Reading Log

2021

  1. SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmyn Ward (F) novel* re-read
  2. HAMNET & JUDITH by Maggie O’Farrell (F) novel*
  3. HOW TO PRONOUNCE KNIFE by Souvankgham Thammavongsa (F) shorts
  4. SEVERAL SHORT SENTENCES ABOUT WRITING by Verlyn Klinkenborg (NF) craft book*
  5. TWO OR THREE THINGS I KNOW FOR SURE by Dorothy Allison (NF) memoir
  6. CZECH TECHNO by Mark Anthony Jarman (F) shorts chapbook
  7. INDIANS ON VACATION by Thomas King (F) novel (1/2 read)
  8. SPLIT a memoir of divorce by Suzanne Finnamore (NF) memoir
  9. HEARTBURN by Nora Ephron (NF) memoir
  10. THE GLASS HOTEL by Emily St. John Mandel (F) novel
  11. HARMLESS LIKE YOU by Rowan Hisayo Buchanan (F) novel
  12. DARING GREATLY by Brene Brown (NF)
  13. RISING STRONG by Brene Brown (NF)
  14. THE ERRATIC by Vicki Laveau-Harvie (NF) memoir
  15. DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD by Olga Tokarczuk (F) novel*
  16. REBUILDING by
  17. I GOT THE DOG by Amanda Boyden (NF) memoir
  18. THE TALENTED MISS HIGHSMITH by Joan Schenkar (NF) biography

2020

  1. WASHINGTON BLACK by Esi Edugyan (F) novel
  2. THE PARTY by Elizabeth Day (F) novel
  3. WOMEN TALKING by Miriam Toews (F) short novel
  4. IN A LONELY PLACE by Dorothy B. Hughes (F) (Noir) short novel
  5. THE DAMNED by Nathan Greenfield (NF)
  6. HOMESICK FOR ANOTHER WORLD by Ottessa Moshfegh (F) shorts*
  7. FIVE DAYS GONE by Laura Cumming (CNF)
  8. THE ALICE NETWORK by Kate Quinn (F) novel
  9. WHAT WE ALL LONG FOR by Dionne Brand (F) novel
  10. AGAINST DEATH (anthology) edited by Elee K. Gardiner (NF) essays 1/2 read
  11. THE LONDON TRAIN by Tessa Hadley (F) novel in 2 parts
  12. LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson (F) novel in pieces*
  13. GOD IN RUINS by Kate Atkinson (F) novel
  14. TRANSCRIPTION by Kate Atkinson (F) mystery novel
  15. BINA by Anakana Schofield (F) novel in warnings (i don’t need to read anymore of this series, i really don’t #gettingonmynerves
  16. GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER by Bernardine Evaristo (F) novel*
  17. LIT by Mary Karr (NF) memoir
  18. CITY OF FIRE by Garth Hellburg (F) fucking long novel that i will finish if it fucking kills me. PS i still haven’t finished it. gah. i will never finish it. defeated.
  19. HALF-BLOOD BLUES by Esi Eduygan (F) novel (re-read)
  20. SERVANTS OF THE MAP by Andrea Barrett (F) shorts; but long shorts with a historic/scientific bent
  21. OUTLINE by Rachel Cusk (F) short novel re-read
  22. TRANSIT by Rachel Cusk (F) short novel*
  23. THE ART OF MEMOIR by Mary Karr (NF) (Craft)*
  24. KUDOS by Rachel Cusk (F) short novel
  25. RULES OF CIVILITY by Amor Towles (F) novel*
  26. WHEN EVERYTHING FEELS LIKE THE MOVIES by Raziel Reid (F) short novel
  27. SHUT UP YOU’RE PRETTY by Tea Mutonji (F) shorts
  28. THE PLAGUE by Kevin Chong (F) novel
  29. HOW TO MURDER YOUR LIFE by Cat Marnell (NF) (memoir) audiobook
  30. THE BOOK OF SALT by Monique Truong (F) audiobook 1/3 read. the narrator wasn’t great
  31. THE WHITES by Richard Price (F) novel
  32. RED AT THE BONE by Jacqueline Woodson (F) novel
  33. THIS IS THE NIGHT OUR HOUSE WILL CATCH FIRE by Nick Flynn (CNF) memoir
  34. NORMAL PEOPLE by Sally Rooney (F) short novel
  35. ANATOMY OF STORY by John Truby (NF) craft
  36. WIRED FOR STORY by Lisa Cron (NF) craft
  37. SQUARE HAUNTING by Francesca Wade (NF)*
  38. THE TOPEKA SCHOOL by Ben Lerner (F) novel
  39. BUNNY by Mona Awad (F) novel*
  40. NIGHT BOAT TO TANGIER by Kevin Barry (F) novel*
  41. THE SPLENDID THINGS WE PLANNED by Blake Bailey (NF) memoir
  42. THE YELLOW HOUSE by Sarah L. Broom (NF) memoir
  43. LONG LIVE THE TRIBE OF THE FATHERLESS GIRLS (memoir) by T. Kira Madden*
  44. VERMIN by Lori Hahnel (F) shorts

