So for the last couple of years, I have set a New Year’s Reading Resolution for myself, along with a couple of friends. We read books that fit in certain categories, in an attempt to push the boundaries of our reading habits, and write up little reviews of what we have read. As the year is starting fresh with a new list, I have decided to share my book reviews here, to hopefully spark some good literary discussion in 2018.
In addition, I am giving myself the extra challenge of a movie-watching list as well; I will be the first to admit that I have lost the determination to sit down for full movies, and I hope this will push me to try more of the medium over the course of the year.
If you would like to try this list for yourself, feel free to jump in. I will be updating this post as I complete parts of the list. I wish you all a happy year full of good reading and viewing!
2018 Reading Resolution
- A book written in North/Central America: Awfully Devoted Women: Lesbian Lives in Canada, 1900-65 by Cameron Duder
- A book written in South America: How I Became a Nun by César Aira
- A book written in East Asia: My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi
- A book written in South Asia: Marriage of a Thousand Lies by SJ Sindu
- A book written in Africa: The Hairdresser of Harare by Tendai Huchu
- A book written in the Middle East: The Teeth of the Comb & Other Stories by Osama Alomar
- A book written in Australia/Oceania : The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
- A book written in Europe/Russia: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
- A book recommended by someone: Sourdough by Robin Sloan
- A biography: Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame by Mara Wilson
- A non-fiction book: On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City by Alice Goffman
- A collection of short stories: Biketopia: Feminist Bicycle Science Fiction Stories in Extreme Futures edited by Elly Blue
- A collection of poetry: Don’t Call Us Dead by Danez Smith
- A play: Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Shanley
- A graphic novel: Bitch Planet: Volume One by Kelly Sue DeConnick, illustrated by Valentine De Landro
- A book older than 100 years: The Knight of the Burning Pestle by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher
- A debut novel: Behrouz Gets Lucky by Avery Cassell
- A novel by a famous author, other than the one(s) they are best known for: Lady Windermere’s Fan by Oscar Wilde
- A book we have lied about reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
- A book we read in high school/college and hated: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
- A book we read in high school/college/law school and loved: Stop Kiss by Diana Son
- A book by an author you have never given a fair shot: The Shining by Stephen King
- A 2017-2018 New York Times bestseller: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
- A book you’ve started but never finished: The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat
- Wild Card: The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston
List Progress: 25/25
2018 Film Watching Resolution
- A foreign film:
- A black and white film:
- A silent or dialogue-free film:
- An animated film:
- A film based on a true story: Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (2017)
- A documentary:
- A film based on a book: Room (2015)
- An Oscar-winning movie: No Country for Old Men (2007)
- A trashy movie (B-list, straight to DVD): The Decoy Bride (2012)
- Your best friend’s favorite movie:
- A children’s film: The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
- A film released in 2018: Love, Simon (2018)
List Progress: 6/12