Wow! You are a harsh critic. Robinson Crusoe only two stars - that's one of my favorite books! I also enjoyed The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store this year. I think I gave it 4 stars - such a heartwarming story. What is your criteria for ratings? I think of three stars as average, so two stars would be forgettable and one star would be bad writing. I'm honestly curious about how other people determine their ratings. Thanks for sharing your list!
I rate similarly to you. A 3-star book is a good book. I enjoyed it fine and it lived up to most of my expectations. 5-star books are ones that I could re-read endlessly because I enjoy them so much and/or there is so much more I could glean from them. 1-star books are rare for me because I think they’re terrible and I normally stop reading them. I don’t rate anything that I failed to finish.
Robinson Crusoe just dragged for me and I didn’t like spending time with the main character. I see why it’s a classic, but it didn’t resonate with me and I grew tired of RC. Purely subjective opinion. I know many people love Robinson Crusoe!
My philosophy is that the best way to read is to read the books that you want to read in the way that you want to read them.
Ok, that makes sense - not everyone enjoys the same things - that's what makes life so interesting! Well, I'm glad I found your Substack and look forward to following your reading adventures!
Most books that I dislike as much as Yellowface, I stop reading. But I was doing a buddy-read of this one with a friend of mine so I was somewhat compelled to finish it.
Really enjoy reviewing other people’s reading list. I not really been a star rating user as could never really figure who the stars were supposed to help. I use would I recommend, should you buy or borrow it. Mostly I try not to list or summarise stuff I would not recommend to others. I have a lot or respect for someone who has put them self out there as a writer, so if it’s not resonated with me I just keep to my self.
Did think of dabbling with Goodreads and Library thing to track my books but could not keep it up. I usually just use Evernote for the summary and Google sheets for BOB (book of books, a list of mostly everything I’ve ever read, borrowed the from someone else but cannot remember who!)
Very nice choices. I read the Edith Grossman translation of Don Quixote and quite enjoyed it. I'd love to hear your take on these works after you get through them. Emma has a special place on my list as one of the first novels I truly loved after I got back into reading as an adult.
I have the Penguin black spine of Don Quixote which is Rutherford’s translation. I hear Grossman’s translation is the best but I had already bought the Rutherford one before I learned about this. I guess I’ll push on with this and just do a reread with the Grossman translation.
Looks like you had a great reading year! Many of these I have not read before. I struggle so much with rating books as well. I often find myself giving books a lesser grade just because I was not as focused on it in the moment, if that makes sense. I mostly use Goodreads to track my books and often find the reviews to be all over the place.
I have a pretty good habit of reading for at least a half hour in the morning. It's the first thing I do each day. And then I sneak in reading whenever I can, mostly evenings and weekends. The only set time that I read every day is in the morning though.
Nice list. I stopped rating books a few years ago because I felt is was so subjective I wasn't sure it would be helpful for other people. Also, I just stopped using Goodreads because of how crazy their ratings were. Having said that, I like seeing what others enjoyed reading and this is a good presentation. Thanks.
Indeed, ratings are purely subjective. I gave The Aeneid 3 stars which, to the extent works could be judged objectively, means that I'm completely wrong. But I just rate books based on how they resonate with me particularly. And I'm not shy about changing my ratings upon reflection or rereading.
Yes, I think Buddenbrooks is his most straightforward novel. He gets super philosophical in The Magic Mountain and in Doctor Faustus (but they are great novels). He won the Nobel Prize for Buddenbrooks. Death in Venice is a novella but well worth reading.
Got most of this covered, but I don’t like Cormac McCarthy, and have only read one Erik Larson. Some of the three stars after #45 are unknown to me. I like Paul Murray, and love the Doerr.
Since you are almost surely pondering about your next years literary journey I would suggest to dive into Chesterton. I would recommend The Napoleon of Notting Hill, since that’s the work I ma the most familiar with besides his poems such as Lepanto.
Wow! You are a harsh critic. Robinson Crusoe only two stars - that's one of my favorite books! I also enjoyed The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store this year. I think I gave it 4 stars - such a heartwarming story. What is your criteria for ratings? I think of three stars as average, so two stars would be forgettable and one star would be bad writing. I'm honestly curious about how other people determine their ratings. Thanks for sharing your list!