2019

  1. ON WRITING by Stephen King (craft) re-read
  2. THE RECOVERY: INTOXICATION AND IT’S AFTERMATH by Leslie Jamieson (NF + CNF)
  3. JOHNNY APPLESEED by Joshua Whitehead (F) novel X 2
  4. HOW FICTION WORKS by James Wood (craft)* re-read
  5. HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL IN 90 DAYS by Alan Watts (craft)* X 2
  6. CATARACT CITY by Craig Davidson (F) novel (bro book)
  7. THE CHRONOLOGY OF WATER by Lidia Yuknavitch (memoir)
  8. THE LAST NUDE by Ellis Avery (F) novel
  9. ZEPPLIN NIGHTS by Jerry White (NF) history of WW1 X2
  10. SEARCH FOR TERRY PUNCHOUT by Tyler Hellard (F) novel
  11. THE LIAR’S CLUB by Mary Karr (NF + memoir)
  12. NEVER MIND by Edward St. Aubyn (F) novel*
  13. GREAT WAR LETTERS by The Times (NF) X 2
  14. AQUA VIVA by Clarice Lispector (F) novella
  15. GLORY IN A LINE: A LIFE OF FOUJITA by Phyllis Birbaum (NF)
  16. FACES OF WAR by Andrew Bamji (NF) re-read
  17. THE PIANO SHOP ON THE LEFT BANK by TE Carhart (NF)
  18. AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A FACE by Lucy Grealy (memoir)
  19. FALLING AWAKE by Alice Oswald (poetry)
  20. A LUCKY MAN by Jamel Brinkley (F) shorts
  21. UNDER MY SKIN by Doris Lessing (memoir)
  22. A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW by Amor Towles (N) mystery/suspense
  23. THE RISE AND FALL OF GREAT POWERS by Tom Rachman (F) novel
  24. TRUTH & BEAUTY by Ann Patchett (memoir) X 2 (audiobook + book)
  25. DEGREES OF NAKEDNESS by Lisa Moore (F) short stories*
  26. TINY LIGHTS FOR TRAVELLERS by Naomi K. Lewis (memoir)*
  27. SPEEDBOAT by Renata Adler (F) a novel in fragments
  28. UNDER THE BRIDGE: The True Story of the Murder of Reena Virk by Rebecca Godfrey (NF)
  29. THE EMPRESS OF IDAHO by Todd Babiak (F) novel
  30. BETTYVILLE by George Hodgman (NF) memoir*
  31. BASIC BLACK WITH PEARLS by Helen Weinzweig (F) short novel
  32. BELOVED by Toni Morrison (F) short novel*
  33. THE WESTERN ALIENATION MERIT BADGE by Nancy Jo Cullen (F) short novel
  34. THERE, THERE by Tommy Orange (F) novel*
  35. THEORY by Dionne Brand (F) short novel
  36. BOTH WAYS IS THE ONLY WAY I WANT IT by Maile Meloy (F) short stories*
  37. CALGARY THROUGH THE EYES OF WRITERS by Shaun Hunter (NF) anthology reread
  38. AN HONEST WOMAN by JoAnn McCaig (F) short novel
  39. LIARS AND SAINTS by Maile Meloy (F) novel
  40. A FAMILY DAUGHTER by Maile Meloy (F) novel
  41. SEASON OF FURY AND WONDER by Sharon Butala (F) short stories*
  42. THE BODY OF THE BEASTS by Audree Wilhelmy (F) short novel
  43. STET by Diana Athill (NF) memoir*
  44. THE INCENDIARIES, A NOVEL by R.O. Kwon (F) short novel*
  45. A HOUSE FOR MR. BISWAS by V. S. Naipaul (F) novel 1/3 read
  46. AIR SALT by Ian Kinney (poetry)*
  47. THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot (NF)
  48. HOT MILK by Deborah Levy (F) short novel*

