2017 is the first year I read the entire field of the Tournament of Books, which I'd been trying to do for a couple of years prior, so that's excellent. Of course, I just finished the last one in mid-December for an event that takes place in March, so new goal for 2018: read the field before the tournament is over.

My favorite novel I read was [b:Homegoing|27071490|Homegoing|Yaa Gyasi|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1448108591s/27071490.jpg|47113792] by Yaa Gyasi, a Ghanaian-Alabaman. Chapter by chapter it traces the generations descended from two half-sisters in 18th Century Ghana, one sold into slavery and shipped to America and one continuing to live in Ghana. Gyasi brought a lot of memorable voices and stories to life and I enjoyed traveling through time with them.

I read a couple of great books of poetry, [b:Viper Rum|217401|Viper Rum (Penguin Poets)|Mary Karr|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1309282803s/217401.jpg|3162500] by Mary Karr as part of a weekly group session, and [b:Mr Cogito|269508|Mr Cogito|Zbigniew Herbert|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1266511012s/269508.jpg|1013375] by Zbigniew Herbert, which a reference in Karr's book lead me to. So Viper Rum really gets double points for that.

I made minuscule progress in my efforts to read all the novels of Dickens and Nabokov. [b:Barnaby Rudge|11026|Barnaby Rudge|Charles Dickens|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1309202834s/11026.jpg|1495598] was my only Dickens and [b:Invitation to a Beheading|376561|Invitation to a Beheading|Vladimir Nabokov|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1405182507s/376561.jpg|4479600] was my only Nabokov. Neither one will be among my favorites from their respective authors. Better luck next year!

I made it maybe halfway through [b:Infinite Jest|6759|Infinite Jest|David Foster Wallace|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446876799s/6759.jpg|3271542] thanks to a Twitter read-a-long (was fun while it lasted, Angel!) and like to think I would have kept going if life hadn't gotten in the way. But I have little desire to pick it back up, so, maybe not.

Oh, and I've got 35 books and 9,300 pages chalked up to my account, 11 days before the year expires. Let's go. ( )

I easily made my overall goal of 60 books this year, standing at 73 today with a month or so to go in 2017. My sub-goals, not so much! Here's my summary.

My five-star books this year:
[b:The Name of the Rose|119073|The Name of the Rose|Umberto Eco|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1415375471s/119073.jpg|3138328]
[b:Cloud Atlas|49628|Cloud Atlas|David Mitchell|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406383769s/49628.jpg|1871423]
[b:The Water Knife|23209924|The Water Knife|Paolo Bacigalupi|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1411059576s/23209924.jpg|25129883]
[b:Who Fears Death|7767021|Who Fears Death|Nnedi Okorafor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348469489s/7767021.jpg|7036603]
[b:Anathem|2845024|Anathem|Neal Stephenson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1488349209s/2845024.jpg|6163095]
[b:The Fifth Season|19161852|The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1)|N.K. Jemisin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386803701s/19161852.jpg|26115977]
[b:The Shadow of the Wind|1232|The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #1)|Carlos Ruiz Zafón|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1344545047s/1232.jpg|3209783]
[b:Grendel|195931|Grendel|John Gardner|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1278031570s/195931.jpg|1348308]
[b:Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa|28092838|Absolutely on Music Conversations with Seiji Ozawa|Haruki Murakami|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482476628s/28092838.jpg|48095356]

My goals stated at the start of the year--NONE of them accomplished:

"Again this year I will read 12 classics and 12 nonfiction, and I'm adding: 12 that have been on my shelf unread. There will likely be some overlap. Edited to add: And just for fun, I'll binge read Noir mysteries by Hammett and Chandler."

Twelve Classics
[b:Grendel|195931|Grendel|John Gardner|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1278031570s/195931.jpg|1348308]
[b:Kidnapped|16103379|Kidnapped|Robert Louis Stevenson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1350959721s/16103379.jpg|963266]
[b:The Maltese Falcon|29999|The Maltese Falcon|Dashiell Hammett|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1306421260s/29999.jpg|980184]
[b:The Call of Cthulhu|15730101|The Call of Cthulhu|H.P. Lovecraft|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1377787655s/15730101.jpg|25692046]

