Wednesday, January 06, 2021

My Reading List for 2020

Welcome to my 2020 reading list with a few additional thoughts on the year and on blogging. This year, I did write out a few thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic, more for me to keep from forgetting. If you are interested or you missed it, you can check out that post here.  

My professional blog remains closed on hiatus. I have been giving thought to reopening it, as I have been doing some professional reading I want to write on the blog about, but I am in no rush for that. Part of me just wants to close it down fully and archive it; after all, it has been closed for two years now, but there is a small sense of professional duty that urges me to reopen. One, it was the blog that I started blogging on, and two it served me as a learning tool for librarianship, and I think it can still do that. Checking the stats, I see it still gets a few views. At the moment, I may toss a coin to decide. If I do reopen this year, people will know. If I do not, then after this year I will just keep it close and not think about it further. Either way, I got some good mileage out of it. 

This blog, The Itinerant Librarian, by now is pretty well established as a book blogging and book reviews blog. This is where I am concentrating my efforts, along with Alchemical Thoughts (more on that on that in a moment), and I foresee that I will keep blogging here for a good while longer. I am slowly but steadily developing a decent reputation as a good book reviewer and blogger, and I want to keep working on that. The small work I do in reader's advisory through the blog is worth the effort for me, and it is pretty gratifying as well. 
  • A brief reminder and bit of self advertising: If you are an author, editor, or publisher, and you think you have a book I may want to read and review, check out my book review statement, then let me know. I'd be happy to consider it if fits with my review statement and reading interests. I am also a Tarot and oracle card reader and collector, so if you are an author, editor, and publisher of a deck and/or book on this subject, feel free to pitch it my way. If you want to see a sampling of what I have reviewed in that area, you can check the "Tarot" tag on this blog (right side column).

Alchemical Thoughts is now my Tarot and cartomancy blog with some commonplace elements.  I aim to post every Wednesday during a month. In addition to regular features like the monthly reviews roundup and items about books I want to read, I am posting cartomancy deck interview spreads, other spreads, and a few other writings on Tarot and cartomancy. Feel free to check it out, and as always, comments are always welcome. After Itinerant Librarian, this is where I am putting my creative efforts. 

Last year I mentioned that I had started using NewTumbl in place of Tumblr. NewTumbl is where I keep my commonplace and for fun microblog Alchemical Annex. If you want to know how that is working out, I recently wrote a review of NewTumbl here on the blog.

In milestones, September 11, 2020 marked 8 years of me working at Berea College. As I have said before, not always a bed of roses but overall it has been good, and I hope to stay here. 
 
With the additional thoughts out of the way, let's get on with my reading in 2020. To be honest, given the clusterfuck that was 2020 I find it a bit miraculous that I managed to read anything. However, I found that more often than not reading made for a nice comfort in the Hard Times.  

  • I continue watching a good amount of media, especially older things. TubiTv has been a fun source to explore. It is kind of like browsing the shelves of a video rental store back in the 1980s or so. You can check what I have been watching and reviewing, my "Media Notes: Roundup" posts under the "film and television" tag in this blog. In addition, this year, to keep better track as well as trying something new I set up a profile in Letterboxd. We'll see how it works out. 
  • I am sticking with the politics and social issues moratorium in reading and media. I have no intention of ending it anytime soon. If anything, I may get more aggressive with it and tune out even more. I find that not tuning into that as much as possible helps me keep the sanity. I am not totally tuned out as I do keep up with news in my RSS feed reader, but aside from that, politics and social issues and activism are not in my books or media radar. 
  • My Tarot and cartomancy studies are going pretty well. As I noted above, I am posting content related to that over at Alchemical Thoughts, and you are all welcome to check it out. I am also posting my daily card draws on Twitter (@bloodravenlib) as well as at the Alchemical Annex. I did take a small break from card draws during my holiday break, but I will be back to it as soon as break ends and I go back to work.
Now we look at what and how I read in 2020. After the list, you will find my comments and remarks. Note that books with an asterisk (*) are rereads.
 
