Books I Abandoned in 2022 (And Why)
In the early days of 2022, my younger sister got super pumped about reading more books in the year to follow; she chose 10 books in advance to knock out during the year, and, inspired by her, I decided to do so too. I didn’t quite finish all the original 10 books I chose (spoiler alert), but the habit of choosing 10 books at the beginning of the year helped jumpstart the most productive year in reading I’ve had since I was probably in elementary school.
To help me keep accountable to my newfound reading habits, I’m posting about the books I finished in 2022, the books I shelved in 2022 (that’s this post), and my book stats for 2022.
SHELVED:
These are the books I shelved this year without finishing them (and why).
Midnight’s Children, Salman Rushdie
Why Shelved: I started listening to this as an audiobook when on a train to Calcutta in December, but I was horribly ill and couldn’t get into it too much. I tried again on yet another train trip to Calcutta, but still struggling. I think starting over with a printed copy would help?
Would I return to this book? Yes
The Civically Engaged Classroom: Reading, Writing, and Speaking for Change, Marc Todd, Mary Ehrenworth, Pablo Wolfe
Why Shelved: I shelved this book because I was reading it as an audiobook and it made more sense to read it as an ebook, but inevitably I never re-checked it out and read it before moving on to something else.
Would I return to this book? Yes
The Courage to Be Disliked: The Japanese Phenomenon that shows you how to Change Your Life and Achieve Real Happiness, Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi
Why Shelved: The structure of this book involved a dialogue between a philosopher and a young person – a classic structure in philosophical texts, but for whatever reason, this bored me to tears.
Would I return to this book? Nope
They Both Die At The End, Adam Silvera
Why Shelved: I don’t really like young adult literature (I only picked this up because I was browsing books from our school library while on lunch duty and it had a nice cover), and while the premise was mildly interesting, I didn’t care for the narrator enough to finish it.
Would I return to this book? Nope
The Lost Art of Good Conversation: A Mindful Way to Connect with Others and Enrich Everyday Life, Sakyong Mipham
Why Shelved: Frankly I don’t even remember now – I think it bored me to tears.
Would I return to this book? Nope
Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor, Layla F. Saad
Why Shelved: I was reading this book as an audiobook while commuting to and from work, and it didn’t make sense to do a workbook in this structure. I meant to get an ebook or print version and dutifully work through it, but my life exploded and I didn’t get around to it.
Would I return to this book? Yes
ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction – From Childhood Through Adulthood, John J. Ratey, Edward M. Hallowell
Why Shelved: Ironically, I think I got distracted and couldn’t finish it.
Would I return to this book? Maybe
Belonging: A Culture of Place, bell hooks
Why Shelved: God did I want to love this book. I actually do love some of the essays and felt an intense kinship with how hooks described rural people in her home state of Kentucky, but I just couldn’t sustain my interest.
Would I return to this book? Maybe – I WANT to finish it, but who knows if I actually will
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work, Mason Currey
Why Shelved: This book is too damn long! The concept was interesting for the first 100 artists or so, but unsurprisingly it got a little repetitive. I would have preferred some kind of data analysis of ALL the artists for commonalities.
Would I return to this book? Maybe – but only for research
Around the Writer’s Block: Using Brain Science to Solve Writer’s Resistance, Rosanne Bane
Why Shelved: I was preparing for a class I wanted to teach, then didn’t get to teach it
Would I return to this book? If I DID get to teach a class on writer’s block again, yes
At Day’s Close: Night in Terms of Past, A. Roger Ekirch
Why Shelved: I wanted to specifically read this in the winter when the nights were long – but then I spent all winter in India where all the days are the same length
Would I return to this book? Yes – with the right conditions