reading again in 2024. May this new year be a good year.
This past year was a good year for me. I hope 2024 will be another good year. It feels like it will be a turning point in my life. I am praying that this will be a good thing.
I look forward to seeing you some time this year.
Will
Denise Newton
Thank you Will! I can’t recall a time in my life when I did not have a book on the go. Reading opens up other worlds, times and lives for me and has always provided solace and relaxation and has been an escape at difficult times. Plus I always learn new things!
I wish you a fabulous year ahead and I’m so glad to hear you’ve had a great 2023.
Ashleigh
What a great reading achievement!
Denise Newton
Thanks ???? For me it’s all about the quality rather than quantity in simple numbers. 2023 was a quality reading year, I have to say. Hope you get lost in some spectacular reads in this new year.
Ashleigh
I’ve tried to to a bit of both in my wrap up posts – Looking at how the books fell, given a lot of my reading was driven by review books this year. I need to try something different in terms of yearly wrap ups I think.
Denise Newton
Oohh I just saw that the smiling emoji I inserted after ‘thanks’ got lost in translation and turned ed into question mark! Sorry! That’s the computer/software/tablet gremlin at work.
shelleyrae @ Book'd Out
Congratulations on your reading achievements Denise! Thanks for taking part in the Nonfiction Reader Challenge and I hope you’ll join again in 2024
Denise Newton
Thank you and yes I will be joining in again this year. And thank you for your work hosting the challenge.
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