Reading Log: 2023

 A Year of Books

Books From My Past: photo by Cliff Hutson

The past year was a slow one in terms of the number of books that I read, a total of a mere fifty. This paled in comparison to local writer David Allen who's total was 63 books: 33 fiction, 30 nonfiction. However, I’m apparently in the top 1% of people in the USA as a reader of 50 books or more. So, I seem to be noteworthy after all.

The reader of this blog will already have noted that each month I post a "log" of the books I read in the prior month. What follows is a unified list:

1. "Zone One," Colson Whitehead 
2. "Dignity," Ken Layne
3. "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator," Edwin Lefèvre 
4. "The Old Gringo," Carlos Fuentes 
5. "Sea of Tranquility," Emily St. John Mandel
6. "The Plot," Jean Hanff Korelitz 
7. "Gaia," James Lovelock
8. "The Big Ones: How Natural Disasters Have Shaped Us," Dr. Lucy Jones
9. "The Afrominimalist's Guide to Living with Less,' Christine Platt
10. "The Forgotten Man." Robert Crais
11. "Racing the Light," Robert Crais
12. "Baseline Road," Orlando Davidson
13. "Myth America," edited by Kevin M. Kruse and Julian E. Zelizer
14. "Rugby for Dummies," Mathew Brown, Patrick Guthrie, Greg Growden 
15. "The Unknown American Exodus," Natalie Goodrich Amato 
16. "The Moving Target," Ross Macdonald
17. "No Plan B," Lee Child and Andrew Child
18. "Picnic in the Ruins," Todd Robert Petersen 
19. "Swamp Story," Dave Barry
20. "The Drowning Pool," Ross Macdonald
21. "Soccer for Dummies," Tom Dunmore and Scott Murray
22. "Chasing Giants," Zeb Hogan and Stefan Lovgren 
23. "Clean," James Hamblin 
24. "The Empty Copper Sea," John D. MacDonald
25. "Righteous Prey," John Sandford
26. "Black in White Space," Elijah Anderson
27. "IQ," Joe Ide
28. "The Green Ripper," John D. MacDonald
29. "Free Fall in Crimson," John D. MacDonald
30. "Cinnamon Skin,"  John D. MacDonald
31. "The Lonely Silver Rain,"  John D. MacDonald
32. "Harlem Shuffle," Colson Whitehead
33. "The History of White People," Nell Irvin Painter
34. "The Complete Guide to Mysterious Beings," John A. Keel
35. "Crook Manifesto," Colson Whitehead
36. "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law," Mary Roach
37. "Judgement Prey," John Sandford
38. "Naming Nature: The Clash Between Instinct and Science," Carol Kaesuk Yoon
39. "War and Peace and War: The Rise and Fall of Empires," Peter Turchin
40. "The Ninth Inning," A.J. Stewart
41. "Big Thaw," A.J. Stewart
42. "Devil's Backbone," A.J. Stewart
43. "Below the Belt," A.J. Stewart
44. "Making the Drop,"  A.J. Stewart
45. "Chasing the Ghost Bear: on the Trail of America's Lost Super Beast," Mike Stark
46. "The Gods of Guilt," Michael Connelly
47. "True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America," Betsy Gaines Quammen
48. "Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains," Bethany Brookshire
49. "Hondo," Louis L'Amour 
50. "Out There: The Science Behind Sci-Fi Film and TV," Ariel Waldman 

How was your own year in reading? What are your reading goals for 2024? Comment if you like. I'm listening.

 

Presidents' Day

Or,  Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday

Flag with Cat: photo by Cliff Hutson

I am more than old enough to remember when most of the USA celebrated two separate presidential birthdays  -  Abraham Lincoln's on February 12 and George Washington's on February 22. Nowadays, the third Monday of the month is a day to honor one or the other, both, and/or any other president. 

Additionally, it seems that some of the traditional observances have fallen by the wayside. No longer do we hear much talk of splitting rails or honesty. Nor, are there as many sales on cherry pies. I might miss that the most. 

Cherry Pie: photo by Cliff Hutson

Supper Bowl

 A Bowl Day, a Slow Day

It should be no surprise to my faithful reader that I sometimes have trouble arriving at at idea for for something to post for this little weekly blog. This weekend was no exception.  I spent yesterday immersed in a combined celebration of the Lunar New Year and Super Bowl Sunday. So, that gave me a reason to procrastinate. 

This morning the muse was still not with me. Then I discovered that today is National Football Hangover Day. But, that led nowhere as I don't have a photograph that could do justice to that topic. However, turning to my online subscription to The Guardian I found this amusing, bowl related, article.

Emma Beddington may be a bit over the top. I have never been to Sweetgreen, there isn't one close to me. But, a quick search showed that the one near my granddaughter's new apartment actually has plates on its menu. However, I also searched my archive of food photography and found that I frequently turn to bowls in my own cooking.

So, here is a random selection of bowls, super or not:

By the way, I was satisfied with the outcome of yesterday's game.

All writing and images ©Cliff Hutson unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission.

Reading Log: January 2024

 The books that I finished reading in the month of January 2024:

January 2024 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

"The Hammer of God," Arthur C. Clark

"My Gun Has Bullets," Lee Goldberg

"Dead Space," Lee Goldberg

Cliff's Notes

"Hammer"

An amateur astronomer discovers an asteroid that is on a collision course with earth. Then the race is on to see if disaster can be averted.

An interesting point is made that a willingness to accept risk is what makes life worthwhile. 

"Gun"

A Beverly Hills police officer is shot by the star of a popular TV show, during a routine traffic stop. The studio buys his silence by making him the star of his own program. Murder, mayhem, and some hilarity ensue.

"Space"

A sequel, of sorts, to "My Gun Has Bullets". Charlie Willis has abandoned his acting career to handle "special security" for the studio. It is not quite as entertaining, in my humble opinion. However, it does provide an interesting look behind the scenes of the network television industry.