I rate similarly to you. A 3-star book is a good book. I enjoyed it fine and it lived up to most of my expectations. 5-star books are ones that I could re-read endlessly because I enjoy them so much and/or there is so much more I could glean from them. 1-star books are rare for me because I think they’re terrible and I normally stop reading them. I don’t rate anything that I failed to finish.
Robinson Crusoe just dragged for me and I didn’t like spending time with the main character. I see why it’s a classic, but it didn’t resonate with me and I grew tired of RC. Purely subjective opinion. I know many people love Robinson Crusoe!
My philosophy is that the best way to read is to read the books that you want to read in the way that you want to read them.
Ok, that makes sense - not everyone enjoys the same things - that's what makes life so interesting! Well, I'm glad I found your Substack and look forward to following your reading adventures!
You are the first person I’ve read who has a similar assessment of Yellowface. I did not understand all the love. I had to make myself finish it.
Most books that I dislike as much as Yellowface, I stop reading. But I was doing a buddy-read of this one with a friend of mine so I was somewhat compelled to finish it.
Really enjoy reviewing other people’s reading list. I not really been a star rating user as could never really figure who the stars were supposed to help. I use would I recommend, should you buy or borrow it. Mostly I try not to list or summarise stuff I would not recommend to others. I have a lot or respect for someone who has put them self out there as a writer, so if it’s not resonated with me I just keep to my self.
Did think of dabbling with Goodreads and Library thing to track my books but could not keep it up. I usually just use Evernote for the summary and Google sheets for BOB (book of books, a list of mostly everything I’ve ever read, borrowed the from someone else but cannot remember who!)
I have Don Quixote and Emma planned for next year. Happy to see they are 5 stars on your list.
Very nice choices. I read the Edith Grossman translation of Don Quixote and quite enjoyed it. I'd love to hear your take on these works after you get through them. Emma has a special place on my list as one of the first novels I truly loved after I got back into reading as an adult.
I have the Penguin black spine of Don Quixote which is Rutherford’s translation. I hear Grossman’s translation is the best but I had already bought the Rutherford one before I learned about this. I guess I’ll push on with this and just do a reread with the Grossman translation.
Yep, I plan to reread DQ someday too and I'll probably explore a different translation.
Looks like you had a great reading year! Many of these I have not read before. I struggle so much with rating books as well. I often find myself giving books a lesser grade just because I was not as focused on it in the moment, if that makes sense. I mostly use Goodreads to track my books and often find the reviews to be all over the place.
Incredible list. How much time do you allocate to reading each day?
I have a pretty good habit of reading for at least a half hour in the morning. It's the first thing I do each day. And then I sneak in reading whenever I can, mostly evenings and weekends. The only set time that I read every day is in the morning though.
Nice list. I stopped rating books a few years ago because I felt is was so subjective I wasn't sure it would be helpful for other people. Also, I just stopped using Goodreads because of how crazy their ratings were. Having said that, I like seeing what others enjoyed reading and this is a good presentation. Thanks.
Indeed, ratings are purely subjective. I gave The Aeneid 3 stars which, to the extent works could be judged objectively, means that I'm completely wrong. But I just rate books based on how they resonate with me particularly. And I'm not shy about changing my ratings upon reflection or rereading.
Might I suggest some Thomas Mann for 2025. Perhaps Buddenbrooks?
Yes, I think Buddenbrooks is his most straightforward novel. He gets super philosophical in The Magic Mountain and in Doctor Faustus (but they are great novels). He won the Nobel Prize for Buddenbrooks. Death in Venice is a novella but well worth reading.
I've never read Mann, is that the best place to begin?
You really read a lot this year.
I think in the new year I'll plan to read less, but read more deeply. I've got some tough ones lined up I think.
Yes, you do. It is an ambitious list.
Nice list.
I was so disappointed by A Strange Habit of Mind.
Yep, I’ve given up on Klavan’s fiction. I enjoyed his memoir, but have mostly been lukewarm on everything else I’ve read from him.
Got most of this covered, but I don’t like Cormac McCarthy, and have only read one Erik Larson. Some of the three stars after #45 are unknown to me. I like Paul Murray, and love the Doerr.
I have hosts of recommendations. Will work up a list.
Since you are almost surely pondering about your next years literary journey I would suggest to dive into Chesterton. I would recommend The Napoleon of Notting Hill, since that’s the work I ma the most familiar with besides his poems such as Lepanto.
Thank you for the recommendation! I will add some Chesterton to my TBR for 25.
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