Twelve Nonfiction

[b:The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World|23995249|The Invention of Nature Alexander von Humboldt's New World|Andrea Wulf|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452449264s/23995249.jpg|43595986]
[b:The Log from the Sea of Cortez|4803|The Log from the Sea of Cortez|John Steinbeck|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347101321s/4803.jpg|1357995]
[b:While We're Here: China Stories from a Writers' Colony|28592644|While We're Here China Stories from a Writers' Colony|Alec Ash|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455764974s/28592644.jpg|48761315]
[b:Not a Scientist: How Politicians Mistake, Misrepresent, and Utterly Mangle Science|30231797|Not a Scientist How Politicians Mistake, Misrepresent, and Utterly Mangle Science|Dave Levitan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482768585s/30231797.jpg|50692563]
[b:The Grand Design|8520362|The Grand Design|Stephen Hawking|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320558363s/8520362.jpg|13383926]
[b:Lucy's Legacy: The Quest for Human Origins|3419049|Lucy's Legacy The Quest for Human Origins|Donald C. Johanson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320408255s/3419049.jpg|3459512]
[b:Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa|28092838|Absolutely on Music Conversations with Seiji Ozawa|Haruki Murakami|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482476628s/28092838.jpg|48095356]

Twelve Off the Shelf
[b:The Log from the Sea of Cortez|4803|The Log from the Sea of Cortez|John Steinbeck|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347101321s/4803.jpg|1357995]
[b:Perdido Street Station|68494|Perdido Street Station (Bas-Lag, #1)|China Miéville|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1393537963s/68494.jpg|3221410]
[b:The Name of the Rose|119073|The Name of the Rose|Umberto Eco|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1415375471s/119073.jpg|3138328]

Binge read of Detective Noir
[b:The Thin Man|80616|The Thin Man|Dashiell Hammett|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1321111302s/80616.jpg|1336952]
[b:The Maltese Falcon|29999|The Maltese Falcon|Dashiell Hammett|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1306421260s/29999.jpg|980184]
[b:Farewell, My Lovely|2050|Farewell, My Lovely (Philip Marlowe, #2)|Raymond Chandler|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465778099s/2050.jpg|1263111]
[b:The Big Sleep|2052|The Big Sleep (Philip Marlowe, #1)|Raymond Chandler|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1371584712s/2052.jpg|1222673] ( )

Looking back, this year in reading has exceeded my expectations. I set a goal to read 52 books, and finished with 110! I wrote a review for each book read. I also made many new friends on Goodreads, and started participating in the online book clubs, which has resulted in an ever-expanding TBR list. I started applying for ARCs from NetGalley, and setup a blog. I never would have predicted any of this at the start of 2017.

I gave five stars to 12 books. Surprisingly, all were fiction, which has not been the case in prior years.
Favorite Fiction of 2017
1. [b:The Nix|28251002|The Nix|Nathan Hill|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474083394s/28251002.jpg|48287604] by [a:Nathan Hill|15376492|Nathan Hill|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1466448151p2/15376492.jpg]
2. [b:The Goldfinch|17333223|The Goldfinch|Donna Tartt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1451554970s/17333223.jpg|24065147] by [a:Donna Tartt|8719|Donna Tartt|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1409871301p2/8719.jpg]
3. [b:The Queen of the Night|17912498|The Queen of the Night|Alexander Chee|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460425080s/17912498.jpg|2923071] by [a:Alexander Chee|158735|Alexander Chee|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1185550140p2/158735.jpg]
4. [b:A Gentleman in Moscow|29430012|A Gentleman in Moscow|Amor Towles|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459524472s/29430012.jpg|45743836] by [a:Amor Towles|4536964|Amor Towles|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1472937967p2/4536964.jpg]
5. [b:Love and Other Consolation Prizes|33566868|Love and Other Consolation Prizes|Jamie Ford|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498672456s/33566868.jpg|54361389] by [a:Jamie Ford|1421619|Jamie Ford|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1263400707p2/1421619.jpg]
6. [b:Burial Rites|17333319|Burial Rites|Hannah Kent|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1384207446s/17333319.jpg|21943144] by [a:Hannah Kent|6569504|Hannah Kent|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1470708527p2/6569504.jpg]
7. [b:The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto|25142924|The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto|Mitch Albom|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1426364478s/25142924.jpg|44611588] by [a:Mitch Albom|2331|Mitch Albom|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1368640552p2/2331.jpg]
8. [b:Remember Ben Clayton|10659750|Remember Ben Clayton|Stephen Harrigan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320532521s/10659750.jpg|15568942] by [a:Stephen Harrigan|285026|Stephen Harrigan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1371510362p2/285026.jpg]
9. [b:The Immortalists|30288282|The Immortalists|Chloe Benjamin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493015963s/30288282.jpg|50766250] by [a:Chloe Benjamin|15968276|Chloe Benjamin|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1482438426p2/15968276.jpg]
10. [b:The Ice House|34496926|The Ice House|Laura Lee Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493843134s/34496926.jpg|55620012] by [a:Laura Lee Smith|3912697|Laura Lee Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1500663502p2/3912697.jpg]
11. [b:News of the World|25817493|News of the World|Paulette Jiles|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1440342988s/25817493.jpg|45674421] by [a:Paulette Jiles|70102|Paulette Jiles|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1346771427p2/70102.jpg]
12. [b:Mudbound|2138727|Mudbound|Hillary Jordan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1296591096s/2138727.jpg|2144215] by [a:Hillary Jordan|972440|Hillary Jordan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1309993394p2/972440.jpg]