2018

  1. FACES OF WAR by Andrew Bamji (NF) X 2
  2. THE SYMPATHIZER by Viet Thanh Nyugen (F) novel ½ read
  3. SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmyn Ward (F) novel
  4. MOTHER’S AND OTHER STRANGERS by Gina Sorell (F) novel
  5. FLOATING CITY by Kerri Sakamoto (F) novel
  6. JOURNEY PRIZE ANTHOLOGY #29 (F) shorts
  7. DROPOUT by Leslie Gavel (NF) memoir
  8. DARWIN’S MOVING by Taylor Lambert (NF) memoir
  9. SCOGGY’S WAR by Howard Brenton (play)
  10. THE CONJOINED by Jen Sookfong Lee (F) novel
  11. JESUS ON THE DASHBOARD by Lisa Murphy-Lamb (F)(YA) novella
  12. CATALINA by Liska Jacobs (F) novel
  13. DID YOU EVER HAVE A FAMILY? by Bill Clegg (F) novel*
  14. TOBY’S ROOM by Pat Barker (F) novel re-read
  15. NOONDAY by Pat Barker (F) novel re-read
  16. FOLLOWING THE RIVER by Lorri Neilson Glenn (CNF) ½ read
  17. THAT TINY LIFE by Erin Frances Fisher (F) shorts ½ read
  18. THE ITALIAN TEACHER by Tom Rachman (F) novel*
  19. THE CONCUBINE’S DAUGHTER by Denise Chong (NF) memoir
  20. LINCOLN IN THE BARDO by George Saunders (F) novel*
  21. THE FINANCIAL LIVES OF POETS by Jess Walter (F) novel
  22. PRIESTDADDY by Patricia Lockwood (CNF) essays
  23. THE FIGGS by Ali Bryan (F) novel
  24. THE DAUGHTERS OF MARS by Thomas Kineally (HF) novel
  25. HOW TO WRITE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOVEL by Alexander Chee (NF) essays*
  26. SWING TIME by Zadie Smith (F) novel
  27. WIDE SARGASSO SEA by Jean Rhys (F) novel re-read
  28. THE SUN ALSO RISES by Hemingway (F) novel re-read
  29. MANUEL FOR CLEANING WOMEN by Lucia Berlin (F) shorts
  30. BROTHER by David Chariandy (F) novel*
  31. THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT by Robert Goolrick (NF) memoir
  32. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT by Erich Maria Remarque (F) novel
  33. EILEEN by Ottessa Moshfegh (F) novel*
  34. ISADORA by Amelia Gray (CNF) novel
  35. THEY TOLD ME THERE’D BE CAKE by Sloane Crosley (NF) essays ½ read
  36. OUTLINE by Rachel Cusk (F) novel*
  37. UNDERMAJORDOMO MINOR by Patrick de Witt (F) novel
  38. THE REAL LOLITA by Sarah Weinman (NF but a weird combo of crime + literary investigation)*
  39. IT STARTS WITH THE BODY by Hana Shafi (P)
  40. FLAWED by Andrea Dorfman (CNF) adult picture book
  41. NO GOOD ASKING by Fran Kimmel (F) (YA) novel
  42. THE ONLY STORY by Julian Barnes (F) novel
  43. THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY by Patricia Highsmith (F) novel
  44. GALVESTON by Paul Quarrington (F) novel
  45. THE FACT OF A BODY by Alexandrian Marzano-Lesnevich (CNF—crime + memoir)*
  46. LESS by Andrew Sean Greer (F) novel*
  47. CALGARY THROUGH THE EYES OF A WRITER by Shaun Hunter (NF) anthology
  48. SOFIE AND CECILIA by Katherine Ashenburg (historical F) novel
  49. WAITING ANTHOLOGY edited by Rona Altrows + Julie Sedivy (NF) ½ read
  50. HOW IT ENDED by Jay McInerney (F) shorts
  51. WE’LL ALL BE BURNT IN OUR BED SOME NIGHT by Joel Thomas Hynes (F) novel
  52. TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG by Peter Carey (F) novel
  53. THE SELECTED STORIES OF GORDON LISH by Gordon Lish (F) shorts
  54. WHEN WE WERE BIRDS by Maria Mutch (F) shorts