Each year, some of the GeekDad writers make their reading resolutions, and at this time of year, we take stock of how the reading year went. Back in October Jonathan, Jenny, and Mar all updated us on how theirs were coming along. Thanks to a busy schedule, I missed the post, so it’s left to me, at the end of the year, to report back on how my reading went.
Is This the Real Life?
2023 is the year I made reading the focus of my hobby life. I’ve always been torn between playing and reviewing games or reading and reviewing books. For the last couple of years, I felt like I didn’t have the balance right. I’ve been chasing ‘being the next big thing” in game reviews on YouTube, with very little success. I’ve reviewed some games on GeekDad, but I’m not as prolific a reviewer as Jonathan, Rob, Paul, or Michael, the four of whom all contribute so many excellent game reviews to the site, as well as putting together the GeekDad game of the year shortlist. (I note with some envy that Jonathan manages to contribute to both fields, but some of us just aren’t destined for reviewing greatness.)
About mid-way through 2023 I realized that it was books that I was the most passionate about—the opportunity to transport myself to other worlds and become immersed in interesting ideas and concepts. I love reading.
The problem with deciding to read more books is that it doesn’t necessarily lead to more reviews. The more I read, the more books there are to review. It becomes increasingly difficult to write about every book I’ve enjoyed. To help with this, I have started a new venture in which I can share the joy of books.
Still very much in its infancy, I have created a new YouTube channel called “In the Book Garden.” It feels easier to record short reviews of books than it is to find time for the long-form reviews I write for GeekDad. I talk much faster than I type! It’s not a perfect solution. I haven’t recorded any new video since November, as life still gets in the way. The longer written reviews, also give me more space to drill into why I like a particular book and explore its themes and plots in greater depth.
One surprising side effect of doing the channel is that it’s made me look at my garden in a whole new way. I’m a pretty poor gardener, largely using benign neglect as my overreaching philosophy, but I love the space I have. Marrying this with books has given me a whole new appreciation of the beauty of the domestic UK garden.
Or Is This Just Fantasy?
My main reading resolution was to read more fantasy books. 35 years ago my diet consisted solely of fantasy but as I got older I diversified. Diversity is good, and I still like to read as widely as possible, but I realized that I rarely read fantasy anymore. I read more fantasy novels in 2023 than I had for many a year and I’m so glad I did because at least 3 of the contenders for my book of the year are fantasy novels (You’ll have to wait for the forthcoming GeekDad Books of the Year post to find out which ones).
There was a time when I felt that just about every fantasy book I picked up was too arch and knowing. The books I read this year were deftly plotted with real characters and storylines that often held up parallels to our world. This is exactly what I want from my fiction and why in recent years I’ve gravitated towards science fiction writers.
One resolution I very much enjoyed was reading Susie Dent’s Word Perfect. This book has an entry per day. An interesting word and the story behind it. More often than not the word will have something to do with the the date or time of year. For example, the entry for today was “Merryneum:” the point where time stretches between Christmas and New Year. Not only was the book excellent, it was very different from anything I’d read before, and I loved the discipline of reading an entry every night before turning out the lights. It’s a tradition I’m going to continue into 2024.
One unexpected reading treat was that after reading him The Hobbit, last year, my son wanted me to read The Lord of the Rings to him. I expected him to bail on me before the end, or, to be honest, before The Old Forest, but he stuck through it. I’d be lying if I said I’d never discovered him asleep when I reached the end of the session, but in the main he very much enjoyed it. I had wondered if I’d ever read the book again, as I have enough trouble with getting through my reading pile without rereading massive tomes. I’m so glad I did.
It’s quite an amazing book to read aloud, although you do notice quite how much time Tolkien devotes to describing where things are located in relation to one another. In terms of sheer linguistic power, it’s a lovely book to slow down and read every single word. It’s an undertaking but if you ever have a chance to read The Lord of the Rings aloud, I thoroughly recommend it.
All in all, 2023 was an excellent reading year for me. I’m very fortunate to be able to spend so much time immersing myself in a habit that I love and the comfort it brings me has been instrumental in finding some shape to my middle years. Some men buy Harley Davidsons, others, more paperbacks than they could possibly ever read…
