I can say that 2014 has not only been the year in which I’ve visited the most countries, but also the year that I’ve read the most books. I read ALOT when I travel. Plane rides, bus rides, layovers, and inevitable delays provide ample opportunities to read while traveling. I primarily read on my Kindle, and I’m always updating it with books from the library, which is a great system for a reading addict like myself. I also do some audio books, which are especially great when I get motion sickness. So this year, I managed to read 100 books. Over 100 actually. Crazy.
I’ve read some great memoirs, from laugh out loud Amy Poehler to inspirational Malala Yousafzai. I tackled C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series with gusto. I think I read every book that Malcolm Gladwell has written, and still want more. While being thoroughly disappointed with the Maze Runner series, I made up for it by discovering Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha series and rereading Harry Potter [books 1 – 4]. Trends for this year include the 1920’s, parallel timelines, travelogues, immigrant families adjusting to life in America, and as always, crime fiction. Probably the best new author I discovered this year was Marisha Pessl. Her two books, Night Film and Special Topics in Calamity Physics are both pretty brilliant. I can’t wait to read more of her. I also read books that both challenged & encouraged my faith from authors like Jefferson Bethke, David Platt, and C.S. Lewis. I had two [in real life] friends write books recently that I finally got around to reading, Amelia’s Isn’t it Time for a Coffee Break? and Susie’s Paint Chips. So cool seeing friends do awesome things like write fantastic books, be wonderful mothers, strong creatives, and great wives.
Reading is important to me. I always loved to read in school, but since I’m not a student anymore, I have to challenge myself to continue learning and expanding my world through [good] books. Maybe that’s why I feel like traveling and reading go hand in hand. Both take you to new places for new adventures. Both expand your mind, heart, and understanding of the world. Both leave you forever changed. I hope I’m forever a reading traveler.
An American Mom in Asia 