For a long time, I have had trouble taking the time to sit and read. I’m not one of those folks who doesn’t read—but, unless the book is non-fiction, there’s always that internalized voice telling me that I should be doing ‘something more productive’.

Recently, however, I have been trying to change that. I started by finishing Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84, which I first began reading in late 2011 or early 2012, getting maybe three or four chapters in. Eventually, I got rid of the book, figuring I would never get around to reading the whole thing. But then I bought a paperback copy in 2015, this time getting maybe nine or ten chapters in, then reading an additional chapter or two every few months. Finally, I resolved to finish it, which I accomplished a few weeks ago.

Since then, I have read a few more books, and am currently alternating among three (one fiction, one non-fiction, one poetry). So, I thought this was a good time for a recap of the books I have read this year:

Read/Completed

• Holy Robots—Vasilina Orlova
• IQ84—Haruki Murakami
• The Game of Love and Death—Martha Brockenbrough
• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-glass—Lewis Carroll
• Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House—Eric Hodgins
• Different Every Time: The Authorised Biogaraphy of Robert Wyatt—Marcus O’Dair

In progress

• Colour Me in Cyanide & Cherries—Mirjana M. Inalman
• There’s a Riot Going On—Peter Doggett
• The Book of Embraces—Eduardo Galeano

(13 July 2017)