Favorite Non-fiction of 2017:
1. [b:The Boys of Summer|137787|The Boys of Summer|Roger Kahn|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348083600s/137787.jpg|531334] by [a:Roger Kahn|75097|Roger Kahn|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]
2. [b:Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption|20342617|Just Mercy A Story of Justice and Redemption|Bryan Stevenson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1420795201s/20342617.jpg|28323940] by [a:Bryan Stevenson|4396806|Bryan Stevenson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1416790038p2/4396806.jpg]
3. [b:Charlatan: America's Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam|1851568|Charlatan America's Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam|Pope Brock|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406848943s/1851568.jpg|2836152] by [a:Pope Brock|93845|Pope Brock|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1280370358p2/93845.jpg]
4. [b:In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex|17780|In the Heart of the Sea The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex|Nathaniel Philbrick|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1335902168s/17780.jpg|1640941] by [a:Nathaniel Philbrick|1641|Nathaniel Philbrick|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1227057661p2/1641.jpg]
5. [b:The Race for Timbuktu: In Search of Africa's City of Gold|9930|The Race for Timbuktu In Search of Africa's City of Gold|Frank T. Kryza|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347384281s/9930.jpg|12681] by [a:Frank T. Kryza|6480|Frank T. Kryza|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]
6. [b:Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival|18085481|Astoria John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival|Peter Stark|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1385351103s/18085481.jpg|25396116] by [a:Peter Stark|73962|Peter Stark|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png]
7. [b:Shadow Divers|9530|Shadow Divers|Robert Kurson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1166028017s/9530.jpg|1267146] by [a:Robert Kurson|6243|Robert Kurson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1425482225p2/6243.jpg]

I keep stats on my reading:
36% non-fiction
64% fiction

54% male authors
44% female authors
2% multiple/other

By # pages:
2% - 68% - 201-400
26% - 401-600
4% - 601-800

Shortest: 165 pages
Longest: 774 pages
Average: 337 pages

Total # Pages: 41,421

# Ratings by Stars:
5 - 11 (11%)
4 - 61 (54%)
3 - 33 (30%)
2 - 4 (3%)
1 - 2 (2%)

Next year, I plan to read at least 72 books, and continue participating in the Goodreads online community. Happy New Year and Happy Reading to all!

امسال با توجه به این‌که رشته‌م تئاتر بود خودم رو بیش از پیش غرق کتاب‌های نظری یا عملی تئاتر و سینما کردم و شاید 30 تا نمایشنامه خوندم... البته هر چند نمایش قوت غالب کتاب‌های امسال (و بلکه حتی سال بعد) بود اما یکی دو تا رمان خیلی خوب مثل ابله، آناکارنینا یا بار هستی رو خوندم که خیلی وسط کتاب‌های یکسان بهم چسبید... در کل سال بدی نبود اما امیدوارم سال بعد خیلی پربارتر از امسال باشه ( )

2017 was the year that I tried really hard to get back into reading (I only read 20 books in 2016, I blame it on getting a serious full-time job and being brain dead after work most days). I ended the year at 44 books, which is pretty good, all things considering, even though a few were graphic novels/manga or really short books.

My goal at the beginning of the year was to read through my unread owned books, of which I started a bunch, but finally only completed 3 and one of which was a manga that I had previously read online. Oh well, better than nothing. The 3 I did read were all very enjoyable. Maybe I'll fair better in 2018.

I found a new favourite for original m/m this year, a series, no less! Whyborne and Griffin series by Jordan L. Hawke was a really great surprise. I had previous read the first novel, but had entirely forgotten about it.

Another significant book was [b:Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow: Discovering Your Right Livelihood|992639|Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow Discovering Your Right Livelihood|Marsha Sinetar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1432598428s/992639.jpg|1070904] which gave me the push I needed to quit my job and pursue something else I've been thinking about for a long time now.