Sunday, January 23, 2022, 9:56 am

Reading beyond the lines

I am still reading. A little.

Books affect me more than they used to. Some, it’s like their written about me. I find that alarming, not comforting, that either so many people have the same problems, or that I’m so damaged.

As such, I find I process what I read more. Which is good, I think.

After all, in the five years since I’ve been reading extensively, I find I am not retaining as much as I’d like. My eidetic memory is turning into swiss cheese. Decaying.

Which might be a relief. If only I could forget some of my sins. Yet, I suppose that’s why they are sins. We. Must. Atone.

However, this year I didn’t read solely for the sake of reading. And I find that this year’s books—especially ones that affected me—have also stuck with me.

Am I actually growing? It will be interesting to see…

For the record, here are the books read in 2021:

  1. The Way of Men - Jack Donovan
  2. Reality Unveiled - Ziad Masri
  3. The Mist - Stephen King
  4. The Obstacle Is the Way - Ryan Holiday
  5. Men Without Women - Ernest Hemingway
  6. Live First, Work Second - Rebecca Ryan
  7. Son of a Wanted Man - Louis L’Amour
  8. American Eve - Paula Uruburu
  9. The Infinite Game - Simon Sinek
  10. Private Dancer - Stephen Leather
  11. A Dreadful Man - Brian Aherne
  12. The Trial - Franz Kafka
  13. Revival - Stephen King
  14. Lost in the Meritocracy - Walter Kirn
  15. Riveted - Jim Davies
  16. Where the Red Fern Grows - Wilson Rawls
  17. Women’s Infidelity - Michelle Langley
  18. Death of a Citizen - Donald Hamilton
  19. No More Mr. Nice Guy - Robert A. Glover
  20. Women’s Infidelity II - Michelle Langley
  21. I Should Write This Stuff Down - Bruce Behymer
  22. The Five Love Languages - Gary Chapman
  23. Outwitting the Devil - Napoleon Hill
  24. Falling Angel - William Hjortsberg
  25. Iron John: A Book About Men - Robert Bly
  26. Under the Sweetwater Rim - Louis L’Amour
  27. Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery
  28. Idlewild - Nick Sagan
  29. The 48 Laws of Power - Robert Greene
  30. The Trumpet of the Swan - E.B. White
  31. The Albuquerque Turkey - John Vorhaus
  32. Curse of the High IQ - Aaron Clarey
  33. Firestarter - Stephen King