I have a few books I want to read in 2021, but probably not enough to see me through the year. So the purpose of this post is to try to get the ideas flowing and come up with a few authors that I have neglected.
I haven’t yet decided which, but I am planning to re-read either Mansfield Park or Persuasion. I read both several decades ago so have only the vaguest memories of them. I also plan to read another Dickens novel, again not sure which one, there is such an extraordinarily rich choice. I have narrowed it down to Great Expectations or Bleak House, both of which are pretty substantial books which will probably take me a month or more.
If 2021 is anywhere near as bad as 2020 then I will need some light entertainment. I should finish my Pratchett re-read, with only three novels in the Discworld series (Raising Steam, Snuff, and I Shall Wear Midnight) to go. I am particularly looking forward to Midnight – my admiration for the Tiffany Aching novels has been growing steadily as I work through the series. If things get really bad I might even return to Hogwarts.
Another plan is to read at least two Booker prize winning novels. That way the ratio of books read to books to be read will improve by a factor of one – unless the judges award the prize to two novels again I suppose! I have Milkman and Wolf Hall by my bedside already, but I may also try this year’s winner, Shuggie Bain.
I am not going to put a total books read target on myself this year – it’s pointless, I will read what I read. Remarkably I seem to have read about 70 books last year, which seems an extraordinary number. I read several non-fiction books without any particular pattern or order to them, and I suspect that will happen again in a haphazard way, partly at least depending on what people buy me! One thing I made a conscious effort to do this year was read people I hadn’t read before – authors like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Penelope Fitzgerald, and Maggie O’Farrell – and that worked reasonably well, so I will try to keep that up.
Just one last thing – I am not going to review my reviews from 2020. It is a year to forget and just put behind us, but the best book I read all year, one which blew me away, was Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet. I appreciate that it has received a lot of hype over the year, which might put people off, (it certainly would normally have that effect on me) but it was magnificent.
Having said all that I would love some recommendations – what was your favourite book of 2020?
The Reading Bug 
I’ve read a few good ones this year, and I hope to finish the short one I’m currently reading before the year is out. https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2020/57240969
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Rating wise John Boyne’s A Ladder to the Sky got five stars from me. But I’d say Neon Girls and Three Tigers, One Mountain (both nonfiction) are more memorable. Good luck with your 2021 reading plans. I also hope to read more Booker winners/ shortlisted novels next year.
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Thanks for the interesting recommendations.
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If I’m allowed a vote on your Austen-ing this year, it would be for Mansfield Park! I reread one of her books every January, and Mansfield Park is up next. I’d love to hear your take on it! I only read it once probably 15 years ago, and it’s my least favorite of her novels, so I’m really curious to see how my impressions of it evolve (if at all). 🙂
A couple of my favorite reads this year were My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand (the audiobook is incredible) and Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff. Also, you’ll be happy to learn I read my first Terry Pratchett this year (I started with The Color of Magic) and really enjoyed it!
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Colour of Magic is one of his weakest novels in the series, so the fact you enjoyed it is encouraging. Will definitely choose Mansfield Park if you are reading it as well. Thanks for the other recommendations- will check them out.
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Good to know re: Color of Magic! I have a few other Discworld novels on my shelf already, including the first Tiffany Aching one (I believe), so I’m looking forward to those.
Excited to buddy read Mansfield Park! I’ll probably start it mid-January and look out for your post(s) whenever you get to it.
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The Tiffany Aching novels are marketed as being for younger readers, and the protagonist herself is pre-teen, but I think that’s deceptive. I strongly suspect these are some of Sir Terry’s best work, with a remarkable depth and sense of humanity. Like most of his series they get better as well. PS Have ordered my copy of MP already!
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I’m working through re-reads of Austen and Pratchett too! I’ve been re-reading a lot more lately.
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I think it must be a symptom of lockdown – looking for comfort reads. Speaking of which I must look out my copy of Cold Comfort Farm, the mother of all comfort reads.
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Favorite book of 2020 was The Underground Railroad by Coldon Whitehead
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Looks good – thanks for the recommendation.
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I would vote for Persuasion – Mansfield Park I found rather dull. Great Expectations is much easier to understand than Bleak House – I got completely lost with the plot of that one….
My favourite books for 2020? Hamnet will be one of them!
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My votes would be to read Bleak House, one of my favourite books of all time and Persuasion. Both are amazing novels and am curious which book you will choose.
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I think it’s going to be Bleak House and Mansfield Park.
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