January
 
  • René Goscinny  and Albert Uderzo, Asterix and the Black Gold. 
  • Nicholas Pileggi, Wiseguy.
  • Box Brown, Cannabis. 
  • Robert Scott, Rivers of Blood. 
  • Dan Abnett, Titanicus (Warhammer 40,000 novel).
  • Scott Allie, et.al., Star Wars: Rise of the Sith, Vol. 1 (Marvel Legends Epic Collection).
  • Neil Gaiman, Norse Mythology (audiobook).
  • Davide Avallone, Bettie Page, Vol. 1. 
  • Pippa Cuthbert, Pizza!
  • Seth Grahame-Smith, How to Survive a Horror Movie.
  • Tim Seeley, Bloodshot (2019), Book 1. 
  • Reid Mitenbuler, Bourbon Empire.
 
February
 
  • Jim Davis, Garfield Fat Cat 3-Pack #20. 
  • Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, A Zits Guide to Living With Your Teenager.
  • Kelly Thompson, Star Wars: Captain Phasma (Star Wars: Journey to The Last Jedi).
  • Lon Milo DuQuette, Llewellyn's Complete Book of Ceremonial Magick. 

 
March
 
  • René Goscinny  and Albert Uderzo, Asterix Omnibus, Volume 1. 
  • Fred Minnick, Whiskey Women.
  • Stuart Moore, Captain Ginger, Volume 1. 
  • Stephan Pastis, Pearls Blows Up: A Pearls Before Swine Treasury.
  • Jim Davis, Age Happens: Garfield Hits the Big 4-0.
  • Anthony Louis, Tarot: Plain and Simple.  
 
April
 
  • Jaymi Elford, Tarot Inspired Life.
  • Yoshinori Natsume, Batman: Death Mask. 
  • Melissa Cynova, Tarot Elements. 
  • Jim Davis, Garfield: His 68th Book.*
  • Charles Brandt, I Heard You Paint Houses. 
 
May
 
  • Selwyn Raab, Five Families (audiobook). 
  • Jessica Alaire, Vivid Journey Tarot (deck with companion book).
 
June
 
  • Peter Maas, Underboss (audiobook). 
  • David Morrell, Thrillers: 100 Must Reads. 
  • Sasha Graham, 365 Tarot Spreads. 
  • Bakara Wintner, WTF is Tarot?
 
July
 
  • Sean Gordon Murphy, Batman: White Knight.
  • T.J. English, Where the Bodies Were Buried. 
  • Tom Tomorrow, Life in the Stupidverse.
  • Carlo M. Cipolla,  The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity.
  • Jody Houser,  Faith and the Future Force. 
  • D.L. Hughley, Surrender, White People!
  • David M. Bader, Haikus for Jews.  
  • Heidi Darras (artist) and Barbara Moore (book author), Mystic Dreamer Tarot (kit with book and card deck).
 
August
 
  • Ciro Marchetti, Legacy of the Divine Tarot (deck with companion book).  
  • Naomi S. Baron, Words Onscreen. 
  • Steve Parker, Deathwatch (Warhammer 40,000 novel). 
  • Ange, Patrick Renault, and Charlie Adlard (artist), Vampire State Building.
 
September
 
  • Andrew Beattie, Sleeping Around America.
  • Rachel Harrison, Mark of Faith (Warhammer 40,000 novel).
  • Ripley Entertainment, Inc., Ripley's Believer It or Not (Zenescope series).
  • Bill Campbell, Baaaad Muthaz, Issue 1. 
  • Jody Houser, Faith: Dreamside.   
  • Jim Davis, Garfield Takes His Licks: His 24th Book.*
  • Leeza Robertson, Tarot Healer.  
  • Barbara Meiklejohn-Free, Flavia Kate Peters, and Richard Crookes, Divination of the Ancients  (deck with companion book). 
 
October
 
  • Jim Davis, Garfield Cleans His Plate: His 60th Book.*
  • Adam Chandler, Drive-Thru Dreams.
  • Various authors, Deathwatch: Xenos Hunters (Warhammer 40,000 short fiction anthology).
  • Cavan Scott, Tales from Vader's Castle (Star Wars Adventures). 
  • Jim Davis, Garfield Eats and Runs: His 65th Book.*
  • Justice Howard, Justice Howard's Voodoo. 
  • Jim Davis, Garfield Fat Cat 3-Pack #14.* 
  • Christian Staebler, Redbone. 
  • Henry Hill and Daniel Simone, The Lufthansa Heist (audiobook). 
  • Jim Davis, Garfield Chickens Out: His 61st Book. 
  • Jim Davis, Garfield Nutty as a Fruitcake: His 66th Book.
 
