I joined Goodread’s reading challenges back in 2018 in an attempt to “force myself” to read more; make a habit out of it. Back then, I wasn’t sure if it was going to work but, looking back, it seems it did. Here are some stats:
- 2018 | Goal: 4 books | Read: 3 (75%)
- 2019 | Goal: 10 books | Read: 7 (70%) | ~133% more than 2018
- 2020 | Goal: 12 books | Read: 10 (83%) | ~43% more than 2019
- 2021 | Goal: 15 books | Read: 17 (113%) | ~70% more than 2020
- 2022 | Goal: 24 books | Read: 17 (71%) | 0% (same as 2021)
So since 2018 that I kick started the challenge, epically failing to read 4 books in a year 😅, I have been gradually getting better at it for four consequent years. Getting to 17 books per year, is already a great achievement. I am grateful to have managed to do it. In 2023 I am aiming for 2 books per month. This is not an easy one to tackle, so I’ll probably hold on to this goal for a couple of years.
In 2023 I will try and invest more time in audiobooks. Audio has always been my favorite medium of consuming content (i.e. podcasts) and it seems to help me consume books faster. I will let you know how this worked, in next year’s review 😃
What I have been reading in 2022
The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle is an awesome book about leadership and how to thrive in an environment that requires team work. Some insights are especially useful for remote workers. The Heart of Leadership by Mark Miller is another great one. It highlights so nicely the role of the servant leader. Servant leaders are, in my honest opinion, key ingredients for creating and fostering culture to a company or organization.
The Good Life Handbook: Epictetus’ Stoic Classic Enchiridion by Chuck Chakrapani is an analysis of Epictetus’es Enchiridion (= meaning literally Handbook). I also read another philosophical book about the Epicurian philosophy during 2022, Επίκουρος του Διογένη Λαέρτιου (in Greek). I have been reading philosophy these past 3 years and I believe it has been both helpful and rewarding for me. If you consider to start reading philosophy, I highly recommend the Stoic, Aristotelian and Epicurian philosophical schools. And also a piece of advice; don’t be afraid to consume a translation of the original text. It is quite easy to understand and very rewarding.
Finally, Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey was a very pleasant surprise. The writing of McConaghey is soothing and inspiring at the same time. Great stories all the way from his childhood to adulthood. I originally bought the Kindle version but, if I was to read it again, I would definitely go for this Audible version, narrated by McConaghey himself.
I am also honored and proud… drum roll…
… to have read 3 books written by friends this past year. I want to express my gratitude to all of them for sharing them with me🙏 and let them know that I absolutely loved the books!
- “Μαύρη Θάλασσα” (= Black Sea) by Konstantinos Avgerinakis (in Greek).
- “Γαλαξίας στην Τσέπη” (= Galaxy in Pocket) by George Meliopoulos (in Greek).
- “What I do with my hands” by Jon Vlachogiannis.
That’s all from my reading journey in 2023. What did you read this past year? I’d love to read your suggestions on the comments!
