I had a simple 3-point strategy for 2022.
Plan
Reality
Reduce reading target to 80 books to buy out time for a few chunksters
Read 97 including 2 > 800 page chunksters. DNF’ed a third at 500 pages.
Choose at least 50% of my reading from the pre-2022 TBR.
49%
Purchase allowance is 1 book for each three read or culled.
I’d have managed this, but for a 10-book splurge in December. Nevertheless I reduced purchases by one third.
While not resounding, I’m going to call that a success. I aimed at the target, even if I didn’t quite find the bullseye.
More statistics for those so minded:
- Books read : Number reviewed 97:69
- Library Books : Purchases : Review Copies 4:59:34
- Anglophone originals : Translated from 12 languages 52:45
- Translated from German : Read in German 29:0 (Oh dear)
- Number of countries afforded virtual visits: 21
- Number of publishing imprints read: 65
- Favourite publishers (in terms of numbers read): I spread myself thinly around publishers in 2022. Still Canongate, and V&Q Books scored 3 with Faber and Faber and Orenda Books scoring 4. (All indy publishers too.)
- Number read from pre-2022 TBR: 48
- Number of 2022 releases/reissues: 49
Best Reading of 2022
- An Author to get hooked on: E T A Hoffmann
- Best Anthology and Poetry Book: Books and Libraries
- Best Audiobook and Historical Fiction: A Place of Greater Safety – Hilary Mantel
- Best Contemporary Novel Paper Cup – Karen Campbell
- Best Crime Novel: The Rabbit Factor – Antti Tuomainen
- Best German (language) novel: Hinterland – Arno Geiger
- Best Non-Fiction and Most Chilling Read: The Grey Men, Pursuing the Stasi into The Present – Ralph Hope
- Best Satire of the Literary World: Sour Grapes – Dan Rhodes
- Best Supporting Act by A Cat: Odesa At Dawn – Sally McGrane
- Best Swashbuckling Scottish Adventure: Rose Nicolson – Andrew Greig
- Most Entertaining Delve Into The Nitty Gritty of Literary Translation: Catching Fire – Daniel Hahn
- The Sweetest Most Heartwarming Fairy Tale: Lampie – Annet Schaap
Book of The Year
Not an easy decision. The anthology of poems about books and libraries is obviously the one that spoke to me the most and the one to beat. But then I began to wonder if it is fair to pitch the brains of all those bookworms against the genius storytelling of just one woman, enhanced by Jonathan Keeble’s sterling audio performance. Given that I “read” the audiobook with a view to removing the physical chunkster from my shelves, then didn’t because it is just too brilliant to part with, I decided it is only right and proper to adorn Hilary Mantel’s A Place of Greater Safety with Lizzy’s 2022 Book of Year sash. I’d best not use the crown to avoid the risk of being hauled before a tribunal by all those French revolutionaries!
Lizzy’s Literary Life (Volume 2) 
I like the simplicity of your three point plan. I know achieving it wasn’t as simple but it did give you some clear direction. I’m thinking of borrowing your approach for my 2023 plans, particularly the one about reading what I already have on the shelves.
What are you planning for 23 or have you not yet decided??
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Planning for 2023 is difficult – there’s a huge challenge awaiting. More of which on Monday …
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Now you have me desperately trying to guess what this will be LOL
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Impressed by your discipline! Wishing you another great reading year in 2023 🙂
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Congratulations for reaching your goals ! and best wishes for this new year! Your review of Arno Geiger’s book made me add it to my own TBR, we’ll see if I can buy and read it this year.
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Delighted to hear it. He’s a wonderful author, and deserves to be much better known in the Anglophone world.
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Impressive statistics, and reaching your goals. Wish you another good reading year.
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A good post and well done for achieving those goals. My best friend went off-wishlist and gave me Sour Grapes for Christmas, she loved it and is somewhat less enmeshed in the literary world than I am, so I hope I will, too! Happy reading for 2023!
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