November
 
  • Rachel Kramer Bussel, ed., Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 6.  
  • Jim Davis, Garfield Slurps and Burps: His 67th Book. 
  • Donald Tyson, Essential Tarot Writings. 
  • Sean Murphy Gordon, Batman: Curse of the White Knight. 
  • Simon Spurrier, The Shadow: Leviathan.
  • Jim Davis, Garfield Brings Home the Bacon: His 53rd Book.*
  • Michael Cannell, A Brotherhood Betrayed. 
  • Jim Davis, Garfield Listens to his Gut: His 52nd Book. 
  • Mike Richardson, et.al., Star Wars: Crimson Empire, Volume 1. 
  • Joe Benitez, Marcia Chen, et.al., Lady Mechanika: La Dama de la Muerte.
  • Mike Norton, Lil' Donnie, Volume 1: Executive Privilege.
 
December
 
  • Mark Millar, Hit-Girl in Colombia. 
  • Elliot Adam, Fearless Tarot. 
  • George Carlin, George Carlin Reads to You (audiobook). 
  • Jim Davis, Garfield Easy As Pie: His 69th Book. 
  • Chris Wraight, Bloodlines: an Agusto Zidarov Novel (Warhammer 40,000).
 
 
Number of books reading in 2020: 80, including 5 re-reads.
 
Number of books read in 2019: 72   (the 2019 list).
Number of books read in 2018: 74, including 2 re-reads (the 2018 list).

  
 
Commentaries and thoughts and numbers:
 
  • Total number of books read: 80. Read eight more than last year. Again, I view it as a miracle that I managed to read much in 2020, so beating last year's number even by a little bit is a good thing. I started fairly strong in January, then lost steam over the year then picked up the pace a bit again in October. Part me picking up the pace was making sure I completed my reading challenges for 2020, which I did. I may do a reading challenge or two in 2021, but I am keeping that very minimal. If I do, I will be posting the sign in posts later this month. 
  • Still using GoodReads to keep track of books read. I usually write in some quick impressions on books read, but I post full reviews here on the blog. 
    • On a side note, some of the authors I have worked with want reviews posted on Amazon. While I am OK with that, the Big A(**holes) now have a policy they do not let you post reviews unless you have purchased at least $50 of goods. I found this out the hard way when I went to post a review and suddenly it was not allowed. So for authors out there, I would strongly prefer you do not ask me to post any reviews on Amazon. I am happy to post on GoodReads and on various social media. While I do buy from Amazon once in a while (a curse of living in Bumfuck, USA), it is not often enough for me to qualify for reviews. Besides, to be perfectly honest, given how badly reviews on Amazon get gamed, as a professional librarian, I do not pay attention to those reviews anyhow. 
  • Books re-read: 5, and these were Garfield comics collections. These were mainly comfort reads. 
  • Book challenges completed: 5. See link above. 
  • Best reading month: January with 12 books. 
  • Worst reading month: May with 2 books. 
  • Number of books in print read: 39.
  • Number of e-books (including galleys): 32.
  • Number of audiobooks: 6.
  • Number of graphic novels (includes comics and graphic novels, not manga): 35
  • Number of manga: 1, and the one I read was for one of the reading challenges. This is an area I may try to read some more in 2021.
  • Number of nonfiction:27
  • Number of fiction (not including graphic novels, comics, nor manga): 8
  • Library books: 
    • Public Library (mainly Berea branch of Madison County KY Public Library): 35
      • Hoopla: 3. This year I discovered and started using Hoopla, which here is provided by Madison County (KY) Public Library. The 3 books I read via Hoopla this year were audiobooks. I do have a list of favorites (really the TBR list), so I anticipate using it more in 2021. While still a bit skimpy in selections (I am guessing they get the cheapest package), it has more choices, especially current choices, than Overdrive. It also features graphic novels and comics.
    • Hutchins Library (my workplace): 1
    • Interlibrary Loan (ILL): 2. 
  • Books that I own (or borrowed from another family member in the house): 12. This was enough to complete my TBR Book Challenge for 2020.
  • Books borrowed from anyone else (outside family) or recommended by others: 1 book that was recommended, and that was Words Onscreen. This was also the one book I borrowed from my workplace library that I read. The book was recommended by a colleague. 
    • I never really borrow books from anybody, nor do I lend any of my books. I do read now and then books that others may recommend, but this is rare too. I have so many options to read I rarely need to seek out recommendations from people. I do now and then add recommendations to the TBR list. 
  • Other numbers of interest (to me at least): 
    • Erotica: 1. I finally managed to start reading erotica again this year. I do have one or two more books in this genre, including one I will start reading next week for review, so I hope to read some more in this area in 2021.
    • LIS, including reference works for my work library: 1. I read an article or two in LIS this year but other than that, not much. I am blaming that on COVID.
    • Tarot and oracle: 12, including companion books for some cartomancy decks.
    • Other esoterica/pagan/spirituality: 2
    • NetGalley/Edelweiss: 25 from NetGalley, which was enough to complete my reading challenge from that for 2020. No books from Edelweiss this year.
    • Other books offered for review, i.e. not from NetGalley or Edelweiss. These are books I got from a publisher, author, so on either because I requested them or they were offered to me for review: 2.
    • Books in Spanish: 0. This fell off the side in 2020. I will try to keep an eye out for this in 2021.
    • Crime/true crime: 8
    • Food and drink: 4
    • Poetry: 1

