History, True or Feigned: January 2023

Four years ago, a friend of mine posted a list of the books they had read that year. I thought this was a great idea so I've been posting such a list myself, first on Facebook, now on my blog. I find it a very useful exercise in self-reflection - though I suspect it is also another example of my narcissism. 😏

If others make similar lists, I'd love to see them! 😀 You can read what I read in 2019, 2020, and 2021 at the links.

For me, the list is not about "keeping score" - if you read more books then I did, good for you but that's really not the point of reading, in my opinion. Rather, this about deep reading, considering what we've read in multiple ways, reflecting on it, and allowing us to really digest the material. The list provides a "year in review", a means for me to look back over the last year with the markers that tend to stick in my brain: the books I was reading. It also helps me to guide my reading for the next year.
Looking over this year's list (see below), these trends stood out:

# of Rereads: 29 (I've marked rereads below with an *)
# Military History reads: 7
# of fantasy works: 47
# by or about Tolkien or Inklings: 11
# related to Lovecraft or the Mythos: 6
# Frigate Navy period reads: 5
# Thieves' World & related: 8
# of Harry Potter works: 11
# of holiday reads: 10
# historical fiction reads: 5
# World War II reads: 3

So, rereads are around 50%, a bit higher then the last two years but some of those are books I haven't read in over 40 years. I also reread the entire Harry Potter series, which I haven't done since the series ended. It was very enjoyable. I also finished rereading the original Thieves' World anthologies, also super enjoyable.

I finished pretty much all of the works by Jonathon Howard available now, which is a shame because he is such an enjoyable author. I continued my yearly hunt for holiday works that touch me, but didn't find anything new that really did so. Some enjoyable reads, but none that enthralled me in the same manner that beloved works like A Christmas Carol or The Dark is Rising did.

I continued tracking down works from my childhood, this time finding more "We were there" books, and I read some new Tolkien and I finally read some Charles Williams, expanding my Inklings knowledge.

Since I'm working with a Thieves' World RPG publisher it will continue to be part of my reading in 2023. I've also decided to start the new year by rereading some military and Marine history books. Beyond that, I'm not quite certain which way my reading will head in 2023.

I am sure that I will soon long for magic, as I often do, and I will hope for something new but will probably end up rereading one of my old favorites to catch that spark.

My biggest regret looking back is that I haven't published a new book myself since 2019. That year I published 2 books and 2 professional articles. But I haven't published since, and I know my current book is very unlikely to be finished soon enough to come out in 2023. I have a lot of projects in the works as a historian and one as a game designer so hopefully in the next few years I'll be able to once again talk about what I've published.

What I read in 2022:

1. The Fall of the House of Cabal by Jonathan L. Howard
2. Thieves World #7:The Dead of Winter edited by Robert Lynn Asprin & Lynn Abbey*
3. The Nature of Middle-earth by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Carl F. Hostetter

4. The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley

5. The Fall of Gondolin by J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien*

6. The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien*

7. The History of Middle Earth: The War of the Jewels by J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien*

8. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien*

9. The History of the Hobbit, Part 1: Mr. Baggins by John D. Rateliff*

10. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien*

11. The History of the Hobbit: Return to Bag-End by John D. Rateliff*

12. Thieves World #8: Soul of the City edited by Robert Lynn Asprin & Lynn Abbey*

13. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien*