Bookworm with a View

Abseiling Empress Falls (Australia)

Adios 2011, bring on 2012!

2011 was both exciting and sad for me: I ran my first Ultra Marathon in January, spent three weeks in Australia, and a week in Italy. We had many visitors throughout the year, trips to the city, and dinner parties to plan. Countless evenings were spent sitting on the deck, reading a good book with a glass of wine, watching the sunset.

I don't care to remember/reflect on my fourteen day's of strike fright.

M's six year battle with Breast Cancer came to an end in February and my friend E died in September after a four year fight. They are warriors who have played a role in the person I am today. We are capable of so much more than we expect. Try harder, live harder, love harder, laugh harder.

2012 is shaping up to be a year focused on personal growth. I'm excited!

Books: I'm amazed I read over 60 books this year. That said, I haven't read a 'great' book since September. You know the type, the book you find yourself telling everyone to read. I am reading a book right now though that I believe will hold this status, The Ruins of Us. I have 100 pages left... it's wonderful.

The books I'm drawn to usually tell a compelling story while introducing me to a new part of the world or a culture I know little about. Mixing in some fun/light novels along the way and I have a good blend of reading genres.

While I can't pick one favorite book for 2011, I can narrow my list down to my top three: Jerusalem Maiden, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives, and Amaryllis in Blueberry. Since I'm writing this before I finish The Ruins of Us... I can't include it but I expect it to make the list. It's my kind of book.

Revealing the list (in order of reading them):