This time last year, I was reading the following books. Links go to my reviews of the books: 

 
 
As we enter into 2021, I am reading the following books: 

  • Ian Watson, The Inquisition War (Warhammer 40,000). This is an omnibus edition of three novels and two short stories. As of this post, I read the first short story and started the first novel. 
  • Richard Ovenden, Burning the Books: a History of the Deliberate Destruction of Knowledge. I borrowed this from the public library before we left for holiday break. I was hoping to have it finished before I returned to work, but it is not a fast reading. It is an interesting book, and I hope to have it finished in a week or so. 
  • Peter Washington, Madame Blavatsky's Baboon: a History of the Mystics, Mediums, and Misfits Who Brought Spiritualism to America. I borrowed this one from my work library to read over the holidays break. I paused reading it when I started Ovenden's book. Ovenden's book is new for the public library, so it is on the 14 day plan, and I will be renewing it. Once I finish that, will get back to Washington's book. 
  • Peter Normanton, ed., The Mammoth Book of Best Horror Comics. This is a reread for me, and I have been reading it in and out at a leisurely pace. Basically read a comic or two here or there. When it comes to big compilation books I tend to read them at a slower pace, more so if the book is mine, which means I do not have to return them somewhere else. Hope to finish it this year. 
  • H.P. Lovecraft, The Complete Fiction. I own this, and it is another leisure read where I pick it up, read a story or two, put it down for a while, come back to it. Aside from the interest in Lovecraft, I am reading this to prepare to work with the Necronomicon Tarot deck, which draws on Lovecraft's work. Also if and when I acquire the Dark Grimoire Tarot, which also draws a bit on Lovecraft, having read his work will be helpful I think. This is one I will finish when I finish. 
    • On a side note, I also have a Sherlock Holmes Tarot deck, and for that, I hope to reread the Sherlock Holmes tales; I do have a complete edition of Conan Doyle's tales. I will probably get to this sometime after I get done with Lovecraft's book. 
  • Rachel Kramer Bussel, ed. Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Volume 2. Recently received review copy. Hope to start it this week. 
I would like to thank my readers for visiting throughout the year and checking out the reviews and other posts. I hope you continue to visit and read in 2021. Stay safe and healthy in 2021 and beyond. To wrap up, as I usually do for this post, here are some links to other folks I found as of this post who are also doing end of year reading lists and surveys, in no particular order:
 

Thank you for reading. Paz y amor. 
 
 

 

 

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