The Curious Autodidact

snowy nature

Many years ago a friend I worked with showed me a little book she carried around in her bag that detailed her book list. There was a list of what she’d read, what she thought about it, and what books she hoped to read. It was a revelation to me to keep a list of what books I had read, but I thought it was a bright idea so I have tried to keep my own list up to date ever since. Each December or January I review that list and put a star by the books I thought were the most outstanding and send it to my close friends who are also readers.

It is interesting years later to look back on these lists and think of where I was when I read whatever it was or to look back on the patterns of reading. I noticed this year I have already read several books by the same author, what does that say?

Goodreads is a website that puts this into a high-tech computerized version and allows you to share widely, or more narrowly, your list of books. It also has a section where you can trader books or read other people’s impressions of a book you are thinking of reading or have just read. It’s an interesting site to get lost in and you’d be amazed how many of your friends may already subscribe. Check it out and ignore the links to Amazon and Barnes and Noble and instead proudly support an independent bookstore like Elliott Bay Book Company, Powell’s Books, or The Strand Bookstore.